Lead lost, Beagle takes it back for third win in row
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — The Washington Capitals were less than seven minutes away from heading home on a high note after their weeklong western-Canada road trip.
They had a two-goal lead on the Winnipeg Jets, and these Capitals entered Tuesday night’s game having allowed just three third-period goals all season.
But within five minutes, the Jets tied the game, finally capitalizing on the bevy of scoring chances they’d had all game. But then Jay Beagle scored on a backhand shot with 30 seconds left off an assist from John Carlson, lifting Washington to a 3-2 win, its third straight.
Beagle was the most timely scorer in a game that was billed as a matchup of two great goal scorers, one who has established himself over10-plus seasons and another who’s just getting started as a rookie. But the hottest goal scorer Tuesday night at MTS Centre wasn’t Washington’s Alex Ovechkin or Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine, but Capitals wing Marcus Johansson.
Johansson’s second-period goal, his fifth goal in three games and sixth of the season, gave the Capitals a 2-0 lead.
Johansson’s pointblank scoring as of late is representative of a Washington team that’s made getting pucks deep and generating offense from in front of the net an emphasis this season.
With Washington up1-0 in the second period, center Evgeny Kuznetsov skated around the net, and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck seemed to follow Kuznetsov. But then Kuznetsov dished the puck to Johansson in the slot, leaving him a tap-in shot on a half-open net.
In a four-on-four situation 13:04 into the third period, Blake Wheeler set up Mark Scheifele to end Braden Holtby’s shutout bid. AdamLowry then tied the game with 2:25 left. Holtby made 43 saves.