By Lewis Gould
Mike Zibanejad scored five goals, capping the scoring spree 33 seconds into overtime in a 6-5 win over the Capitals.
Alex Ovechkin had two goals, including the tying score with 43 seconds remaining to force overtime. That came after Zibanejad scored on a rebound with 1:42 remaining to give New York a brief 5-4 lead.
“Crazy game,” Zibanejad said. “Even though they tie it up and they come after us right after we score, we kept it going and found a way to win.”
Ilya Kovalchuk had a goal and an assist, and Carl Hagelin and Garnet Hathaway also scored for Washington. Samsonov had 33 saves for the Capitals.
Philly, which extended its winning streak to eight games after beating Carolina, tied Washington for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
“Major credit to us to get that goal at the end (of the third), that says a lot,” Capitals coach Todd Reirden said. “And then we put our two best 3-on-3 guys out there and we let a player score his fifth goal of the game.”
Defense has been an issue for the Capitals, who have allowed at least three goals for the 10th consecutive game. It’s the first time they’ve done that since the 2006-07 season.
“It was nice to at least get a point when we probably didn’t deserve one,” said Capitals defenseman John Carlson, who had two assists.
Reirden was also unhappy with the penalties the Capitals took, especially third minors in a row late in the third period.
“It’s getting too late in the season for players to be take penalties and me have to sit them because they can’t go on the ice without taking a penalty,” he said.
The Rangers broke a 3-3 tie early in the third period. Pavel Buchnevich had the puck behind the net and connected with Zibanejad, who was cutting across the net just 12 seconds in.
Ovechkin wristed in his 46th of the season from the left faceoff circle at 9:22 to make it 4-4.
With game tied at 2 in the second, the teams traded goals 16 seconds apart.
First, DeAngelo scored off a nice pass from Panarin at 14:42. Panarin connected with the defenseman, who was cutting toward the net and scored his 14th of the season. The Capitals answered right back when Hathaway scored his ninth of the season.
Georgiev was sharp early on in the game, including stopping Panik on a breakaway a little more than five minutes into the first period.
The Capitals kept up the pressure and opened the scoring a couple of minutes later. Nick Jensen sent a pass to Hagelin, who beat Georgiev with a wrister short-side for his eighth of the season at 7:05.
The Rangers tied it on the power play two minutes after that. DeAngelo sent a pass from the right point to Panarin. Panarin’s one-timer was deflected into the net by Zibanejad at 9:01.
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