Schultz scores with 27 seconds left in third, Capitals defeat Islanders

WASHINGTON -- Justin Schultz broke a tie with 27 seconds remaining in the third period to lift the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 win against the New York Islanders at Capital One Arena on Tuesday.

Schultz, who also had an assist, scored on a wrist shot from the right circle to extend the Capitals' season-opening point streak to seven games (4-0-3). The defenseman has scored four points (two goals, two assists) in the past two games.
"Justin to me in the last two or three games has really tried to put the skating part of his game and the attack part of his game [together], and you can see it as he comes out of the defensive zone and he's joining the rush," Washington coach Peter Laviolette said. "Tonight's goal was a perfect example, just getting involved in the play."
John Carlson had a goal and an assist and Daniel Sprong scored for the Capitals, who played their third game without forwards Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and goalie Ilya Samsonov; each will be out at least one more game in accordance with NHL COVID-19 protocols. Vitek Vanecek made 32 saves.

Washington also played without forward Tom Wilson (lower-body injury), then lost centers Nicklas Backstrom and Eller in the third period. Laviolette did not have an update on either.
"When you lose guys like that, sometimes it can break you and sometimes it can bring you closer together," Capitals forward T.J. Oshie said. "You look at the names of the guys who didn't finish the game and the guys who are out, some pretty big names, but the boys pulled together and found a way to get a W."
Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist and Noah Dobson scored for the Islanders (3-3-0). Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves.

The teams were playing against each other for the first time since the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the Islanders won the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round in five games.
They will play again here Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, MSG+ 2, NHL.TV).
"This is playoff mentality right now, and I'm not quite sure that we're in our playoff mentality right now, which is really [ticking] me off," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said.
New York took a 2-1 lead at 10:01 of the second period when Washington defenseman Zdeno Chara turned the puck over to Barzal, who scored on a backhand shot from just inside the right circle.
Sprong, acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 24, 2020, scored his first goal with the Capitals from the high slot at 17:21 of the second to tie it 2-2.
"I think our line is creating a lot of chances over the last four games and we knew it was going to come any time now, but [Daniel] Carr made a great play to the middle and I got a shot off," Sprong said.

Carlson gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 11:06 of the first period when he knocked in the rebound of Schultz's shot from the point for a power-play goal.
Dobson tied it 1-1 when his shot from the right point deflected off Capitals defenseman Brenden Dillon at 15:33 of the first.
The Capitals had one shot on goal during a five-minute major power play after Islanders forward Leo Komarov took a boarding penalty against Eller at 10:59 of the third period.
"We had that huge five-minute kill there," New York defenseman Andy Greene said. "At that point, we've got to somehow figure out how to just get it to end of the game and try to get the extra point in OT."
NOTES:Dobson's goal was the first by an Islanders defenseman this season. … Forward Anthony Beauvillier was placed on injured reserve by New York before the game after he left in the second period of a 2-0 loss at the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. ... It's the second time in Capitals history they have gotten at least one point in each of their first seven games of a season (7-0-0 in 2011-12). … Vanecek (3-0-2) is the second Capitals rookie goaltender to help them earn points in his first five NHL games (Jim Carey, seven games in 1994-95). … Carr had one assist in 10:49 of ice time in his Capitals debut.