Ovechkin sets Caps’ post-season goal record in Game 1 win over New York

WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin’s franchise-record 31st career playoff goal got the Capitals started before less-heralded teammates Marcus Johansson and Jason Chimera scored 46 seconds apart, and Washington beat the New York Rangers 3-1 Thursday night in Game 1 of their first-round series.

Ovechkin, a two-time MVP who led the NHL with 32 goals this season, crashed the net to score on a power play about seven minutes into the second period to tie the game for the Capitals, the thirdseeded team in the Eastern Conference.

Carl Hagelin had put sixthseeded New York ahead 1-0 in the first period — the only puck that made it past Braden Holtby, who finished with 35 saves.

Game 2 is Saturday in Washington.

It’s the third consecutive season these two teams are facing each other in the playoffs and the fourth time in five years. The Rangers eliminated the Capitals in seven games in the second round last season.

But Washington is playing a livelier brand of hockey under first-time NHL head coach Adam Oates, a Hall of Fame forward who shifted Ovechkin from left wing to right wing and helped design the Capitals’ league-best power play.

The Rangers drew the fewest penalties of any team this season, but they had accumulated four by early in the second period, and Ovechkin capitalized.

Only 33 seconds after New York’s Arron Asham was whistled for an illegal check to the head, Mike Green, who led NHL defencemen with 12 goals this season, wound up and sent the puck toward the net. Technically, it wasn’t a shot by virtue of missing everything, but the ricochet off the boards went right to Ovechkin, who flipped it high past Henrik Lundqvist. That broke Ovechkin’s tie with Peter Bondra for most post-season goals by a Washington player.

Wings eke out OT win

ANAHEIM, Calif . — Gustav Nyquist’s power-play goal at 1:21 of overtime after the Red Wings blew a three-goal lead in the third period gave Detroit a 5-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks to even their playoff series Thursday night.

Johan Franzen scored two goals and Damien Brunner had his first Stanley Cup playoff goal and two assists for the Red Wings.

Bobby Ryan scored the tying goal with 2:22 left in regulation for the Ducks, who also got goals from captain Ryan Getzlaf and Kyle Palmieri while erasing Detroit’s 4-1 lead.