Alex Ovechkin scored the first playoff overtime goal of his NHL career to give the Washington Capitals a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Monday night.

Fresh off breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most goals in league history 15 days earlier, Ovechkin’s second of the game 3:26 into OT allowed the Eastern Conference top-seeded Capitals to escape after blowing a two-goal third-period lead.

“A goal is a goal,” said Ovechkin, who went his first 44 playoff overtime games without scoring the winner. “It doesn’t matter. (And) in the playoffs, especially, it doesn’t matter who scores. I think it gives you confidence.”

Before letting it slip away, they spent much of the night bullying the smaller, less experienced Canadiens with one big hit after another. That was part of a concerted effort to finish checks, and the Capitals had 42 hits with 14 of 18 skaters registering at least one.

“Everybody was hitting,” said Ovechkin, who led the way with seven. “All our guys get involved in the physical game.”

“He made a couple of big plays for us tonight, was physical, set the tone,” coach Spencer Carbery said of Ovechkin. “He was leading the charge and dragging guys into the fight.”

But it was far from easy for Washington as Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki scored in the third period, finally tying it with 4:15 left in regulation.

“Obviously sat back a bit too much in the third,” said Dylan Strome, who had two assists. “But a win’s a win, take it and move on.”

Logan Thompson finished with 33 saves in his first NHL game action since getting injured when a shot dislodged his mask April 2 at Carolina.

Jets 2, Blues 1: Mark Scheifele had a goal and assist, Kyle Connor scored his second consecutive game-winner in the third period, and Winnipeg beat St. Louis for a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference series.

Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21 shots to help the Jets take a 2-0 playoff series lead for the first time in three seasons. The past two years, Winnipeg won the first game and then lost the next four to be eliminated.

Rookie Jimmy Snuggerud scored his first playoff goal and Jordan Binnington had 20 saves for the eighth-seeded Blues.

Stars 4, Avalanche 3, OT: Colin Blackwell scored with 2:14 left in overtime as Dallas rallied to win Game 2 and even the series against Colorado.

The Avalanche led 3-2 on Logan O’Connor’s goal late in the second period, but Evgenii Dadonov tied it midway through the third.