T.J. Oshie ended a nine-game goal drought with two crucial goals, and Alex Ovechkin added a late power-play tally as the Washington Capitals overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Sunday.
Ovechkin’s goal with 4:04 remaining turned out to be the difference-maker, although Nikita Gusev scored for the Devils with just 11.9 seconds left to add some late drama. However, it was too late for a full comeback, and the Capitals avoided consecutive losses.
“In the last 10 minutes of the first period, we kind of changed the momentum and started playing the right way,” Ovechkin said. “We started putting the puck deep, forechecking, playing physical, and the goals came.”
Craig Anderson, making his first NHL start since March 7, made 22 saves to secure the victory. Anderson and New Jersey’s Aaron Dell hadn’t started an NHL game in over 11 months.
“It’s a mental battle,” Anderson said. “Physically, I’m still the same as a year ago. It’s just about getting into a rhythm mentally.”
After falling behind 2-0, Oshie kickstarted the Capitals’ comeback with a power-play goal in the second period, ending Dell’s shutout bid on Washington’s 23rd shot of the game.
“It had been a while,” Oshie said. “It felt good to see one go in the back of the net.”
John Carlson tied the game midway through the third period, and Oshie added another power-play goal with 8:07 left to give Washington the lead. Ovechkin later made it 3-for-4 on the power play for the Capitals, marking just his second power-play goal of the season.
“I think Osh was hot, and everyone played around him,” Ovechkin said. “I just found the open net, and it was an empty netter.”
Despite allowing the first seven shots and falling behind early, the Capitals won their first-afternoon game of the season (1-3-2).
Dell stopped 37 of 41 shots in his first NHL appearance since March 2020, but it wasn’t enough to prevent New Jersey from dropping their second consecutive game. The Devils had built a 2-0 lead with goals from Andreas Johnsson and Jack Hughes but couldn’t hold on.
Devils coach Lindy Ruff acknowledged the team’s struggles on the power play, saying, “We’ve got some structure issues and confidence issues right now. Some players are second-guessing themselves. We need to get everyone back on the same page.”
GAME RESCHEDULED
The original NHL schedule had the Capitals playing the New York Rangers on Feb. 20, with the Devils off. However, five days ago, the league rescheduled the Devils as Washington’s opponent and moved the game from prime time to the afternoon. This adjustment accommodated the outdoor game between Boston and Philadelphia, which had to be moved later due to sunlight issues.
“This is a different year,” Ruff said. “You’ve got to be ready for anything.”
GOALIE COMEBACKS
Both Anderson and Dell last started an NHL game on March 11, the final day of the 2019-20 season before the league was suspended. Anderson’s last game was for Ottawa against Los Angeles, where he allowed the final goal before the shutdown.
“It was kind of crazy,” Dell said of his long layoff. “I felt jittery at first, but it quickly felt like another regular game.”
Anderson may have earned another start, as Capitals coach Peter Laviolette emphasized the need for Ilya Samsonov to regain his conditioning after recovering from COVID-19.
“Our goalie rotation has been Vitek and Anderson,” Laviolette said. “Both have played well and given us a chance to win. We will continue working with Samsonov and ensure he’s ready when we put him in.”
MILESTONE GAME
Devils’ veteran center Travis Zajac played in his 1,000th regular-season NHL game, all with New Jersey. His teammates let him take a solo lap during warmups, and he was in the starting lineup.
“It wasn’t the result we hoped for,” Zajac said. “But it was a special moment I’ll never forget.”
UP NEXT
- Devils: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night in the first game of a home-and-home series.
- Capitals: On Tuesday night, the Capitals will host the Pittsburgh Penguins, starting a two-game series between the longtime rivals in Washington.
