Alex Ovechkin didn’t wait long to make his mark in Game 5.
Nine minutes and 12 seconds into the first period, Ovechkin scored his fourth goal of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, ripping a one-timer past Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobeš off a clean Dylan Strome faceoff win during a power play. Tom Wilson, who was lined up in front of Ovechkin on the draw, helped provide interference too, leaping high into the air to not deflect the shot.
The goal was Ovechkin’s fourth in five games against the Canadiens in the first-round series. He previously scored once in Game 3 against Dobeš and twice in Game 1 against the original Habs starter in net, Samuel Montembeault.
Ovechin now sits tied for fifth in NHL playoff goals, trailing only Kirill Kaprisov, Matt Boldy, Nathan MacKinnon, and Andrei Svechnikov who all have lit the lamp five times.
The playoff PPG marker for Ovechkin was the 30th of his 20-year career, placing him fifth all-time and tying him with Joe Pavelski and Hockey Hall of Famer Nick Lidstrom.
The tally was also Ovechkin’s 76th of his career tying him for 12th all time with Mario Lemieux — one of his favorite players growing up.
Jakub Chychrun would add a goal 2:03 later to give the Capitals a 2-0 lead at the first intermission. The Capitals will advance to the second round with a win.
