Alex Ovechkin smacked an airborne puck into the net with his stick blade for the first playoff overtime goal of his career, leading the Washington Capitals to a series-opening victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

Ovechkin downplayed it as “a goal is a goal,” but the OT winner put an exclamation point on a vintage performance by the 39-year-old winger, who also led Washington with seven hits and scored on the power play late in the first period.