Screencap: NBCSW

After missing Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury, Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd returned to the lineup and lit the lamp twice during Monday’s clash with the Detroit Red Wings at Capital One Arena.

Dowd’s first goal of the night got the Capitals on the board, 2-1, at the 15:35 mark of the second period. Captain Alex Ovechkin (16) and right-wing Nicolas Aube-Kubel (3) assisted.

DOWDERRRRRR. Hello Nic, we missed ya 👋

2-1 Red Wings#CapsWings pic.twitter.com/KHKbc2zyav

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) December 20, 2022

Still on the same shift, he would score again just eleven seconds later to tie it at 2. Defensemen Nick Jensen (13) and Erik Gustafson had the helpers. Gustafsson’s 14 points this season are tied with Jensen for the second-most among Washington defensemen.

SO FAST WE CAN’T KEEP UP

Dowd with his second goal in 11 seconds!!

It’s all tied up at 2-2 #CapsWings pic.twitter.com/4rMd6NEPeJ

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) December 20, 2022

The two goals created a much-needed spark for the team and for the fans after the Capitals were trailing 2-0 heading into the middle frame.

Two goals in 11 seconds and it’s a tie ballgame!!!! THIS PLACE IS ROCKING! #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/zGW0uzSOmC

— Alexa Landestoy (Shaw) (@alexalandestoy) December 20, 2022

Dowd’s two goals, which marked his sixth and seventh of the season respectively, were the fastest back-to-back goals scored by one Washington player this season. It also marked the second-fastest back-to-back goals scored by one player in franchise history (Stephen Leach, 10 seconds, 11/23/90 vs. PIT).

THIS IS A NIC DOWD APPRECIATION TWEET pic.twitter.com/LxxcunKyWT

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 20, 2022

Additionally, Ovechkin recorded his 16th assist of the season on Dowd’s first goal, passing Bobby Orr (645) for the 70th-most assists in NHL history.

By Della Young

d’awwwwwww#CapsDads pic.twitter.com/rkOoSx01PK

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 19, 2022