Canadiens fans and reporters are up in arms after a supposed referee blunder led to the Capitals scoring the game-winning goal just moments later in overtime.
Alex Ovechkin provided Monday's Game 1 of Washington's first-round playoff series with a dramatic conclusion, netting his first career playoff overtime goal to guide Washington to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
Just 15 days after passing Wayne Gretzky's all-time career goals record, Ovechkin repeated, finding the game-winner 3:26 in overtime. The East-leading Capitals nearly gave away this one after blowing their two-goal advantage in the third.
They'd been physical behind dominant play early on, but momentum shifted the Canadiens ' way when Pierre-Luc Dubois's penalty led to Cole Caufield's first Habs goal that fueled the Montreal charge.
Nick Suzuki tied it in the late going after frantic scrambles left Logan Thompson out of position.
Fans and reporters are blaming the Habs loss on a blown call by the referee
As Washington celebrated their first playoff victory since 2022, controversy swirled. Fans and media alike were outraged over officiating, most prominently an icing call not being made in overtime, directly resulting in Ovechkin's game-winner.
The non-call brought the integrity of the game results into question and provoked incendiary reactions in response.
'It's not supposed to be icing,' Lapierre said. 'He [Roy] is blocking the trajectory!''I don't understand how these things can happen in 2025,' Lavoie added. 'It's black or white, there are no gray areas. It's taking the puck and sending it into the stands, it's the same thing. It's automatic, you have to let the game play.' Lapierre went further: if it's deemed that Laine didn't touch the puck, then there was interference on the play.
'If he doesn't touch the puck and Laine is cross-checked, it's a penalty in the worst case scenario,' argued the former Habs agitator.
'It's a total lack of... I won't even say judgment,' said Lavoie, still disillusioned. 'It's not even judgment. It's the rule book, it's black and white.'
Anthony Beauvillier scored for Washington as well, and Thompson, in his first appearance since being injured, totaled 33 saves.
Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault was superb in his playoff debut, stopping 29 shots and keeping his team in it through relentless pressure.
Game 2 is on Wednesday in Washington, DC, before the series shifts to Montreal for Games 3 and 4 over the weekend.
