After an unsuccessful 1-3-0 road trip, the Washington Capitals, who are losers of 7 of their last 9, are back home to lick their wounds and try to reverse the course of their season against the New Jersey Devils.
The Devils come into the game without their best player, Jack Hughes, who underwent surgery for a dinner-related injury. Yes, I repeat, Jack Hughes suffered an injury during a team dinner.
Meanwhile, the Capitals, who are still missing one of their best players, Pierre-Luc Dubois, are turning to Justin Sourdif to center the second line. The Capitals will also be without John Carlson due to injury.
Puck drop for tonight’s game is shortly after 7:00 pm. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call on Monumental Sports Network.
Lines
Washington Capitals
New Jersey Devils
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped. Duhaime-Dowd-Frank and Fehervary-TVR get the start.
A notable NHL debut for the Devils.
Tom Wilson to the box for hooking Dawson Mercer at 1:23. Devils go to their first power play.
Jesper Bratt rings a point shot off the crossbar.
Declan Chisholm to the box for high-sticking, giving the Devils a 5-on-3 power play for 8 seconds.
Caps kill the 5v3. Now 1:52 of a 5v4.
Huge one-timer by Arseny Gritsyuk from the top of the right circle beats Thompson easily. Wow.
1-0 New Jersey Devils
PPG: Arseny Gritsyuk (4). Assists: L. Hughes (10), P. Cotter (2). Time: 5:05
Anthony Beauvillier hooks Mercer between the legs at 7:02 and hauls him down. The Capitals are going to back to the penalty box. Capitals fans are booing. What a reverse of last year.
The Caps killed the penalty but the Devils were humming. The Caps need to stay out of the penalty box bad. This team is still great on the man advantage without Jack Hughes.
The Devils are outshooting the Capitals 9-3 with 9:46 into the game.
Martin Fehervary loses his balance and slams hard stomach-first into the end boards after being hooked by Jesper Bratt. Bratt immediately came over and checked on him. Fehervary is being helped off the ice and is leaving the game, at least for now, at 13:18.
Fehervary just returned to the ice with a few minutes to go. Great to see he’s all right.
Alex Ovechkin with a huge hit on Bratt along the end boards. He’s slow off the ice, but staying on the bench.
Luke Hughes with a pinpoint accurate shot past a screened Logan Thompson. This game is already going the wrong way.
2-0 New Jersey Devils
Goal: Luke Hughes (1). Assists: B. Dillon (5), J. Bratt (12). Time: 17:46
At intermission: The Devils lead 2-0. The Devils outshot the Capitals 13 to 8. Just a horrible start when you need to turn things around.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
It is QUIET at Capital One Arena. You could hear a pin drop.
Hendrix Lapierre peels down the left wing, fires a shot, it’s stopped, he gets his own rebound, fires again, it’s stopped.
Devils with a rush down the ice, Thompson makes two big saves of his own consecutively on Bratt and then Hischier.
Brenden Dillon is no longer on the Devils bench.
Dawson Mercer to the box for hooking Tom Wilson at 12:12. Caps going to the power play.
Not much cooking on the Capitals power play again. Same story. Different night.
At intermission: The Devils still lead 2-0. New Jersey is also leading in shots 21-20.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Brenden Dillon is back on the ice.
Alex Ovechkin finds Connor McMichael for a layup after Jake Allen loses his goalie stick in front of the Devils net. Allen was also bumped into but Devils opt not to challenge the goal for goaltender interference.
2-1 New Jersey Devils
Goal: Connor McMichael (2). Assists: A. Ovechkin (9). Time: 1:00
On another rush down the ice, McMichael’s shot grazes the post.
Tom Wilson hits the post on a breakaway attempt after a terrible change by the Devils.
Ovechkin sets up Strome driving the net, but Dylan’s backhand misses the net.
Sourdif wide open in front of the net. Shot it right into the goaltender.
Alex Ovechkin scores in front of the net, beating Allen five hole. It’s #902.
2-2 tie
Goal: Alex Ovechkin (5). Assists: C. McMichael (4), D. Strome (11). Time: 8:29
Alex Ovechkin scores 902nd goal, authors Capitals comeback in 3-2 shootout loss to Devils
This was the best period of hockey Ovechkin has played all season.
At the end of regulation: The game is tied 2-2 after Ovechkin’s heroics. Shots are 29 to 26 Capitals. Caps get a point.
Overtime
Puck is dropped.
Logan Thompson and Jake Allen with brilliant net-minding on both ends. Thompson robs Simon Nemec and Allen with a huge stop on Wilson.
Thompson stops Bratt in front of the net.
The Devils basically won every faceoff in overtime. No idea how the Capitals survived that at the end.
Shootout
✅ Dylan Strome beats Jake Allen on his forehand.
❌ Paul Cotter shoots against the grain and Thompson makes the save.
❌ Anthony Beauvillier loses control of the puck as he approaches the net
✅ Jesper Bratt beats Thompson easily on the backhand. Filthy – a flick of the wrist to the top corner.
❌ Connor McMichael goes wide and shoots to the far side but Allen makes the glove save,
❌ Arseny Gritsyuk stopped by Thompson with a kickout save.
To extras…
❌ Alex Ovechkin dekes Jake Allen to the ice, but Allen dives and makes the save.
✅ Simon Nemec speeds towards the net and slides the puck five-hole past Thompson.
Devils win in the shootout 3-2 (SO). The Capitals have lost 8 of their last 10 games.
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