Unusual empty-net goal sends Caps to playoffs
PHILADELPHIA — T.J. Oshie shot the puck into an empty net and, in the process, scored one of the more improbable game-winning goals in recent NHL history and sent the Washington Capitals to the playoffs.
Oshie’s empty-net goal with 3 minutes left helped the exhausted Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Tuesday night under absurd circumstances. The score was tied when Philadelphia coach John Tortorella pulled his goaltender for an extra attacker because his team needed to win in regulation to keep its hopes alive.
What Tortorella didn’t know was that Detroit scoring with 3.3 seconds remaining to force to overtime at Montreal perhaps a minute earlier actually eliminated the Flyers.
“We’ll take it,” Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said. “Thanks, Philly.”
Tortorella found out just after Oshie’s empty-netter about the Red Wings result. By then, it was too late, and the result also eliminated Detroit and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Washington will face the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the first round beginning this weekend, returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence ended their eight-year streak.
“It means a lot,” said Oshie, one of a handful of players remaining from the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup team, along with Ovechkin, John Carlson and Tom Wilson. “Once you win one time, the regular season just doesn’t have as much meaning as the playoff games, so to get back there is going to be super special and definitely won’t take it for granted. The boys will be ready to rock.”
A recent six-game losing streak looked to have tanked the Caps’ chances, but behind more strong play from goalie Charlie Lindgren, they kept themselves in the race. Lindgren looked shaky at times against the Flyers, giving up some big rebounds, but he made the saves, 27 total, when they mattered in his second start in as many days and 48th of the season – by far the most he has played in his NHL career.
“He’s been arguably our MVP,” coach Spencer Carbery said. “He’s been fantastic all year. He earned the opportunity to play this in back to back, and he delivered once again.”
Ovechkin provided the earlier offense, scoring his 31st goal of the season and 853rd of his career on a deflection of Dylan McIlrath‘s shot late in the first to move 42 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. The only goal Lindgren allowed was a similar redirection by veteran defenseman Erik Johnson, a trade deadline acquisition by Philadelphia not known for his scoring prowess.
Before being pulled, Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson stopped 16 of the 17 shots he faced.
“That was one of the most encouraging things of it all, is the last three games that Ers can go home in the summer with that,” Tortorella said. “It’s ridiculous how much we played him. But he gets to go home feeling he rebounded and he found himself again.”
The Capitals found themselves over and over again this season, going from low preseason expectations to somehow in contention to trade deadline sellers to playoff front-runners. It’s only fitting they took the final step to the playoffs in unusual fashion, and the Rangers are up next.
“Significant challenge,” Carbery said. “Best team in the NHL, so we know we have our hands full.”
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Kristen Shilton
The Vancouver Canucks have come to terms with forward Brock Boeser on a new seven-year contract, carrying a $7.25 million AAV.
Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced the deal on Tuesday during the first hour of NHL free agency. Boeser, 28, was an unrestricted free agent on a previously expiring contract.
Drafted by Vancouver 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL draft, Boeser has collected 204 goals and 434 points in 554 games with the Canucks to date. A top-six scoring threat, Boeser has elite playmaking skills and the potential to produce big numbers offensively. He had his best year offensively in 2023-24, producing 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games.
Boeser didn’t hit those marks again last season — settling for 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games — but was still second amongst teammates in output. He also plays a prominent role on Vancouver’s power play and when he can generate opportunities at 5-on-5, he is a true difference-maker up front for the Canucks.
The extension is a happy ending for Vancouver and Boeser. When the regular season ended, Boeser admitted “it’s tough to say” whether he’d be back with the Canucks. Boeser reportedly turned down a previous five-year extension offer with the club and Allvin subsequently looked into deals for him at the March trade deadline, with no takers. Boeser looked — and sounded — poised to explore his options on the open market.
Ultimately, Boeser decided to stay put by committing the best years of his career to the Canucks.
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Ryan S. Clark
Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year extension through the 2032-33 season that is worth $6 million annually, the team announced Tuesday.
Fehervary, who had one year of team control remaining, will enter the final season of a three-year bridge deal that will see him make $2.675 million before his new contract begins at the start of the 2026-27 season.
He finished the season with five goals and a career-high 25 points while logging 19 minutes. Fehervary also played a crucial role in the Capitals’ penalty kill by finishing with 245 short-handed minutes for a penalty kill that was fifth in the NHL with an 82% success rate.
Securing the 25-year-old Fehervary to a long-term deal means the Capitals now have seven players who have more than three years remaining on their current contracts.
It also means the Capitals front office has one less decision to make ahead of what is expected to be an active offseason in 2026 that will see the club have what PuckPedia projects to be $39.25 million in cap space.
That’s also the same offseason in which captain and NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin‘s contract will come off their books along with that of defenseman John Carlson.
But until then, the Capitals have their entire top-six defensive unit under contract as they seek to improve upon a 2024-25 season that saw them finish atop the Metropolitan Division with 111 points before they lost in the Eastern Conference semifinal to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.
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