The Washington Capitals had less than 24 hours to hoof it up to Ontario to face a rested Ottawa Senators team on New Year’s Day. They had just enough fuel in the tank to play one good period. Unlucky for them, the sport has recently added two extra periods.
It was a good first. Tom Wilson’s big weekend continued, hitting his 22nd of the season on a busy shift. Dylan Strome went top-shelf to score a power-play goal – yes, you read that right.
It was a bad second. Ex-Cap Nick Jensen scored on a spicy rebound off the crossbar, then Logan Thompson did an own-goal with 30 seconds left in the frame.
From below the goal line, Stephen Halliday hooked up David Perron for a go-ahead goal early in the third. With four minutes remaining, Aliaksei Protas tied the game, helped out by Wilson and Sourdif. Fabian Zetterlund burned the Caps on the rush to give Ottawa the game-winner.
Get RMNB ad-free
Support us on Patreon for $5 to hide all ads and get other perks
The tired and lowly Caps had a glorious first period. They were aggressive and physical – with even Justin Sourdif getting into it. Wilson and Brady Tkachuk got into it before the first puck even dropped. I loved every moment of that period, except the ones when I thought Aliaksei Protas‘s season was over after he got wiped out by Artem Zub.
Pro was fine. He returned before the period was even up and scored in the third. I loved how Strome stepped up for him. I like how Sourdif stood up for himself. I loved almost everything except Shane Pinto’s shorthanded chance.
The Senators rebounded for the second period and pushed play in the opposite direction. Goalie Logan Thompson faced 14 scoring chances alone that period.
That same point, but as numbers: in the first period, the Caps owned 87.8 percent of the five-on-five expected goals. In the second period, the Sens owned 85.4 percent of the five-on-five expected goals. The third was more like the second.
From the Permanent Assurance Company out-of-town scoreboard: Cole Hutson is baaaaaack.
So LT did an own-goal. When the Senators “tweeted” about the goal, their caption was “WAY TO GET IT DONE,” but that’s like collecting XP when the field boss despawned because of a bug. You didn’t earn that, Ridly Greig. Reallocate the goddamn vowels in your goddamn name.
On balance, with the own-goal, the Perron goal, and the washed-out one minutes later, it was not Thompson’s best outing. He’s allowed four or more goals in four of his last five games.
Happy – but fake happy – for Nick Jensen. He was a healthy scratch in Monday’s 4-1 loss to Columbus. I think he earned his sweater back with that goal today.
Now the recurring bit where we check Hendrix Lapierre‘s ice time: 7:12. This is flagrantly dysfunctional. Caps front office needs to get involved.
New year. Same ol’ Joe and Craig. #joebsuitofthenight
— RMNB (@rmnb.bsky.social) 2026-01-01T17:58:24.790Z
We got one good period. By the third, the Caps looked tired, especially compared to a speedy team like the Sens. The Zetterlund goal told the story of the whole game in miniature. Caps couldn’t keep pace against the Sens’ speedy rush.
On one level this was a scheduled loss. On the level you and I are on, this was a winnable game and they blew it. One day off then Hawks at home.