WASHINGTON (AP) ― Surely, if the Washington Capitals were going to make the playoffs, it would come down to the wire. Their start was so terrible that even an optimistic die-hard would figure that, with the right breaks, perhaps, they could steal a berth in the final game of the regular season.

Yet here they are, postseason-bound with two games to spare, quite the achievement for Alex Ovechkin and first-year coach Adam Oates. Tuesday night’s 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets clinched the Southeast Division for the Capitals, who were next-to-last in the Eastern Conference as recently as March 21.

“I remember 20 games ago looking at the schedule,” said Mathieu Perreault, one of five Capitals to score a goal Tuesday. “Like, ‘Man, we’re probably going to have to go 16-4 to get in’ ― and basically did it. It almost looked impossible if you look back 20 games, but this team has got so much character, and they found a way to do it.”

New Jersey 3, Montreal 2

Carolina 4, NY Islanders 3

Buffalo 4, Pittsburgh 2

Philadelphia 5, Boston 2

Florida 3, NY Rangers 2

St. Louis 3, Colorado 1

Nashville 4, Calgary 3

Minnesota 2, Los Angeles 1

San Jose 3, Dallas 2