Mitch Marner scores on the power play. Vegas Golden Knights lead Washington Capitals 4-3 in 3rd period (live updates)

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Game preview

The Washington Capitals end their three-game road trip out west with a matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights tonight.

After getting shut out by the Blues 3-0 and beating the Utah Mammoth 7-4 in one of the most fun games of the season, the Capitals have an opportunity to end their trek on a positive note with a victory over the scuffling Knights.

Vegas has won just three of their last 10 games, but, because they’re in the pillow-fighty Pacific Division, they still sit in a playoff spot.

The Capitals will go with the same players as Thursday’s win against Utah. Ethen Frank shed his no-contact jersey during the morning skate, but will not play tonight. Logan Thompson will get the start. Alex Ovechkin is coming off his 34th career hat trick while Ivan Miroshnichenko had his first career multi-goal game in the NHL.

Vegas dropped their previous meeting to the Capitals 3-2 at Capital One Arena on February 27.

Tonight’s game is airing on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call. Puck drop is at 10:30 pm.

Lines

Washington Capitals

Vegas Golden Knights

Goalie matchup

Tunnel shenanigans

1st Period

Puck is dropped. Protas-Strome-Ovechkin and Fehervary-Sandin get the start.

Dylan Strome beats Adin Hill seconds into the game, rifling the puck hard off the post. The puck ricochets off Hill’s catching glove and sits in the crease. Caps nearly found the rebound. Great start.

Craig Laughlin says the Golden Knights play from behind a lot while Joe B adds heir first period goal differential is a woeful -17.

Hendrix Lapierre scores on the breakaway. Primary assist: Ivan Miroshnichenko!

Cole Hutson rings a shot hard off the crossbar.

Hutson commits a turnover behind the net. Reilly Smith, wide open in the slot, gets the puck but is stopped by Logan Thompson. Big save there.

At the 18:50 mark, Aliaksei Protas and Nic Dowd have a head-on-head collision after a push from behind by Jeremy Lauzon. Nic Dowd is bleeding pretty profusely. He has a large gash above his left eye. Protas tried to stand up and fell down again, which was scary. A few minutes later, he’s helped off and looks very woozy. He seems unlikely to return. Wishing both of these warriors the best. That was scary.

Jack Eichel down the left wing on a 2-on-1, let’s Rasmus Sandin slide past him, then walks into the slot unguarded where he shoots on Logan Thompson. Thompson makes another huge save. LT is really sharp tonight.

At intermission: The Capitals lead 1-0. Shots are 13-6 Golden Knights.

2nd period

Puck is dropped.

Nic Dowd has returned for the second period, but Aliaksei Protas has not.

Capitals kill the penalty.

Ryan Leonard spins around and puts huge shot on net that’s deflected by Beauvillier past Hill. Great individual play by Leno.

Somehow, Hill has not been pulled. Meanwhile, on the other end, LT is stopping everything.

Caps being careless with the puck in the defensive zone. Nic Dowd steals the puck… and scores. It’s his first as a Golden Knight.

Another shorty 25 seconds later. This time by Rasmus Andersen. That’s the second time this season the Capitals have given up two shorties on the same power play. Just completely inexcusable.

Turnover in front of the net by Martin Fehervary. Eichel scores. Caps frittered that 3-0 lead away in 2:40.

Capitals survive power play, don’t give up another shorthanded goal. Whew.

Aliaksei Protas will not return.

Aliaksei Protas leaves Capitals game with upper-body injury after brutal head-on collision with Nic Dowd

Mitch Marner on a semi-breakaway (after getting blatantly hooked at the blue line). He beats Thompson clean but the shot rings off the crossbar. Capitals lucky there.

At intermission: Caps tied 3-3 with Vegas. The Golden Knights are doubling them up in shots 22-11. Capitals way too careless with the puck in the second period and they paid for it in a big way.

3rd Period

Puck is dropped.

Vegas takes the lead. Marner scores a power-play goal from the point. Logan never saw it.

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