The Detroit Red Wings hoped to ring in the New Year on a happy note, taking on the offensive powerhouse known as the Washington Capitals at Little Caesars Arena on New Year’s Eve.
The Red Wings got screwed by disjointed play and they got screwed by the refs, who afforded Washington a late 3rd period power play which resulted in an Ovechkin goal. Ultimately, Detroit did not do enough to continue their excellent start, and they lost 3-1 to the pesky, talented Capitals. See below for more:
The teams iced the following lineups…
Lineys!#CapsWings | @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/WgsJWCORRS— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 1, 2022
Tonight’s NYE lineup. ✨#LGRW pic.twitter.com/dz1PKVuEJk— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2022
The starters and scratches were as follows…
In the 1st period…
The puck was dropped between Nicklas Backstrom and Pius Suter at 7:38 PM EST, and the Caps won the draw, pushed it back to their defense and chipped and chased. Suter reversed the flow, but the Caps battled to slide the first shot over Greiss’ shoulder and wide of the net, reversed, and Detroit panic cleared, watched Washington dump and chase, and Seider slid the puck to Fabbri, Rasmussen gained the blueline, and he put a puck off the mask of Ilya Samsonov at 50 seconds of the 1st period.
Rasmussen took the second faceoff of the game and lost it; Washington’s Orlov moved the puck up to Carlson, the Wings’ Greiss played it around to the line, and Greiss had to make a blocker stop by Lucas Johansen.
There was a whistle at 1:14 as the Caps went offside.
Detroit won the third faceoff of the game at their blueline, and the Larkin line took to the ice.
Raymond fed Seider, he fed Raymond and back to Seider behind the net it went, to DeKeyser, to center, and the Caps took over.
Kuznetsov set up the Caps’ breakout and Washington chipped at center, Bertuzzi blocked the puck but went in 1 on 5, and Ovechkin dumped and chased.
Bertuzzi set up for Hronek pinching, he charged toward the goal and flipped the puck off the side of the net, and the Caps iced the puck going the other way at 2:21.
The Wings’ fourth line of Veleno, Rowney and Gagner took to the ice, lost a deep offensive zone faceoff, and watched the Caps continue to dominate possession and control of the puck.
Greiss moved the puck up, Veleno chased 1 on 4 again, and Washington’s Sheary set up Leeson, but Detroit reversed, Suter and then Namestnikov fed Fabbri in the slot and Samsonov made a TREMENDOUS stop off Fabbri.
Erne then won the next draw to the point, Detroit chipped the puck wide and Washington chipped the puck into the Wings’ bench, where it was punched back into play illegally at 3:32.
Rasmussen, Zadina and Erne drew in for a faceoff that was lost, Washington dumped and chased, Detroit battled the puck to center, but Washington took over again and chipped the puck deep, where DeKeyser and Seider dumped the puck out of trouble.
Four lines deep and 4:20 into the 1st, Bertuzzi, Larkin and DeKeyser set up a glorious 3-on-2 chance, but DeKeyser deferred to pass an extra time, and he surrendered a fine scoring chance as a result.
4:35 into the 1st, Ovechkin got a chance right off the faceoff, but blew the shot wide of Greiss;
Ovechkin’s second shot went off the junction of the crossbar and post, from the half boards;
Namestnikov went the other way and had a scoring chance on Samsonov, he cycled with Fabbri, back to Seider, to DeKeyser, he put a shot off Samsonov’s blocker, Namestnikov put a shot off a Cap and Washington went the other way, forcing Greiss to stop a shot off Aliaksei Protas.
The Larkin line took the next shift, but Washington continued to dominate possession and control, so the Wings’ attempts to really take control of the game were parried away by the Caps as the first TV timeout hit.
7:10 into the 1st, the Wings led in shots 5-3.
When play resumed, Veleno, Rowney and Gagner won a draw, but defenseman Filip Hronek ripped the puck into the netting over the boards, necessitating a mid-ice faceoff.
The Rowney line then did a good job of setting up deep and cycling, forcing the Caps to chip and change some 8:30 into the 1st period;
Larkin, Bertuzzi and Raymond were repelled by the Caps, and Seider made a pick at center to help Bertuzzi and Raymond set up in the offensive zone, where Raymond was double covered and hacked as he tried to shoot.
The Caps’ Wilson tried to break away himself vs. 2 Wings defensemen, and while Wilson is a lot of things, he is not Darren Helm Fast, so that rush was negated.
As play continued and we hit the 10-minute mark, Namestnikov got a good shot off that Samsonov had to pop up to stop;
Fabbri, Namestnikov and Suter worked with Hronek and Staal opposite Nic Dowd and company, and Hagelin fed Dowd, he was hit by Staal, and Rasmussen came over the boards to help Erne chip and chase.
Detroit jabbed the puck into the slot and Erne was stopped by Samsonov on a fumbly puck in the slot.
At the second TV timeout at 10:56, Detroit led in shots 7-3 and attempts 12-7.
When play resumed, the Rowney line was tasked with opposing the Caps’ fourth line, and they surrendered the puck at the blueline, but Lindstrom made a good recovery, Veleno chipped and chased, Gagner stole the puck, and Seider fired a hard shot on Samsonov, which was stopped.
Larkin’s line spilled over the boards, Gagner fed DeKeyser, and Samsonov made another fine stop without any traffic in front of him.
12:09 into the 1st, Larkin won the draw deep in the offensive zone to Seider, and DeKeyser, but the Caps blocked their shot attempts, skated to center, and Garnet Hathaway fired a shot wide 1 on 2, Detroit charged out of their zone, battled the puck deep, and changed.
13 minutes in, Backstrom found Ovechkin in the slot, and he fired a shot OFF THE POST again…and Backstrom was stopped by Greiss on the cycle.
Greiss then fared well against an Orlov point shot off a faceoff win by the Caps;
Kuznetsov won a race for an icing call, but the Erne-Rasmussen-Zadina line went the other way, regrouped in its own zone, and gave way to the Rowney line, which checked Ovechkin;
Backstrom, Sheary and Ovechkin gave pressure to Oesterle and Lindstrom, but they stood tall, the Larkin line came out, and Larkin wrapped the puck back to the point trying to find Bertuzzi, only to go wide;
Regrouping at center, Larkin and Raymond worked deep, but the Caps set up 3 on 2, and a masterful block by a Wings defender yielded a Seider-and-Raymond deke and dangle through the offensive zone, a big hold on Seider by Dowd, and no call…
Orlov fed Dowd, he reversed, Hathaway and Hagelin cycled, but Detroit’s Fabbri cleared the puck out of trouble with 3:35 remaining;
Detroit was moving the puck with pace and keeping up with the Capitals’ high-paced puck possession game as well, affording the Wings some sound zone time and the occasional cycle away from their end, but mostly a lot of center ice play and defense against the Caps’ attack;
Oesterle and Lindstrom did a fine job of checking Ovechkin with 2:25 remaining;
Erne’s blind pass to Rowney was chipped back to Lindstrom, and he fired a shot of out of play with 2:12 remaining, ushering in another TV timeout.
The shots were 11-5 Detroit at 17:50.
When play resumed, Veleno won an offensive zone draw, Zadina fired a shot wide working with Erne, and Staal and Hronek got help from Erne checking the Caps’ foray into Detroit’s zone.
Washington battled Detroit heavily in their own zone as well, and Samsonov played the puck with confidence to center ice.
Larkin’s line chipped and chased, and chased the Caps to center, and when Raymond fed Larkin in the Caps’ end, the puck skittered behind Larkin, forcing him offside.
Seider fed Larkin during an offensive recoil at center, but the Caps were the team that generated a scoring chance, stifled by Bertuzzi, then surrendered to Kuznetsov, who fired the puck wide of the Wings’ goal;
Bertuzzi broke in 2 on 2 with Larkin, and Orlov made a tremendous block on Bertuzzi, but Orlov got caught tripping Bertuzzi, affording Detroit a power play with 18.3 seconds remaining in the 1st period.
On the power play, Detroit lost the initial zone faceoff, re-setting at center and gaining the blueline as the whistle and green light indicated the end of the first period.
We’re through 20 minutes at @LCArena_Detroit, where the @DetroitRedWings will start the 2nd period with 1:42 left of a power play. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/Ow5Cb5QGUM— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) January 1, 2022
Wings-Caps stat sheets after 1 period. Detroit and Washington tied 0-0 and Detroit will be on the PP for 1:47 to start the 2nd period. pic.twitter.com/akryWgQsyU— George Malik (@georgemalik) January 1, 2022
We’re scoreless through 20. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/y97OPAzCgg— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2022
In the 2nd period…
The 2nd period began with Detroit on the power play for 1:41.
Larkin, Raymond, Bertuzzi, Seider and Fabbri started the 2nd period together, and they won the initial draw, pushed the puck to the offensive blueline, and watched Washington bash the puck down ice;
Greiss fed Seider, he dropped to Raymond who skated through center and in, he chipped the puck around the back boards for Bertuzzi, Seider fed the puck up the gut and it was blocked to center;
Detroit regrouped and skated up and in right wing side, Fabbri to Seider, to Fabbri right wingside, down low to Bertuzzi, to Fabbri, to Seider center point, Larkin stopped, Raymond tied up and the Capitals cleared the zone with the Wings’ bench barking at the refs.
With 20 seconds remaining in the PP, Seider carried the puck up ice himself, it was held in by Suter, and he gave and went and fired a shot just wide of the net;
Gagner retrieved the puck from behind the net, however, and Sam Gagner found Pius Suter in front of the net, firing the puck past Samsonov off the wrap pass to make it 1-0.
A ???? Years Eve goal for Suter. ? pic.twitter.com/DOkv896Wn4— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 1, 2022
What a pass!
What a goal! pic.twitter.com/jyZWd34pVz— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2022
Pius nets his 6th! #LGRW
?: Gagner, Namestnikov pic.twitter.com/szRXKDe3gV— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2022
Pius Suter scored the 1-0 goal, from Sam Gagner and Vladislav Namestnikov, at 1:43.
Detroit worked the puck into the offensive zone on the post-goal shift, but the Capitals controlled the puck, and Washington chipped, chased, McMichael cycled with his linemates vs. the Rowney line, and Detroit struggled to get the puck to center ice;
Johansen fed Sheary, who fired the puck wide of Greiss, and Detroit skated into the Caps’ zone, battling deep as Gagner was fed by Veleno, Veleno nearly fed Rowney for a goal as well, and the Caps’ sticks dominated.
The Caps went offside with 3:46 gone, and Larkin’s line came out, forced the Capitals into their own end, and regrouped in the middle of the ice.
Greiss had to make a stop, however, and Oshie blocked a Caps shot…
But Moritz Seider reached in and pulled down Sheary, so he was called for holding at 4:19.
On the penalty-kill, Suter, Gagner, Hronek and Staal set up, lost the initial deep defensive zone draw on the right side, and Washington set up.
Greiss stopped the first Caps’ shot, by Backstrom, but the Caps held the line, and Gagner had to flip the puck out of trouble and down the ice;
With 1:20 remaining in the PK, Namestnikov worked the puck deep, and then skated back to help his PK’ers.
Lindstrom was tied up and Namestnikov fed Rasmussen for a chip and change with 50 remaining in the PK;
Washington’s 2nd unit came out and Datsyuk Dropped the puck through center ice, gaining the Wings’ zone, but Detroit was able to regain the puck, and Suter skated out to center and into the Caps’ zone.
With 13 left in the PK, Washington set up, skated through center, but Detroit killed the penalty, and Detroit cleared the zone as well.
Garnet Hathaway got a good shot off 1 on 1, but he fired it wide of Greiss.
7 minutes into the 2nd period, Greiss put the puck off the glass and out of play, ushering in the first TV timeout at 7:14.
Remarkably, Detroit was leading Washington 4-2 in shots in the 2nd period, 15-7 overall.
When play resumed, Ovechkin got a sneaky shot in on Greiss, who made a wise stop, and Wilson ran DeKeyser heavily, but Larkin, Bertuzzi and Raymond were able to defeat the Caps’ attempt to cycle deep, and Larkin went the other way and fired another shot off Samsonov’s mask.
As play continued, nearly 9 minutes into the 2nd period, Washington won an offensive zone draw, van Riemsdyk was blocked, but the Caps cycled, Oesterle and Lindstrom had to work with the Suter line to clear the zone, and they really struggled to reach center ice.
A dirty hit by Protas on Oesterle and a couple more kept the Wings on their toes as the halfway mark of the game hit.
Greiss made a FINE STOP on Carl Hagelin as a slot pass found him as well, and John Carlson’s tip of a Wilson shot was stopped by Greiss as well.
Detroit had to battle the Caps in their own zone repeatedly as we hit 11 minutets, and Kuznetsov tried to jam a back pass in for Wilson, but Kuznetsov was hit by Staal heavily, and Hronek was run by both Kuznetsov and Wilson…
But Hronek rolled off the hit, smelling the double-team coming, and Wilson got called for roughing at 11:57.
On the power play, Rasmussen drew in for the deep offensive zone draw but lost it, and Hagelin raced away, firing a hard shot in on Greiss;
Detroit regrouped, Raymond, Larkin and Seider cycled, Raymond fed Seider at the line, Fabbri could not take Seider’s pass at the right wing half boards, and Detroit regrouped;
Larkin and Seider helped Fabbri this time, Seider took the puck to Fabbri, down low Bertuzzi, to Fabbrik to Seider, to Larkin left wing side to Seider center point to Larkin wrist shot wide, Bertuzzi swing pass to Fabbri, Seider center point to Larkin high, Fabbri to Seider to Larkin to Seider, shot off a leg, Capitals clear…
With 35 left in the PP, Seider controlled play and the Wings’ Suter worked through center, to Bertuzzi, to Namestnikov spinning off two checks, Fabbri jabbed, Suter chased, Bertuzzi fed Namestnikov and his shot SLITHERED wide of the net as the PP expired.
Ovechkin and company then worked the puck into the Wings’ zone, Ovechkin got away with a cross check, and Greiss had to make a stop with Rasmussen nursing a broken stick, off Kuznetsov (the shot, not the stick break).
With 5:40 remaining in the 2nd period, Washington led in shots 6-4 in the 2nd, but trailed 15-12 in shots overall.
When play resumed from the TV timeout, Seider smeared a Cap driving to the net–it was Oshie–and Backstrom, Sheary and their teammates were negated by Seider, who charged up ice himself and helped Rowney and Gagner generate zone time with Veleno;
With 4:20 remaining in the 2nd, Washington took over the puck in their zone, fed a pass to Kuznetsov, and he deked and dangled through the Wings’ defense to tie the game 1-1.
Kuzy keeps scorin’ pic.twitter.com/FDXhEgvgVy— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 1, 2022
.@Kuzya92 comes in hot to tie the game! pic.twitter.com/qioAyuiuLB— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) January 1, 2022
Kuzy ties it up in the second, plus Lucas Johansen tallies his first NHL point!
Go off, @Capitals rookies ? pic.twitter.com/9Bp62R6wad— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) January 1, 2022
Evgeny Kuznetsov scored through Hronek, Staal and then Greiss at 15:53 from Johansen and Irwin.
On the post-goal shift, Washington controlled the puck and skated into the Wings’ zone once, twice, Orlov fired a shot that went wide, and Larkin fed it too far for Raymond, but did not ice it;
Raymond chased the puck down, fed Larkin, Bertuzzi took the puck in his skates and battled McMichael, Larkin battled, and the Wings went offside trying to regroup;
With 2:35 left, Staal and Hronek were unable to block anybody but a punch from Larkin did a good job of negating a cross-ice pass to an open Cap;
Washington really took things to another level, but Greiss stopped Oshie and Sheary;
With 1:50 remaining, Seider fed Suter, the return pass got the puck to the Caps’ line, as Seider avoided a hit, and the Caps iced the puck;
With a minute remaining, Suter, Namestnikov and Fabbri helped Greiss, Oesterle and Lindstrom clear the puck to center, but Washington took over, and the Wings forced Washington offside at Detroit’s line with 41.6 remaining.
The Wings changed lines, and faced off at center ice, where Rowney won the draw, Seider was tripped by Ovechkin, and he raced toward the Wings’ net, but the Caps went offside.
Seider got ran as he cleared the puck down ice off the next draw, and Rowney, Gagner and Veleno ensured that the final few seconds of play were played far from the Wings’ net.
Both teams trade goals in the 2nd period, and that’s how we stand as we head for the 3rd. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/qYKfelWNuu— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) January 1, 2022
Wings-Caps stats after 2 periods of play. 1-1 tie. pic.twitter.com/JnMf0YX9km— George Malik (@georgemalik) January 1, 2022
40 down.#LGRW pic.twitter.com/dGgzM4bxFL— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2022
In the 3rd period…
The 3rd period began with the Suter line on ice, and the Wings won the draw at center ice, Hronek chipped and the Wings’ chased, but the Caps skittered back out to center ice, Detroit made a 2nd push, and Washington defended well.
Suter fed Namestnikov deep, the puck went to the point and Staal put a shot toward the goal, but the Caps set up and fired the puck up ice as they changed and Detroit changed 55 seconds into the period.
Raymond and Bertuzzi were checked hard, DeKeyser pinched to help, Raymond nad Seider reversed, DeKeyser fed Larkin, he tipped it deep, but the Caps pushed the puck out of trouble and re-set in their zone.
1:35 into the 3rd, Erne avoided a hit, Oesterle fed Rasmussen, the Caps skated out 3 on 3, and a bad penalty was taken by Gustav Lindstrom, and Lindstrom tripped Nic Dowd, affording Washington a power play at 1:54.
On the penalty-kill, Detroit won the initial draw and cleared the zone, but the Caps set up at center, skated in, and Kuznetsov and Oshie were tied up and Gagner and Suter fed the puck deep and fired a shot wide of Samsonov.
Washington regrouped and Backstrom sent it to Kuznetsov, it was shot in, Hronek could not clear, Carlson fed Ovechkin, to Kuznetsov, to Carlson, Ovechkin set up, and down low it went, up to Kuznetsov, to the slot for Oshie, blocked, Greiss made a stop;
Oshie fed Carlson, he walked the line, Backstrom worked down low to Kuznetsov and back, and forward, and GREISS MADE A BIG STOP on Ovechkin.
Wilson won the next draw, Ovechkin held the line, Washington cycled with 15 left in the PP, Sheary fed Orlov, to Ovechkin, to Sheary, down low, good kick off by Seider, and Detroit raced out, Suter was blocked off finding Ovechkin instead of Gagner as the PK expired, and that was that.
4:15 into the 2nd, Washington was dominating possession and control.
And territorial play.
Veleno, Rowney and Fabbri then took a shift together (???), Veleno cycled deep, and Namestnikov joined the fray;
Washington broke in, and sent a shot wide of Greiss;
With 5:15 gone, Detroit changed;
The teams settled back into even-strength rhythm, and Washington got a really good scoring chance just short of the 6-minute mark, but the shot was fired wide by the Capitals’ defense.
Ovechkin took over, fed Carlson, he sent the puck deep, Ovechkin then worked the blueline and fired a hard 57-footer in on Greiss, who made a big stop with 13:46 remaining.
Detroit was trailing in shots 3-1 due to the PP chance for Washington.
When play resumed after a TV timeout, Detroit lost the first faceoff, won the second, and DeKeyser and Bertuzzi surrendered possession, regained control, and Larkin skated in and fired a gorgeous shot in himself;
Raymond could not settle down the bouncing rebound, so Ovechkin, Wilson and Kuznetsov cycled deep in the Wings’ zone, and Wilson was stopped by GREISS;
Seider and Kuznetsov hacked and whacked behind the play as Bertuzzi skated away from the fray and tried to make something happen on a line change;
With 12:25 remaining, Namestnikov was tripped, sans call;
Washington broke in 3 on 2 but was stopped by Hronek;
To the point the puck went, and Kempny’s shot was blocked by Namestnikov.
With 11:30 remaining, Veleno, Gagner and Rowney worked the puck down low, and Rowney fired a shot into Samsonov off a hand pass that was not called against Detroit;
Gagner, Rowney and Veleno got a good cycle going with Lindstrom and Oesterle, and Larkin camem off the bench, centered for Lindstrom, and that was blocked;
Conor McMichael chipped the puck down ice, and Oesterle tried to Murphy an icing, but he could not sell it;
Seider, Bertuzzi and Raymond worked together with Larkin, DeKeyser had a shot that was blocked, and Hathaway went into the Wings’ zone, and was ran by Seider heavily;
Hagelin ran into the net trying to run Seider;
And Seider got his stick up on Dowd, defensively, and the Caps coalesced around him.
Seider wasn’t having it, and neither were the Wings.
Moritz Seider – not afraid to throw his weight around. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/cYllN5MylB— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) January 1, 2022
So Seider and a Capital, Nic Dowd, went off for unsportsmanlike conduct at 10:10.
On the 4 on 4…
Larkin, Bertuzzi, Staal and Hronek worked the puck deep, cycled, and Hronek nearly stole the puck at one end;
Ovechkin raced the other way and fired a shot wide;
Detroit set up behind the net with 9:03 remaining in regulation, Oesterle and Lindstrom battled the puck to center, and the Caps took over in their end, Lindstrom stifled Oshie, and Fabbri and Namestnikov worked the puck into the Caps’ end.
Washington regrouped, Detroit changed with 30 left in the 4 on 4, and Washington broke out, DeKeyser battled, Raymond and Staal fed Suter, he skated deep, worked it to Raymond, who was blocked off, and the Caps came in 4 on 3.
Backstrom was bumped, Sheary battled Seider, Dowd fed Backstrom and Greiss made a big stop.
With 7:32 remaining in regulation.
Washington was leading 7-2 in shots in the 3rd period.
Veleno, Erne and Rasmussen took to the ice with Oesterle and Lindstrom for a deep defensive zone draw, and Rasmussen lost it;
The Caps cycled, Orlov fed it to the slot for Carlson and Greiss made an 8th stop of the period.
Rasmussen’s line stayed on ice, for the draw, anyway, and Larkin skated to center, and into the Caps’ zone, cycled to DeKeyser, to Bertuzzi, he deked and dangled, regained the puck, fell, and the Caps skated away with the puck.
No call on the trip on Bertuzzi.
With 6:30 remaining, Washington worked the puck to center, cycled back to its blueline, and chipped and changed.
Hronek worked the puck out to Rowney, and Detroit dumped and chansed, with Staal standing up at the offensive blueline. Rowney held the line, Detroit cycled, Hronek chipped deep and the Caps took over, but Detroit bumped and ground well.
Fabbri was held up, bumped a Cap defender, and Detroit let the Caps skate to center with the puck;
Ultimately, Detroit was forechecking very hard, but the Caps were getting shots on Greiss.
Hathaway was stopped in the slot;
Greiss had to field a shot;
Namestnikov was hit from behind, sans call, with 5 minutes remaining, and Fabbri and Hathaway chatted…
Hathaway runs Namestnikov from behind.
No call.
Fabbri protests.
Fabbri is penalized.
Capitals power play with just under 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd.
It’s that kind of game.— George Malik (@georgemalik) January 1, 2022
Fabbri sat at 15:10 for “interference.” Washington went to the power play.
On the penalty-kill, Suter drew in for the initial faceoff left of Greiss, won it to Seider, and then cleared the puck down ice as Seider worked the puck 1 handed to Suter.
Washington raced in and Kuznetsov was unable to score, firing high and wide of the net;
Detroit changed its forwards 30 seconds into the PK, DeKeyser hit Oshie, Seider battled, Oshie and Ovechkin cycled, to Backstrom, to Oshie slot and he flipped it into the crowd.
Washington called timeout with 4:05 remaining and 1:15 left on the PP.
Detroit dialed in for the defensive zone faceoff, Suter lost it, and the Caps cycled, Backstrom fed Kuznetsov to Backstrom to Carlson to Ovechkin stopped by GREISS;
Washington cycled more, down low to Backstrom BLOCKERED by Greiss, and cleared by Gagner away from Ovechkin.
3:30 remained as the Caps skated in, offside.
Backstrom touched the puck offside and the faceoff went out to the blueline instead of down ice, where it should have started.
Detroit won the draw, chipped the puck down ice, and Washington’s Carlson sent it in, Greiss played it to the line, Backstrom held the line, cycled to Kuznetsov, to Backstrom down low, to Kuznetsov to Ovechkin and he scored a squeaker through Greiss’ legs with 2:50 remaining.
ALEX OVECHKIN IS NOW THE NHL’S HIGHEST-EVER POWER PLAY GOAL SCORER!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/lWJcdEv9JL— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) January 1, 2022
THE MOST PPG IN NHL HISTORY!!! @ovi8 pic.twitter.com/iWCAADqoui— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) January 1, 2022
Congrats, Ovi! pic.twitter.com/Ofgzjx0Li1— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) January 1, 2022
The all-time PPG leader.
Congrats on making more history, Alex Ovechkin (@ovi8)! ?
Add him to your #NHLAllStar Fan Vote ? https://t.co/JOMxUndKd8 pic.twitter.com/fiPvas6VvS— NHL (@NHL) January 1, 2022
Ovechkin scored the 2-1 goal from Kuznetsov and Backstrom at 17:10.
Detroit won the faceoff at center, battled deep, Larkin was held and the Caps chipped it out to center;
DeKeyser fed Raymond, he swept it in deep, Orlov took the puck and sent it up to his winger, the Caps chipped, Wilson battled Seider, Oesterle helped Suter, reverse, to Suter, to Seider, over to Zadina to Suter to Namestnikov blocked at the Caps’ line;
And Hronek forced an icing with 1:47 left.
Detroit pulled Greiss witth 1:47 left and Bertuzzi fired the puck over the net set up by Seider;
Erne, Raymond, Larkin, Bertuzzi, they battled the puck deep, Bertuzzi fed Seider, he fanned on the shot held the line though, Fabbri fed Larkin, he was blocked, the Caps chipped it deep and Hagelin was pushed off the puck by Fabbri.
Bertuzzi charged up with the left wing side open 50 seconds left in the game, the Caps got the puck to Hathaway, to Ovechkin, and he scored to make it 3-1 with 40.6 left.
Ovechkin made it 3-1 at 19:19. From Hathaway and Carlson
Detroit pulled the goalie again and the Capitals pushed the Wings back into their end, and time ran out on Detroit.
Detroit did get a power play with 5.7 left in the 3rd as Tom Wilson tripped a Wing, but it was inconsequential.
Two 3rd period tallies from the great Alex Ovechkin did the boys in tonight. We’re wrapping things up next on Bally Sports Detroit. See you next year, Hockeytown! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/WWbk2ZgVtU— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) January 1, 2022
Final from Little Caesars Arena. pic.twitter.com/A4apzecmdQ— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2022
We’ll be back home Sunday for a matinee matchup with the Bruins. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/CtcKYNVwgL— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2022
Statistics: Here are the Game Summary and Event Summary:
