NHL
Who took the last spot in the NHL playoffs?
The Washington Capitals secured the last playoff spot by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1, thanks to a unique goal by the alternate captain T.J. Oshie.
On Tuesday night, the Washington Capitals faced off against the Philadelphia Flyers in a must-win game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Capitals needed two points to secure the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Simultaneously, the Detroit Red Wings played against the Montreal Canadiens. If the Red Wings or the Capitals got at least one point in their matches, the Flyers would be eliminated from playoff contention.
This meant the Flyers couldn’t afford to go into overtime against the Capitals. The Philadelphia team had to win in regulation to stay alive in the playoff race. With about 3:09 remaining in the third period, the Flyers were tied 1-1. Coach John Tortorella decided to pull the goalkeeper with three minutes left in the match, hoping for a win. However, Oshie scored a goal into an empty net almost at the end of the game.
Philadelphia took a risk, but it didn’t pay off. Oshie’s goal eliminated the Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins from the playoffs. Interestingly, Detroit scored in overtime with three seconds left in their game. Tortorella wasn’t aware of this and didn’t realize that the Flyers had no room for risk.
Oshie’s goal secured Washington’s place in the playoffs. The team had struggled with form lately, and Ovechkin’s team almost missed the fight for the Stanley Cup. However, with goaltender Charlie Lindgren making 27 saves in the game, Washington secured their place in the postseason. After missing out last season, the Capitals (40-31-11, 91 points) will face the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the first round.
The National Hockey League will play for two more days, and then the playoffs, with the ultimate award of winning the Stanley Cup, will begin.