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Capitals vs. Oilers Recap: Caps Correct Course in Bounce Back Victory

Washington came back from an early two goal deficit to beat the Oilers 5 to 2 in Edmonton.

By Geoff Thompson
NHL: Washington Capitals at Edmonton Oilers Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

The Capitals traveled to Edmonton to right their ship after a disastrous performance against Vancouver Thursday night. Washington would be successful, riding a three point night from Alexander Ovechkin, and they escaped Edmonton with two needed points.

Here's Sunday morning's Plus/Minus:

Plus: John Carlson, 28:51 minutes of ice time, had an outstanding game on both sides of the puck and carried the Capitals defense tonight.

Minus: Washington afforded their opponent the first goal of the contest for the eighth time in their past eleven games.

Eleven more notes on the game.

  1. Maroon got the Oilers on the scoreboard early thanks to a rebound created by Connor McDavid. McDavid strode down the left wing and whipped a shot that Braden Holtby stopped, but the puck ricocheted into the slot for Maroon to slam dunk.
  2. Five minutes later Adam Larsson spun Jay Beagle around in the slot and fired home a snap shot high stick side. Larsson’s shot hit Beagle’s stick, causing it to flutter end over end and it awkwardly eluded Holtby.
  3. But before the frame came to a close Devante Smith-Pelly fired home a sharp Carlson cross ice pass to draw Washington within one again. Carlson made a great play with his stick around Oscar Klefbom in the neutral zone to create the scoring play, the secondary assist went to Ovechkin.
  4. In the second it was Lars Eller knotting the game midway through. With a delayed penalty upcoming against Edmonton Ovechkin and Madison Bowey worked the puck to Eller who lit the lamp with a heavy shot.
  5. Thirty seconds into the third period Evgeny Kuznetsov deftly directed an Ovechkin pass up and over Cam Talbot to put Washington ahead for the first time in the game.
  6. And little more than fifteen minutes later Kuznetsov would dance through four Oilers in the slot and tuck the puck home behind Talbot to ice the victory with a gorgeous individual effort.
  7. Beagle tallied an empty net goal with nineteen seconds to play to end the evening.
  8. Washington would end the game without a man advantage opportunity. Edmonton would go 0 for 4 on their chances because of stellar penalty killing from the Capitals throughout the contest.
  9. Christian Djoos had a fair evening but he was guilty of a pair of bonehead decisions with the puck in the defensive zone. Experience will help in these situations, but right now they are dangerous.
  10. Nicklas Backstrom returned to Washington’s lineup after missing Thursday’s loss with illness. He wouldn’t register any points but his presence on the ice helped facilitate the team’s offense.
  11. Anthony Peluso made his Capitals debut and notched two minor penalties in a hair under five minutes of time on ice (4:45).

Washington will travel to Calgary tonight to faceoff against the Flames tomorrow evening.