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 However, since the NHL only cares about final scores, the
Capitals left Edmonton with nothing.
Despite outshooting the Oilers 23-10 over the final 40 minutes
(including 12-1 through the first 10 minutes of a third-period
siege), the Capitals dropped a 3-2 decision to goaltender Ben
Scrivens and the bullet-dodging Oilers.
"(Scrivens) was unbelievable," said Edmonton defenseman Justin
Schultz as the 2-4-1 Oilers savored their second consecutive
victory. "It wasn't our best effort tonight, that's for sure, a
little sloppy in the third period, but we found a way to hold on and
get the two points, and that's all that matters in this league."
Which is unfortunate for a Capitals team that insists it deserved
better.
"For the last two periods we played great," Washington center Marcus
Johansson said. "We had enough chances to score, we just didn't bury
them. It is the small details that can cost you a game, and tonight
it did. It was a tough one to lose, but that's hockey sometimes."
The Capitals (3-1-2) took their first regulation loss of the season.
"We did a lot of good things, we just didn't seem to be able to get
a bounce," said Capitals goalie Braden Holtby. "Our team played well
enough to get a win. In the end, they won a goaltending battle.
Their second goal had no business going in and that was the
difference in the game."
The Oilers opened the scoring for the first time in three games when
Schultz pinched in from the point at 6:53 and buried a one-timer
made possible by a pass from right winger Ted Purcell, who had two
assists for 22 points in 23 career games against Washington.
The Capitals tied it at 1 five minutes later on the power play, when
defenseman John Carlson stepped in from the point and ripped a slap
shot that Scrivens had no chance on.
Scrivens, coming off a pair of great starts, made several big saves
to keep it 1-1 after 20 minutes.
The Capitals scored first in the second period, on a wrist shot from
defenseman Mike Green that went through a little traffic at 4:50.
But the Oilers needed just 20 seconds to tie it back up. Center Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins scored his second goal in as many games, picking the
far corner on Holtby.
"It just shows that we have a lot more confidence this year," said
Nugent-Hopkins. "In the past couple of years, those types of
situations deflated our bench. But these guys don't have to say much
on the bench, it's an automatic reaction that we're going to go out
there and get that next one."
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The Oilers took back the lead on a power play of their own when
defenseman Nikita Nikitin scored his first goal as an Oiler,
threading the needle with a slap shot at 16:08 to make it 3-2.
Despite furious attempts to net the equalizer, the Capitals couldn't
solve Scrivens.
"I thought we played well enough to win, but I don't think we
managed the situations," said Capitals coach Barry Trotz. "We had
the lead and the momentum and then the next shift we give up a goal
and give them the momentum back.
"They had a little bit of fortune and we couldn't find the back of
the net. We dictated much of the play in the second and third. They
just came out ahead. They had a group that was blocking shots and
doing all those things and we couldn't find the back of the net."
NOTES: After giving up 14 goals on 70 shots in his first three
appearances, Oilers G Ben Scrivens stopped 82 of the last 87. ...
The Capitals made the first stop on a three-game Western road swing.
... Washington C Brooks Laich is out with a shoulder injury and
didn't make the trip. ... RW Nail Yakupov began the night averaging
12:46 of ice time per game, which ranked 19th out of 20 Oilers with
two or more games. ... The Capitals' fourth line of LW Chris Brown,
C Evgeny Kuznetsov and RW Liam O'Brien has a combined total of 50
NHL games after Wednesday. ... Oilers D Mark Fayne needs one more
game for 250 in his NHL career. ... Wednesday was the seventh game
on Oilers rookie C Leon Draisaitl's nine-game NHL audition. If he
plays Game No. 10 instead of returning to junior hockey, 2014-15
counts as the first year of his contract.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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