Forward wins it at 2:26 for Washington; Montreal rallies to tie it with 2 goals in 3rd
Canadiens at Capitals | Recap | Round 1, Game 1
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin scored his second goal of the game at 2:26 of overtime, and the Washington Capitals recovered for a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Capital One Arena on Monday.
Anthony Beauvillier fed his own rebound in front to Ovechkin, who batted the puck out of the air for his first career Stanley Cup Playoff overtime goal.
“I think it was a great play by [Dylan Strome] to win the face-off,” Ovechkin said. “It was kind of a little scrum, and ‘Beauvi’ have a first shot and then he tried to find me out there and good things happen when you go to the net.”
MTL@WSH, Gm1: Ovechkin bats in the OT winning goal
Game 2 of the best-of-7 series will be here on Wednesday (7 p.m., ESPN, MNMT, SN, TVAS, CBC).
Strome had three assists, Ovechkin also had an assist, and Beauvillier had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who are the No. 1 seed from the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference.
Logan Thompson, who had not played since sustaining an upper-body injury in the first period of a 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on April 2, made 33 saves.
“Our third period, we were just a little too passive,” Washington forward Tom Wilson said. “We took our foot off the gas and allowed them to make plays, allowed them to get a little more time with the puck. We knew that and we just regrouped. It was pretty calm, a quick turnaround. We were able to get it done pretty quick.”
Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki scored in the third period, and Sam Montembeault made 29 saves for the Canadiens, who are the second wild card from the East. Lane Hutson had two assists.
“We spent more time in the O-zone and we get better as the game went on,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. “I feel like in terms of what we tried to do out there tonight, I felt it was a pretty good first game. There was a lot of good stuff. Unfortunately, you don’t win, but we got some really good stuff from this game.”
Caufield pulled the Canadiens to within 2-1 with a power-play goal at 10:32 of the third period. Patrik Laine’s shot from the left circle deflected off Nic Dowd and Matt Roy, and Caufield knocked in the loose puck from the slot.
Suzuki tied it 2-2 at 15:45. He controlled a loose puck during a scramble in front before lifting a wrist shot into the open net with Thompson out of his crease.
“We had chances in the first period, we could have had one. Second period we could have easily had a couple,” Suzuki said. “We just kind of felt that if we stuck with it we would be able to find some goals, and we did.”
MTL@WSH, Gm1: Suzuki snaps it home and ties it up at 2 late in the 3rd
Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 18:34 of the first period, taking a pass from Wilson and scoring a power-play goal on a wrist shot from the top of the left circle.
“I thought that first period was one of the best first periods we’ve played in probably a month, maybe two months,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “I thought it was just picture-perfect from exactly what we wanted to do to start the series, to start the game. Home ice, physicality, puck management, good productive shifts, attacking the net.”
Beauvillier made it 2-0 at 12:09 of the second period. Montembeault made the save after Beauvillier tipped Ovechkin’s shot from the left point, but the forward put his own rebound between Montembeault’s pads.
“First period they came out flying,” Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle said. “Obviously, a lot of energy in the building. Second period was even, I thought. Third period, we took over. [Their] third goal, couple weird bounces, bats out of midair. It’s playoff hockey. It happens. We move on and get ready for Wednesday.”
NOTES: Ovechkin scored his 29th career playoff power-play goal, tying Mario Lemieux for seventh in NHL history. … Ovechkin has 74 playoff goals, tying Joe Pavelski for 13th in NHL history. … The teams combined for 75 hits, with Ovechkin leading all skaters with seven. … Hutson became the third Canadiens defenseman to record multiple points in his playoff debut, joining Alexei Emelin (two assists in Game 1 of 2014 Eastern Conference First Round) and Red Goupille (two goals in Game 1 of the 1938 Quarterfinals).
🔹Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
🔹Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
🔹Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals
🔹New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes
🔹St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets
🔹Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars
🔹Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights
🔹Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings
