When they acquired T.J. Oshie in an offseason blockbuster with the Blues, it was a move designed to jumpstart the core of a contender that was one or two pieces away from scaling the Eastern Conference playoff hump that’s held them back for years. But Oshie delivered in an even bigger way Thursday, completing a hat trick in overtime to beat the Penguins 4-3 in Game 1 of their second-round series.
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Oshie, as Olympic onlookers found out in 2014, has a penchant for scoring big goals.
His first Thursday was a partial breakaway that he finished with a snipe over the left shoulder of a helpless Matt Murray. It tied the game 2-2 in the second period. In the third, with 16:37 still to play, he accepted a heads-up pass from Alexander Ovechkin in the slot and slipped a backhander shot through Murray’s five hole to give the Caps the 3-2 lead.
But none, save for Oshie’s memorable shootout winner to beat host Russia in the Sochi Olympics, has topped the third goal he scored Thursday.
Both Pittsburgh and Washington traded chances in the first nine minutes of a back-and-forth overtime period.
Then, capitalizing on a neutral zone turnover, Oshie rushed the Penguins’ zone, cut across two defenseman and wrapped around the far side of the net, tucking the puck neatly beneath Murray’s right pad. The play was reviewed for a few anxious minutes, but the puck had managed to trickle over the line as the Capitals delivered the opening blow in a series that could well go the distance.
Washington is playing Pittsburgh in the playoffs for the first time since their 2009 second-round meeting. That series required seven games, three of which were decided in overtime. The Penguins won and went on to win their first Stanley Cup in 17 years.
The Capitals, famously, are one of four teams to have never won a Cup, fallen short numerous times in the last decade despite their talented roster. Something always seemed to be missing.
That’s where Oshie comes in, or so they hope.
Three stars
Nick Bonino, Penguins — Bonino has quietly emerged as a scoring threat to supplement stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. He had two points Thursday, including the overtime-forcing goal, giving him seven points in six games. Starting with a five-point showing March 26 against Detroit, Bonino has 20 points in 15 contests.
Braden Holtby, Capitals — Outdone only by Oshie, Holtby’s 42 saves kept the Caps afloat, particularly in a lopsided second period when the Penguins held a 17-7 advantage in shots. Holtby earned the 21st win of his playoff career, passing Olie Kolzig for most in franchise history.
1. T.J. Oshie, Capitals — Some historical perspective from Oshie’s big night: He’s the first player with a hat trick and an overtime goal in a playoff game since Patrick Kane did it in 2013. And he’s just the third player in Capitals history to finish a playoff hat trick with an overtime winner. It just so happened to be the first of his career.
Highlight
There were some, uh, technical difficulties in Game 1.
Friday’s game to watch
Blues at Stars, Game 1, 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN (Series opener) — Blues coach Ken Hitchcock was behind the Stars’ bench the last time these teams met in a playoff series. Now, the top two Western Conference point-scorers from the regular season are on a collision course in the second round. The Blues swept that 2001 matchup with the Stars and eventually made it to the conference finals. They haven’t been back since, and the Stars are seeking their first semifinals berth since 2008.
