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Capitals vs. Islanders Recap: Washington Wins First of Back-to-Back Battles

Washington’s offense comes alive in 7 to 3 victory in Brooklyn

By Geoff Thompson
Washington Capitals v New York Islanders Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

In the first of a home-and-home series with the New York Islanders the Capitals came to Brooklyn and captured an important two points in regulation with a 7 to 3 win.

Here’s Thursday night's Plus/Minus:

Plus: If you’re a fan of scoring tonight’s first period was perfect hockey. There were tons of chances both ways for both teams and a total of five goals scored.

Minus: The Capitals were outshot by the Islanders in all three periods including a third where Washington only mustered three shots on goal.

Eleven more notes on the game.

  1. Barely two minutes into the contest the Islanders connected to take an early lead. Brock Nelson took a Tanner Fritz pass in the slot and hammered the puck home with a single touch.
  2. Lars Eller then connected for his 16th of the season to tie the game at one. Eller took a pass from Jakub Vrana on the wall and whipped a quick shot that bested Christopher Gibson to his stick side.
  3. Washington would take their first lead minutes later. Andre Burakovsky slid a perfect pass under New York defenseman Brandon Davidson which T.J. Oshie buried under the crossbar. Burakovsky’s speed created the scoring change and Oshie’s skill finished it.
  4. But the Islanders would knot the game only 60 seconds later. Rookie sensation Mathew Barzal carried the puck into Washington’s zone on a 2 on 1 and lifted a sweet pass to Andrew Ladd, who buried it behind Philipp Grubauer.
  5. The Capitals would complete the first period’s scoring with 2:43 to play. Dmitry Orlov danced in along the right wall and ripped a shot between Gibson’s shortside leg pad and the post to turn the red light on once again.
  6. Early in the middle frame Burakovsky tipped a Jakub Jerabek shot from high in the slot that found its way through Oshie’s legs and into New York’s net. Jerabek’s primary assist is his first point with Washington.
  7. And with a man advantage Nicklas Backstrom extended the Capitals’ lead to three by slapping home a bouncing puck in the slot. That shot, Washington’s 12th of the evening, ended Gibson’s night with Jaroslav Halak taking over the crease at 30:22.
  8. John Carlson tally next for Washington with a hard shot from the slot that beat Halak off his glove and in. Evgeny Kuznetsov’s secondary assist on the play brought his game total to three.
  9. Ryan Pulock would tally New York’s final goal of the contest with a wicked slap shot from atop the left faceoff circle with three minutes left to play.
  10. And with the Islanders’ net empty Oshie deposited the puck into the net for his second goal of the contest and 14th of the season.
  11. Brooks Orpik was Washington’s only rearguard to end the night with a negative +/- stat (-2).