National Hockey League

Thursday's best: Ovechkin looks like MVP in Caps' last-second win

Published May. 1, 2015 1:33 a.m. ET

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Best game, Washington 2, New York Rangers 1. The finalists for the Hart Trophy as league MVP were announced on Thursday, meaning the votes are already cast. That may be a good thing for Montreal goalie Carey Price, because Washington forward Alex Ovechkin turned in a game for the ages. Ovechkin scored a power-play goal on a beautiful crossover move on which he used the defenseman as a screen before rifling a shot past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist to the upper left corner of the net. Ovechkin saved his best for last — as in last second. After New York tied the game on a deflection with 4:39 left in the game, Ovi collected a puck out of a corner battle, skated behind the New York net and slid the puck across his body and past Rangers forward Derek Stepan to Caps forward Joel Ward, who was crashing the net. Ward banged the offering through Lundqvist's legs with 1.3 seconds left in regulation to give the Caps a 1-0 series lead. It was just the third game-winning goal in Stanley Cup playoff history to come within the final two seconds of a game.

Best stat: House of horrors. The Flames have lost 20 straight regular-season games at Honda Center (0-15-5), and three of four playoff games they have played there (2006 and this season).  

Best at being worst: Jonas Hiller and Karri Ramo, G's, Calgary. With the Senators out, the Flames are the resident Cinderella of the playoffs, but it will all turn to pumpkins quickly if Hiller and Ramo don't perform better than they did Thursday at Honda Center. The defensive coverage was poor at times, but the goaltending duo still allowed six goals on 35 shots. Calgary was in a 4-0 hole by the midpoint of the game.

Best visual: Joel Ward, RW, Washington. Because Ward's game-winning goal came so late, he had to wait out an official review to be certain it had beaten the buzzer. Here's his reaction when he found out it did.

Best quote, via the Madison Square Garden microphones: "All series, baby! All series!" — Washington wing Alex Ovechkin to New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist after he beat him high for a 1-0 lead.

Best false controversy: Capitals' game-winning goal. Before Ward stunned Madison Square Garden, Washington center Nicklas Backstrom started the play by jarring the puck free with a hard hit on New York defenseman Dan Boyle in the corner as Boyle was trying to run out the clock. While the Rangers were screaming about the hit, which they felt should have earned a boarding call and may have targeted the head, a replay doesn't appear to back their claim. In his postgame comments, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault told reporters to ask him about anything but the officials. Vigneault built a reputation for this sort of complaining in Vancouver, but he could just be trying to sway the officials for Game 2 against the bigger, more physical Caps.

Best statement game: Corey Perry, RW, Anaheim. Perry was having himself quite a playoff before the second round started. He had three goals and four assists in a first-round sweep of Winnipeg. On Thursday, he posted his second four-point game of the playoffs with two goals and two assists. Perry leads the postseason with five goals and 11 points. Ladies and gentlemen, your early leader for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Best save: Braden Holtby, G, Washington. Holtby was on his game all night, stopping 31 of 32 shots. No save was more dramatic than this gimme goal that New York forward Derick Brassard never got. With Brassard stationed just outside the blue paint to the left of Holtby, Rangers fans watched as the puck scooted along the length of Holtby's left pad toward Brassard's stick with an open net awaiting. At the last second, Holtby kicked his leg out and got the toe of his skate on the puck, disrupting Brassard's rhythm and allowing Washington defenseman Tim Gleason to recover and push the puck wide, preserving the Caps' 1-0 lead.

Best thing to look forward to Friday: Minnesota at Chicago, Game 1. The Blackhawks and the Wild will meet for the third straight postseason. Chicago won both previous meetings, but the Wild crept closer to the Blackhawks' level of play last season and may have surpassed the Central Division's marquee team with a torrid second half this season. All those were baby steps, however. Minnesota can take a giant leap toward a championship by dethroning a team that has won two of the past five Stanley Cups.

Follow Craig Morgan on Twitter

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