Holy smokes, they finally did it.
Tom Wilson broke the Capitals’ long power play drought on Thursday night, scoring just 10 seconds into the man advantage against the Anaheim Ducks. Wilson’s tally came more than a month after the team’s last power play goal, ending their scoreless streak at 12 games.
That's ✌️ for Tom pic.twitter.com/pZh0EnoZ81
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 1, 2023
After failing to convert on their first power play opportunity of the night, the Caps got their second chance of the period when Ducks forward Alex Killorn got called for cross-checking. This time, it wouldn’t take long to capitalize on Anaheim’s error.
Captain Alex Ovechkin attempted a slapshot from the left circle just seconds into the man advantage, instead sending the puck into the pads of goaltender John Gibson. Gibson was unable to control the rebound, however, and Wilson quickly got his stick onto the rebound before backhanding it into the net.
“I don’t know if that puck came through his toque or what, just bounced off him funny,” Wilson told Monumental Sports Network’s Al Koken during the first intermission. “I was in front of the net and trying to get more pucks to the net and cleaning it up in front, so I’ll take it.”
Before Wilson scored, the Capitals had gone 67:25 on the man advantage without a goal, with Dylan Strome scoring the most recent marker on October 27 against the Minnesota Wild.
The tally marked Wilson’s second of the game, coming less than three minutes after a breakaway goal earlier in the period. He ended the first with two goals and four penalty minutes.
lil' backhand breakaway pic.twitter.com/jZoM6D6WMt
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 1, 2023
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
