After forty minutes of scoreless play, The Washington Capitals and New York Rangers each broke through with goals from Matt Gilroy and Alexander Ovechkin in the third period. Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series is tied at 1-1 after 60 minutes, as we head to the first overtime of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The shots are 23-19 Capitals after three periods, though New York outshot Washington 8-6 in the third.
Rangers Vs. Capitals, Game 1: Alexander Ovechkin And Matt Gilroy Score In The Third, Make It 1-1 Heading To Overtime
At 1:56 into the third period, it was Wojtek Wolski who found Matt Gilroy with a fantastic pass from behind the net, and Gilroy just whipped it past Michal Neuvirth to give the Rangers the game’s first goal, despite being outshot 17-13 for the game at that point. It was Gilroy’s first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal.
The Rangers sat back for much of the rest of the period, content to shut down the Caps until six minutes remaining, when Alexander Ovechkin tried to set up a screen in close for Alex Semin to get a shot away. Semin held off the initial shot, but Ovechkin pushed in the rebound before the whistle blew, it seemed. The play went under review, and the call on the ice of good goal stood. It was Ovechkin’s 21st careeer post-season goal.
The Rangers got a power play with 4:43 left in the game when Ovechkin went off for roughing at 15:17. Neuvirth made a solid glove save on Marian Gaborik. Neuvirth was solid throughout the power play, and has been generally dependable in this one, despite not being called upon as much as Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers and Capitals are both 0-for-2 on the power play tonight as we head to OT.
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