WASHINGTON — Brooks Orpik scored lower than two minutes into additional time, Alex Ovechkin had two assists and the Washington Capitals beat the Carolina Hurricanes Four-Three on Saturday to present the defending Stanley Cup champions a 2-Zero lead within the first-round sequence.
The tone was set for a wacky afternoon when a rat fell out of the ceiling throughout the Hurricanes’ pregame soccer match. The bizarre vibes lasted lengthy after the useless rat was eliminated — from a questionable ejection for a test to the top to a shot off one goalie’s masks and one other that went in off the opposite goalie’s bottom.
Ovechkin assisted on objectives by Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson to assist put Washington up two video games to none in a sequence for simply the third time previously 5 years. In maybe his remaining NHL post-season, Orpik scored 1:48 into the additional interval of the Capitals’ first additional time playoff sport since they eradicated Pittsburgh within the second spherical a 12 months in the past.
The Washington Capitals rejoice (AP Photograph/Nick Wass)
Braden Holtby stopped 25 photographs, and T.J. Oshie additionally scored. Holtby allowed objectives to Lucas Wallmark, Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal, the final on a Carolina energy play with 5 minutes left in regulation.
Carolina goaltender Petr Mrazek rebounded from an inconsistent Recreation 1 to make 29 saves. He robbed Wilson with a glove cease with 1:37 left and made a left pad save on John Carlson within the remaining seconds of the third interval to get it to additional time.
Identical to Recreation 1, the Capitals jumped out to an early lead when Alex Ovechkin discovered Backstrom large open for a tap-in Three:37 in. They made it 2-Zero halfway by means of the primary interval when Oshie drove previous Justin Williams and Justin Faulk and lifted a backhander over Mrazek — kicking the stick out of Williams’ arms for good measure.
Not like Recreation 1, the Hurricanes didn’t wait till the third interval to start their comeback. Wallmark deflected Jaccob Slavin’s shot previous Holtby, who was spun round on some skate-to-skate contact by Carolina’s Saku Maenalanen. Capitals coach Todd Reirden challenged for goaltender interference, however the referees and NHL state of affairs room deemed the contact exterior the crease to not be vital sufficient to disallow the aim.
Issues solely acquired stranger within the second interval. Lower than a minute after exiting the penalty field, Hurricanes ahead Micheal Ferland hit Nic Dowd whereas bent over and was given a five-minute match penalty for an unlawful test to the top and ejected.
After officers conferred and determined to make it a five-minute main, coach Rod Brind’Amour screamed at referee Steve Kozari that it was a clear hit, pointing to his hip to emphasise Ferland made largely hip to shoulder contact. Dowd left to undergo concussion protocol however returned.
In the course of the ensuing energy play, a one-timer from Carlson hit Mrazek on the precise aspect of his masks and knocked it off. Mrazek appeared to take a puck to the face and winced in ache however didn’t get pulled for concussion protocol and stayed within the sport.
Mrazek made seven saves on the penalty kill of Ferland’s main, which was minimize quick with 51 seconds remaining by a hooking penalty on Oshie. When Dowd high-sticked Dougie Hamilton, the Hurricanes acquired 1:07 of 5-on-Three power-play time however had been thwarted by Holtby.
It took an unpredictable bounce for Carolina to tie it. After the puck deflected off the tip wall, Aho banked it off Holtby’s bottom and in to finish a 15-game aim drought courting to March 9.
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 13: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates with the puck in opposition to T.J. Oshie #77 of the Washington Capitals within the second interval in Recreation Two of the Japanese Convention First Spherical throughout the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Area on April 13, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photograph by Patrick McDermott/NHLI by way of Getty Photographs)
Ovechkin carried the puck up ice and fed Wilson for the go-ahead aim with 11:05 left. However the Capitals’ lead solely lasted six minutes as a result of with Dowd again within the field for high-sticking, Staal deflected Hamilton’s shot previous Holtby for Carolina’s first power-play aim within the sequence.
Evgeny Kuznetsov discovered Orpik within the left faceoff circle for the winner. It’s his fourth aim in 151 playoff video games however his third game-winner.
NOTES: Ten of the Capitals’ final 14 first-round video games went to additional time. … Together with his 101st playoff level, Backstrom moved forward of Daniel Alfredsson into sole possession of fourth all-time amongst Swedish gamers. … Hurricanes D Calvin de Haan missed his fifth sport in a row with an upper-body harm. … Maenalanen changed Greg McKegg in Carolina’s lineup. … Capitals C Lars Eller performed after lacking apply Friday for upper-body upkeep.
UP NEXT
Recreation Three Monday night time in Raleigh is the Hurricanes’ first dwelling playoff sport since Could 26, 2009.
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Stephen Whyno, The Related Press
