Before getting a jersey on Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins, defenseman Dylan McIlrath was held out of 39 consecutive Washington Capitals games, not sniffing the lineup since December 23, 2024.
McIlrath found himself on the outside looking in after the first-in-the-East Capitals found major stability with their starting six rearguards.
Despite being held out of game action for three-straight months, the 6-foot-5 defender immediately reminded why he’s such an asset, dropping the gloves with 5:21 left in the second period against Jeffrey Viel. The bout is widely being considered one of the NHL’s best this year.
From the initial whistle to the officials separating the two combatants, the fight lasted one minute and two seconds.
Each time the bout seemed like it was petering out, the two enforcers found more in the tank. Toward the end, McIlrath landed a huge overhand right that nearly knocked out the Bruins forward. Once they were done trying to rearrange each other’s faces, they appeared to congratulate one another on a job well done — a gentlemanly gesture I will never personally understand.
Not only did McIlrath go mostly unscathed, he accepted the task of being Monumental Sports Network’s second intermission interview with Al Koken.
“I mean, the game is pretty fast,” McIlrath said, still breathing heavily minutes later. “I’m a little rusty on the fight. Catching my breath here still after a good bout. But, yeah, I was a little anxious, a little nervous to begin with, but I thought I settled in.”
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery was pleased with McIlrath’s play, singling him out during his post-game victory speech in the team’s locker room.
“This guy led off with a phenomenal read, and then he goes out there and goes toe-to-toe,” Carbery said.
Another player, perhaps Alex Ovechkin, yelled, “Sauce,” playing off the moniker “Big Mac sauce” he’s received.
McIlrath replied back with a heart sign.
“Throwing bombs,” Carbery said, beginning to chuckle to himself. “Marathon.”
The fight was McIlrath’s third of the 2024-25 season after fighting feared heavyweight enforcer Matt Rempe and the Flyers’ Nic Deslauriers — both of which gave the Capitals huge momentum.
With reporters after the game, Carbery elaborated more on McIlrath’s play.
“I thought he was fantastic,” Carbery said. “I thought he managed his game, good on puck touches, obviously the scrap. Gives our guys a good — or he’s trying to change momentum in that hockey game for us because he could probably feel that we were slipping there in the second period. And so I thought, to sit that that long and not play and then to be able to step in on the road, can’t control the matchups, and play the way he did, I thought he was fantastic.”
Carbery’s reaction gives more credence to why the team aggressively signed McIlrath to a two-year extension last week. The former Hershey Bears captain is beloved in the locker room for his leadership, hard work, and presence. He’s also a bridge to prospects in the future after winning consecutive Calder Cups with the Hershey Bears in 2023 and 2024.
