The Washington Capitals finally back home after two weeks away and are celebrating their dot.com Era Night at Capital One Arena. Peter Bondra, Olie Kolzig, Joe Juneau, Sylvain Cote, Calle Johansson, and Mark Tinordi are all in the house for the opening faceoff. Every fan in attendance is getting a Kolzig and Bondra bobblehead.
Not only are the Screaming Eagle festivities fantastic, but so should the actual game. Tonight’s matchup pits the first and second best teams in the NHL and the two best goaltenders: Logan Thompson and Connor Hellebuyck.
The Capitals-Jets game is airing on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Alan May will have the call. Puck drop is at 7:00 pm. Craig Laughlin is out due to a medical leave of absence. #LockerStrong.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Winnipeg Jets
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Peter Bondra, Olie Kolzig, Joe Juneau, Sylvain Cote, Calle Johansson, and Mark Tinordi are on the ice for the ceremonial first puck.
PA assitant Byron Hudtloff is handling announcing duties with Wes Johnson out.
I will be on the mend tonight while my 25year PA Partner @ByronHudtloff will handle mic duties for the @Capitals in my place. Unleash that Fury Byron! I can’t wait to see what cup doodles you draw! pic.twitter.com/Nz3Vu4ssLq
— Wes Johnson (@WesJohnsonVoice) February 1, 2025
The Capitals held a moment of silence for those who tragically died in the January 29 plane crash at Regan National Airport and for former draft pick Shawn Simpson.
The puck is dropped for the opening faceoff.
The Jets, who are carrying play early, have five of the first seven shots on goal.
Lars Eller to the box for hooking at 7:48 of the first period.
🚨 1-0 Winnipeg Jets. WPG PPG: Cole Perfetti (11). Assists: V. Namestnikov (16), N. Pionk (27). Time: 09:13.
Capitals finally starting to create some pressure after falling behind 1-0. PLD nearly scores near the net, but Hellebuyck knocks it away over the net.
🚨 2-0 Winnipeg Jets. WPG Goal: Dylan Samburg (4). Assists: C. Perfetti (21). Time: 12:41.
Samburg’s point shot bounces off Dubois’s skate and eludes Thompson. Tough break there.
You can hear crickets in Capital One Arena right now.
At intermission: The Jets outclassed the Caps in the first period, outshooting them 13 to 6. Winnipeg out-attempted Washington 28 to 10 at five-on-five.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Ovechkin is stopped from point blank range by Hellebuyck.
The Caps have life.
🚨 2-1 Winnipeg Jets. WSH Goal: Pierre-Luc Dubois (12). Assists: J. Carlson (28). Time: 01:42.
John Carlson’s shot gets muffled in front, and falls to Dubois, who beats Hellebuyck from point-blank range.
🚨 3-1 Winnipeg Jets. WPG Goal: Alex Iafallo (7). Assists: N. Pionk (28), D. Samberg (8). Time: 04:03.
Looks like the shot hit both Ovechkin and Carlson before going in.
🚨 3-2 Winnipeg Jets. WSH Goal: Taylor Raddysh (5). Assists: M. Roy (11). Time: 04:54.
Taylor Raddysh with a snipe so good, the puck got caught behind the middle bar and the net, causing confusion that he even scored bc the biscuit was hiding in the basket. This is already more goals I thought would be scored tonight.
Taylor Raddysh follows up his goal by drawing a penalty. Who is this chipper gentlemen and can he stay forever?
Aliaksei Protas negates the final 42 seconds of the Caps power play after tripping Josh Morrissey at 9:04.
At intermission: This game went from looking like a blowout loss to a nailbiter down the stretch. Caps found their game in the second. Can they do the same in the third? Jets lead in shots on goal 21 to 16 and in 5v5 shot attempts 41 to 23.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
🚨 4-2 Winnipeg Jets. WPG Goal: Josh Morrissey (6). Assists: M. Scheifele (29). Time: 01:10.
PIN POINT ACCURACY 🎯 pic.twitter.com/LGIL9jdj6f
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) February 2, 2025
Caps mess around behind the net and Morrissey scores.
Andrew Mangipane is fired up and gets matching minors with Colin Miller for roughing at the 2:33 mark. The two teams will play four-on-four.
🚨 4-3 Winnipeg Jets. WSH Goal: Tom Wilson (21). Assists: D. Strome (35), M. Roy (12). Time: 07:26.
Thomas Wilson with a greasy goal, jamming the puck home. Dylan Strome now has 50 points on the season.
🚨 4-4 tie. WSH Goal: Alex Ovechkin (24). Assists: D. Strome (35), M. Roy (12). Time: 12:21.
Alex Ovechkin scores career goal no. 877 and is 18 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. A huge slap shot that hits off Connor Hellebuyck’s glove and in. Crowd is chanting, “Ovi!”
The crowd is absolutely buzzing now. So loud.
We’re going to OVERTIMEEEEEE.
At the end of regulation: Shots are tied 28 to 28 while the Jets end the night with a 51 to 44 edge in 5v5 shot attempts.
Overtime
Puck is dropped.
🚨 5-4 Winnipeg Jets. WPG Goal: Josh Morrissey (7). Assists: M. Scheifele (30). Time: 01:57.
Josh Morrissey scores his second of the night in overtime. Connor McMichael got beaten to the net on a give-and-go.
Caps lose 5-4 (OT).
The NHL’s top two teams deliver just as advertised: Jets beat Capitals 5-4
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