Ovechkin and the Caps Down New York in Game 7

Alexander Ovechkin and co. have finally won their first playoff series, downing the New York Rangers in a thrilling 2-1 Game 7 victory. The Capitals looked doomed after falling behind 3-1 in the series. Henrik Lundqvist looked as if he was incapable of being defeated, and the Rangers looked poised to pull off the Eastern Conference’s biggest upset. However, in Games 5 and 6, while Sean Avery and Rangers coach John Tortorella watched, the Capitals stormed back into the series, outscoring New York 9-3 to force a decisive Game 7 at home in Washington.

Five minutes into the first, the Rangers scored what would be their final goal of the season when Nik Antropov finished off a play that resulted from Avery’s determined battling along the end boards to win the puck to the front of the net. Antropov was able to rip a quick wrister past the outstretched Simeon Varlamov and put the Rangers up 1-0. With about 4 minutes left to play in the period, however, Alex Semin knotted things up with a shot that bounced off at least one Ranger on the way past Lundqvist. Things would stay tied until the 3rd period.

In the 3rd, NHL fans got to see exactly what playoff Game 7s are all about, as both Lundqvist and Varlamov made spectacular saves to keep the game even. However, with 5 minutes left in the 3rd, veteran center Sergei Fedorov ripped a slapshot over the glove of Lundqvist to put the Caps up for good. The goal brought an end to one of the most thrilling series of the 2009 postseason, and set the Caps up for a date with the Pittsburgh Penguins and their trio of star centers: Crosby, Malkin and Staal.

Washington’s own superstar, Alexander Ovechkin, was a crucial element in bringing the Capitals back from the brink of defeat. Ovechkin was held pointless in Game 7, but finished the series with 3 goals and 7 points. Ovechkin’s 3 goals came in Games 4, 5 and 6, each of the games the Capitals were faced with elimination before Game 7. Winger Alex Semin led the team with 5 goals and 8 points.

However, the real story for the Capitals was the emergence of unflappable young goalie Simeon Varlamov. After Jose Theodore coughed up a couple of weak goals in Game 1, Varlamov was called upon to start in Game 2. Despite making 23 saves and giving up only one goal, the young rookie lost his playoff debut 1-0, as the Capitals were unable to get anything by Lundqvist at the other end. However, the tables would be turned for the majority of the rest of the series, as Varlamov posted two shutouts and gave up only 6 goals over the final five games of the series, with 3 of those coming in the Capitals’ 5-3 win in Game 6.