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Two factors, whether or not earned in regulation, extra time or a shootout, had been all of the Capitals wanted to safe the second wild-card spot within the Jap Convention. Philadelphia wanted to win in regulation — and get assist from the Detroit Crimson Wings in Montreal — to remain alive.
The Capitals obtained what they wanted. Washington emerged victorious, 2-1, due to an empty-net purpose by T.J. Oshie with three minutes left. Goaltender Charlie Lindgren, who began for the second time in as many nights and for the third time in 4 days, made 27 saves to elevate Washington again into the postseason. Samuel Ersson stopped 16 pictures for the Flyers.
After lacking out final season, the Capitals (40-31-11, 91 factors) will return to the playoffs and face the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers within the first spherical. Detroit (41-32-9, 91 factors) scored with 5 seconds left in regulation and went on to beat Montreal, 5-4, in a shootout, however the Capitals obtained the nod on the regulation wins tiebreaker (32 to 27).
“I don’t assume I truly conceptualized this second of us being and reaching our purpose to get again into the Stanley Cup playoffs. When it occurs, you’re a little bit bit bowled over,” Coach Spencer Carbery mentioned. “Simply proud — actually, actually pleased with the group. Immediately was, as soon as once more, emblematic of what this group has achieved all yr lengthy. On a back-to-back, you can inform we had been fully out of fuel. We had been combating for each shift, simply to take strides, simply to verify pucks obtained out.
“We had a very good dialog between the second and third about what we had been going to want to do, what was going to be required in that third interval. I believed the blokes dug in and did a wonderful job in that third interval and located a means. We discovered a strategy to get into the Stanley Cup playoffs.”
Earlier than the sport, Carbery implored his group to begin on the entrance foot and play with out concern, and Washington did as he requested within the opening minutes. Oshie rang a wrist shot off the put up simply 15 seconds in, and the Capitals appeared to be in management.
Fittingly for the best way this season has gone, Recreation 82 wasn’t with out its quirks. Halfway by the primary interval, a shot from Philadelphia’s Joel Farabee deflected into the air after a save by Lindgren. The officers overpassed the puck and blew the whistle, however when the puck lastly landed, it bounced off Farabee, then the stick of Capitals winger Tom Wilson and into the online. After an eight-minute overview, as referees Kelly Sutherland and Eric Furlatt conferred with the NHL’s scenario room in Toronto, it was dominated no purpose — giving the Capitals a big increase.
Philadelphia, spurred on by an incensed crowd, started to push again. It took the Capitals till 18:08 to get the puck previous Ersson, and it was an odd one: Ovechkin deflected a degree shot from defenseman Dylan McIlrath with the shaft of his stick, and the puck bounced off the ice and over Ersson’s shoulder.
Ovechkin’s explosive celebration, flinging himself into the glass earlier than turning and pointing to McIlrath, underscored simply how a lot a return to the postseason means to the 38-year-old, who scored his 853rd common season purpose.
“For us as a bunch, we stick collectively and it doesn’t matter what. It was a tricky yr, powerful season — accidents, lacking totally different guys, [players] from Hershey come up and so they play unbelievable,” Ovechkin mentioned. “Immediately D-Mac obtained an enormous help on the purpose, and we play exhausting. We’re going to do one thing particular this yr. It’s just one step.”
Because the Flyers constructed momentum, making the most of their relaxation benefit whereas Washington was on the second evening of a back-to-back, it was unsurprising when a deflection by Erik Johnson tied the rating with 7:31 remaining within the second interval. It was solely unsurprising that the Flyers didn’t handle to take the lead, given the high-quality possibilities that Lindgren needed to combat off.
A lot of the third interval was an train in staying afloat. Philadelphia had extra vitality, extra life and what felt like extra hope, and Washington held on for expensive life. The rating remained tied — a tight-checking, playoff-style exhibiting befitting the stakes — effectively into the ultimate minutes.
The purpose earned by the Crimson Wings for reaching extra time in Montreal eradicated the Flyers from playoff rivalry with simply over three minutes remaining in Philadelphia, however Flyers Coach John Tortorella nonetheless pulled Ersson for an additional attacker. Moments later, Oshie fired the puck into the vacated web to provide Washington the lead.
Although the Capitals had mentioned the potential of Philadelphia pulling its goalie in a tie recreation, Oshie didn’t understand the online was empty till he was bearing down on it.
“Skating down the ice, I didn’t even know the goalie was out till it regarded like [Garnet Hathaway] was making an attempt to dam a shot there,” he mentioned. “It felt good. It’s such a very good recreation; it’s form of unlucky that that’s the best way it has to finish. They clearly wanted a regulation win, so it’s comprehensible. That was a tricky battle.”
After Oshie’s purpose, Tortorella once more pulled Ersson, forcing the Capitals to defend a six-on-five benefit for the Flyers whereas clinging to a one-goal lead. There was no different means, in a season wherein Washington gained 19 one-goal video games earlier than Tuesday’s ultimate matchup, that it may finish. The Capitals held on, doing simply sufficient to expire the clock and return to the playoffs.
“It means lots,” Oshie mentioned. “When you win one time, the common season simply doesn’t have as a lot which means as a playoff recreation. To get again there may be going to be tremendous particular. Positively gained’t take it as a right. The boys shall be able to rock.”
