WASHINGTON — John Carlson scored the shootout winner as the Washington Capitals defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Friday night.
Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson also scored in regulation for the Capitals, who have won two consecutive games for the first time since March.
“It’s nice to string some together and get some momentum,” Carlson said. “We did a lot of good things tonight.”
Ryan Hartman’s third-period goal helped secure a point for Minnesota, but they have now lost four of their last five games.
Special teams played a crucial role in the game, with Washington’s power-play goals being the difference maker. Marco Rossi opened the scoring for Minnesota, but Wilson tied the game with a short-handed goal. Alex Ovechkin then found Strome for a power-play goal to give the Capitals a 2-1 lead.
Ovechkin also scored in the second period, but the goal was overturned after a coach’s challenge determined it was offside.
Minnesota struggled on the power play and penalty kill, going 0 for 2 on the man advantage and remaining without a power-play goal for five straight games.
The shootout went seven rounds, with Carlson finally beating Marc-Andre Fleury to give Washington the victory.
Next up, the Wild will visit the New Jersey Devils in the first of a home-and-home series, while the Capitals will host the San Jose Sharks.
Unique Perspective: John Carlson’s shootout winner was a testament to the Capitals’ resilience and ability to come back from adversity. Their strong performance on special teams also played a significant role in the victory. Meanwhile, the Wild will need to address their struggles on the power play and penalty kill if they want to turn their season around. Both teams have important games coming up that will test their mettle.
