John Carlson scored the shootout winner as the Washington Capitals defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Friday night.
Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson also scored for the Capitals in regulation. This win marks the first time the Capitals have won back-to-back games since March.
Ryan Hartman’s goal in the third period helped the Wild secure a point. However, the team has now lost four of its last five games.
The Capitals’ special teams played a significant role in their victory. After Marco Rossi opened the scoring for Minnesota, Tom Wilson tied the game shorthanded. Later, Alex Ovechkin set up Dylan Strome for a power-play goal, giving the Capitals a 2-1 lead. This goal extends Ovechkin’s point streak to five games.
The game remained tied until the third period when Ryan Hartman scored a breakaway goal to make it 2-2. The shootout went seven rounds, with John Carlson scoring the winning goal. Darcy Kuemper made 39 saves for the Capitals, while Marc-Andre Fleury had 31 saves for the Wild.
The Wild struggled on the power play, going 0 for 2, and have now gone five games without a power-play goal. Meanwhile, the Capitals have scored power-play goals in three consecutive games.
Wild head coach Dean Evason expressed disappointment in the team’s special teams performance, highlighting the importance of capitalizing on power play opportunities.
Up next, the Wild will face the New Jersey Devils in a home-and-home series, starting Sunday. The Capitals will host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
