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Evgeny Kuznetsov erupts for two goals during five-minute power play

By Ian Oland

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April 12, 2018 8:35 pm

With Josh Anderson ejected for a late hit on Michal Kempny, the Capitals had five minutes of 5-on-4 play to score the first goal of the series. Evgeny Kuznetsov did just that, but we wasn’t done.

First, the hit.

Kempny is behind the goal line, the puck is gone, and he’s facing away from Columbus forward Josh Anderson. Nonetheless, Anderson smears Kempny into the boards. Kempny went down and stayed down, requiring some attention from the athletic trainer. According to Alan May, Kempny bled from the bridge of the nose.

Anderson was assessesd a five-minute major for boarding and ejected.

The Caps went to work, hoping to exploit their biggest advantage in this series: special teams.

As Evgeny Kuznetsov stormed into the zone, TJ Oshie went right to the crease. Kuznetsov’s centering pass got deflected, and Oshie was close enough to Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to ensure the goal.

Columbus coach John Tortorella challenged the goal, but the call on the ice stood after a review.

Kuznetsov weren’t done there.

Twenty nine seconds later and he was storming into the zone again. This time, David Savard had him marked but it wasn’t enough. Kuznetsov kept the puck away long enough to set up a sharp-angle shot that hit the post and the back of the net to make it 2-0.

Both goals had assists from Backstrom and Carlson.

This is Kuznetsov’s second two-goal playoff game. His first came against the New York Islanders in 2015.

Washington’s power play will carry over into the second period.

Full Coverage of Caps vs Blue Jackets

Headline photo: @Capitals

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