NEW YORK _ If you watch enough NHL games, you're going to see some funky things over time. But no one involved in Sunday's Rangers-Washington Capitals game could ever recall seeing a game end as this one did _ where the winning goal didn't come on a shot that actually crossed the goal line, but instead was awarded by rule.
Alex Ovechkin, who'd been stuffed on six shots by Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev _ including one on a breakaway in overtime _ got credit for the game-winning goal in the Capitals' 3-2 shootout victory over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden when the officials ruled that Georgiev had thrown his stick at Ovechkin as Ovechkin was about to shoot the puck into an empty net on the deciding shootout attempt.
"I knew 100 percent it's a goal, because it was an empty net, and he threw his stick," Ovechkin said afterward. "But I was surprised at the first reaction of the referees. It's nice to have replay."
With the game having gone to the overtime after being tied, 2-2 in regulation, then, with the score in the shootout tiebreaker tied, 2-2, on goals by defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Tony DeAngelo for the Rangers, and forwards T.J. Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom for the Caps, Washington goalie Braden Holtby stopped Filip Chytil's attempt, which allowed Ovechkin to shoot for the win.
Ovechkin, the league leader in goals on the season with 45, drifted to the left, his backhand side, and then cut to the forehand side. Georgiev, who had been brilliant, recording 35 saves in regulation time and two more in overtime, tried to go with him, and the stick came out of his hand and slid across the ice, preventing Ovechkin from getting the shot off.
Initially, the officiating crew ruled no goal, as Ovechkin looked at the referee and put his arms out, with his palms to the sky. Then the referees _ Pierre Lambert and Francis Charron, and linesmen Devin Berg and Mark Schewchyk _ huddled, and ultimately went to replay to make the decision. Eventually, Lambert went to center ice and said that the goal had been awarded, giving the Caps their fourth win over the Rangers this season _ a season sweep. The Rangers got points in three of the games, however, losing twice in overtime and this one via shootout.
Rangers coach David Quinn said the final decision was "probably the right call."
"I wasn't surprised it was overturned," Quinn said.
Georgiev called the ruling a "tough call."
"It's tough to explain, but he faked the shot and I went down early and as he was moving laterally, I kind of threw my leg and the stick at the same time," the goalie said. "It's a tough call."
Georgiev said he didn't believe it should have been a goal because he didn't think Ovechkin had an open net to shoot at.
"I feel like I had my pad on the ice at the moment he was about to shoot, so it's not like the empty net was there," Georgiev said. "Tough call."
The ending was a blemish on what had been a brilliant performance by Georgiev, who has started three of the last five games, alternating with Henrik Lundqvist. It was the second straight start Georgiev has lost after regulation (he was the losing goalie in the Rangers' 4-3 overtime loss to Tampa Bay Feb. 27).
"He really controlled the game really well," Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said of Georgiev. "His rebound placement (was good); he was swallowing up pucks, and calmed a lot of things down for us. He played outstanding."
Ryan Strome gave the Rangers the lead 45 seconds into the game, but ex-Ranger Carl Hagelin tied it, 1-1 with his goal at 2:03 of the first period. Andre Burakovsky put the Caps ahead, 2-1, at 10:02 of the first period, but Pavel Buchnevich banged in a pass from Chytil at 14:20 of the second period to tie it at 2-2. Georgiev saved all 20 shots he saw in the second period, plus eight more in the third, to send the game to overtime.
