After going goalless in his first four games, Tom Wilson has lit the lamp in two straight. Both goals have come on special teams.
Saturday, Wilson scored on the powerplay after Joel Hanley took a four-minute double minor for high-sticking Jonas Siegenthaler. The goal gave the Caps a 1-0 lead.
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After the first powerplay unit failed to score, the Capitals’ second unit came out and immediately created havoc.
Dmitry Orlov faked a shot and sent a slap pass to Brendan Leipsic on the wing. Leipisc then fired a cross-ice pass to Jakub Vrana in the right circle for a one-timer. Jake fell to his knees but got a shot on goal. Anton Khudobin made the pad save, but the rebound bounced right to Tom Wilson. Mr. Handsome immediately slammed the puck home for his second of the year.
Tom Wilson has goals in two straight games and points in three straight after this first-period PPG. 1-0 Caps. pic.twitter.com/Aq9CjeTsPE
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) October 13, 2019
Wilson’s goal, however, was challenged by the Dallas Stars after a new wrinkle was added in the rulebook this season. Teams can now do Coach’s Challenges if they think a hand pass happened before a goal.
NEW CATEGORY: In addition to Coach’s Challenge for “Off-side” and “Interference on the Goalkeeper”, a third category will allow for the Coach’s Challenge of goal calls on the ice that follow plays in the Offensive Zone that should have resulted in a play stoppage, but did not.
This change will allow Challenges of plays that may involve pucks that hit the spectator netting, pucks that are high-sticked to a teammate in the offensive zone, pucks that have gone out of play but are subsequently touched in the offensive zone and hand passes that precede without a play stoppage and ultimately conclude in the scoring of a goal. Plays that entail “discretionary stoppages” (e.g. penalty calls) will not be subject to a Coach’s Challenge.
Coach’s Challenges for these types of plays (and for “Off-Side” Challenges) will only be available if the puck does not come out of the attacking zone between the time of the “missed” infraction and the time the goal is scored.
The rule was instituted after a blown call in the playoffs last season. Erik Karlsson scored in overtime of Game Three of the Western Conference Final after an apparent hand pass by Timo Meier.
Before Wilson scored, the Stars believed the first-line forward gloved the puck down to the ice and Jakub Vrana touched it first, meaning it was a hand pass.
The Stars challenged Tom Wilson's goal due to what they believed was a hand pass prior to it. They thought Jakub Vrana touched the puck first (either with his skate or stick blade) after Wilson gloved the puck to the ice. But "the call on the ice stands." It was a good goal. pic.twitter.com/JlKl4JB7k0
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) October 13, 2019
After a lengthy review, officials said the call on the ice stood and Wilson’s goal was a good one.
The Caps’ PP2 now has two goals in the first six games this season.
BTW, the Capitals already have two PPG from their second unit this season (Orlov, Wilson).
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) October 13, 2019
Thursday, Wilson scored shorthanded against the Nashville Predators.
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