Capitals Snap Home Losing Streak in 5-4 OT Win Over Islanders – The Hockey Writers Washington Capitals Latest News, Analysis & More

On Friday, the Washington Capitals snapped a four-game home losing streak at Capital One Arena with a 5-4 comeback win over the New York Islanders. Jakob Chychrun scored the game-winning goal in the 3-on-3 overtime session following a two-goal comeback in the final regulation period for the Capitals. The victory improves Washington’s record to 16-6-1 with the Islanders dropping to 8-10-6 as they watch another contest slip away in a tough start to 2024-25. New York held the momentum entering the second intermission; however, the Islanders could not stop the Black-colored “Screaming Eagle” jersey-wearing Capitals from forcing overtime and securing the OT win in front of the home fans in Washington, D.C. 

Islanders Strike First, but Capitals Lead After First Period 

The Capitals allowed Simon Holmstrom to score the game’s first goal at 3:36 in the first period on a wrist shot that beat Capitals starting goalie Logan Thompson. Washington failed to corral a puck around the boards, allowing New York to collect the puck and make a play to a scoring area at the top of the circle, where Holmstrom fired the puck above Thompson’s shoulder. Holmstrom scored his fourth of the season for the 1-0 lead.

A little more than a minute later, Nic Dowd got the Capital One Arena crowd on their feet with the 1-1 score on a backhand shot that beat Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov. Ivan Miroshnichenko passed it to Dowd as he circled the back of the net and slammed the puck behind the Islanders’ netminder. 

Capitals forward Tom Wilson unlocked the game at 12:10 of the first period with a power play goal on a slap shot from the slot that beat Varlamov for the 2-1 advantage. After breaking into the zone, Connor McMichael bumped a puck to Wilson for the one-timer, leaving New York’s 36-year-old keeper with little chance to make the save. With an assist on the play, Dylan Strome crosses the 25 assists milestone on the season, which moves him into a third-place tie with Martin Necas of Carolina. The two players trail Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (26 assists) and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (28). 

A New York, New York Second Frame

Washington allowed a quick tying goal at 1:15 of the middle period. Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson fired a shot from the point deflected by Anders Lee and past Capitals goaltender Thompson for a 2-2 score. Despite only seven more shots in the period, New York slipped two more pucks into the Washington net. Kyle MacLean and Simon Holmstrom scored 1:41 apart, sending the Patrick Roy-coached New York squad into the second intermission with the lead. 

The Capitals only fired five pucks toward the New York net in the second period, while the Islanders finished with eight shots for a game total of 21 at the second intermission. 

Tom Wilson’s Third-Period Tally Forces OT

An assist wasn’t enough for Strome as the pivot cashed in on a power play goal 80 seconds into the third period for a 4-3 hockey game. Strome walked in from the blue line before rifling a shot past Varlamov’s glove for Washington’s second goal on the man advantage. 

Five minutes later, Wilson tied the contest with his ninth goal of the season at 7:24 of the final regulation period. A strong Capitals’ forecheck caused a turnover in the Islanders’ zone to McMichael. Washington’s young center passed the puck to Trevor van Riemsdyk before the veteran defenseman slid a perfect pass over to a wide-open Wilson for his second goal of the game. Wilson has scored three goals and three assists since the injury to Alex Ovechkin forced the captain out of the lineup for a few weeks.

Related: Gretzky, Ovechkin and the Goalies They Scored On (A Lot)

The final ten minutes of the third period in Washington featured New York hanging on to the 4-4 tie to claim an important road standings point. Shots in regulation finished dead even after 60 minutes at 24-24. 

Jakob Chychryn Ends Game in Overtime

Defenseman Jakob Chychryn ended the game in overtime on a solo rush up the ice on a shot blown past Varlamov for a 5-4 win for the home squad. Chychryn’s seventh goal of the season moves him into a second-place tie in scoring for NHL defensemen with the Seattle Kraken’s Brandon Montour and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski. 

Washington leads the NHL with nine comeback victories this season. After the game, Chychryn spoke to the Monumental Sports Network about the resilience of this season’s team. “You know, there is no quit in this room,” Chychryn said. “We love playing at home here in front of you guys. Thanks so much for the support. Sticking with us there… it wasn’t a very good second period, but we came out in the third and did a great job.” The win snaps Washington’s four-game winless streak at Capital One Arena, including losses to the New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Don’t let @j_chychrun7 have too much open ice

His seventh goal for Washington gave the @Capitals their ninth comeback win of the season!@RealSmokinAl | #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/CsTW6dBpfH

— Monumental Sports Network (@MonSportsNet) November 29, 2024

The Capitals (15-6-1) receive their fourth and final shot at the Devils (15-8-2) in the regular season tomorrow night in a battle of Metropolitan Division powerhouses. The game at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, is the second half of a back-to-back for both teams. On Friday, New Jersey won a road contest against the Detroit Red Wings, 5-4. 

The Islanders get right back on the frozen surface tomorrow night with a home game against the Buffalo Sabres at UBS Arena in Belmont, New York. Buffalo lost a home game in overtime to the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3, on Friday afternoon.