The Washington Capitals secured a pair of must-have points on Monday night in style, cruising to a 6-3 victory against the Ottawa Senators at Capital One Arena.
Led by Hendrix Lapierre’s two goals and Alaiksei Protas’s goal on three points, Washington’s four offensive goals and two power-play goals were just what the doctors ordered for a Capitals team currently in a late season push for the playoffs.
“It was an odd start,” Head Coach Spencer Carbery told reporters postgame. “We get up with those two goals, and they get two [goals] quick. I thought it was going to settle in from that point because it gets sort of back to level. But we answered with those two [goals] late in the first period and took control of the game.”
Washington opened the game with a pair of goals to take an early 2-0 lead. But a pair of goals separated by a few minutes from Drake Batherson and Shane Pinto tied the game midway through the first period for the Senators.
But Washington would quickly take the momentum back into their own hands.
A power-play goal by Max Pacioretty and a Beck Malenstyn snapshot 14 seconds later sent the Capitals to the first intermission with a 4-2 lead, and the rest was history.
“We know our goal right now, we know what we are fighting for, we knew we needed this start against that team,” Alaiksei Protas said postgame. “We needed a bounce-back game, and I think everybody was on the same page today, so it was a great game by everybody.”
On and off the ice, Monday night was a banner night for Capitals veteran defenseman John Carlson. Carlson suited up for his 984th game, which surpassed Capital legend Calle Johanssen in games played as a defenseman for the franchise. The team played a tribute video to Carlson on the jumbotron, which brought Capital One Arena to its feet for a standing ovation.
In a way only sports can script, Carlson responded just seconds later with a power play goal on a wrist shot to not only extend the Capital’s lead but surpass Sergei Gonchar (144 goals) to take second place in franchise history for goals as a defenseman at 145 goals.
“I think that’s a special thing for a player. Being able to play with a couple of my great friends for a really long time.” Carlson said to reporters at his locker after the game. “Everything here is meaningful to me: the connections, the friendships, the trainers, guys that have been here longer than me, you guys [in the media].”
“It’s been a long time, and this league, it’s great and crazy, and sometimes stuff happens unexpectedly, and guys move on. Guys come and go, and that’s all great. But it’s a special moment being here for that many games.”
The Cap’s win against the Senators improves their point streak to five consecutive games. They have moved to fourth place in the Metro Divison and are just four points behind the third-place Philadelphia Flyers. The second part of a back-to-back awaits them in Detriot, with a Tuesday Night showdown against the Red Wings at 7 PM.