The Washington Capitals (34-27-8) got a much-needed win at home on Wednesday night. They looked strong on the ice in a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators (34-24-9).
Wednesday’s game marked the debut of Capitals defenseman Cole Hutson. He made quite an impact as he skated well and recorded an empty-net goal late on.
Alex Ovechkin also made more history when he scored the Capitals’ first goal of the night. The Great 8 tied Gordie Howe for the most 25-goal seasons in NHL history.
After this, Tom Wilson scored an own goal to give the Capitals a 2-0 lead in the middle frame. Logan Thompson also had an impressive performance in the net.
Ottawa scored late in the comeback attempt. However, the Capitals sealed it with two empty-netters from Aleksi Protas and Hutson.
Capitals got two points as they now have 76 points in the season. They are currently six points behind Boston and Detroit, who hold the two wild card spots in the East.
Next, the Capitals continue their four-game homestand by hosting New Jersey on Friday night.
capitals analysis
All eyes were on Hutson as he made his NHL debut for the Capitals. The 19-year-old was paired with Matt Roy for Wednesday’s home game.
It proved to be an impressive debut for Hutson, as he looked more comfortable as the game progressed. The rookie skated well, took good care of the puck and found his teammates at the tape.
Then, after Ottawa’s goaltender drew a late power play, Hutson recorded his first NHL goal on an empty-netter. He finished the game with one tally and three shots during 16:24 of ice time.
The Capitals outshot Ottawa 16–7 in the middle frame and the game remained scoreless. That is, Ovechkin came out of his mini-slump.
The 40-year-old redirected Rasmus Sandin’s feed past Linus Ullmark to put the Capitals up 1-0. It was Ovechkin’s 25th goal of the season and career goal No. 922.
More importantly, The Great 8 made more history as he tied Gordie Howe for the most 25-goal seasons in NHL history. Ovechkin is also one point away from 1,000 combined regular season and playoff goals.
After this, Wilson reached the bottom of the circle and made a shot on Ullmark to make the score 2-0. The 31-year-old was also very physical as he helped his team by being aggressive on the forecheck.
Wilson’s Team Canada teammate Thompson was also dominant between the pipes. He stopped 34 of 35 shots and shut out Brady Tkachuk and Ottawa most of the time.
Despite still trailing 2–0, the Senators came up with six strikeouts as Tim Stützle finished Thompson’s shutout night. However, Capitals sealed it with two empty-netters from Protas and Hutson.
capitals report card
Team: A-
One of the team’s strongest performances in recent times. The Capitals have kept their playoff hopes alive for now.
Cole Hutson: A
Hutson’s NHL debut was impressive. The 19-year-old skated well and finished with a goal and three shots during 16:24 of ice time.
Alex Ovechkin: A
Ovechkin recovered from the slump to record goal No. 922. The 40-year-old continues to make history as many question whether this is his last season.
Tom Wilson: A
Wilson contributed to the Capitals’ victory with Ovechkin scoring 25 goals on the season. The 31-year-old also showed his trademark physicality against Ottawa when needed.
Logan Thompson: A
Thompson took a big step in net with 34 saves. The netminder made several acrobatic saves to stop Ottawa’s attack.
Martin Fehrvary: B+
Fehrweri did his part to defend Thompson by bailing him out. He finished the game with six of the Capitals’ 21 blocks.
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