WASHINGTON — Marian Gaborik scored at 14:41 of the third overtime, and the New York Rangers outlasted the Washington Capitals in a 2-1 victory early Thursday morning to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Brad Richards was near the backboards before sending a pass in front to Gaborik, who ended the marathon by sliding the puck between the pads of rookie goaltender Braden Holtby.
It was Gaborik’s first goal since New York’s first playoff game against Ottawa, snapping an eight-game drought.
Henrik Lundqvist had 45 saves for New York. Holtby stopped 47 shots for the Capitals.
Early in the third overtime, Washington killed a New York power play to keep the suspense going.
The game started at 7:40 p.m. and stretched into the next day, ending at 12:14 a.m. Thursday. There will be a two-day break before the teams meet for Game 4 on Saturday in Washington.
It was yet another low scoring, extremely tight game for the Capitals. Nine of Washington’s 10 playoff games have been decided by one goal; the exception was New York’s 3-1 win in the series opener.
John Carlson got a second-period goal for the Capitals, 2-3 in overtime this postseason. Ryan Callahan scored in the second period for New York, which improved to 1-2 in overtime during these playoffs.
Washington star Alex Ovechkin, who logged only 13½ minutes of ice time in the Capitals’ 3-2 victory Monday in Game 2 in New York, finished with 20½ minutes in regulation. He had 6½ minutes in the first period, compared to 3½ in Game 2. After two periods, his 14:49 of ice time was the most on the team.
The difference was that in the previous game, Washington bolted to a 2-0 lead and didn’t need the offense that Ovechkin is capable of providing. Despite his extended play in regulation, he was used very sparingly during overtime.
Rangers coach John Tortorella, in contrast, milked more than 40 minutes apiece out of defensemen Marc Staal and Ryan McDonagh before the game entered the third overtime.
Early in the first extra period, Washington’s Troy Brouwer got a pass in front of the net and inexplicably shot the puck wide. At the 15-minute mark, Ovechkin gathered in a turnover by Anton Stralman, moved in with a bouncing puck and drilled a shot off the right post.
The goal horn sounded, and many in the sellout crowd stood and cheered. But a replay showed the puck never entered the net.
Washington successfully killed a New York power play in the final minutes of the first extra session.
Fatigue became a factor in the second overtime, as the teams combined for 13 shots.
The Rangers had a chance to take the lead late in regulation when Mike Knuble was called for goaltender interference at 14:25 of the third period, even though he received a nudge from both Brian Boyle and McDonagh as he crashed into Lundqvist. New York failed to get off a shot, and with 13 seconds left on the man advantage, Richards was called for tripping.
Washington didn’t get off a shot on its power play, either.
The Capitals outshot New York 13-10 during a scoreless first period in which Washington had the lone power play. Lundqvist denied Marcus Johansson on a shot from the low end of the right circle with just over 13 minutes elapsed, and seconds later Ovechkin was leveled by Staal after unleashing a wrist shot from the left circle.
New York’s first power play provided the game’s initial goal. With Brooks Laich off for hooking, Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto took a shot from the left circle that hit Carlson and Washington’s Matt Hendricks. Callahan was in position to sweep the bouncing puck into the right side of the net.
Washington killed 27 of 30 penalties in the postseason before Callahan’s goal. It was bad omen for the Capitals, who were 5-1 in the playoffs when scoring first and 0-3 when falling behind 1-0.
Carlson tied it at 11:10, deftly skating from left to right around three Rangers in the New York zone before launching a wrist shot that whizzed past Lundqvist’s right shoulder into the top of the net. Anton Stralman got caught up ice, and Carlson skated around Gaborik to get free.