NHL PLAYOFFS

Green’s goal seals it for Capitals

Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green (right) is congratulated by teammates after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime Saturday.
Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green (right) is congratulated by teammates after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime Saturday.

WASHINGTON - Henrik Lundqvist and Braden Holtby kicked, swiped, caught and otherwise kept getting in the way of the puck, matching each other save-for-save for a second shy of 68 minutes, until Mike Green scored the power-play goal in overtime that gave the Washington Capitals a 1-0 victory and a sweep at home to open their playoff series against the New York Rangers.

It’s the eighth career overtime goal - and first in the postseason - for the defenseman whose more well known nickname is “Game Over Green.”

Holtby made 24 saves for his first career playoff shutout for the Capitals and has stopped 59 of 60 shots in the series.

Game 3 is Monday in New York.

Green got his chance because the Capitals’ power play - the best in the NHL during the regular season - finally returned to the ice thanks to the rule that sends a player to the box when he “shoots or bats” the puck “directly” over the glass while in his defensive zone.

The Rangers had done a better job staying out of the box after taking too many minors in Game 1, but the officials had no choice when defenseman Ryan McDonagh clearly committed the error 7:09 into overtime.

“Just got a little too under it,” McDonagh said.

On only their second man-advantage of the game - and first since the first period - Green nailed a one-timer from high in the slot on a feed from Mike Ribeiro precisely at the eight-minute mark of the extra period.

Contrast that with the New York power play that started 1:51 into overtime, after Steve Oleksy was whistled for the over-the-glass miscue. The Rangers failed to get a shot on goal during their two minutes of 5-on-4 - or at any point in the extra period.

“It comes down to: They score on their power play and we don’t,” Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said.

New York also had a power play late in regulation after Troy Brouwer slashed Rick Nash. The Rangers went 0 for 3 on the power play for the game and are 0 for 7 for the series.

“We’re just too stagnant,” New York Coach John Tortorella said. “We’re almost paralyzed.”

The Rangers nearly had another power-play chance in the final minute of regulation, when Karl Alzner swiped at the puck and put it over the glass. Holtby thought for sure that his teammate was headed to the box, but the officials conferred and decided not to make the delay call. Alzner said it was because they decided he had tipped the puck.

“I was thinking about that last night,” Alzner said. “I was thinking if that play ever happened, what would the call be? And I guess it’s discretionary, whatever. … It’s kind of a weird coincidence.”

The Rangers bit their tongue about it after the game.

“There’s no use talking about it now,” Callahan said. “I mean, it doesn’t matter. Just move on.”

MAPLE LEAFS 4, BRUINS 2

BOSTON - Joffrey Lupul scored two goals Saturday and Toronto got a win over Boston that evened the first-round series at one game.

The Maple Leafs played aggressively from the start after a weak performance in a 4-1 loss in which the Bruins were much more physical.

But that changed early in Game 2 as Toronto delivered 22 hits in the first period to just 10 for Boston.

Nathan Horton gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 1:56 of the second period, but Lupul scored at 5:18 on a power play and at 11:56 with the teams at even strength.

Phil Kessel made it 3-1 on a breakaway 53 seconds into the third period. Johnny Boychuk cut the lead at 10:35 before James van Riemsdyk scored for Toronto at 16:53.

Game 3 of the best-of-seven playoff series is Monday night in Toronto.

DUCKS 4, RED WINGS 0

DETROIT - Nick Bonino scored for Anaheim on a second-period power play - 18 seconds after Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader was ejected for a violent hit on Toni Lydman - and the Ducks went on to victory Saturday and a 2-1 series lead over the Red Wings in the Western Conference playoffs.

Abdelkader appeared to catch Lydman square in the side of the head with his left shoulder, and he was given a major penalty for charging and a game misconduct with 4:49 remaining in the second.

The Ducks immediately took advantage when Bonino backhanded a shot past goalie Jimmy Howard from pointblank range.

Ryan Getzlaf, Emerson Etem and Matt Beleskey scored in the third period for the Ducks. Jonas Hiller made 23 saves for Anaheim.

At a glance

SATURDAY’S GAMES

Washington 1, NY Rangers 0, OT

Washington leads series 2-0

Toronto 4, Boston 2

Series tied 1-1

Anaheim 4, Detroit 0

Anaheim leads series 2-1

St. Louis at Los Angeles, (n)

St. Louis leads series 2-0

TODAY’S GAMES All times Central

Pittsburgh at NY Islanders, 11 a.m.

Series tied 1-1

Chicago at Minnesota, 2 p.m.

Chicago leads series 2-0

Montreal at Ottawa, 6 p.m.

Series tied 1-1

Vancouver at San Jose, 9 p.m.

San Jose leads series 2-0

MONDAY’S GAMES

Boston at Toronto, 6 p.m.

Washington at NY Rangers, 6:30 p.m.

Anaheim at Detroit, 7 p.m.

St. Louis at Los Angeles, 9 p.m.

Sports, Pages 27 on 05/05/2013

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