Capitals Beat The Blues 3-2 In Second Preseason Game; Radko Gudas, Richard Panik Score First Goals For Washington; Nicklas Backstrom Scores Game Winner Late

Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

The Washington Capitals beat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 Wednesday night at Capital One Arena. New guys Radko Gudas and Richard Panik would register the Capitals first two goals, with Nicklas Backstrom scoring the game winner with less than seven seconds remaining in regulation. The Capitals will wrap-up their preseason homestand this Saturday when they host the Carolina Hurricanes at Capital One Arena.

GAME STATS

STARTERS
Vitek Vanecek got the start in goal for the Capitals. Ilya Samsonov would play the second half of the game.

Connor McMichael, Aliaksei Protas, Beck Malenstyn and Damien Riat also started, making them the only prospects to play in the first two games of the preseason.

The Blues’ lines for the game:

Tonight’s #stlblues lines, according to practice, vs #Capitals.

Schwartz-Bozak-Tarasenko
Sanford-Fabbri-Poganski
Toropchenko-Polei-Darcy
Lappin-Olsen-Stevens

Dunn-Parayko
Borgman-Reinke
O’Gara-Walman

Binnington
Fitzpatrick@101espn

— Alex Ferrario (@Ferrario101ESPN) September 18, 2019

FIRST PERIOD
The Capitals and Blues battled to a scoreless draw through the first 13 minutes of play. The Blues would finally break the seal at 13:37 with a goal from below the goal line by Austin Poganski. The shot bounced off of the skate of Brett Leason, beating Vanecek.

The first period would conclude with the Blues leading 1-0. Shots on goal were tied 10-10. The Capitals out-attempted the Blues 17-11 for the first frame.

SECOND PERIOD
The Capitals would tie the game with a goal from Radko Gudas, his first as a Capital, at 7:15 of the middle frame. Brett Leason and Alex Ovechkin were credited with the helpers.

FIRST GOAL AS A CAPITAL! Radko Gudas ladies and gents #ALLCAPS #CapsBlues pic.twitter.com/v6hYQMTb85

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 19, 2019

Vitek Vanecek yielded the crease to Ilya Samsonov at 10:38 of the second period in a 1-1 game. Vanecek stopped 13 of 14 and looked sharp.

Connor Hobbs and Nick Lappin would drop the mitts at 8:31 of the middle frame. Moments later the Capitals found themselves in a 5-on-3 penalty kill, but were successful in squelching the Blues power play.

The second period would expire with the game tied 1-1. The Capitals led in shots on goal 13-9 for the middle frame.

THIRD PERIOD
The Blues would regain the lead with a slick power play goal from former Washington Capital Zach Sanford at 2:05 of the final frame.

The Capitals would be the benefactors of a power play with 2:20 left in the final frame. Richard Panik would tie the game with a gritty goal at 18:51, making it 2-2.

Another first! This time it’s Richard Panik who ties it up pic.twitter.com/ThqTEArzBu

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 19, 2019

Nicklas Backstrom would win the game late with a fluky goal shot from near center ice at 19:53 of the third period.

Backy with the clincher!#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/yt04iKUMPV

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 19, 2019

John Walton with the call on Caps Radio:

NOTES

Vitek Vanecek stopped 13 of 14 shots faced for a .929 save percentage.
Ilya Samsonov stopped 11 of 12 for a .917 save percentage.
The Blues won the battle at the dot 57-43%. Panik 0 for 4, Backstrom 12 for 23, McMichael 1 for 7, Malenstyn 1 for 2, Protas 3 for 7, Oshie 3 for 5, Kuznetsov 6 for 12.
The Blues were 1 for 6 and the Capitals 1 for 4 on the power play.
Capitals led in shots on goal 33-27.
Radko Gudas had a goal and an assist.
Alex Ovechkin had two assists.

POSSESSION

SCENES FROM THE DISTRICT

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Go Leafs Go! I mean… #vacation #roadtrip #nascarroadtrip #washingtondc #washingtoncapitals #nhl #hockey

A post shared by Steve Scanlan (@scanman73) on Sep 18, 2019 at 3:43pm PDT