The Capitals came in to tonight’s game versus the Winnipeg Jets looking to tie their season-long four game win streak. Washington had won seven straight games versus the Jets, but fell to the Jets 3-0.
The Jets’ defenseman, Marc Stuart, got things started with just his second goal of the season. Stuart’s first goal in 59 games came 11:48 into the game when he snuck behind the Capitals’ defense and was able to one-time a shot, past goaltender Braden Holtby.
In the second period, Jets’ center Mark Scheifele put the home team up 2-0 when he caught the Caps puck watching and was able to penetrate their box-and-one defense, sending his wrist shot right under the crossbar.
Offensively speaking, not much came from the Capitals until late in the third period when Winnipeg goaltender Ondrej Pavelec (27 saves) made two fantastic saves in successive plays. Capitals’ left winger Alex Ovechkin fed defenseman Mike Green across the crease and Pavelec made a sprawling cross crease glove save to keep his team up 2-0.
In the final minutes of the game, the Caps would get a power play and pull Holtby for the extra attacker. Seconds later, Winnipeg left winger Adam Lowry would score a 90-foot empty net goal to effectively end the game.
In the race for playoff seeding, the Ottawa Senators and their superstar rookie goaltender Andrew Hammond continued their historic run by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3. The Sens now trail the Boston Bruins for the second wild card spot by one point with 11 games to play.
The Bruins trail Washington for the first wild card spot by four points after falling to the Florida Panthers 2-1 in a shootout.
Metropolitan division rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, whom the Caps are tied with for third place in the division, trail the Arizona Coyotes 1-0 after one period of play out in Glendale, Arizona.
The Capitals will return home to face the New Jersey Devils at the Verizon Center on Thursday night.