The game was supposedly over. With a minute left in the third period, the San Jose Sharks scored an empty-net goal to make it 4-2. Capitals fans began filing for the exits. But they would have reason to return seconds later.
Jakub Vrana and TJ Oshie both scored 6-on-5, last-minute goals to push overtime. Then in the extra session, Lars Eller scored on a two-on-one break to give the Capitals the win. Washington scored three goals in two minutes and 48 seconds.
“That’s the best [comeback] I have ever seen since I’ve been here,” Nic Dowd, one of the team’s goalscorers on the day, said after the game. “That was pretty epic.”
Couture’s empty netter
The game seemed over with a minute left in regulation. The Caps’ six-man unit turned the puck over in neutral, giving Logan Couture his easiest goal of the season.
Vrana from the slot
For his second goal of the game and 18th of the season, Jakub Vrana took a pass from Lars Eller after the Sharks failed to clear the zone. In one smooth motion, Vrana took the pass and beat Martin Jones to put the Caps back within one goal with 46 seconds left on the clock.
What a fortunate bounce.
Jakub Vrana has a two-goal game pic.twitter.com/b5r6r3kBCX
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 5, 2020
They weren’t done there.
Oshie with 14 seconds left
With the Caps’ net empty again, both teams battled along the boards for control in the Sharks’ end. Oshie forced the puck loose and got into the slot, where Kuznetsov found him. Totally brilliant puck movement here to deliver a pivotal goal and force overtime.
TJ Oshie ties it with 14.2 seconds remaining to send it to OT pic.twitter.com/RCNPLlG9cI
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 5, 2020
The Caps went nuts on the bench. Check out, Blaine!
Here's the Capitals bench reacting to Oshie's last-minute goal. Check out Blaine Forsythe showing some rare emotion and punching the glass. pic.twitter.com/vwMHgfWTL9
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 5, 2020
Holtby’s big saves
Three-on-three overtime was as wild as it gets, with end-to-end action forcing both goalies to play their bests. Holtby did just that, turning away Evander Kane on a two-on-one break.
Braden Holtby stops Evander Kane on a 2-on-1 break in OT pic.twitter.com/hLd3UjZHev
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 5, 2020
Later he stopped Brent Burns on a breakaway.
Braden Holtby stops Brent Burns on a breakaway in OT pic.twitter.com/5ZEkfwBa7g
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 5, 2020
Eller ends it in OT
Finally, three minutes into extra time, John Carlson — ten years after beating Martin Jones in overtime at World Juniors — caught a long pass from Holtby and carried the play into the offensive zone. But he didn’t take the shot. He passed to Lars Eller, who was ready for it. Eller kicked the puck to his stick and won with a simple wrist shot.
“We caught them on a change,” Eller said. “Me and Johnny have a two-on-one. Goalie sliding over to cover the short side and I just try to go glove side high. Yeah, good shot!”
Holtby got the secondary assist.
Braden Holtby got a secondary assist on Lars Eller's overtime goal pic.twitter.com/wDW3cN4CR1
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 5, 2020
The Capitals got in a giant mosh pit to celebrate the 5-4 OT win.
The Capitals' mosh pit after Lars Eller scores in OT pic.twitter.com/EXKBhvZyIZ
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 5, 2020
“I think that was the best [comeback] of the season,” Eller said. “With a minute left being down two, we thought if you can get a quick one, get one within 30 seconds, we’ll still have a chance at it. And we did exactly that. We executed two chances. Executed on both ones and then we rolled that momentum into overtime.”
Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Sharks
Headline photo: NBC Sports Washington
