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Alex Ovechkin plays hero with OT winner in Game 1 vs. Canadiens

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Renzo Pocholo Salao | Last updated Apr 21, 2025 11:45 PM ET

Alex Ovechkin’s history-making 2024-25 season continued on Monday night.

Ovi was fantastic from start to finish in Game 1 of the Washington Capitals’ first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Ovechkin opened the scoring during a Capitals power play with just over a minute left in the first period.

Alex Ovechkin is good at hockey.

All he does is score goals. Regular season, playoffs…doesn’t matter.pic.twitter.com/Iu22Hru3aW
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) April 21, 2025

Scoring goals is nothing new for the NHL’s all-time leader in goals scored. But he did do something new later in the contest. Monday’s game went into overtime with the teams knotted at 2-2. Ovechkin clinched Game 2 with an OT winner just two minutes into the extra period.

OVI GETS IT DONE!

Alex Ovechkin's FIRST EVER #StanleyCup Playoffs @Energizer overtime winner gives the @Capitals the victory in Game 1! pic.twitter.com/4TQEtvZLjD
— NHL (@NHL) April 22, 2025

The goal was Ovechkin’s first-ever overtime game-winner in the postseason. The man continues to hit milestones at the tender age of 39.

Ovechkin was the center of the NHL universe late in the 2024-25 season when he broke Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record earlier this month.

The Russian legend refused to make a huge spectacle out of his record-breaking goal. Ovechkin reportedly turned down some huge opportunities in the wake of his crowning moment in order to focus on the postseason. His sacrifices paid off on Monday as he led the Capitals to a 1-0 series lead over the Canadiens.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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