Washington: Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby turned aside all 30 shots he faced to lead the Capitals to a 1-0 victory on Monday and a 2-1 lead over the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Holtby had to deal with a late barrage from the Rangers, whose goalie Henrik Lundqvist was pulled for an extra attacker.
Capitals centre Jay Beagle scored the game’s only goal with 7:31 gone in the second period.
Game Four will take place on Wednesday at the Verizon Center in Washington.
Holtby’s biggest save came on a breakaway by Rangers right winger Martin St Louis with 6:35 remaining in the second period.
Lundqvist stopped 18 of 19 shots for the Rangers, who have had each of their last 10 play-off games decided by one goal.
Beagle’s goal, his first of the 2015 playoffs, came on a fluky play. After shooting left of the net, Beagle hunted down the puck, swung around the back and saw his centering pass carom off the back of Lundqvist’s left skate and into the net for his third career playoff goal.
Brouwer and Burakovsky earned assists on the play.
