Jackets, Caps learn lessons in OT

They went to overtime again. And this time, they needed even more time to decide the outcome.

So the Blue Jackets and Capitals played on late into Tuesday — beyond the previous longest playoff game in Jackets history, an 81:10, twoovertime win against the Penguins that also was the Jackets’ first playoff win.

Then, finally, Lars Eller scored the winning goal for the Capitals nine minutes into the second overtime for a 3-2 victory.

Said Capitals coach Barry Trotz: “As a fan, you’re liking these games.”

Tuesday marked only the sixth series in NHL history in which the first three games all went to overtime. Most recently, it happened last season with the Capitals and Maple Leafs.

“We understand. We’ve been there before a few times,” Trotz said. “You’ve just got to stay Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky played all 89 minutes of Game 3, but says “I feel pretty good. I’m in good shape, I’m ready to compete.”

with it. You’ve got to believe in your group. … Overtime games build character. Win or lose, you learn something. … I think it has served us well going through that series last year in Toronto.”

It might have been too deep a hole to get out of had the Capitals become the first team in league history to lose each of the first three games of a series in overtime. But the puck went in off the toe of Eller’s skate after hitting Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski. It was all a blur for Werenski.

“I don’t even know — it hit them, it hit me, it

hit us a couple of times and finally went into the net,” he said. “That’s how most overtime goals are going to be scored.”

Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella and Trotz echoed Werenski’s sentiments, noting that it’s often a lucky bounce, tip, deflection or screen that produces the dramatic, if ugly, winning goal.

The Jackets had several great chances in the first overtime, Tortorella said.

“It’s a tough feeling right now, but we’re going to have to forget about it and look forward to Thursday,” Werenski said.

Both teams were scheduled to practice on Wednesday but decided to take the day off.

“We’ll need to get some rest because it’s a lot of minutes for a lot of guys,” Tortorella said.

Defenseman Seth Jones led all Blue Jackets in ice time at 35:04. Forwards Cam Atkinson (31:51), Artemi Panarin (31:39) and PierreLuc Dubois (31:09), and defenseman Zach Werenski (30:28) all played more than 30 minutes.

“These are the games you envision as a kid,” Jackets captain Nick Foligno said. “You have the chance to be the overtime hero. These are fun. No one wants to give an inch, no one wants to be the guy who makes the mistake.

“We’re learning about ourselves a lot through this. We handled it well. … It’s just a game of inches, and this night, we were on the other side of it.”