Capitals Down Senators 6-3 on John Carlson’s Big Night; Hendrix Lapierre Records First Multi-Goal Game


John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images

The Washington Capitals soundly defeated the Ottawa Senators on Monday night in a quick home game at Capital One Arena before embarking on the road to take on the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow night. John Carlson became the franchise’s all-time Games Played leader among defensemen and Hendrix Lapierre notched two goals.

LINEUPS

The Capitals started Darcy Kuemper (12-12-3, 3.16 GAA, .894 Save %) in net while the Ottawa Senators countered with Anton Forsberg (11-8-0, 3.09 GAA, .895 Save %).

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Tom Wilson
Aliaksei Protas-Connor McMichael-Anthony Mantha
Max Pacioretty-Mike Sgarbossa-Pierrick Dube
Beck Malenstyn-Hendrix Lapierre-Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Rasmus Sandin-John Carlson
Alex Alexeyev-Trevor van Riemsdyk
Joel Edmundson-Ethan Bear

Darcy Kuemper
Charlie Lindgren

Out: Martin Fehervary (injury), Nick Jensen (injury), TJ Oshie (injury), Nic Dowd (injury), Sonny Milano (illness), Ivan Miroshnichenko (healthy scratch)

OTTAWA SENATORS

Brady Tkachuk-Shane Pinto-Vladimir Tarasenko
Mathieu Joseph-Tim Stutzle-Claude Giroux
Ridly Greig-Josh Norris-Drake Batherson
Dominik Kubalik-Mark Kastelic-Parker Kelly

Jake Sanderson-Jacob Bernard-Docker
Thomas Chabot-Erik Brannstrom
Jakob Chychrun-Travis Hamonic

Anton Forsberg
Joonas Korpisalo

1ST PERIOD

Aliaksei Protas got the good guys off to a good start, converting on a 2-on-1 break with Anthony Mantha to put the Capitals ahead 1-0 with his fifth goal of the season with just over 13 minutes left to play; Connor McMichael was credited with the secondary assist.

John Carlson, who passed Calle Johansson for the most games played by a defenseman in franchise history, scored his fourth goal of the season on the Capitals’ first power play to put Washington ahead 2-0; Dylan Strome recorded the assist on the goal.

The goal moved Carlson into second in Goals by a defenseman in franchise history (145), surpassing Sergei Gonchar (144).

Othawa cut the lead in half just over two minutes later on a goal from Drake Batherson; the goal was assisted by Brady Tkachuk and Shane Pinto.

Pinto would get on the board with a goal of his own some two-odd minutes later, a goal that was initially disallowed due to a high-stick, however was overturned upon further review.

The Capitals would strike twice with just over a minute left in the opening frame. Max Pacioretty netted his second of the season on a power play tally at 18:33, assisted by Mike Sgarbossa and Connor McMichael.

Beck Malenstyn would add his sixth of the season just 14 seconds later, putting the Caps ahead 4-2 to head into first intermission with their two-goal lead back; Protas and Nicolas Aube-Kubel recorded the assists.

Shots were 10-0 Washington after 20, with the hosts converting on both man-advantages in the first period. Anton Forsberg would be replaced by Joonas Korpisalo to start the second period.

2ND PERIOD

The Sens wasted no time continuing the high-scoring contest, with captain Brady Tkachuk notching his 26th of the season on assists from Vladimir Tarasenko and Shane Pinto.

Hendrix Lapierre would answer 31 seconds later, reclaiming Washington’s two-goal lead on helpers from Malenstyn and Ethan Bear.

Lapierre would notch his second of the night at 10:55, finishing a beautiful give-and-go, 2-on-1 with Anthony Mantha; Aliaksei Protas picked up the secondary helper.

The two teams would pepper the opposing netminders throughout the remainder of the frame but neither lit the lamp again. The Caps continued to hold an advantage in Shots on Goal, 16-15.

3RD PERIOD

Neither team scored in the final twenty minutes, and the game concluded with the Capitals a 6-3 winner as they prepare to take on the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena tomorrow.

The Sens finished with a 21-20 SOG advantage, while the Caps’ defenders kept them in front with 27 blocked shots and stifling the Ottawa power play’s sole opportunity.

 

ICE SHAVINGS
– NHL Box Score
– Capitals defenseman John Carlson skated in his 984th NHL/Capitals game, passing Calle Johansson for the most by a blueliner in franchise history
– The Capitals celebrated Black History Month on Monday, honoring the 11 black players to don the Red, White, and Blue in franchise history including an online auction featuring Capitals-inspired, painted sneakers, skates, and jerseys which can be bid on HERE

About Michael Fleetwood

Michael Fleetwood was born into a family of diehard Capitals fans and has been watching games as long as he can remember. He was born the year the Capitals went to their first Stanley Cup Final, and is a diehard Caps fan, the owner of the very FIRST Joe Beninati jersey and since then, has met Joe himself.

Michael joined the NoVa Caps team in 2015, and is most proud of the growth of the NoVa Caps community in that time. An avid photographer, Michael resides in VA.





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