Caps open playoffs with shocking OT loss to Canadians

By Bud L. Ellis

Suffice to say, nothing went according to script for the Washington Capitals in their playoff opener Thursday.

The team with the most points in the regular season found themselves scrambling all night about the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadians. And the scrambling wasn’t enough. Tomas Plekanec netted the game winner with 6:41 left in the first overtime, and the Caps found themselves on the losing end of a shocking 3-2 decision in their opening game of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

It was, to be blunt, a shocking night at the Verizon Center. The Caps were nowhere near as crisp as they were during the second half of the regular season, when they ran away from the rest of the field to salt away the Presidents Trophy and earn the top seed in the East.

Joe Corvo and Nicklas Backstrom scored goals for Washington. Jose Theodore made 45 saves. But Washington went 0-for-4 on the power play. Even more shocking: superstar scorer Alexander Ovechkin didn’t tally a shot, let alone a point, in this one.

Washington now faces a critical Game 2 at home Saturday night before the series shifts to Montreal next week.

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Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 9:43 pm by bud

Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Joe Corvo, Jose Theodore, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Tomas Plekanec, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals