CAPITALS ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND WITH THIRD OVERTIME VICTORY
Marcus Johansson tied the game in the third period and scored the series-winning goal at 6:31 of overtime to lead the Capitals into the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season. Washington won three overtime games in a series (also Games 1 and 5) for the second time in franchise history (also 1998 CF vs. BUF).
The Capitals and Maple Leafs required overtime in five of their six games, matching the single-series NHL postseason record set by the Maple Leafs and Canadiens in the 1951 Stanley Cup Final (4-1 TOR W) and Coyotes and Blackhawks in the 2012 Western Conference Quarterfinals (4-2 PHX W).
Washington played a series featuring six or more one-goal games for the fourth time in team history and the first since the 2015 CSF vs. NYR, when all seven games were decided by a single goal. Johansson recorded his second career playoff game-winning goal and first in overtime (62 GP). Elias says that he became the sixth player in Capitals history to score a series-clinching goal in overtime and the first since Joel Ward in Game 7 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at BOS. Johansson became the first player in Capitals history to tie a game in the third period and then register a series-clinching goal in overtime. The last player to do that for any team: John Tavares for NYI in Game 6 of the 2016 CQF (vs. FLA).
[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEq3f-B6PLw” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]
The Capitals will face the Penguins in the Second Round, their 10th all-time playoff meeting and second in as many years (PIT: 8-1 overall). Pittsburgh has gone on to win the Stanley Cup following each of their last two postseason matchups (also 2009 CSF).
SENATORS ALSO ADVANCE WITH ANOTHER OVERTIME VICTORY
Clarke MacArthur scored at 6:30 of overtime to help the Senators advance past the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh time in franchise history (and first time since 2013). Ottawa won three road games in a single series for the second time in team history (also 2007 CF vs. BUF).
The Senators set franchise records with their third overtime win and fourth overtime game in a single series (also Games 2, 3 and 5). Ottawa played six one-goal games in a playoff series for the first time in franchise history. MacArthur, who returned to the Senators’ lineup on April 4 after missing 18 months due to injury, notched his second career playoff game-winning goal and first in overtime (17 GP). He became the third player in franchise history to score a series-clinching goal in overtime, joining Martin Havlat (Game 5 of 2002 CQF at PHI) and Daniel Alfredsson (Game 5 of 2007 CF at BUF).
[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44f8fU8_RCY” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]
The Senators will face the Rangers in the Second Round, their second all-time postseason matchup. The teams last met in the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals, a seven-game victory by New York.
OVERTIME MADNESS
Nine of the 12 games in the Capitals-Maple Leafs (5) and Senators-Bruins (4) series required overtime. Per Elias, only two other rounds in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs have featured two series with at least four overtime games – all within the past six years: the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals (Coyotes-Blackhawks: 5, Capitals-Bruins: 4) and 2014 First Round (Wild-Avalanche: 4, Blackhawks-Blues: 4).
Ottawa and Boston were tied or separated by one goal for 90.9% of total playing time (367:47 of 404:31), while Washington and Toronto were tied or within one goal of each other for 83.5% of total playing time (339:12 of 406:20).
Washington’s Marcus Johansson and Ottawa’s Clarke MacArthur joined St. Louis’ Magnus Paajarvi with series-clinching overtime goals this postseason. Only two such goals were scored last year, by John Tavares (NYI) in the First Round vs. FLA and Nick Bonino (PIT) in the Second Round vs. WSH.
Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, 19, became the second teenager in NHL history to score in four consecutive playoff games (4-1—5). The other, also with Toronto: Wendel Clark in 1986 (4-0—4 in 4 GP) . . . Senators forward Derick Brassard (2-6—8) assisted on the opening and game-winning goals to move into a tie for second in the playoff scoring race (w/ Phil Kessel) . . . ICYMI: Senators goaltender Craig Anderson had a special moment with his wife, Nicholle – who made the trip to Boston after recently being treated for cancer – following Ottawa’s series-clinching victory . . . The Kings announced that associate head coach John Stevens has been promoted and will serve as the club’s head coach.
* Information provided via NHL Press Release
National Hockey League Press Release. Information provided from the NHL that describes various news releases that describe current events in the league.