Thanks to Capitals goalie Cristobal Huet and the penalty-killing units in front of him, the Flyers squandered 2 minutes of a five-on-three advantage near the end of the Caps-dominated first period, right after the Flyers' power play evened things at 1. The Flyers got nothing from the last 1:42 of a five-on-four advantage, either - and only one shot.

Then, the horn bellowed.

"I was glad the period ended, to be honest with you," said Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen. "You don't score on a five-on-three like that, or after, it usually bites you in the [butt]."

Timonen and the power-play unit on which he plays did more biting later.

His shot produced the rebound that Joffrey Lupul chipped into a wide-open net for the game-winner 6:06 into overtime for a 3-2 win. It ended the series - and Timonen's exhausting evening.

He logged 28 minutes, 24 seconds of ice time, more than anyone except his defensive partner, Braydon Coburn. Usually, Timonen marked Russian dynamo Alex Ovechkin, the league's top scorer and an MVP favorite.

"Timo was unbelievable," coach John Steven gushed. "He looked like he could play all night out there. He's playing against Ovechkin . . . Timo embraced that challenge. He wanted it."

"To be honest," Timonen said, "I'm pretty tired."

To be honest, he didn't look like it.

Ovechkin scored twice in Game 6 on Monday and once last night, but last night he scored off a Jason Smith turnover, not on Timonen's watch, and Ovechkin's assist last night came on the power play. Before Game 6, Ovechkin had scored once.

By the end of last night's game, Ovechkin - 11 years younger, 4 inches taller, 20 pounds heavier than Timonen - clearly was drained, misfiring and dealing errant passes.

"It was tough," Timonen, 33, said of marking Ovechkin, 22. "He's the MVP, in my mind. A great player. An unbelievable scorer."

Afterward, Timonen longed for fluid replenishment and rest. Little wonder: He played just over 27 minutes in Monday's devastating loss, about 4 minutes more than any other player.

When Caps defenseman Tom Poti was whistled for tripping, the first penalty since two-thirds of the way through the second period, Timonen was surprised - and energized.

"I knew, then, we'd get chances," he said.

They needed the extra man. The Capitals had dominated the Flyers in the third period and early on in overtime.

Still, it took 1 minute, 51 seconds of power play to set up the play that won it. A pass intended for Daniel Briere found its way to Timonen, who, cognizant of the time left in the power play, quickly fired.

"They had done a good job of blocking my shooting lanes all series," Timonen said. "It was open that time."

It was his fourth assist of the series. But, considering his work against Ovechkin, any offense from Timonen was a bonus.

"Kimmo's the backbone back there. It's amazing, his composure," Briere said. "He makes so many simple plays - he makes them look easy. But it's not."

It won't be easy against the Canadiens, either. The Flyers begin their semifinal series tomorrow night in Montreal, and Timonen will be playing against slippery center Saku Koivu, fellow Finn and good friend.

"We're good buddies off the ice," Timonen said. "When we're on the ice, we're not friends anymore."

Certainly, Koivu won't be expecting anything less. As Timonen goes, so goes the Flyers' defense; just ask the stifled Ovechkin.

"He not only did that - he contributes on the power play, penalty killing, all situations," Stevens said. "He really stepped up for us. He wanted to be the guy and he did a great job. And he brought [Coburn] along with him there. He was terrific."

All Stevens asks is that he does it again. *