WASHINGTON — In an exciting start to the playoffs, Alex Ovechkin scored the first playoff overtime goal of his career, leading the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their first-round series on Monday night.
Ovechkin had recently made headlines by breaking Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing record for the most goals in NHL history. Just 15 days after that milestone, he got his second goal of the night 3:26 into overtime, helping the Capitals, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, secure the win despite giving up a two-goal lead.
<p“A goal is a goal,” Ovechkin remarked after the game. “In the playoffs, it doesn’t matter who scores. It builds your confidence.”
Throughout the game, the Capitals showcased their physical style, making it tough for the smaller Canadiens players. They finished with an impressive 42 hits, with most players contributing to the effort, and Ovechkin leading the charge with seven hits.
<p“Everyone was involved in the physical game,” Ovechkin said, praising his teammates. “It was a good team effort.”
The Capitals struck first with Ovechkin finding the net on a power play in the first period and assisting Anthony Beauvillier in the second. However, the Canadiens made a push to come back when Cole Caufield scored with just under ten minutes remaining in regulation, followed by Nick Suzuki tying the game after a miscue in the Capitals’ defensive zone.
Fortunately for Washington, Ovechkin’s timely overtime goal secured the series lead and marked their first playoff victory since May 2022. Dylan Strome, who had two assists, acknowledged, “We maybe sat back a little too much in the third period, but a win’s a win. We’ll take it and move on.”
Goaltender Logan Thompson stood strong, making 33 saves in his first NHL game back after being injured earlier in the month. “LT played great,” Strome noted, recalling a crucial save that helped maintain the team’s momentum.
On the other end, Canadiens’ goalie Sam Montembeault had a solid performance, stopping 29 of 31 shots in his playoff debut. Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis reflected on the effort: “It was a good first game overall. We did a lot of things well, even if we didn’t come out on top.”
Looking Ahead
Game 2 of the series is set for Wednesday night in Washington before the action shifts to Montreal for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday.
