Capitals down Canadiens on Halloween behind Tom Wilson Gordie Howe Hat Trick
It was a Halloween to remember at Capital ONe Arena
The Washington Capitals protected their house on Halloween night and sent the fans trick or treating home happy thanks to a six goal outburst in a 6-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
The Caps entered the game 0 for 20 on the power play but Tom Wilson would end that drought at 3:21 in the second periodon a tip in for his sixth of the season. Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson had the assists.
The Canadiens didn't quit. Cole Caufield struck with a power play goal of his own. At 10:31 Brendan Gallagher scored on a tip in. Brandon Duhaime answered one minute and 14 seconds later for his first goal as a Cap. Taylor Raddysh and Trevor van Riemsdyk had the assists.
Jakub Vrana gave the Caps a brief lead with his second goal of the season at 12:39. Nick Suzuki tied it at the 18 minute mark. In the third period it was ALL CAPS. Connor McMichael notched his fifth of the season at 4:21 on a backhander with TvR and Wilson assisting. That's a goal and an assist on Wilson.
Aliaksei Protas struck at 4:57 for his third goal of the season with Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome assisting. Then it was Alex Ovechkin for his fifth goal of the season at 12:27 on a wide open net. Protas and Strome assisted there.
It was Ovechkin's 858th goal of his career putting him 40 goals behind Wayne Gretzky. At the end of the game Wilson stole the Ovi show in the form of completing the Gordie Howe Hat Trick as he dropped the fisticufs wih Josh Anderson. It was the first such feat of Wilson's career.
It's funny. It's been a long career. My first goal and my first assists were in the same game, and Matt Carkner grabbed me with like 10 seconds left in the game. I was 18 or 19 years old and (he) said 'Do you want one?'I said, "I just want to celebrate my first goal' fun to get that one under the belt.
The Caps will gear up for a weekend back to back. First up is a Saturday evening home ice tilt with the Columbus Blue Jackets then a road contest at the Carolina Hurricanes to begin the month of November. Both games are at 5 p.m.
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