The Washington Capitals have taken a 2-0 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes with a big overtime win in a wild game on a lovely Saturday afternoon.

Once again, goal scoring started off the stick of Nicklas Backstrom, who got a tasty feed from Ovechkin on a rush attack. TJ Oshie made it 2-0 with another rush goal and some terrific puck movement with him, Kuznetsov, and Niskanen. Lucas Wallmark got a weird one later in the period that Washington unsuccessfully challenged for goalie interference.

A chaotic second period found the Hurricanes tying the game with an odd goal from Sebastian Aho, taking a rebound off the boards and net-back to beat Holtby along the post.

Tom Wilson got wristshot past Mrazek halfway through the third period, restoring Washington’s lead. Dougie Hamilton scored with a nifty wristshot on the power play with five minutes remaining to tie the score again. That took us to sudden-victory overtime, where two-time Stanley Cup champion was the hero!

Caps win 4-3. Caps lead the series 2-0.

• Nicklas Backstrom is having a good playoffs, notching his third goal of the postseason to kick off Game Two. Backstrom’s goal, like Oshie’s and Wilson’s that followed, was a well executed rush goal with good teamwork. Getting out of their zone and onto the attack is something the Caps have struggled with this season, but it’s looking good now that it matters most.
• Check out what Alex Ovechkin did on that Backstrom goal, by the way. Captain duty.
• Just like in Game One, the Caps played the second period tightly, ceding no ground despite holding the lead. Unlike in Game One, they did not hold that lead. (Two goals that beat Holtby today were funky ones: one a dubious goalie interfere, the second a fortuitous bounce to set up Sebastian Aho.) From Natural Stat Trick:

• I imagine after game one Carolina discussed taking fewer penalties. They certainly got some help in that department from the officials (yeah, I went there), but offensive-zone penalties seem to be a theme for the Canes in this series.
• To that point: forward Micheal Ferland was ejected in the second period for a hit to the head of Nic Dowd. The hit itself was not worth a match penalty, but it was definitely a charge, and Ferland was absolutely on tilt at that point. The Caps failed to score on the long power play, but Dowd returned from presumed concussion protocol, so at least that’s nice. I’m like 99-percent sure the match against Ferland will be rescinded.
• Dowd committed two high-sticking penalties today. The first one required a Canes player to basically duck, but it does bring up an awkward subject: Todd Reirden is not using his depth players. As good as the top-nine forwards and top-four defenders have been (and they’ve been superb), it’s a lot to ask of them with the fourth line playing under eight minutes through regulation and Christian Djoos getting stapled to the bench.
• John Carlson zapped Petr Mrazek right in the mask with a high shot, sending the goalie to the ice looking woozy. Mrazek stayed in the game, which makes me wonder if concussion spotting applies to goalies in the playoffs.
• I just wanna bask in the beauty of the Tom Wilson goal for a moment. Ovechkin used his glove to settle the puck and start the attack, then he and Backstrom effectively set a pick once they pass the blue line. That draws all the attention to their side of the ice, so Ovi’s pass made its way to Tom Wilson and an open scoring lane.

INJECT THIS INTO MY VEINS pic.twitter.com/p6zbtbUhHQ

— x. (@youripides) April 13, 2019

CC: fans of thirty other hockey teams

What a great finish. Borpik, baby!

At this point last year, the Caps were down two games to none, hitting the road while staring down the barrel of a mortifying first-round defeat. It didn’t exactly turn out that way, but it’s a good reminder that outcomes aren’t certain until the thing is over.

From here we go to Raleigh, where they do barbecue sauce right, and I will hear no debate on this matter.

Full RMNB Coverage of Game Two

Headline photo: Patrick McDermott