Washington Capitals edge New York Islanders 3-2 in overtime -NHL Update
Washington managed to slide back into the playoff race at number eight in the Eastern Conference with 69 points as captain, Alex Ovechkin, scored the overtime game-winner as Capitals edged the New York Islanders, 3-2, at the sold-out Verizon Center in Washington,
District of Columbia.
Having lost three straight, including a number of disappointing losses like a 5-0 shutout to Carolina Hurricanes, Washington is now back and has won three-in-a-row, giving them a much needed boost before the postseason.
"It's a huge victory for us," Ovechkin said. "We needed one goal, and Browse gets it. He gets a second one and in OT, I had a lucky goal."
Josh Bailey gave New York an early lead with his seventh of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season, followed by another in the third at 2:16.
As Islanders led at 2-0 in the opening minutes of the final period of regulation, Washington was losing hope with every passing moment, until Troy Brouwer showed up that was.
Brouwer amazed not only the 18,000 plus crowd but also stunned the visiting New York Islanders team as he scored two straight nearly three minutes apart to level the game with less than 30 seconds left to go.
Islanders’ goalie, Evgeni Nabokov thought that he was heading towards picking up another shutout but Brouwer definitely shattered his hopes with two back-to-back to keep his team alive.
"It's a big two points," Capitals coach, Dale Hunter, said. "Their goalie was putting together a good game. You could see it was going to take a special play to get a goal on him."
Despite the win, Washington knows that they cannot risk making their move during the final moments every time.
"Unfortunately, it took us 57 minutes to do it," Brouwer said. "When time is running down, it's always tough to know if you are going to be able to get that second one."
Ovechkin did not wait any longer to take the match as the superstar forward potted his 26th of the season on a breakaway slap-shot, which slide past Nabokov through his legs for the win.
Washington has the next four at home remaining, with the next being against New Jersey Devils on Friday. New York Islanders will be playing against Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday on the road.
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