This one could very well have turned ugly for the Washington Capitals if they had lost in overtime, again, to the Columbus Blue Jackets, on home ice Saturday.
Instead, Nicklas Backstrom struck with deflected goal midway through the first overtime to give the Caps a 4-3 win and a 3-2 series lead.
It was Backstrom’s second goal of the game.
Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie also scored for Washington who have won three straight after dropping the first tow home games.
“We had 0-and-2 there, but obviously the whole team felt like we played better than the results,” Backstrom said. “That’s the way it is in the playoffs. It’s going to go up and down. It’s best out of seven, so you’ve just got to keep grinding. The last three games, we’ve been doing that.”
Game 6 is Monday in Columbus.
“We’ll be back here for Game 7,” Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said.
Braden Holtby made 39 saves to pick up the win.
“We’ve had a period where it didn’t quite go our way and we’ve always regrouped at intermissions and came back,” Holtby said. “It shows our confidence and our experience in a lot of areas. We did that again tonight. In order for us to have success the rest of the way in the playoffs, we’re going to have to do that again.”
Matt Calvert struck twice and Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal for the Jackets.
“Disappointing, because I thought we completely outplayed them in the third, had all the momentum, had some great chances to bury in overtime,” Columbus’ Nick Foligno said. “Missed the net or just wide or he makes a great save. That’s the difference in the game.”
[WATCH: All Blue Jackets vs. Capitals highlights | Complete Capitals vs. Blue Jackets series coverage]
Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves in the loss.
“Our backs are against the wall, right?” Foligno said. “If you can’t play your best game come Monday, then that’s disappointing.”
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