Fri Apr 11 22:00:51 2008

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Ovechkin's late magic lifts Caps over Flyers

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Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Alexander Ovechkin scored the game-winning goal with just 4:32 to play as the Washington Capitals rallied from a two-goal deficit to take Game 1 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-4, at Verizon Center.

The league-leader in points and goals this season, Ovechkin didn't disappoint in his first playoff game as he stripped the puck off Flyers defenseman Lasse Kukkonen in front of the net and lifted a shot past a sprawled-out Martin Biron for the go-ahead score.

The Capitals then used a stifling defense to keep the Flyers from establishing any pressure as the team held on for the win in their first playoff appearance since 2003.

Ovechkin also had an assist while Mike Green scored a pair of goals for the third-seeded Capitals, who have won their last eight games overall. Cristobal Huet stopped 18 shots in the win.

Danny Briere and Vinny Prospal each scored two goals and added an assist for the Flyers, who took the sixth spot in the playoffs after finishing last season dead last in the NHL. Biron made 22 saves in the loss.

Game Two is set to take place on Sunday afternoon in Washington.

Trailing 4-2, Sergei Fedorov took a pass in front of the net and sent a backhand pass to the right side where Green came flying in and tapped the puck past Biron just 1:50 into the third.

Washington then tied the game on the power play at the 6:26 mark. With Flyers forward Patrick Thoresen hurt on the ice after blocking a shot, essentially giving the Caps a 5-on-3, Green ripped a shot from the right point that beat Biron before he could react.

The Capitals wasted no time in grabbing the lead. Shortly after a power play for Washington expired, Matt Bradley threw a shot on net from the left point that bounced off a player in front and went to the right side where Donald Brashear knocked it in at the 3:16 mark of the first.

Philadelphia, though, responded just five minutes later to tie the contest. Holding the puck at the right circle, Prospal threw a quick wrister on net that went through a screen and into the right corner.

Washington took a 2-1 lead at the 4:08 mark of the second period. Bradley chased down the puck in the right corner and sent a behind-the-back pass to David Steckel, who took a stride to the front and buried a wrister high over the glove of Biron.

Philadelphia, though, answered with three straight goals over a span of 3:36 in the second to take a 4-2 lead.

Just moments after a Washington power play expired, Mike Knuble found Briere, who had just exited the penalty box, for a lead pass on the right wing and Briere snapped a wrister through on the far side at 11:48.

Just 33 seconds later, the Flyers used a 3-on-2 break to take the lead as Kimmo Timonen fed a pass from the right point to the slot and from 20 feet out Prospal blasted the puck home through Huet's five-hole.

With 4:38 remaining, the Flyers power play struck as Mike Richards sent a pass from the low right side over to the left where an uncovered Briere one-timed it into the net.

Game Notes

Each team went 1-for-3 on the power play...The Capitals have won two of the three all-time playoff series against the Flyers. Washington posted series wins over Philly in 1984 and 1988, but the Flyers won the last postseason meeting between the clubs in 1989...Thoresen left the game with an undisclosed injury after the Capitals' power-play goal and did not return.