Karlsson helps Senators edge Rangers 2-1 in Game 1
OTTAWA, Ontario: Erik Karlsson was hoping for a good bounce. He got a great one.
Karlsson’s shot from an almost impossible angle beat Henrik Lundqvist with 4:11 left in the third period, sending the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers in the opener of their second-round of the NHL playoff series on Thursday night.
Karlsson’s first attempt was blocked by Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh, but the second — the shot leaving his tape from below the goal line — somehow found its way past the Swedish goaltender, who had been nearly unbeatable to that point.
It was the last of 43 shots at Lundqvist and the first goal of the playoffs for the Ottawa captain.
It was Karlsson’s first goal and seventh point of the playoffs. The 26-year-old defenseman, who has been playing with a foot injury, also logged more than 28 minutes in the win.
Ryan McDonagh scored for New York, and Lundqvist finished with 41 saves.
Craig Anderson stopped 34 shots and Ryan Dzingel scored for Ottawa, which eliminated Boston in six games in the first round. Game 2 is Saturday. The Senators had a chance for a fast start, but went 0 for 3 on the power play during a scoreless first period.
The 35-year-old Lundqvist was terrific, especially early on. He made 21 saves in the first, including a pair of stops on Mark Stone during a flurry around the net on Ottawa’s first power play.
Lundqvist had a 1.70 goals- against average and a .947 save percentage in the first round against Montreal.
Anderson was not tested nearly as much at the other end, but was forced to hang tough when McDonagh walked past a row of Senators during a New York power play and made an attempt on goal that went wide.
The captain of the Rangers made the most of another powerplay opportunity in the second, beating Anderson at 7:10 with pesky winger Chris Kreider camped out in front. New York went 1 for 15 with the man advantage in the first round.
Slumping through the first half of the middle period, the Sens grabbed momentum by punishing the Rangers with a series of heavy shifts down low in the offensive zone. The speedy Viktor Stalberg nearly scored when he slipped behind the New York defense at one point, but he was turned away.
Ottawa finally broke through with another power play — on the second of two minor penalties for rookie Brady Skjei.
Lundqvist brushed aside Kyle Turris’ shot from the left face-off circle, but the rebound came right to Dzingel and he converted the Sens’ 33rd shot.
In Washington, Sidney Crosby scored two goals in 52 seconds, Nick Bonino had the winner in the third period and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series on Thursday night.
Crosby versus Alex Ovechkin got much of the buzz heading into the showdown of two of NHL’s best teams, and Ovechkin collected his fourth goal of the playoffs.