Ovechkin evaluates while the capitals eliminate the Canadia in 5 to play the hurricanes

Washington (AP) – For the first time in seven years, the Washington Capitals were at the smiling end of a Playoff handbeat line. And they had to enjoy it at home for the first time in a decade.

Alex Ovechkin scored on a laser from an example, Logan Thompson achieved some spectacular parades among his 28 and the capitals defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4: 1 in game 5 of Your first round Wednesday evening to find ahead in the NHL playoffs.

It is the first win of the Capitals of the first series since he captured the Stanley Cup in 2018. You have dragged home for the first time since 2015. Exign the Carolina Hurricanes In the second round with a place in the Eastern Conference finally at stake.

“We have won a series and we will enjoy it tonight and tomorrow it will be a new day and it will be a new series,” said Ovechkin. “We have to be smart and we have to continue after the game.”

Ovechkin headed the way With his power play goal in 11 minutes in the singing of “Ovi! Ovi!” from the juicy amount. Pierre-Luc Dubois delivered Jakob Chychrun a perfect pass that defeated Don's Jakub Don's a little more than two minutes later. Tom Wilson delivered a valuable insurance target for the power game late in the second half.

The fans pressed their appreciation for Thompson with chants of “LT! Lt!” When he flashed Kaiden Guhle with a three-on-one storm and less than two minutes before the glove to Rob Suzuki with Dobes. Brandon Duhaime sealed it with an empty network with a 25.6 second lead.

Similar to the last minutes of game 2At the beginning, Thompson was at the best side when the Canadians came out the despair that was exposed to the elimination of a team, and then in the third when they pressed and tended the ice on him.

“He is a rock,” said Center Dylan Strome. “He was great. I thought he did what he did all year round. He kept us, made the big parades when we needed it.”

The capitals claimed their dominance in the 1 against 8 of the east, a year later be swept As an outsider in it from the New York Rangers. Beat and Without top goalkeeper Sam Montembault And the winger Patrik Laine scored the Canadiens from Emil Heineman, but in the end it ran out of the steam after having driven down the last team in the regular season to be the last team that qualified for the playoffs.

“We had a good pressure in the third and I think when the teams gave us a little space, we were very dangerous,” said coach Martin St. Louis. “If we have introduced ourselves to the rest of the league in these playoffs, especially the youngest team and things, I think we can go out of here with our head here.”

Next on

Carolina and Washington have been meeting in the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

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