Photo: @Capitals
The Washington Capitals downed the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 (OT), Monday night at Capital One Arena. Dmitry Olorv scored the game-winner in the waning seconds of the extra frame and Nic Dowd potted a pair in regulation for the victory. The win improves the Capitals record to 17-13-4 (38 points) on the season.
Charlie Lindgren (8-4-0-2, 2.70 GAA, .913 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the Capitals. Ville Husso (11-6-0-4, 2.61 GAA, .913 sv%) got the start in goal for the Red Wings. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Capitals:
Alex Ovechkin — Dylan Strome — Conor Sheary
Sonny Milano— Evgeny Kuznetsov — Anthony Mantha
Marcus Johansson — Lars Eller — Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Aliaksei Protas — Nic Dowd — Garnet Hathaway
Erik Gustafsson — John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov — Nick Jensen
Matt Irwin — Trevor van Riemsdyk
Charlie Lindgren
Darcy Kuemper
Scratches: Lucas Johansen, Joe Snively
FIRST PERIOD
The Red Wings struck first following a turnover by the Capitals in their own zone. David Perron (10) notched the game’s first tally at 7:30 of the first frame. Michael Rasmussen (7) and Dylan Larkin (18) had the helpers.
PERRON #LGRW
pic.twitter.com/3EBW8IvJMo— Barstool Detroit (@BSMotorCity) December 20, 2022
The Red Wings made it 2-0 with a tally in the last five minutes of the opening frame. Oskar Sundqvist (5) dented the twine at 15:36. Jonatan Bergeron (6) and Joe Veleno (4) had the assists.
Berggren finds Sundqvist in front for the power play goal! 🚨 Great pass – #RedWings go up 2-0. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/x2vwbU3ssN
— Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) December 20, 2022
The first period concluded with the Capitals trailing 2-0. The Capitals led in 5v5 shot attempts, 17-13, but the Red Wings led in high-danger chances, 2-1. Caps had a slight edge in xGF 0.5 to .45. Faceoffs were even, 50-50%.
SECOND PERIOD
The Capitals and Red Wings skated to a scoreless draw for most of the middle frame. Then Nic Dowd stepped up.
Dowd cut the Wings lead in half with a tally at 15:35. He was assisted by Alex Ovechkin (16) and Erik Gustafsson (11).
Some silky hands on Nic Dowd pic.twitter.com/Atrl6Opamn
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) December 20, 2022
Ovechkin recorded his 16th assist of the season on Dowd’s goal. With the assist, Ovechkin passed Bobby Orr (645) for the 70th-most assists in NHL history.
11 seconds later Nic Dowd would do it again, tying the game at 15:46 of the second period. Nick Jensen (13) and Nicolas Aube-Kubel (3) had the assists. Dowd’s two goals mark the fastest back-to-back goals scored by one Washington player this season.
Nic Dowd tips home Jensen’s shot from the side boards for his second goal in 11 seconds and we’re all tied up at 2!#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/4BqHcUEsAt
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) December 20, 2022
Dowd’s back-to-back goals in the second period marked the second-fastest back-to-back goals scored by one player in franchise history (Stephen Leach, 10 seconds, 11/23/90 vs. PIT).
The second period concluded with the game tied, 2-2. The Capitals led in 5v5 shot attempts, 39-22 after two periods.
THIRD PERIOD
The Red Wings quickly reclaimed the lead early in the final frame. Lucas Raymond notched the go-ahead tally at 4:39 of the period. He was assisted by Andrew Copp (15) and Olli Maatta (9).
Andrew Copp to Lucas Raymond and the Red Wings regain the lead in the third!#LGRW | @ThinkFordFirst pic.twitter.com/mJ7VvWKPWI
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) December 20, 2022
But this time the Capitals quickly answered. Erik Gustafsson (4), fresh off a hat trick in Saturday night’s tilt with the Maple Leafs, potted the tying tally at 5:59. Lars Eller (7) and Nicolas Aube-Kubel (4) had the helpers.
Erik Gustafsson SZN continues 🔥 pic.twitter.com/L3ugOA0s8v
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 20, 2022
Regulation would end, tied 3-3.
OVERTIME
Dmitry Orlov scored the game-winner in overtime.
#ALLCAPS 4-3. W ORLOV OT GOAL pic.twitter.com/RleYwAn7km
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) December 20, 2022
The Capitals are back in action on Thursday when they face the Senators in Ottawa. Puck drop is set for 7pM.
nothing like making a change only to find out you helped assist on the game-winner 😂 pic.twitter.com/5dnW6580fu
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 20, 2022
SHAVINGS
- Dmitry Orlov scores with 22 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Capitals a 4-3 win. It marks Orlov’s second goal of the season and his fourth career overtime goal. In five games since returning from injury, Orlov has recorded four points (2g, 2a).
- Lars Eller recorded his seventh assist of the season on Gustafsson’s goal. With the assist, Eller tied Nikolaj Ehlers (361p) for the second-most points all-time among Danish-born players.
- Nic Dowd recorded the secondary assist on the Capitals’ overtime goal, his third point of the game (2g, 1a). Tonight marks Dowd’s third career three-point game and his first multi-point performance of the season.
Great comeback boys! Dowder with one heck of a game!
That was a sweet win.
And a Swede one, too, since Gustafsson scored. (Okay, I also ran into a pair of Swedes at second intermission but that’s not technically game related.)
They actually said the win wasn’t a bad consolation prize on the post game. 🙄
Only 764 more goals to go, for Gustafson to tie Ovechkin.
NAK with 2 assists, 3 hits in just 8:51 of ice time. Tough decision coming regarding him.
He’s economical.
The last two games have featured NO goals from any of our first line forwards, our second line forwards, or our third line forwards. All goals have been scored by defensemen and 4th liners.
Protas got 5 min 🙁 Got stapled to the bench for something. Meanwhile other making mistakes after mistakes and get to play.
Yeah, that wasn’t a great vote of confidence for The Viper. Lavi’s excuse was even more damaging.
Watched the postgame on record when i got home from game. Was puzzled why Protas wasn’t playing. Lavi said in his presser “to not looked too much into that”. went on to give a bit of praise and just said he shortened the bench. So hopefully nothing more than just that.
The fact he doesn’t have confidence in Protas in those situations is the damaging element. I would expect Lavi to respond as he did. Bottom line, just six shifts and 5 min TOI.
I think that is exactly what Lavi was saying. Don’t read too much into it. I have seen several games this year with Protas playing 2 full shifts in the last 4 minutes. Sometimes a coach just feels a certain group. And hard to question the recent results.
Carlson, Ovi and Kuzy in OT is recipe for disaster.
Was rewatching the overtime period. There are several questions I have.