Cole Hutson needed just 74 seconds of overtime to end it for Washington.
Set up by Alex Ovechkin, Hutson buried the winner and sent the Capitals home with a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday in Ottawa.
Washington had to grind for it after a rough second period put them on their heels. The Capitals were outshot 17-2 in that frame and went 20 minutes and five seconds before getting their next shot in the third, but they still found a way to flip the game late.
Matt Roy opened the scoring just 35 seconds into the night, ripping a slap shot past Samuel Ersson off a pass from Jakob Chychrun for his first of the season. Ottawa answered in the second and took a 2-1 lead into the third, with Thomas Chabot driving both Senators goals.
On the first, Chabot held the puck at the blue line, worked a give-and-go with Michael Amadio, then found Ridly Greig in the slot for a backhand finish past Logan Thompson. Later in the period, Chabot fed Stephen Halliday, then slipped the puck through Chychrun’s legs to Hayden Hodgson for his first of the season.
The Capitals steadied themselves after that. Their power play helped swing momentum, and once the advantage ended, Pierre-Luc Dubois finished the job. Hutson found Dubois alone at the side of the net, and Dubois made no mistake to tie it 2-2 at 12:31 of the third.
Ersson kept Ottawa alive with a big stop on Jack St. Ivany with four minutes left, and the Senators also got a break when Jakob Chychrun laid a heavy hit on Nick Cousins with 2:57 remaining. No penalty was called, much to Ottawa’s frustration, and Cousins needed help getting off the ice.
Thompson finished with 23 saves for Washington, while Ersson stopped 14 shots for Ottawa.
Ridly Greig was back in the Senators’ lineup after missing two games.
The Capitals improved to 10-6-0, while the Senators fell to 11-6-2.
Ryan Leonard also reached a milestone Tuesday, playing in his 100th NHL game. He has 26 goals, making him one of only five Capitals since 1990 to score 25 or more goals in his first 100 NHL games, alongside Alex Ovechkin (64), Alexander Semin (39), Dmitri Khristich (38) and Peter Bondra (29).
Washington heads to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, while Ottawa hosts the Colorado Avalanche the same night.
In Other News...
Devils May Face A Brutal Price To Chase Quinn Hughes
The idea of the Devils going after Quinn Hughes has the kind of appeal that naturally follows a team looking to strengthen its blue line, especially when a proven defenseman is the name at the center of the conversation. The speculation points to a deal built around players and draft picks, which is exactly the sort of package that can make a contender pause, even before any real talks get serious.
For New Jersey, the attraction is obvious: Hughes would fit the kind of high-end defensive upgrade that changes the look of a roster. But the cost is where the story gets complicated, because any pursuit would likely require parting with meaningful pieces the Devils would rather keep. For now, it remains a hypothetical worth watching, with no confirmed trade or official negotiation to point to yet. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Prospect Pipeline Takes Another Hit With Orlov Suddenly Sidelined
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For New Jersey, it is the latest reminder of how fragile the path can be for young defensemen overseas. Orlov had been one of the more encouraging Russian options in the system, and his absence adds to a run of injury trouble that has already affected other Devils Russian blueline prospects, thinning the organizations depth chart at a position it has been trying to cultivate carefully. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Let A Winnable Game Slip Away In Frustrating Loss
Dawson Mercer gave the Devils a lift with two goals, including the game-winner, but it was Winnipeg leaving with the points after a 4-2 result that felt there for New Jersey to take. Jesper Bratt and Cody Glass also found the net for the Devils, yet the offense never quite turned a solid start into the kind of finish that usually decides these tight games.
Kyle Connor matched Mercer with two goals of his own for the Jets, and Winnipegs ability to answer kept New Jersey from ever fully pulling away. The loss drops the Devils to 13-6-0, a reminder that even in a strong start to the season, missed chances can turn a winnable night into a frustrating one. [Read more 🡒]