HOCKEY STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS : Langway Is Unlikely Hero in Capitals’ Victory

Rod Langway has long been considered one of the finest defensemen in hockey, but as a scorer, he leaves much to be desired.

Langway couldn’t have picked a better time to score his first goal this season. It came 34 seconds into overtime Wednesday night at Landover, Md., and gave the Capitals a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers and a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.

The Rangers wiped out a 3-1 deficit in the closing minutes, but the Capitals can advance to the Wales Conference final with a victory at New York on Friday.

Langway scored his goal on a wrist shot from the left circle. The shot flew past New York goalie Mike Richter, who was screened by teammate Randy Moller.

“I got the puck off the boards and just drove on goal,” Langway said. “I saw the traffic in front of the net and just let it fly.”

It was the defenseman’s first goal since Feb. 17, 1989.

“I did not see him release the puck,” Richter said. “It grazed my arm and I thought it went wide because I didn’t hear anything . . . then the crowd roared and I saw it had gone in.”

John Druce scored twice to give Washington a 3-1 lead.

But John Ogrodnick scored with 4:03 remaining and former King Bernie Nichols tied the score with 1:12 left.

Montreal 4, Boston 1--The Canadiens weren’t about to be swept in four games, especially at home.

Rookie Stephan Lebeau, who replaced the injured Stephane Richer, sparked the victory by scoring two goals in the third period. Guy Carbonneau scored twice for his first goals of the playoffs.

Boston, which has lost 21 of 24 playoff series against Montreal, was trying to repeat its sweep of the first postseason meeting--in 1929--and become the first team to sweep the Canadiens in four games since Detroit in 1952.