You did it, you’ve reached the finish line. It’s the final #RMNBAfterDark game of this four-game road trip. Pat yourself on the back — and your sleepy pet beside you — and let’s put the game on.
Tonight, the Washington Capitals take on the Anaheim Ducks, who are currently sitting in second place in the Pacific Division. The Capitals are coming off a 7-1 molly whopping of the San Jose Sharks where Alex Ovechkin and Ryan Leonard combined to do something that has never happened in NHL history before.
Sonny Milano and Dylan McIlrath will be the healthy scratches for the Caps tonight. The most interesting pregame move is that retired ECHL goaltender Parker Milner has been signed to a PTO and will be Logan Thompson’s emergency backup goaltender tonight. Santa give me what I want: a Capitals blowout so Parker gets a minute of trash time at the end of the game. He’s a food critic by the way.
Puck drop for today’s game is scheduled for a little after 10:00 pm. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call on Monumental Sports Network.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Anaheim Ducks
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped. Capitals give Protas-Sourdif-Wilson and Chychrun-Roy the start.
Big save from Logan Thompson early.
Ryan Leonard has a breakaway on his first shift, but is stopped by Husso as he tries to finish on his forehand.
Justin Sourdif. Wide open in front of the net. Just had to lift the puck over Husso’s pad, instead he skates until he runs out of room and shoots it off the side of the net. Bewildering.
Next shift, Radko Gudas with a big hit on Justin Sourdif as he tries to enter the offensive zone with the puck.
1-0 Washington Capitals
Goal: Tom Wilson (17). Assists: J. Sourdif (4), T. van Riemsdyk (4). Time: 9:29
Beckett Sennecke to the box for hooking Jakob Chychrun at 11:34. Capitals go to their first power play of the night.
Ovechkin Island is back, Ducks aren’t really guarding him in the left circle.
Ryan Leonard takes a blindside hit from Jacob Trouba. He’s hurting and bent over. Bleeding from the nose.
Trouba doesn’t get a penalty despite hitting Leonard directly in the head. The referees looked at the play on an iPad the entire TV timeout. Only penalty goes Jakob Chychrun for roughing at 16:04. Spencer Carbery is furious. I’m furious.
Sennecke finds Gauthier in the slot, and he beats Thompson as the power play expires.
1-1 tie
Goal: Cutter Gauthier (16). Assists: B. Sennecke (14), J. LaCombe (12). Time: 18:16
Some ruckus at the horn. You can bet there’s gonna be more of that the rest of the night.
At intermission: The game is tied 1-1. Shots are 12 to 8 Anaheim. I’m still fuming about that Trouba hit.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Jakob Chychrun to the box for slashing Chris Kreider 22 seconds into the penalty.
Caps kill penalty.
Ethen Frank finds the rebound and beats Husso to give the Capitals back the lead. He started the play and ended it. He basically did a lap around the offensive zone.
2-1 Washington Capitals
Goal: Ethen Frank (4). Unassisted. Time: 6:06
Thirteen seconds later, Ross Johnston deflects a Radko Gudas shot past Logan Thompson. We’re back tied 2-2.
2-2 tie
Goal: Ross Johnston (2). Assists: R. Gudas (4), O. Zellweger (6). Time: 6:19
3-2 Washington Capitals
Goal: Aliaksei Protas (9). Assists: M. Roy (9), D. Strome (17). Time:7:38
Alex Ovechkin hits the post off a faceoff win in the offensive zone.
And Aliaksei Protas takes a tripping penalty seconds afterward on Gudas at 9:40.
Thompson takes a shot to the mask and it falls off. Scary. Play whistled dead. He’s okay though.
And Jakob Chychrun completes the hat trick… of minor penalties.
Connor McMichael hits the post shortside.
Alex Ovechkin finds a Justin Sourdf rebound but Husso makes a big save as he stretches out to cover the right side of the net. Ovi also got slashed on the hand and he was NOT happy about it.
Sennecke picks up a loose puck and buries it past Thompson as he skates across the net. This kid can play. Multi-point game for Ross Johnston? Wow.
3-3 tie
Goal: Beckett Sennecke (8). Assists: R. Johnston (5). Time: 17:59
Jacob Trouba rings one off the post.
Wilson is jawing with Trouba as he goes off the ice for intermission.
At intermission: The game remains tied 3-3. Shots are 26 to 17 Ducks. Leonard is out for the rest of the game.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Dylan Strome skates directly into the Capitals goal frame and falls over. Not his best game. lmao
Frank Vatrano to the box for cross-checking Jakob Chychrun at 5:07. Obvious penalty but Ducks fans are going nuts over it.
Looks like a Ducks power play after some bad Caps turnovers in the O-zone. Yikes.
Dylan Strome to the box at 8:52. Big Ducks power play coming here.
Connor McMichael draws a penalty on a breakaway with 1:08 remaining on Strome’s minor. We’ll go four-on-four then the Caps will get a 52-second power play. McMichael ridiculously pointed at center ice like he deserved a penalty shot. Loved that.
Ducks turn the puck over right in front of the net to Ovechkin but Husso makes the save with the shaft of his stick. Wow.
Ethen Frank nearly scores twice during a great shift by the third line with under 4 minutes left.
At the end of regulation: The game remains tied 3-3. The Ducks are really good in OT, they’ve won 6 of their 7 games there.
Overtime
Dowd wins the opening faceoff and jumps off the ice in favor of Aliaksei Protas.
Ducks have the puck. Great move to the middle of the ice, Thompson makes the initial save on the shot from the slot and then he makes another on the rebound.
Rasmus Sandin turns it over in the offensive zone right to the Ducks.
Sandin, another turnover. Oh and somehow McMichael is sprung on a breakaway… Husso makes a huge save.
Three-on-one break for Ducks, another big save by Thompson.
Crazy overtime. Ducks end up with a 38 to 21 shots advantage in the game.
Shootout
❌ Leo Carlsson swoops in from the right. His initial shot is stopped, but he pushed the puck and Thompson’s pad over the goal line for the goal. Thompson immediately waved his arms like it shouldn’t count. Officials have long replay – about 4 minutes – and rule no goal.
❌ Dylan Strome stopped by Husso on his forehand.
✅ Troy Terry dekes Thompson to the ice and walks it in on his backhand. Nasty.
✅ Anthony Beauvillier freezes Husso with a fake shot and a head fake, and then roofs it on his backhand to tie things 1-1.
✅ Craig MacTavish crawls to the net like Kuzy and beats Logan with a shot.
❌ Ethen Frank stopped on his forehand with Husso’s glove and the Ducks win the shootout 2-1.
Ducks win 4-3 (SO).
Controversial end to a great road trip for the Caps: Ducks beat Capitals 4-3 (SO)
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