Wednesday’s three-game slate featured the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers advancing to the second round as they both won their first-round series 4-1.
The Capitals routed the Canadiens by 3 goals and goalie Logan Thomas’ 29 saves. Washington will face the Hurricanes in round 2.
As for the Panthers, they also won by 3 goals and will play the winner of the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Ottawa Senators. Toronto leads that series 3-2 and plays Game 6 Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET.
In the last game of the night, the Winnipeg Jets took control of their series versus the St. Louis Blues, winning 5-3. Game 6 is Friday in St. Louis at 8:00 p.m. ET.
(Capitals win series 4-1)
Ovechkin pulls an Ovechkin
Given the circumstances, it seemed almost too easy to suggest that Alex Ovechkin would score the first goal of the game. After 9:12 of play, Washington had been outshot 8-1 but was about to start a one-minute, 23-second power play, thanks to Juraj Slafkovský’s stick-breaking slash on Brandon Duhaime. Ovechkin’s got a knack for that sort of thing, after all; nothing about his game (or the Capitals) up to that point had been particularly impressive — but you don’t become the all-time leading goal scorer without a healthy helping of quick-strike lightning bolts, either.
Lo and behold, Ovechkin scored immediately off a faceoff win by Dylan Strome, and the Capitals had a lead they wouldn’t relinquish despite a brutal start to their evening. The goal was Ovechkin’s fourth of the series and third at Capital One Arena. Strome has assisted on them all. — Sean Gentille
Sour end to successful season
The Canadiens were not a particularly strong defensive team all season, but in the end, it was their offense that fell short. They spent the bulk of their practice Tuesday working on executing in the offensive zone, creating chances off plays from below the goal line, but that execution was lacking when it mattered most.
Not good enough, sure, but not entirely unexpected going up against the top seed in the Eastern Conference as the youngest team in the playoffs. It will be difficult for the Canadiens to see it this way, but their season was a success.
They battled hard and had a legitimate chance to win every game except the last one, and that will likely be the part that stings the most for this young team, that they were one play, one shot, one decision away from winning Games 1, 2 and 4 of this series.
Ultimately, in Game 5, they finally looked overmatched for the first time, the only game where they were not either tied or within a goal or leading at some point in the third period.
That’s how close the Canadiens were. They were also very far from where they hope to ultimately be.
But this was a good first step. — Arpon Basu
Notre saison prend fin à Washington
Our season comes to an end in Washington#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/hgdQH6j0lz
— x – Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 1, 2025
(Panthers win series 4-1)
Don’t be fooled
Statistically speaking, it wasn’t a great game for the goaltenders. That doesn’t mean that there weren’t plenty of spectacular saves made, however.
With the game tied at two late in the first period, Sam Reinhart looked to have a tap-in, but Andrei Vasilevskiy came out of nowhere with a right pad save to keep the game even. Florida was simply dominant in front of Vasilevskiy all evening, making the goaltender’s life miserable from the very beginning of the night.
Sergei Bobrovsky, like Vasilevskiy, wasn’t perfect in this game. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t spectacular at times. He most certainly was.
The Lightning produced a swarming surge in the second period, which forced Bobrovsky to make a number of 10-bell saves. He saved his best for his last.
Gage Goncalves was left all alone in front of the goaltender and had a golden opportunity to score his second goal of the evening.
Bobrovsky, however, would have none of it. He made a spectacular save, one that left the Tampa Bay crowd buzzing.
There once was a time, when Bobrovsky played in Philadelphia and Columbus, when he was considered a liability in big games and playoff games, despite his obvious physical gifts. Those days are long, long gone. — Josh Yohe
Guentzel shows up again
Jake Guentzel, unlike his fellow stars, showed up again in a big game.
With Tampa Bay trailing 3-2 in the second period, Guentzel whipped a wrist shot past Bobrovsky to even the game. It was good for Guentzel’s third goal and sixth point of the series. Both figures led the Lightning.
Tampa Bay’s other big names, led by Kucherov, were generally non-existent in this series.
Vasilevskiy had his moments, but was outplayed by Bobrovsky.
Brayden Point scored two goals, but one was in a blowout loss, and the other was a fluky shot that hit his leg in Game 3. He wasn’t a presence.
Anthony Cirelli, playing at something less than 100 percent, managed just one point all series.
Brandon Hagel, after absorbing an illegal hit to the head from Aaron Ekblad in Game 4, did not play in Game 5. He didn’t produce a point in the series. — Yohe
Guentzel, unlike his fellow stars, showed up again in a big game for Tampa Bay (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)
(Jets lead series 3-2)
Namestnikov, Winnipeg’s other depth step up big
Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele were the only Jets producing offence through four games, casting doubt on the impact of Winnipeg’s depth players. Then Scheifele got hurt, Vladislav Namestnikov stepped up, and Winnipeg’s depth exploded to win Game 5.
Namestnikov had already made a big play leading the rush in the buildup to Nino Niederreiter’s 2-1 goal – and Mason Appleton had made a brilliant kick play to help get Connor on the board early – when Scheifele was hurt. That’s when Namestnikov, who had zero points through four games, was catapulted to the role of No. 1 centre.
He helped Winnipeg take over the game. First, it was a clean puck retrieval after Gabriel Vilardi was eliminated from a rush that helped Connor get the puck to the point for Dylan DeMelo’s goal. Then, with 1:09 left in the second period, Namestnikov joined a rush, gave Connor an option, and finished off Connor’s feed to put the Jets ahead 4-2.
He wasn’t the only middle-six player to have a big impact on the game.
Appleton was down and out behind the Blues’ net after taking a stick from Robert Thomas on his way into the zone. Still holding his mouth, perhaps concerned he was bleeding, Appleton got himself together just in time to kick the puck to Scheifele, who centred it: Connor scored the 1-0 goal with a clinical finish. Appleton also got the puck to the point in the buildup to Niederreiter’s goal while taking a heavy hit from Ryan Suter. Niederreiter’s deflection was his first goal of the series; he and Appleton combined to get Adam Lowry the empty net goal that capped off the game.
Scott Arniel had said he wanted more from his “meat and potatoes” guys. Winnipeg got it – and went back for seconds. — Murat Ates
Blues had been winning 2nd period – until Game 5
Through the first four games of the series, the Blues had owned the second period in this series, outscoring the Jets 4-0.
But in the second period of Game 5, Winnipeg outshot the Blues 14-3 and got their first two goals of the series in the middle period.
The Blues got the first goal of the period from rookie Jimmy Snuggerud, tying the score 2-2. But Demelo and Namestnikov answered with back-to-back goals, part of a period in which the Jets directed 33 shots at the net compared to just seven for the Blues. — Jeremy Rutherford
(Top photo of Alex Ovechkin: Jess Rapfogel / Getty Images)