Evgeny Kuznetsov scored 26 seconds into overtime, and the visiting Washington Capitals defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Tuesday night in the final game before the All-Star break for both teams.
Kuznetsov took a drop pass from Marcus Johansson and beat Joonas Korpisalo with a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle as Washington won after surrendering a 3-2 third-period lead.
Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, who played his 500th NHL game earlier this season, had his first career two-goal game for the Capitals. Erik Gustafsson had two assists, and Charlie Lindgren made 31 saves for Washington, which had lost three of its past four games.
Johnny Gaudreau scored his 14th goal of the season for the Blue Jackets, who have lost four of their past five. Korpisalo made 30 saves.
Gaudreau tied it 3-3 at 12:44 of the third period when he took a stretch pass from Gavin Bayreuther, entered the zone on a two-on-one, kept the puck and beat Lindgren.
Garnet Hathaway gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 5:06 of the first period when he deflected Lars Eller’s shot from the top of the right faceoff circle past Korpisalo.
Washington’s lead was 2-0 after van Riemsdyk’s slap shot from the point through traffic off a pass from Nicolas Aube-Kubel found the net at 14:28.
Columbus responded just 12 seconds later, as Andrew Peeke’s shot from the point deflected off van Riemsdyk and past Lindgren.
Kuznetsov set up Washington’s third goal when he circled the offensive zone, went behind the net and passed behind his back in front to van Riemsdyk, who knocked it in at 8:26 of the second period. It was Kuznetsov’s 36th assist of the season.
Eric Robinson pulled the Blue Jackets within 3-2 when he converted a pass from Mathieu Olivier on a two-on-one break.
Lindgren stopped Patrik Laine on a one-timer from the slot midway through the third period to maintain the 3-2 lead, and Korpisalo answered moments later with a sliding save on Martin Fehervary.
–Field Level Media
