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The Capitals entered Chicago for an end of the week contest against the Blackhawks at United Center. Coming off a disappointing shutout loss at home Washington was able to take two points from Joel Quenneville’s group in a hard fought overtime victory.
First up, Friday night’s Plus/Minus.
- Plus: Braden Holtby held down the fort for Washington and bailed his teammates out several times in a solid road performance.
- Minus: Washington was the only team whistled for a penalty tonight with both Evgeny Kuznetsov and Lars Eller guilty of infractions.
Nine more notes on the game:
- Chicago was without Artem Anisimov (17 points through 14 games) after the forward was injured in the Blackhawks’ victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. At the time of his injury Anisimov was hoping to extend a career best 11 game point streak.
- Jay Beagle got Washington on the board first with a shorthanded goal courtesy of a slick T.J. Oshie saucer pass and Matt Niskanen’s hard work along the defensive blue line. After Niskanen poked the puck free Oshie steamed down the left wing and fed Beagle for the early tally.
- But 22 seconds later Brian Campbell knotted the score with a hard high slapshot that bested Braden Holtby’s over his left shoulder while down a man.
- Before the first frame could end Beagle stashed his second of the night, beating Corey Crawford with a wraparound after a nifty pass from Daniel Winnik. With Crawford committed to the left post Beagle used his speed to win the race to the far post and light the lamp.
- The teams would go scoreless in the second period, largely a result of some excellent saves from Hotlby.
- With less than thirty seconds to play in the third period (and Crawford on the Blackhawk’s bench) Marian Hossa knotted the score by slamming home an Artemi Panarin pass.
- But Marcus Johansson was in the right spot in the right time for the Capitals in overtime, hammering home a Dmitry Orlov pass in the slot for the winner.
- Justin Williams and Niskanen led all Capitals skaters with 5 shots on goal but neither could convert on their chances.
- Taylor Chorney received his first sweater from Barry Trotz this season, getting the start over Nate Schmidt.
Game highlights: