Game Recap: Capitals 3, Wild 2 (S/O)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Minnesota Wild (3-3-2) was unsuccessful in a shootout against the Washington Capitals (3-3-1), 3-2, but did collect a point in the standings (8 pts).

The night started with a rookie lap for D Daemon Hunt who skated in his first career NHL game. Hunt was drafted by the Wild in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He recorded 11 points (2-9=11) in 59 games with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League in 2022-23 and became the 101st player to make his NHL debut with the Wild and the 33rd defenseman.

He lodged 4:12 in time on ice, five shifts and recorded a hit and a takeaway.

The Wild took no time to get on the score sheet when F Marco Rossi beat G Darcy Kuemper on the second shot on goal. Assisted on the play by F Marcus Foligno and F Marcus Johansson, Minnesota led 1-0 at 2:17. 

Rossi (2-1=3) and Foligno (2-1=3) have each recorded a point in three consecutive games while Johansson has a point in five consecutive games (1-5=6), tying his career-high.

Washington's F Tom Wilson scored short-handed at 9:49 to tie the game, 1-1. It was the first short-handed goal scored against the Wild this season.

D Jake Middleton was called for interference at 16:12. F Dylan Strome capitalized on the power play to give Washington the go-ahead goal, 2-1 at 17:14.

Minnesota out-shot Washington 13-8 at the conclusion of the first period.

At 10:41 it looked as though the Capitals would take a 3-1 lead with a goal from F Alex Ovechkin, but the goal was reviewed by a coach's challenge and the scoring play was determined to be offsides. 

The score remained 2-1 after the second, Minnesota still leading in shots 21-14.

F Ryan Hartman tied the game 2-2 at 1:16 of the third, scoring his fifth goal of the season back-handed on a breakaway unassisted.

The third period ended and overtime proved to be scoreless for either club.

After six rounds of saved shootout attempts, Capitals' D John Carlson beat G Marc-Andre Fleury. F Pat Maroon's final attempt was saved by Kuemper and the Caps took the victory, 3-2.

What else?

• Fleury stopped 30-of-32 shots faced and was named second star of the game
• Minnesota out-hit Washington 10-8
• Washington's PP was 1/3 while Minnesota's was 0/5
• F Kirill Kaprizov led the Wild with six SOG, Maroon and Johansson followed closely behind with five
• D Brock Faber recorded a team-high 26:38 TOI and 24 shifts
• Minnesota selected Washington's Kuemper in the 6th round of the 2009 NHL Draft (161st overall) and went 41-34-14 with a 2.60 GAA, a .910 SV% and seven shutouts in 102 games (89 starts) in five seasons with MIN (2012-17)

What'd they say?

"We did a lot of things right. The only thing negative is our special teams." -Coach Evason on the team's play in response to last night's loss in Philly

"A lot of emotions but relieved too. The stress of 'Am I going to play, am I not going to play?' A lot of excitement too." -Hunt on his NHL debut

"I like how we played tonight... Better starts, kept it simple. Had pucks at the net, had guys at the net. It was good." -Fleury on the team tonight vs. last night 

"When we're doing the right things we're hard to stop. So, we just gotta make sure we're doing the right things." -Hartman on his line's ability to be accountable

"It's better, of course. I wanna have more chances for the goal. Play simple and smart and I think we will be fine." -Kaprizov on his game tonight

What's next?

The Wild will close out the East Coast road trip with a 4:00 p.m. CT puck drop at Prudential Center against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. The two teams will then play at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday, November 2 as the second game of a home-and-home series.