Washington, D.C., April 22, 2025 — Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, weeks after breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record, scored twice, including the overtime game-winner, to lead his team to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series on Monday. The win, Washington’s first playoff victory under head coach Spencer Carbery, ended a seven-game postseason losing streak.
Ovechkin’s overtime goal, his first in 48 career playoff extra sessions, came at 2:26, securing a crucial series lead. He also scored on a first-period power play, setting an early tone. The Capitals nearly lost a 2-0 lead in the third period, underscoring the fine margins of playoff hockey.
“He made a couple of big plays for us tonight, was physical, set the tone,” Carbery said of Ovechkin. “First period, he was leading the charge and dragging guys into the fight.” At 39, Ovechkin became the fourth-oldest player to score a playoff overtime goal, trailing Igor Larionov, Ray Whitney, and Steve Thomas.
The game-winner followed a Montreal icing call. Dylan Strome won the offensive-zone face-off, and Anthony Beauvillier fired a shot that Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault deflected. Beauvillier recovered the puck and passed to Ovechkin, who batted it in from the slot. “The goal, it’s a goal,” Ovechkin said. “It doesn’t matter in the playoffs – and especially in OT – who scores. I think it gives you confidence.”
Washington dominated early, out-hitting Montreal 20-14 in the first period and controlling offensive-zone time. Ovechkin’s power-play goal at 18:34 came after a clean entry by Strome and Tom Wilson. “I had so much time with the puck,” Wilson said, “and I looked up and he got into that ice, that same ice that’s pretty dangerous, if I can get the puck to him.” Ovechkin’s shot from the left circle beat Montembeault, giving Washington a 1-0 lead.
Beauvillier extended the lead to 2-0 at 12:09 of the second period, tipping in an Ovechkin shot after disrupting a Montreal clearance. “I’m just trying to hit the puck there,” Beauvillier said. “I’m trying to give myself a chance.” Montembeault, in his playoff debut, made 29 saves, including a key stop on Andrew Mangiapane.
Montreal rallied in the third. Cole Caufield scored on a power play at 10:32, capitalizing on a deflected Patrik Laine shot. Nick Suzuki tied the game at 2-2 with 4:15 left during a goalmouth scramble. “We caught up to it, and we started executing more,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “We spent more time in the [offensive] zone.”
Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, returning from an April 2 upper-body injury, stopped 33 shots. His blocker save on Suzuki late in the first preserved the early lead. “It’s good; it was fun,” Thompson said. “Being back with the guys in the room and putting the jersey on was my favorite part of today.”
Carbery criticized the team’s third-period lapse: “I thought we started to overcomplicate it a little bit; we got away from it.” Wilson called the win a “cheap lesson,” adding, “If you play passive in the playoffs, teams are too good. They’re going to make plays, and we’ve got to keep our foot down.”
Late in the third, defenseman Alex Alexeyev took a stick to the mouth, requiring “significant dental work,” per Carbery. Alexeyev, who played 14:02, blocked three shots and recorded two hits.
Washington’s early dominance contrasted with recent regular-season struggles, but maintaining intensity remains critical. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday in Washington. Ovechkin’s performance, blending physicality and scoring prowess, reinforces his legacy as he pursues a second Stanley Cup.
The Capitals’ playoff journey continues against a resilient Montreal squad. Monday’s win, while hard-fought, highlights the need for consistency in a series expected to test both teams’ depth and resolve.
