Ovechkin scores as the Capitals eliminate the Canadiens in 5, advance to play the Hurricanes

For the first time in seven years the Washington Capitals were on the showing contentment end of a playoff handshake line And they got to enjoy it at home for the first time in a decade Alex Ovechkin scored on a laser of a shot off a faceoff Logan Thompson made particular spectacular saves among his and the Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens - in Challenge of their first-round series Wednesday night to advance in the NHL playoffs It s the Capitals first series win since capturing the Stanley Cup in and they clinched at home for the first time since They face the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round with a spot in the Eastern Conference final at stake We won a series and we re going to enjoy it tonight and the upcoming day it s a new day and it s going to be a new series Ovechkin mentioned We have to be smart and we have to move on and competition by match Ovechkin led the way with his power-play goal minutes in setting off chants of Ovi Ovi from the juiced up crowd Pierre-Luc Dubois delivered a perfect pass to Jakob Chychrun who beat Jakub Dobes just over two minutes later Tom Wilson provided a valuable insurance goal on the power play late in the second period Washington Capitals Apr Alex Ovechkin required Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin for memento after record-breaking goal Alex Ovechkin Apr Ovechkin celebrates NHL goals record by giving his jersey to a friend Alex Ovechkin Apr Caps honor Ovechkin with event fit for a GOAT Fans expressed their appreciation for Thompson with chants of LT LT when he turned aside Kaiden Guhle on a three-on-one rush and with under two minutes left when he flashed his glove to rob Nick Suzuki with Dobes pulled for an extra attacker Brandon Duhaime sealed it with an empty-netter with seconds left Much like the final minutes of Battle Thompson was at his best at the start when the Canadiens came out with the desperation expected from a association facing elimination and then in the third when they pressed and tilted the ice toward him He s a rock center Dylan Strome noted He was great I thought he did what he did all year He kept us in it made the big saves when we needed it The Capitals asserted their dominance in the East s versus series a year after getting swept as the underdog in it by the New York Rangers Banged up and without top goalie Sam Montembeault and scoring winger Patrik Laine the Canadiens got a goal from Emil Heineman but ultimately ran out of steam after going on a tear down the stretch in the regular season to be the last group to qualify for the playoffs We had a good push in the third and I think when teams gave us a little bit of space we were very dangerous coach Martin St Louis announced If we introduced ourself to the rest of the league in this playoffs especially being the youngest squad and stuff I think we can walk out of here with our head held high Up next Carolina and Washington meet in the playoffs for the first time since