The Washington Capitals kicked off their playoff campaign with a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night at Capital One Arena. With this win, the Capitals take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven series, showcasing a strong performance that left fans on the edge of their seats.
Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was the star of the night, scoring both the opening and closing goals of the game. His first goal came late in the first period during a power play, marking a significant milestone as it was his 73rd career postseason goal and 29th career playoff power-play goal. This achievement allowed Ovechkin to surpass Patrick Marleau and Esa Tikkanen, tying him with Dino Ciccarelli for the 14th-most playoff goals in NHL history.
Logan Thompson, returning to the Capitals' crease, was impressive, stopping 33 of 35 shots faced. His performance was crucial in securing the win for Washington, as the team looked to build momentum after a rocky finish to the regular season.
The game began with the Capitals establishing their dominance early on. Ovechkin's power play goal at 18:34 of the first period, assisted by Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome, set the tone for the night. The Capitals outshot the Canadiens significantly in the first frame, leading in five-on-five shot attempts, 23-13, and high-danger chances, 7-1.
In the second period, the Capitals extended their lead to 2-0 with a rebound goal from Anthony Beauvillier at 12:09, with Ovechkin and Strome assisting. This goal highlighted the chemistry of the Capitals' forward lines, which were firing on all cylinders.
However, the Canadiens responded in the third period. Cole Caufield cut the Capitals' lead to 2-1 with a power play goal at 10:32, with assists from Patrick Laine and Lane Hutson. The Canadiens showed resilience, tying the game with just five minutes left in regulation when Nick Suzuki scored at 15:45, assisted by A. Carrier and L. Hutson.
Regulation ended in a 2-2 tie, with the Canadiens outshooting the Capitals in the third period and leading in five-on-five shot attempts, 28-16. The momentum shifted, and the game headed into overtime, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
Overtime began with both teams vying for the upper hand, but it was Ovechkin who sealed the deal just 2:26 into the extra frame, scoring the game-winning goal with assists from Beauvillier and Strome. This marked Ovechkin's 10th career playoff multi-goal performance and Strome's first career multi-point playoff game.
Anthony Beauvillier also made history by becoming the first player in NHL history to assist on both Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin goals in the same season/playoffs, showcasing his impact on the game.
In terms of ice time, Matt Roy led the Capitals with 26:12, marking his second-highest total in a playoff game. The Capitals have now improved their all-time record in Game 1s to 28-21 (.571) and are 18-12 (.600) in Game 1s played at home, winning their last three Game 1s at Capital One Arena.
Looking ahead, the Capitals will aim to double their series lead in Game 2, scheduled for Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 7 PM ET. Fans are eager to see if the Capitals can continue their strong performance and build on their success from this thrilling opener.
