Caps Win 3-2 on Shootout Shot that Never Was

Shootouts are a scourge, as we learned again on Sunday when the Caps won a rather anticlimactic 3-2 skills competition decision over the New York Rangers. Caps captain Alex Ovechkin was credited with the shootout game-winner, this despite never actually shooting the puck, and the puck never going into the net.

Don't forget though, shootouts are exciting!
As Ovechkin was about to pull the trigger on the potential game-winner in the bottom of the fourth round of said shootout, Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev, who was brilliant all afternoon, expertly slung his goalie stick at Ovechkin's stick blade, knocking the puck harmlessly away.
The four striped-shirt guys quickly sequestered themselves to have a chat about what they just witnessed, and then signaled "no goal" - because the puck didn't go in, duh. The next New York shooter lined up at center ice while Caps coach Todd Reirden requested a word with the quartet, but just in the nick of time, a call came through on the Gotham City bat-phone - presumably from the powers that be in Toronto - asking the zebras to take another look, if you don't mind.
Upon further review, the humbled crew reversed their initial decision and Ovechkin was credited with a shootout game-winner. Turns out throwing your stick - and presumably cinder blocks, lit firecrackers and other projectiles - results in an automatic goal in penalty shot and shootout situations, which most of the 17,000-plus people in attendance at Madison Square Garden likely already knew.
Ovechkin knew it was over as soon as it happened.
"I knew 100 percent it was a goal," says the Caps' captain. "It was an empty net, so he throw his stick. I was surprised at the first reaction from the referees, but it's nice we have a replay."

"It's tough to explain," says Georgiev, "but he faked the shot and I went down earlier, and as he was moving laterally, I kind of threw my leg and the stick at the same time. It's a tough call."
Of late, Washington's starts have not been stellar. Sunday was no exception, as the Caps fell behind in the game's first minute for the second time in as many games against the Rangers. From behind the Caps' net Dmitry Orlov turned the puck over to Chris Krieder in front. Kreider made a quick pass to Ryan Strome, who scored 45 seconds after opening puck drop to give the Rangers an early 1-0 lead.
It was also the fifth time in the last five games that Washington has given up the game's first goal before the contest was four minutes old. But the Caps have won four straight, so maybe they're on to something.
Washington needed little time with which to draw even. Carrying down low on the right side, Carl Hagelin tried to feather a cross-ice backhand feed to Brooks Orpik on the weak side. But New York's Libor Hajek blocked the pass, and Hagelin calmly collected the puck and buried it on the short side to tie the game at 1-1 at 2:03 of the first.
The Caps took the lead with a fourth-line rush goal just past the midpoint of the initial period. Nic Dowd put a cross-ice pass on Andre Burakovsky's tape in the neutral zone, and the latter carried into New York territory down the right side. After gaining the zone, Burakovsky cut to the middle and - with Nick Jensen providing a screen in front - snapped a shot past Georgiev from the inside of the left circle at 10:02.

The Caps dominated the second period, but Georgiev stopped all 20 Washington shots he faced in the middle frame. New York didn't have the puck very much in the middle period, but the Blueshirts managed to get the game knotted up on one of their rare extended forays in the Capitals' zone.
The Caps missed an opportunity to clear the zone, and Tony DeAngelo kept the play alive by putting a point shot on net. Braden Holtby made the stop, but a prone Filip Chytil extended himself to push the rebound to Pavel Buchnevich, who one-timed it into the yawning cage to make it a 2-2 game at 14:20.
"We really were on our heels in the second," says Rangers coach David Quinn. "And I thought [Georgiev] did a great job of helping us weather the storm for sure."
Each team had a power play chance in the back half of the third, but neither was able to break the deadlock. Both sides had strong chances to win it in the extra session - and Georgiev stoned Ovechkin on a breakaway - but both goaltenders were stellar, setting the stage for the game's perplexing ending.
"That's a first for me," says Caps right wing T.J. Oshie of the whacky conclusion to Sunday's nationally televised match. "I didn't know - I don't know. I guess I'll have to see the rulebook. Hopefully, someone will have to Tweet that out or something. It's a crazy way to win, but if he doesn't throw it you've got to imagine a guy like [Ovechkin] is putting that in the back of the net. It's a crazy way to win, but we'll take it."
And that's how the Caps won a game via phone call, without benefit of a shot or a puck in the back of the net. Hey, phone calls can be exciting, too.