NEW YORK — Mr. April has come through again for the Washington Capitals.
Joel Ward scored a goal with 1.2 seconds remaining, slipping the puck under goaltender Henrik Lundqvist’s left pad with a quick flick of the wrist to give the Capitals a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series between the two teams.
The sudden goal left a Madison Square Garden crowd in stunned silence, with the Rangers fighting back to tie the score at 15:21 and then sustaining a significant offensive presence in the closing minutes.