Sidney Crosby scored twice in a span of 52 seconds to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 2-0 lead, but Alex Ovechkin got the first of two straight Washington Capitals goals to help even the score, setting the stage for the Penguins' Nick Bonino to score the game-winning goal in the third period for a 3-2 win in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Second Round series.
* Bonino scored his sixth game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and second against the Capitals. He scored the series-clinching overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2016 second round against the Capitals, inspiring the famous "Bonino! Bonino! Bonino!" call by play-by-play broadcaster Harnarayan Singh.
* Crosby scored each of his goals in the opening 1:04 of the second period, including one 12 seconds into the period that equaled the Penguins playoff record for fastest goal to start a period. Crosby scored 12 seconds into the first period of Game 3 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at the Ottawa Senators. Crosby scored the fastest two goals by one player to start a period in Penguins playoff history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
* Crosby, who has at least one point in each of his past five games (4-5-9), had his 51st multipoint NHL playoff game to tie Mario Lemieux for the most in Penguins history and surpass Jaromir Jagr (50) for the most among active NHL players.
* Crosby has collected 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in 14 NHL playoff games against the Capitals (1.21 PPG), while Ovechkin has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in those games (1.57 PPG).
THURSDAY'S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
OTTAWA 2, NY Rangers 1 - OTT leads 1-0
Pittsburgh 3, WASHINGTON 2 - PIT leads 1-0
KARLSSON'S LATE GOAL GIVES SENATORS GAME 1 VICTORY
Erik Karlsson scored the go-ahead goal from the Rangers goal line with 4:11 left in the third period to lift the Ottawa Senators to a 1-0 series lead on home ice.
* Karlsson, who scored his first NHL playoff game-winning goal in his 36th postseason game, leads all skaters an average ice time of 30:11 per game and all defensemen with seven points (one goal, six assists) in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was tied for second among defensemen with five game-winning goals during the regular season, one behind Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks.
* Karlsson became the second Senators defenseman to score a game-winning goal in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, joining Dion Phaneuf, who did it against the Boston Bruins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round. The last time the Senators had at least two defensemen score a winning goal in the postseason was 2007, when a franchise-record four defensemen scored game-winners to help the Senators reach the Stanley Cup Final.
LATE GOALS STAND AS WINNERS YET AGAIN
All four games in the second round have featured a go-ahead, game-winning goal in the final eight minutes of the third period.
Game-Winning Goals in Second Round of 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs
12:36 of third period: Nick Bonino (PIT)
14:55 of third period: Vernon Fiddler (NSH)
15:20 of third period: Adam Larsson (EDM)
15:49 of third period: Erik Karlsson (OTT)
* Overall there have been 13 go-ahead, game-winning goals scored in the third period this postseason, including five in the final five minutes.
FOLIGNO, GETZLAF AND GIORDANO NAMED FINALISTS FOR MESSIER AWARD
Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno, Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf and Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano are the finalists for the 2016-17 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, which is presented "to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season."
Mark Messier solicits suggestions from club and League personnel as well as NHL fans to compile a list of potential candidates for the award. However, the selection of the three finalists and ultimate winner is Messier's alone.
The winner of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, as well as the winners of the NHL Foundation Player Award and King Clancy Memorial Trophy, will be announced at the 2017 NHL Humanitarian Awards, a special event at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas that will honor the League's leaders both on and off the ice, on Tuesday, June 20. The winners of the 2017 NHL Humanitarian Awards also will be recognized the following day at the 2017 NHL Awards at T-Mobile Arena.
LOOSE PUCKS
Henrik Lundqvist (41 saves) stopped all 21 shots he faced in the opening frame, a personal NHL playoff career high for any period. Elias notes that in the NHL expansion era (since 1967-68), the only Rangers goaltender with more saves in the first period of a playoff game was Ed Giacomin (22) in Game 4 of the 1968 Quarterfinals at the Chicago Blackhawks. … Senators goaltender Craig Anderson made 34 saves to improve to 5-2 with a 1.81 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and one shutout in seven playoff games. … Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 33 saves, including a series of stops late in the third period, to improve to 5-1 with a 2.43 GAA and .934 save percentage in six playoff games. … The Penguins won Game 1 against the Capitals for the second time in 10 all-time playoff meetings; they also won 7-0 in Game 1 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. … Former television personality David Letterman was part of the crowd at Verizon Center for Game 1 between the Penguins and Capitals.
SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY'S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Nashville @ St. Louis, NSH leads 1-0, 8 p.m., ET, CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN
Edmonton @ Anaheim, EDM leads 1-0, 10:30 p.m. ET, SN, TVA Sports, NBCSN
- NHL Public Relations
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