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Update... No Supplementary Discipline for Wilson |
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The Metro Division leading Washington Capitals extended their winning streak to seven on Friday night with a 6-3 win over division rival New Jersey in game that will again be remembered for an incident involving polarizing Tom Wilson.
Getting off to better starts has been a point of emphasis for the Caps and tonight they scored first on a Nicklas Backstrom goal to make it 1-0 just 3:51 in. Alex Ovechkin made a beautiful play as he carried the puck into the offensive zone and set up Backstrom for his 7th from the slot in a little role reversal with the Great Eight setting up his center.
The remainder of the period was tight checking as the shots on goal were only 9-8 in favor of the Devils. Washington did kill off two penalties in the frame as they continue to trend up in the penalty kill department. This would prove to be vital later in the game.
Tom Wilson scored his 7th of the year just 8 seconds into the 2nd period as the Caps came out killing a penalty and were rewarded a gift goal making it 2-0. New Jersey’s Keith Kincaid made a bad read and Wilson fired a low shot past the stunned goalie. It was the burly wingers 13th point since returning nine games ago from suspension and it gives him goals in five straight games. 6 goals and 2 assists in his last five games.
New Jersey decided to payback the Caps with a shorthanded goal of their own midway through the period at 9:23. Travis Zajac’s 8th made it 2-1 to bring the Devils within one when he poked home a rebound past Capitals goalie Braden Holtby who’d thought he had the puck in his equipment after a Blake Coleman shot.
Shortly before the end of the period Tom Wilson collided with Devils forward Brett Seney in the Capitals zone as he caught the back shoulder of the much smaller Seney. Wilson was ejected with a 5 minute match penalty and the Caps had to test their penalty kill again at a pivotal point in the game. Coach Todd Reirden was upset that the play was even called a major.
Bob McKenzie of TSN confirmed there will be no more discipline forthcoming from the NHL.
Again the penalty kill held strong and took the lead going into the third.
The 3rd was a little more scoring and snarl as the game heated up after the Wilson incident. Andre Burakovsky scored his 4th at 5:45 to put the Caps ahead by two. The much maligned winger split the Devils defense and beat Kincaid just between the blocker and body. Caps need more goals from him and lately he’s been coming around after a slow start.
Just over five minutes later the Caps deadly power play cashed in again. Nicklas Backstrom made it 4-1 Caps at 10:57 as he fired a wrist shot over Kincaid from the left dot for his 8th of the year. The Caps would need the insurance goals as the Devils would score two more goals in the next 6 minutes on goals by Nico Hischier (5th) at 12:35 and former Capital Marcus Johansson scored his 4th with just under two minutes left to make it close. Taylor Hall assisted on the Johansson goal for his 500th career NHL point.
The Capitals would score two empty netters to finish the game 6-3. Both goals were significant as Ovechkin’s was his 626th career goal which moves him into sole possession of 15th all-time in the NHL. Backstrom’s goal was set up by an unselfish Ovechkin who could have scored into the empty net a second time but dished off to the slick Swede to give him the hattrick on the night. Backstrom also moved into a tie with Mike Ridley for 4th all-time in goals in Caps franchise history with 218.
Braden Holtby remained hot stopping 33 of 36 shots and now has won 5 games in a row allowing only 7 goals in that span.
Next up for the Capitals is Sunday vs Anaheim. Note start time of 3PM EST.
Tom Wilson was involved in another incident Friday night vs the Devils….
I don’t think Wilson attempted to hit him in the head nor did he contact the head. Nonetheless it will be a story I will be following closely.
Update: NJ forward Brett Seney returned to the game after being checked by medical staff.
Coach Todd Reirden completely disagreed with the call after the game as he says the forward wasn't even trying to make a hit.
I've not seen or heard Reirden this angry yet......
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