We are seven games into the 2021-22 Washington Capitals season. While they are a respectable 4-0-3 and have yet to lose a regulation game, there’s one thing that’s eluded them: overtime games. On Wednesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, The Capitals blew a 2-0 lead but both their goals at least came on the power play. That’s one problem that they solved. The problem they are still working out is how to survive that dreaded three on three skills challenge.
The Caps got a power play at 17:18 when Sam Gagner was called for tripping T.J. Oshie. The Caps would finally strike in the McNugget minute thanks to Alex Ovechkin right on the door step. Lars Eller and Anthony Mantha had the assists. For Ovechkin it was his NHL leading eighth goal of the season. It was also the 738th of his career.
BANG BANG! pic.twitter.com/arUMm9Xs1u
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 27, 2021
The Caps led 1-0 after one and 13-7 in shots. Ovechkin is now three goals away from Brett Hull for fourth place. He’s 28 from Jaromir Jagr, 63 away from Gordie Howe and 156 from Wayne Gretzky.
The Caps got another power play early in the second period at 3:56 when Danny DeKeyser was called for hooking Eller. Right off the face off draw, Evgeny Kuznetsov sniped it in for his fifth goal of the season four seconds later. Conor Sheary and Oshie had the helpers.
Quick off the draw! pic.twitter.com/SrQHGKdEnE
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 28, 2021
Adam Erne got the Red Wings on the board at 9:17. 2-1 Caps was the score after 40. The Red Wings had the edge in shots 7-4 in the second period.
In the third the Red Wings tied it early at 2:03 with a goal from Robby Fabbri. 2-2 was the score after three with shots even at 10 in the third. The game would require overtime and once again the Capitals would falter.
Dylan Larkin scored at 1:37 in the extra session to end the game. Shots were even at one in the overtime while the Caps had the edge 28-25 overall. Vitek Vanecek made 22 saves in goal.
Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said this after the game:
"“There wasn’t a lot of room. There wasn’t a lot of space. [The Red Wings] were able to capitalize a couple times five-on-five, and we just couldn’t get off the mark. I thought we pressed well in the third period — probably had three or four really good chances at five-on-five in the third period to win it … and couldn’t get it done.”"
The Capitals close out the month of October with one more game on Friday night when they host the Arizona Coyotes for a 7 p.m. puck drop.