Heading into the 2022-23 season two of the Washington Capitals prospects that sought spots on the roster were Aliaksei Protas and Beck Malenstyn. Despite limited room in the NHL lineup to start, both have found their way into game action just nine games into the young season and are making the most of the opportunity.
In the Capitals’ Saturday night 3-0 victory against the Nashville Predators, Malenstyn (who did not start the season with Washington) scored his first goal of the season and second of his career to give the Caps a 1-0 lead heading into the second intermission; Dowd picked up the lone assist on the goal, which proved to be the game-winner.
Beck Malenstyn finally breaks the goalie duel and puts the Caps up 1-0! pic.twitter.com/R7oMGE1tbE
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) October 30, 2022
The goal marks Malenstyn’s second point in three games in the lineup and comes as the fourth-line has been clicking since his insertion into the lineup. While not known as a point-per-night player, Malenstyn has brought a hardworking, physical presence to the line that seems to have energized Dowd and Hathaway as well. In the six games prior to the 24-year old’s joining the fourth-line, Dowd had recorded three points (2G, 1A) and was a minus-1, while Hathaway had no points and a minus-1 rating; in the three games since, their respective totals have been a goal and an assist each in three games.
Protas, meanwhile, earned a spot in the Opening Night lineup and has been impressive, putting up two goals and one assist in nine games while also playing responsibly without the puck. The 21-year old was drafted in the third-round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Caps, while Malenstyn was a fifth-round pick in 2016. All three of his points have come in his past three games.
Aliaksei Protas gives the good guys a 2-0 lead in the 3rd! pic.twitter.com/BmkzN8VL4A
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) October 30, 2022
The Capitals finished the night with an empty-net goal from captain Alex Ovechkin to shutout the Preds 3-0, and look to finish their four-game road trip on Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
“A full team effort, for sure.”
Beck Malenstyn postgame after netting his first goal of the season and the game-winner in Nashville.#CapsPreds pic.twitter.com/eOi20MgD9y
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 30, 2022
By Michael Fleetwood