Rangers star defenseman back on the Marc

Rangers star defenseman back on the Marc

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Rangers D Marc Staal (r.) lets out the old primal scream after winning Game 5 in overtime.

Marc Staal called it a play every kid dreams about growing up, and his center stage moment Monday night only was made sweeter by the obstacles he had overcome the past year.

Staal continues to steadily regain the All-Star form he has fought to find after missing the first half of the season with concussion problems, netting a power play blast 1:35 into overtime to lift the Rangers to a 3-2 Game 5 win and a 3-2 series lead against the Capitals.

PHOTOS: STAAL, RICHARDS CAP MIRACLE GAME 5 COMEBACK

Certainly as the years gone on Ive felt better and better. But this has been a lot of fun, said Staal, who also scored in the Rangers Game 7 win over Ottawa in the previous round. I feel good. We all have to be, come playoff time. I dont think my focus is so much on the way I play, but just doing what can help us to try to win a game.

Even before his overtime winner, Staal was an essential part of why the Rangers were able to come back and tie the score on Brad Richards 6-on-4 scramble goal with 6.6 seconds left in regulation.

With the Caps leading 2-1 with barely six minutes remaining in the third period, Staal sticked away the puck on a 3-on-1 rush and broke up another pass in front seconds later.

Hes getting better and better more physical, Henrik Lundqvist said of Staal. He made some great plays in the third period two breakups big opportunities for them. Thats the Marc we want. Hes all over the ice, in our own end and making big stops, then hes joining the rush. He adds a lot to our game.

Even after Richards frantic goal, the Rangers were still on the power play to start overtime because of Joel Wards double-minor for high-sticking Carl Hagelin with 21.3 seconds left in the third.

John Mitchell won a clean draw back to Staal, whose right-point slapper deflected off Washington forward Brooks Laich and past screened goalie Braden Holtby.

We certainly thought we had them on the ropes after the tying goal and we wanted to keep that momentum in overtime, try to get one quick (on the power play), said Staal, who also played nearly 50 minutes in the Rangers triple-overtime Game 3 win. Both guys kind of came out so I just wanted to get between them and hit it as hard as I can and I think it ended up going off of one of them and into the back of the net.

For it to go in there is an incredible feeling.

Staal, of course, missed the first 36 games this season with concussion symptoms stemming from a hit by his brother, Carolinas Eric Staal, last February.