NHL playoffs 2017: Bobby Ryan scores overtime winner in Game 1 (Video)

Bobby Ryan scored the overtime winner for the Ottawa Senators as they beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. 

The 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs has been full of overtimes. There have already been 25 overtimes and it’s only the conference finals. The record, by the way, is 28. In the 25th overtime, Bobby Ryan of the Ottawa Senators scored on a rush after his team forced a turnover. His overtime winner gives his team a 1-0 series lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Marc-Andre Fleury did well in net for the home team, but Craig Anderson of the Senators proved to be the better goalie on Saturday night. After NBC preferred to show golf over pre-game coverage, the two teams put on one heck of a show. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored early in the first period to give Ottawa an early 1-0 lead. Evgeni Malkin of the Penguins tied the game in the third period, redirecting a shot from Chris Kunitz.

This is Ryan’s fifth goal of the postseason and his second overtime winner. He also had an overtime winner in the first round against the Boston Bruins. Ryan now has 11 points in 13 postseason games after putting up just 25 points in 62 games during the regular season. He’s been an inspiring story so far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, being one of his team’s most clutch players.

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Ryan’s proving to be worth his salary so far in the playoffs. The Senators acquired him in a huge trade for this very reason. While Erik Karlsson didn’t record a point in Game 1, he still played in over 30 minutes, creating six shots on goal and blocking three shots. The Senators are the underdogs and right now, they lead the Penguins 1-0 in their Eastern Conference Finals. Ottawa’s out proving everyone wrong, possibly including themselves.