Brandon Dubinsky did two things in Game 3 of the New York Rangers' Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon: He gave a national television audience a glimpse at a glorious playoff mustache, warped in from the set of a 1970s porno; and he scored this game-winner to save the Rangers' season.
Plenty of skill, a dash of luck and a 3-2 win for New York:
The teams were skating 4-on-4 in a tie game, with less than 2 minutes in the third period. Dubinsky won a battle for the puck with Niklas Backstrom on the half boards and skated out past defenseman Scott Hannan, who was closing in on the scrum.
Then, a genius move: Dubinsky, skating behind the goal line, fakes as if he's going to continue to move the puck behind the net. This leaves Caps defenseman Karl Alzner off-balance in front, as he lunges for the puck with Dubinsky cutting in front. The Rangers forward shoots the puck at an odd angle, the puck goes off Ovechkin's stick, it flips off of Alzner's shoulder and behind Michal Neuvrith.
Tremendous play by one of the few players on the Rangers who can create his own offense and be dangerous in the attacking zone.
It was a hard-fought win for the Blueshirts: Through the tedium of the opening period, to Alex Ovechkin tying the game with 1 minute left in the second, to just missing out on a goal with a tenth of a second left on the clock in that period.
They needed a play, Dubinsky gave it to them, and this is a series again.