The Washington Capitals were in Edmonton to kick off their five-game road trip against the Oilers on Tuesday night. Edmonton was without Connor McDavid due to suspension, but could the Caps…capitalize on getting a game against the Oilers without having to see him?
Leon Draisaitl extended his league lead in goal scoring to open the game’s scoring. Tom Wilson scored his 20th of the season to tie things up heading into the second period. Matt Roy opened the second frame with a point blast to give Washington their first lead.
Pierre-Luc Dubois added to the lead early in the third. Corey Perry got the Oilers back within one after he potted a nacho-assisted one-timer.
Capitals beat Oilers 3-2!
- Just three shots for the Capitals after 20 minutes of regulation, and the first period overall was pretty brutal. Edmonton had a ton of the puck, recording 26 of the 36 total shot attempts. Sound like somewhat of a broken record? It should because this has, unfortunately, been Washington’s game way too often for the past month.
- Tom Wilson has his fourth career 20-goal season after his rush marker served up by Aliaksei Protas. The big winger is on pace for 35 total tallies this year, which would smash his previous career high in goals, 24, set during the 2021-22 campaign.
- Want to offer my well wishes to Craig Laughlin again as he heads “out of the lineup” for a good while here. Locker, you’ll be back before we know it! For the rest of us, you have until 9 am tomorrow to get your #LockerStrong shirts.
Of course I am watching @JoeBpXp @AlanMay_16. Miss you guys!!!
— Craig Laughlin (@Laughlin18) January 22, 2025
- Yeah, to put it bluntly, this looked like last year’s Capitals playing against the Oilers. In two games against Edmonton last season they were outscored 12-2 in two losses. They just didn’t have 2025 Logan Thompson in their net to keep them in the games. The five-on-five totals through 40 minutes were UGLY. Edmonton was up in 48-19 shot attempts, 27-10 in scoring chances, and 14-5 in high-danger chances.
- However, the Capitals scored the only goal in the second period because, of course, they did. Matt Roy pumped a low-flying blast from the point that eluded Stuart Skinner due to Protas setting a perfect screen in front. The goal was Roy’s first ever against the Oilers after going without one in 16 games against them while a member of the Los Angeles Kings.
- The referees in this game fell for Corey Perry embellishing a penalty in the year 2025. Gullible may have actually been written on the ceiling because they were surely not watching what was in front of them.
- Washington reportedly has interest in New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson, and they were linked to Seattle Kraken forward Yanni Gourde last week. Do we think they really should be looking at rental players this year? I am on the big ole “Nope” side of things there.
Who is this 2000s-looking man and what has he done to The Outlaw Charlie Lindgren? pic.twitter.com/i8WFg6SOEk
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 22, 2025
- The third was easily the Capitals’ best period. They need to find more of that on a consistent basis.
- Pierre-Luc Dubois stayed red-hot with a two-point night. He leads the Capitals in scoring since November 10 with 30 points (8g, 22a) in 33 games.
- Logan Thompson was awesome yet again. The only thing that could throw him out of his groove was an entire plate of nachos being thrown on the ice at Rogers Place. Corey Perry scored his goal right in the area where the nachos were. None of this is a joke. There were actually nachos on the ice.
Here is your first intermission #JoeBSuitOfTheNight pic.twitter.com/S1IFvXSn8v
— RMNB (@rmnb) January 22, 2025
The Capitals have four more on the road to wrap up January. They’ll be back in action for late-night hockey against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.
