Ovechkin downplayed it as “a goal is a goal,” but the OT winner put an exclamation point on a vintage performance by the 39-year-old winger, who also led Washington with seven hits and scored on the power play late in the first period.

You could argue that Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals haven't exactly been playoff beasts the past couple of years.

Alex Ovechkin scored two goals, including the winner in overtime, to lift the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 victory over the visiting Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on Monday.