NHL

Washington Capitals complete the play-offs

Big cheers for the Capitals(Bild: AP)

The Washington Capitals have secured the last open spot in the NHL play-offs. Alexander Ovechkin and Co. defended their wildcard position in the Eastern Conference with a 2:1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Flyers, on the other hand, were eliminated, as were the Detroit Red Wings, whose 5-4 penalty shootout win in Montreal was of no use to them. The Pittsburgh Penguins with superstar Sidney Crosby, who did not play on Tuesday, are also out of the race for good.

In the Eastern Conference, all the first-round play-off duels have already been decided: the New York Rangers play against Washington, last year's finalists Florida Panthers meet the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Boston Bruins take on the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes face the New York Islanders. In the West, two pairings are still open before the final games of the basic round. The Vancouver Canucks against the Nashville Predators and the Winnipeg Jets against the Colorado Avalanche are already fixed.