Capitals Triumph Over Islanders in Home Opener
In a thrilling matchup, the Washington Capitals triumphed over the New York Islanders 4-2 on Saturday evening, dashing the latter’s hopes during their home opener. Aliaksei Protas starred for the Capitals, contributing significantly with two goals and an assist. He was well-supported by Martin Fehervary and Ryan Leonard, who also found the back of the net. Notably, defenseman Jakob Chychrun recorded two assists while superstar Alex Ovechkin added another, and goaltender Logan Thompson made an impressive 34 saves, helping his team bounce back after losing their season opener against the Boston Bruins earlier in the week.
Islanders’ Struggles Continue
For the Islanders, rookie Matthew Schaefer, who was the number one overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft, scored his first NHL goal, and Anthony Duclair also contributed a goal. However, Ilya Sorokin, the home team’s goalie, faced 34 shots and made 25 saves as the Islanders fell to an unfortunate 0-2 record.
Game Highlights
Washington wasted no time establishing dominance, with Fehervary lighting up the scoreboard just 1 minute and 50 seconds into the game. Protas doubled the lead to 2-0 with 6:08 left in the first period, finishing a pass from Chychrun after the latter intercepted a play from Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The Capitals increased their lead further when Leonard’s shot, which deflected off Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield, found its way past Sorokin at 9:50 into the second period, making it 3-0.
Protas wasn’t done yet; he netted his second goal of the night with 4:30 remaining in the second period during a breakaway that stemmed from a turnover by Tony DeAngelo at the Islanders’ blue line. Anthony Duclair managed to score during a power play with just 1:09 left in the period, though Protas almost completed a hat trick, only to be denied by a remarkable save from Sorokin as time expired.
Early in the third, Schaefer dived for a loose puck in a goalmouth scramble, reducing the Capitals’ lead to 4-2 at 4:28. Washington challenged the play, suspecting goaltender interference, but the goal stood after video review.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Capitals will face off against the New York Rangers on Sunday, while the Islanders will look to bounce back when they host the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.
