Cole Hutson scored his first goal with a goaltender in the net during the Washington Capitals’ 7-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.
Using his blazing speed and a quick shot, the 19-year-old rookie defenseman beat Jake Allen on a breakaway after Hendrix Lapierre bumped the puck forward just inside the offensive zone.
Hutson’s great play came at 8:15 into the first period and marked the Caps’ first tally of the night. Lapierre and Tom Wilson received the assists.
The goal was Hutson’s second of his rookie 2025-26 campaign. He previously scored an empty-netter while making his NHL debut against the Ottawa Senators on March 18. He now has 6 points (2g, 4a) in the first 8 games of his career.
Shortly after the Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 at Madison Square Garden, Lane Hutson was asked by Jonny Lazarus whether he had seen his younger brother’s goal.
“Yeah, it was pretty sick,” Lane responded.
After being benched in the third period of the Capitals’ 6-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, Cole responded by recording seven shots on goal, 11 shot attempts, eight individual scoring chances, one individual high-danger chance, and one shot block against the Devils in 18:48 of ice time.
With the rookie defender on the ice at five-on-five, the Capitals also posted positive differentials in shot attempts (+12), shots on goal (+11), goals (+2), and scoring chances (+10).
Earlier in the season, while Hutson played for Boston University, he said in an interview that he’d sign with the Capitals someday “if I’m lucky enough.” Now, it appears the Capitals are the lucky ones, as they may have landed a game-changing defenseman in the future, the likes of his older brother or Quinn Hughes.
