Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) – Alexander Ovechkin scored the go-ahead
goal to propel the Washington Capitals to a 5-2 victory over the New York
Islanders in the finale of a home-and-home set at Verizon Center.
Matt Niskanen tallied a goal and two assists, Evgeny Kuznetsov supplied a goal
and a helper and Marcus Johansson and Joel Ward each scored for Washington,
which bounced back from a 3-2 overtime loss to the Islanders on Wednesday at
Nassau Coliseum
Braden Holtby turned aside 26 shots in the win.
John Tavares and Anders Lee each lit the lamp for the Islanders, who had their
five-game win streak come to an end. Chad Johnson allowed four goals on 26
shots.
Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead midway through the second period after
he received a lead pass from Tom Wilson at the right circle and fired a well-
placed shot past Johnson.
Kuznetsov took a loose puck in the corner and drifted across the right circle
before unleashing a wrister into the back of the net to add an insurance
marker for Washington 5:56 into the final stanza.
Ward sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 1:28 remaining.
Washington opened the scoring on the power play after Niskanen blasted a shot
from the right point past a screened Johnson at 11:51 of the first.
Johansson snapped a shot over the blocker of Johnson from the top of the left
circle with 1:33 to play in the opening stanza, but the Islanders netted two
goals in a span of 35 seconds to make it a 2-2 game heading into the second.
Nick Leddy fired a shot from the left point, but Holtby failed to control the
rebound as Tavares was there to wrist it home from the right side of the net
at 18:58
Lee cut through the slot and redirected Travis Hamonic’s shot into the top of
the net to tie the game with 27 seconds left in the period.
Game Notes
Jack Capuano coached his 300th game with the Islanders … Capitals forward
Brooks Laich returned to the lineup after missing 15 of the last 16 games with
a left shoulder injury … Holtby won his 68th game for the Capitals, passing
Pat Riggin for sixth place on the franchise wins list … Holtby improved to
6-1-1 in his career against the Islanders … The Capitals are 9-1-1 this
season when scoring first.
