EDMONTON, Alberta — The Washington Capitals continued their impressive form, securing their fifth consecutive victory with a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Pierre-Luc Dubois played a vital role for the Capitals, contributing both a goal and an assist in the match.
Alongside Dubois, Tom Wilson and Matt Roy also found the back of the net for Washington, who have now accumulated points in an NHL-leading 11 straight games, boasting a record of 8-0-3 during this stretch. In contrast, the Oilers, who had been riding high with eight wins in their last nine outings, fell short as Leon Draisaitl and Corey Perry managed to score, but it wasn’t enough to clinch a victory. Edmonton has now lost their last two matches.
The Oilers played without their star forward, Connor McDavid, who is serving a three-game suspension for cross-checking. In net, Logan Thompson made 30 saves for the Capitals, while Stuart Skinner struggled with just 11 saves in his effort for the Oilers.
Looking at individual performances, Dubois now has 38 points in 47 games this season, a significant improvement from his total of 40 points in 82 games last season with the Kings. On the other hand, Draisaitl notched his league-leading 34th goal, extending his scoring streak to seven games and surpassing the 70-point mark. Remarkably, this marks the 29th occasion Draisaitl has found the net within the first five minutes of a game, putting him in a tie with Wayne Gretzky for second in Oilers history, just one goal behind Mark Messier, the franchise leader.
A pivotal moment in the game came less than four minutes into the third period when Lars Eller’s backhand attempt slipped through Skinner’s legs, rebounded off the post, and was promptly put in by Dubois for his ninth goal of the season, pushing the score to 3-1 in favor of Washington.
Statistically, the Oilers entered the game with an impressive record of 17-3-3 when scoring first, yet the Capitals have showcased their ability to come back, now posting a 15-5-2 record when allowing the first goal of the game.
Looking ahead, the Capitals are set to face the Kraken on Thursday, while the Oilers will host the Canucks the same evening.