NEW YORK (AP) ― Alex Ovechkin silenced the Madison Square Garden crowd that has been taunting him for two games.

If he can fire up the fans back at home, too, the Washington Capitals could be in store for a deep playoff run.

Ovechkin scored a power-play goal with 7:27 remaining to snap a tie and gave the Capitals a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers that squared the Eastern Conference semifinal series 1-1 on Monday night.

Just under 6 minutes after Ryan Callahan got the Rangers even with a power-play goal, Ovechkin put the Capitals ahead for good after they squandered a 2-0 lead.

Whether Ovechkin heard the derisive chants that greeted him every time there were 8 minutes left ― matching his uniform number ― in each period or not, they certainly didn’t knock him off his game.

Despite diminished minutes in the playoffs, Ovechkin is still every bit as dangerous during crunch time.

“Ovi is a team guy and he is cheering his guys on,” Capitals coach Dale Hunter said. “He knows what these guys are going through at the end of the game. They’ve got to go out and slide and block shots. He appreciates that.

Kings blitz Blues

ST. LOUIS (AP) ― Anze Kopitar scored twice in a four-goal, first-period blitz as the Los Angeles Kings embarrassed the Blues from the opening faceoff, whipping St. Louis 5-2 Monday night for their fifth straight road win this postseason.

Mike Richards and Jeff Carter had a goal apiece and Dustin Penner and Dustin Brown each had a pair of assists in a period that was one goal shy of the franchise playoff record of five in 1993 against Vancouver.

Brown assisted on Kopitar’s short-handed goal and has a hand in all four of the Kings’ short-handed goals in the playoffs, two goals and two assists.

Andy McDonald scored 18 seconds into the second for St. Louis.