Capitals fight back but fall short in overtime to Devils
The Washington Capitals got off to a slow start on Sunday afternoon like they were still recovering from the New Years hangover. Trailing 3-1, they at least mounted a comeback to force a point but fell in overtime 4-3 to the New Jersey Devils.
The Devils fired away early and got two quick goals first from Yegor Sharangovich at 7:15 followed by Damon Severson at 8:29.
At 19:13 of the first period, aka the McNugget minute, the Caps got on the board. Dmitry Orlov worked it to Michael Sgarbossa and he sent a backhanded pass to John Carlson who sniped it in for his eighth goal of the season. 2-1 was the score after one with the Caps leading in shots 13-12.
22 seconds into the second period Nico Hischier made it 3-1. The Devils led in shots 12-5 in the second period and 3-1 was the score after 40.
The Caps mounted a comeback in the third. At 13:22 Nic Dowd drove to the net and took a baseball bat swing on his second attempt and hit it through the net and then ended it with his signature running man celebration. It gave the Caps a jolt and got them and the crowd back into the game.
Garnet Hathaway and Trevor van Riemsdyk had the assists. After Dowd scored he checked to see what was up with Hathaway as his podcast bro was getting into it with PK Subban. It was Dowd’s fifth goal of the season.
Fury was unleashed late in the third period as Lars Eller, aka The Tiger, pounced on a rebound off the blockers of Mackenzie Blackwood and found the open Conor Sheary as he charged toward the net and put the puck right in for his eighth of the season. The Caps led in shots 12-10 in the third period as the game would require overtime.
Hischier ended things at 2:56 on the Devils third shot of the extra frame. The Caps couldn’t muster any. Each team was 0 for 1 on the power play while the Devils led in overall shots 37-30. Ilya Samsonov got the start in goal for the Caps and 33 saves.
This loss put the Caps at 0-7 in overtime games this season. Now that I think about it, winning overtime games should have been a New Years resolution. The Caps are 2-8 in overtime/shootouts but of course those two wins are in the shootout.
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The Caps will get a bit of a breather as their game tomorrow night against the Montreal Canadiens got postponed. They’ll be back in action Friday night in the midwest against the St. Louis Blues.