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The Washington Capitals closed out 2023 with a dramatic 3-2 shootout loss against the Nashville Predators. Things were not looking bright for the guys in blue, going down 2-0 early in the first period. The Capitals battled back to tie it and thought to have taken a late lead, but it was not enough as the game went to overtime.
Despite the Capitals dropping their fourth straight contest, Hunter Shepard was sensational in his second ever NHL game with 33 saves.
Ethan Bear made his Capitals debut after he was signed back on Thursday. He had been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
LINES AND PAIRINGS
Alex Ovechkin – Dylan Strome – Evgeny Kuznetsov
Aliaksei Protas – Connor McMichael – Anthony Mantha
Matthew Phillips – Hendrix Lapierre – Tom Wilson
Beck Malenstyn – Nic Dowd – Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Rasmus Sandin – John Carlson
Trevor van Riemsdyk – Ethan Bear
Joel Edmundson – Nick Jensen
Hunter Shepard
Darcy Kuemper
Scratched: Alex Alexeyev, Max Pacioretty (achilles), Charlie Lindgren (upper), Martin Fehervary (upper), T.J. Oshie (upper), Sonny Milano (lower), Nicklas Backstrom (hip)
PERIOD 1
The Predators drew first blood 2:44 into the game thanks to Luke Evangelista. Dante Fabbro and Tommy Novak had the assists.
VANGE pic.twitter.com/hb05ic9rQJ
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) December 31, 2023
Alex Ovechkin took a cross checking penalty and the Predators capitalized. After Joel Edmundson failed to clear the puck, Roman Josi made it 2-0 Nashville on a long range wrist shot beating Hunter Shepard through a screen. Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly had the apples.
Roman Josi has now tied Shea Weber for most goals by a defenseman in team history. pic.twitter.com/7bjK4khaTh
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) December 31, 2023
The Capitals responded with a few good chances and they eventually got one. Beck Malenstyn buried a rebound off the pad of Predators goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to cut the deficit to one. Nic Dowd and Trevor van Riemsdyk had the assists at 10:25.
Beck’s on the board pic.twitter.com/xiezyG4Nf6
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 31, 2023
Washington was outshot 11-10 in the first frame.
PERIOD 2
Shortly after the Capitals’ power play expired, Ovechkin rifled a one timer from his office past Askarov tying the game at two. Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas had the assists at 14:59.
THAT’LL DO, O pic.twitter.com/31ma9aFjGN
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 31, 2023
The Predators outshot the Capitals 13-5 in the middle frame, but started to control play at the end of the period.
Shepard came out with a few highlight-reel saves to keep the score tied.
WHAT A SAVE BY HUNTER SHEPARD pic.twitter.com/ehPSY23NPL
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 31, 2023
PERIOD 3
Ovechkin thought to have given the Capitals a 3-2 lead, but the goal was wiped out due to goaltender interference.
A late Alex Ovechkin goal is taken away due to goaltender interference…
Right call? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/iA7XRRQIOG
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 31, 2023
The Caps had 1:01 left of power play time heading into overtime. Shots were 9-8 in favor of Washington.
Overtime
Despite some glorious chances from the Caps, they could not beat Askarov and it once again required the shootout.
Shootout
Round 1: Kuznetsov, miss; Nyquist, score
Round 2: Ovechkin, miss; O’Reilly, score
Predators win
Up Next
The Capitals will be back in action on Jan. 2 when they travel to the Steel City to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
By Jacob Cheris
Capitals Postgame Audio
Forward Evgeny Kuznetsov
Forward Beck Malenstyn
Defenseman Ethan Bear
Goaltender Hunter Shepard
Head coach Spencer Carbery