The Washington Capitals are starting to look like a team finding its stride-and they’ve got some unlikely heroes stepping up at just the right time. On Monday night, it was Martin Fehervary and Anthony Beauvillier who delivered a one-two punch in the second period, scoring just 31 seconds apart to help lift the Caps to a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders.
But the real story continues to be between the pipes.
With top goaltenders Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren both sidelined, rookie Clay Stevenson has been thrown into the fire-and he’s thriving. In just his third NHL appearance, Stevenson picked up his second straight win, showing poise well beyond his experience. He wasn’t tested constantly, but when the Islanders threatened, he stood tall, giving Washington the kind of stability it’s been desperate for in net.
This win pulls the Capitals within two points of the Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division, and with Stevenson playing like this, Washington suddenly looks a lot more dangerous in the playoff race.
The game didn’t start in Washington’s favor. Mathew Barzal opened the scoring for New York in the first period, capitalizing on a costly turnover deep in the Capitals’ zone.
Tom Wilson’s pass from the corner missed its mark and landed right on Barzal’s stick in front of the net. Barzal didn’t miss.
But to Wilson’s credit, he didn’t let the mistake define his night. In the second period, he helped orchestrate the equalizer with a slick give-and-go that ended with Fehervary snapping home his fourth goal of the season. Fehervary, who’s also set to represent Slovakia in this month’s Olympics, continues to show he can contribute on both ends of the ice.
Just 31 seconds later, Beauvillier pounced on a loose puck near the crease and jammed it past Islanders goalie David Rittich on the short side. It was a gritty, opportunistic goal-the kind of play that can swing momentum in a heartbeat. And that’s exactly what it did.
Washington kept the pressure on in the third, and Nic Dowd added some insurance in a milestone moment. Playing in his 500th game with the franchise, Dowd sent a puck across the crease toward Alex Ovechkin, but it deflected off Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo and into the net. It was a fitting reward for a player who’s carved out a long, steady career doing the little things right.
John Carlson sealed the win with an empty-netter from nearly the full length of the ice, showing off the kind of precision that’s made him one of the league’s most reliable defensemen.
This marks three straight wins for the Capitals-something they hadn’t done in nearly two months. They’ve now earned points in five of their last six games, and the timing couldn’t be better. With the standings tightening and the playoff picture taking shape, Washington is heating up when it matters most.
Up next: The Islanders won’t have much time to dwell on this one-they’re back on home ice Tuesday night against the Penguins.