The Washington Capitals took to the road for the first time this season, emerging with a thrilling 6-5 overtime win at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. A scoring outburst occurred in North Jersey, with the teams combining for 11 goals on the night, often in quick succession, in a see-saw tug-of-war for hockey supremacy.
With the dub, Washington improves to 3-1 with their third straight win and moves into third place in the Metropolitan Division with six points in the early season. New Jersey slides to 5-2-1 but still maintains top honors in a tough Metro Conference that has seen every team pick up wins on the year. Nashville and San Jose are winless through the first five games of the NHL season.
Game story @ New Jersey Devils (10/19/24)
The Washington Capitals and the New Jersey Devils was an electric back-and-forth rollercoaster of a game on Saturday night. One of the more fascinating things about this contest was that 10 of the 11 goals scored were even-strength tallies. While it’s October and way too early to even speak of the playoffs, those would be an incredible battle in April based on this matchup. Washington led the shot count 37-to-31 as well as the hit count 40-to-32.
The first horn blast started at 4:45 with Erik Haula’s second goal of the season to give the home squad the advantage. Tom Wilson scored his fourth goal in as many games to tie the game 91 seconds later. For Wilson, it was his 150th NHL goal in his career. He added to that total but we will get there. Connor McMichael scored to give Washington the lead, 2-to-1, midway through the second period. Alex Ovechkin scored his first goal of the season at 14:18 for a 3-to-1 Capitals lead heading into the first intermission. Ovechink is 41 goals from eclipsing Wayne Gretzky’s career scoring record in the NHL.
New Jersey came out swinging for the fences and hit a tying two-run home run in the top of the 2nd inning. Nico Hischier scored twice in 44 seconds to open the second period to tie the score at three. New Jersey’s Hischier has five goals on the season placing him in a fourth-place tie with Washington’s Tom Wilson among several other talented NHL scorers. Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov leads the NHL scoring race with seven goals. Washington responded midway throught the second with goals from Mangiapane and Strome to retake a multi-goal lead into the break.
The Devils responded once again with an early third-period goal from Dawson Mercer at 3:39 before Dougie Hamilton’s power-play goal tied the score at five at the halfway point of the final regulation period.
Tom Wilson scored his fifth goal with one minute remaining in the extra session to seal the victory for the Washington Capitals. The NHL’s representative from D.C. has not lost since they dropped their opening game of the season to the New Jersey Devils.
Three Stars for the Washington Capitals
In the official records, New Jersey’s Nick Hischier earned the first star with three points on the night, followed by Tom Wilson and Timo Meier. We don’t do that here so here are the Washington Capitals three starts of the game.
Tom Wilson takes top honors with 2 goals and an assist as his scorching hot start to the season continues. Dylan Strome will grab the second star for another strong one-goal and one-assist night. Connor McMichael nabs the third star behind a goal and an assist as well.
The Washington Capitals (3-1-0) have a pair of off days in Philadelphia before a home-and-home series with the Flyers (1-3-1).
For More Great Content
Craving top-tier content that covers it all? From electrifying sports highlights and insider entertainment news to expert gaming tips and sharp betting advice, we’ve got you covered. Dive into our curated articles to stay ahead of the game with the latest sports action, uncover the hottest trends in entertainment, and get the lowdown on gaming strategies that could level up your play. Plus, our betting advice will sharpen your edge and boost your chances of winning big. Whether you’re looking to stay updated or gain a competitive edge, our content is your go-to source for all things exciting and relevant. Don’t miss out—explore now and power up your knowledge! Follow us on Twitter/X @TotalApexSports, to stay informed.
