Capitals Vs. Rangers, Game 3: Buzzer Beater Disallowed As New York and Washington Are Tied 1-1 After Two Periods

Alexander Ovechkin’s tip-in goal to tie the game and a buzzer beater ended a long, strange second period. The New York Rangers and Washington Capitals are tied 1-1 after two periods of Game 3 in their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series, which Washington leads 2-0.

A long delay occurred early in the period when referee Chris Rooney was hurt on the ice and had to go off at 3:44 after suffering an injury. A lengthy delay occurred before back-up stand-by Frederick L’Ecuyer prepared to replace him. It was the first time a referee has ever been cheered at Madison Square Garden, for sure. Another case of some really strange things happening at this one.

John Carlson went off for cross-checking at 4:41 of the second after the delay. The Rangers, who did not start the power play with Marian Gaborik - who had struggled earlier - set it up for Erik Christensen to take a lightning-fast wrister from a seemingly impossible angle, almost from the goal line it looked. It was Christensen’s first of the series and the Rangers’ second at 5:30.

The Rangers had multiple chances to make it a bigger lead, with a brief 5-on-3 and a couple of power play chances mid-way through the second. Alexander Ovechkin went off for hooking at 8:50, and Scott Hannan for holding at 10:41. The Rangers couldn’t get a goal, largely due to the play of Michal Neuvirth, who has faced the bulk of the tough chances so far today.

The Capitals made the Rangers pay. Ironically, it started with Alexander Ovechkin being cross-checked out of the zone by a Ranger. The Capitals were able to move in, and set-up for a Jason Arnott shot that was tipped in by the man himself. Had Ovechkin not been pushed, the play would have likely been offside. It was Ovechkin’s second goal of the series, and has a point-a-game, as does Arnott, to tie the game at 19:00.

At the end of the period, there was intrigue. The puck was thrown in front by Ruslan Fedotenko, ricocheted off a Capital in front, and was pushed in, but it was at the buzzer. There was a review needed, and a lengthy one, extending this period even further. The call in the war room determined that the puck did not fully cross the goal line in time, keeping the game tied at 1-1 after two periods.