Alex Ovechkin once again showcased his signature scoring instinct by netting his second goal of the night at 2:26 of overtime, securing a thrilling 3-2 win for the Washington Capitals over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Monday.
The game-winner came after a sharp effort by Anthony Beauvillier, who collected his own rebound and delivered a pinpoint pass to Ovechkin. The veteran forward finished the play with a dazzling aerial strike, beating the goaltender for his first career overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“I think it was a great play by [Dylan Strome] to win the face-off,” Ovechkin told NHL.com. “It was kind of a little scrum, and ‘Beauvi’ had the first shot and then he tried to find me out there, and good things happen when you go to the net.“
Ovechkin reaches playoff milestones
With his two-goal performance, Ovechkin reached several significant NHL milestones. “A goal is a goal,” Ovechkin said. “And in the playoffs, especially, it doesn’t matter who scores.” His power-play tally marked his 29th career playoff goal with the man advantage, tying Mario Lemieux for seventh all-time. His overtime goal raised his overall playoff goal count to 74, placing him alongside Joe Pavelski for 13th on the league’s all-time list.
Canadiens rally, but fall short in overtime
Despite a strong outing from their goaltender, the Canadiens mounted a spirited comeback in the third period. Cole Caufield cut into the Capitals’ lead with a power-play goal at 10:32, capitalizing on a deflection in front of goal. Nick Suzuki then leveled the game at 2-2 with a heads-up play in the crease, lifting a wrist shot into the open net at 15:45 following a chaotic sequence. However, the night ultimately belonged to Ovechkin, whose overtime brilliance sealed the win and set the tone for the series.
see also
NHL News: Canadiens star Brendan Gallagher makes something clear about expectations going into playoff series vs Capitals
Tom Wilson reflects on Capitals’ third-period lapse
Despite the victory, Tom Wilson acknowledged the team’s drop in intensity late in regulation. “Our third period, we were just a little too passive. 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.“
