But after a 3-2 loss in overtime of Game 1, here's the next step: It's going to get harder.
Toronto native Tom Wilson scored his first National Hockey League playoff goal 5:15 into overtime and Washington survived a scare to beat the Maple Leafs on Thursday night in Game 1 of their first-round series.
DUCKS 3, FLAMES 2ANAHEIM, Calif. - Jakob Silfverberg scored the tiebreaking power-play goal late in the second period, and captain Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and an assist in the Anaheim Ducks' 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames in their first-round playoff series opener Thursday night. The Leafs will look to even up the series in Washington on Saturday night. "Come this time of year, lots of guys get their reputation to be guys who can rise to the challenge and play in those big games". He said it before Andersen made glove save after glove save in Game 1 - many of them terrific - until his glove and his eyes and his angles defied him in overtime.
"You just piece it together a little bit", Rielly said. "We just grinded it out and win in overtime".
Braden Holtby was up to the task in goal, stopping 35 of the 37 shots he faced.
Nashville Predators right wing Viktor Arvidsson celebrates his goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday, April 13, 2017, in Chicago. FILE - In this January 26, 2017, file photo, Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews skates during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, in Philadelphia.
And with sixteen minutes of play elapsed in the second period Williams crashed the net and poked home a loose puck to tie the game.
Understandably, Capitals head coach Barry Trotz wasn't happy with his team's performance through the first half of the game.
"I don't know whether they raised their game or our game fell off", McDavid said.
The top-seeded Capitals came back from a two-goal deficit to take the early lead in the series and at least momentarily stop the panic about a slip-up. "I just went to the net, and fortunately it popped there". "That's what leaders do".
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It was first tested in 2003, but the Nangarhar strike represented the first time the huge weapon has been used in combat. A group gathers around a GBU-43B on display at the Air Force Armament Museum on Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. .
"We're looking at it as we didn't play our best game", Trotz said Friday.
Yes, hockey fans, it's time to celebrate - the Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing, and we're in for quite a few good contests over the next few weeks, deciding who the victor of the most-cherished trophy will be. It was a bad game for the stars, as both Ovechkin and Matthews were limited to one shot on goal and were -1 through 65:15 minutes. I think if you're [Matthews] or you're Mitch or you're [Nylander] or [Brown] or those guys, let's play. "At playoff time, there's no better play".
Wilson didn't want to make too big of a deal of what the goal could mean for himself or for his team.
"I saw (Babcock's) comments", Wilson said. But now the other guys know, too.
Getting up 2-0 early on the first place Washington Capitals was just what they thought themselves capable of in this unexpected playoff sequel to their turnaround season.
Their lead ballooned to two before 10 minutes had passed with Gardiner scoring a goal that was initially waved off on account of goalie interference.
"I really thought we passed up a ton of opportunities to shoot the puck, trying to make a better play, a better play", he said.
The 25-year-old was injured in the Leafs' regular season finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets, exiting the game with an upper-body injury after being hit into the boards by Nick Foligno.
However, the Leafs will be without top-pair defenseman Nikita Zaitsev. Marner is the first Toronto rookie to score a playoff goal since Jeff Farkas in 2000.
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