Ovechkin scored the OT winner and had three points in Game 1 for the Capitals. (Geoff Burke — Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ea99983e-2f07-49be-b725-04763a49d8cf.jpeg] Ovechkin scored the OT winner and had three points in Game 1 for the Capitals. (Geoff Burke — Imagn Images) WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin promised that he and the Washington Capitals would be in "beast mode" going into Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After all, he and his team didn't like the way the playoffs ended year, so he did something about it. And back for his 16th trip to the postseason, he wasted no time starting on his revenge tour. Ovechkin played hero, scoring two goals — including the OT winner — en route to a 3-2 victory. Here are all the takeaways from Game 1 as the Capitals take a 1-0 series lead. ALEX OVECHKIN GETS CAPITALS GOING AS TOP LINE SETS TONE, PLAYS HERO Alex Ovechkin showed early that he's still got it, and was the example that his team followed in Game 1. Ovechkin was all over ht eice, making smart plays, moving his feet and throwing his weight around. And, as he does best, he got the Capitals on the board. On a late first-period power play, Ovechkin picked up a nice feed from Dylan Strome and sniped a wicked wrist shot past Sam Montembeault to make it a 1-0 game going into the second. It marked Ovechkin's 73rd career playoff goal, the most among active players, and his first since 2023 after being held off the scoresheet entirely last year against the New York Rangers. Then, in the second period, he kept a puck in at the blue line and got it to the front of the net, where Anthony Beauvillier, who went hard on the forecheck, was waiting to tap it in for his first of the postseason. He wasn't done there, and buried a feed from Beauvillier early in OT to secure the win. Dylan Strome also added three helpers en route to the win, and not only did Ovechkin set the tone offensively, but set the tone physically, leading the way with a whopping seven hits and three points on the night. CAPITALS BRING THE BOOM, RELENTLESS START BODES WELL From the moment the puck dropped, the Capitals made it a mission to be all over the Canadiens, with Alex Ovechkin and Anthony Beauvillier setting the tone with big hits on the opening shift of the game. Washington was physical from that point on, with Tom Wilson and more throwing big hits and being aggressive on the forecheck. The Capitals racked up 20 hits total in the opening 20 minutes, with Ovechkin leading the charge with four of those. Then, there were some scrums and words exchangedd between these two hockey clubs, as is the way things usually go in the playoffs. But ultimately, that physicality boded well for Washington, whose relentless effort helped them dominate at both ends of the ice. D.C. outhit Montreal 30-25 when all was said and done. It was Ovechkin that was the biggest force when it came to dishing out hits, finishing the night with seven, the most on the team — including this one on Cole Caufield. LOGAN THOMPSON, CAPITALS FUMBLE IN THIRD Up until warmups, it wasn't exactly clear who would be starting in goal to open the playoffs for Washington. Coach Spencer Carbery wanted to play his cards close to the vest, with Logan Thompson working his way back from an upper-body injury and Charlie Lindgren ready for anything. Ultimately, it was Thompson who led his team out of the tunnel, and he showed his temamates. In his first game since April 2, Thompson was strong and confident in the net. His lateral movement and focus were sharp, he tracked the puck well. While he helped protect a 2-0 lead through 40 minutes, the Canadiens came back with a vengeance in the third and surged to ultimatley force overtime as D.C. stepped off the gas. Thompson finished with 33 saves on 35 shots for a .943 save percentage for his first playoff win in D.C. The first goal against was a strange one, when an errant bounce off Matt Roy in front landed right on the tape of Cole Caufield for an easy lay-up. Then, with just minutes left, Thompson overslid in his crease, leaving the net open for Nick Suzuki to even the score. Beyond Thompson, Washington also got a strong game from its defense corps, even with Martin Fehervary hurting and on the shelf to open the postseason. The Capitals' blueliners played a smart and safe game, and also moved the puck effectively up ice and didn't shy away from blocking shots. Meanwhile, Alex Alexeyev filled in beautifully, playing a physical role, moving his feet and keeping the puck out of harm's way. Besides that third, D.C. was able to stay disciplined and played simple hockey within its structure, paving the way for the win.
