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Ovechkin's late PP goal gives Caps win
Source: Agencies |
May 2, 2012, Wednesday
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ALEX Ovechkin silenced the Madison Square Garden crowd that had been taunting him for two games.
If he can fire up the fans back at home, too, the Washington Capitals could be in store for a deep run in the NHL playoffs.
Ovechkin scored a power-play goal with 7:27 remaining to end a tie and give the Capitals a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers that squared the Eastern Conference semifinal series 1-1 on Monday.
Just under 6 minutes after Ryan Callahan got the Rangers even with a power-play goal, Ovechkin put the Capitals ahead for good after they squandered a 2-0 lead. Whether Ovechkin heard the derisive chants that greeted him every time there were 8 minutes left, matching his uniform number, in each period or not, they certainly didn't knock him off his game.
Despite diminished minutes in the playoffs, Ovechkin is still every bit as dangerous during crunch time.
"Ovi is a team guy and he is cheering his guys on," Capitals coach Dale Hunter said. "He knows what these guys are going through at the end of the game. They've got to go out and slide and block shots. He appreciates that.
"The one thing is that he has been real fresh for the power play."
Ovechkin struck off a clean faceoff win by Nicklas Backstrom, firing a shot from inside the blue line past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist.
"First I saw it, then I didn't see it, and then I saw it," Lundqvist said. "It was a hard shot. It was a good shot. Unfortunately, someone got tied up and he got a free lane. It's the wrong guy to get that opportunity."
Ovechkin was also surprised to find room to maneuver.
"Nicky wins the faceoff, and I kind of turned and felt like I was going to have some pressure," he said, "but when I turned, I saw that nobody came to me."
In St. Louis, Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar scored twice in a four-goal, first-period blitz that set up the Kings for a 5-2 win over St. Louis that delivered a 2-0 series lead. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter had a goal apiece in the big opening period that was one goal shy of the franchise playoff record of five in 1993 against Vancouver.
Los Angeles has won five straight road games in this postseason.
Andy McDonald scored 18 seconds into the second for St. Louis but Justin Williams squashed thoughts of a comeback when he scored on the Kings' first shot of the period, then they sat on that cushion, taking only five more shots for the remainder of the game.
Matt D'Agostini scored in the third for St. Louis.
If he can fire up the fans back at home, too, the Washington Capitals could be in store for a deep run in the NHL playoffs.
Ovechkin scored a power-play goal with 7:27 remaining to end a tie and give the Capitals a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers that squared the Eastern Conference semifinal series 1-1 on Monday.
Just under 6 minutes after Ryan Callahan got the Rangers even with a power-play goal, Ovechkin put the Capitals ahead for good after they squandered a 2-0 lead. Whether Ovechkin heard the derisive chants that greeted him every time there were 8 minutes left, matching his uniform number, in each period or not, they certainly didn't knock him off his game.
Despite diminished minutes in the playoffs, Ovechkin is still every bit as dangerous during crunch time.
"Ovi is a team guy and he is cheering his guys on," Capitals coach Dale Hunter said. "He knows what these guys are going through at the end of the game. They've got to go out and slide and block shots. He appreciates that.
"The one thing is that he has been real fresh for the power play."
Ovechkin struck off a clean faceoff win by Nicklas Backstrom, firing a shot from inside the blue line past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist.
"First I saw it, then I didn't see it, and then I saw it," Lundqvist said. "It was a hard shot. It was a good shot. Unfortunately, someone got tied up and he got a free lane. It's the wrong guy to get that opportunity."
Ovechkin was also surprised to find room to maneuver.
"Nicky wins the faceoff, and I kind of turned and felt like I was going to have some pressure," he said, "but when I turned, I saw that nobody came to me."
In St. Louis, Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar scored twice in a four-goal, first-period blitz that set up the Kings for a 5-2 win over St. Louis that delivered a 2-0 series lead. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter had a goal apiece in the big opening period that was one goal shy of the franchise playoff record of five in 1993 against Vancouver.
Los Angeles has won five straight road games in this postseason.
Andy McDonald scored 18 seconds into the second for St. Louis but Justin Williams squashed thoughts of a comeback when he scored on the Kings' first shot of the period, then they sat on that cushion, taking only five more shots for the remainder of the game.
Matt D'Agostini scored in the third for St. Louis.
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