Wilson scores, is ejected as Caps extend win streak
WASHINGTON >> Tom Wilson got back on the score sheet and put himself back under the microscope that has become a part of his existence in the NHL.
Wilson scored again before being ejected for a questionable hit and Nicklas Backstrom had a hat trick and four points in the Washington Capitals’ 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night that extended the defending Stanley Cup champions’ winning streak to seven games. Wilson had a short-handed goal and showed some of his best attributes as a power forward and penalty killer before getting kicked out of the game for a polarizing hit on Brett Seney that earned him a match penalty and at least another look from the league’s department of player safety.
“He’s huge for our team,” center Evgeny Kuznetsov said of Wilson. “You can see he’s playing well and he scored the goals, he make those dirty plays when you’ve got to battle for the puck, when you go in the corner. It’s not easy to play there, and he play unbelievable for us. That’s why he’s such a big piece for us.”
Wilson now has seven goals and 13 points in nine games since coming back from a lengthy suspension. He extended his career-best goal streak to five games and point streak to seven games and at the same time raised questions about whether he’s headed toward further discipline.
After Seney released the puck and it had gone into the corner late in the second period, Wilson skated up from behind and hit him with his left shoulder. Wilson was assessed a match penalty for an illegal check to the head, which carries with it an automatic suspension that the NHL must review but could decide to rescind.
Wilson, who was given a 20-game suspension that was reduced to 14 for an illegal check to the head in Washington’s preseason finale, could avoid being suspended this time. After review, he did not make principal contact to Seney’s head, it did not look like a predatory play and the Devils forward returned at the start of the third.
Seney said the main contact was to the back of his left shoulder. Capitals coach Todd Reirden considered it incidental contact and couldn’t believe how it was called a penalty.
“I think any other player, I don’t know, it’s maybe an interference call,” Reirden said. “He’s not even attempting to make a hit, and we get a five-minute penalty that could’ve cost us the game. This guy is doing everything he can to try to play the right way, and this is how things are happening.” PANTHERS 3, SABRES 2 >> Aleksander Barkov scored at 2:26 of overtime for Florida to hand Buffalo its second loss in two nights following a 10-game winning streak.
Jared McCann and Evgenii Dadonov also scored, and James Reimer stopped 20 shots.
Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist and Jeff Skinner also scored for Buffalo. The Sabres were coming off a 5-4 loss at Tampa Bay. DUCKS 2, HURRICANES 1 >> Ryan Getzlaf scored 1:15 into overtime to lift Anaheim past Carolina.
Pontus Aberg scored the tying goal with 3:50 left in regulation. John Gibson stopped 33 shots to help the Ducks win their third straight and for the fifth time in six games.
Andrei Svechnikov scored an early goal for Carolina.