The Washington Capitals, fresh off their New Year’s Eve victory over the Boston Bruins, will play their first game of 2025. And it will be a tough test.

Tonight the Caps will face a slick-skating Minnesota Wild team that plays excellent on the road. Minnesota leads the league in road wins (13) and road points (29).

They will also face future Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in net for perhaps the final time at Capital One Arena. Alex Ovechkin has lit up Fleury 27 times — the most of all his goalie victims. Also, I will never forget this moment.

Neither Kirill Kaprizov or Wild captain Jared Spurgeon will suit up for the Wild due to injury. Martin Fehervary is in for the Caps after absorbing a high stick from Tom Wilson.

The Capitals-Wild game is airing on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and a returning Craig Laughlin have the call. Puck drop is shortly after 7:00 pm.

Lines

Washington Capitals

Minnesota Wild

Tunnel shenaigans

1st Period

Puck is dropped.

Huge glove save 21 seconds in by Charlie Lindgren. Wow.

🚨 1-0 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Tom Wilson (15). Assists: R. Sandin (12). Time: 10:19.

Sandin’s shot is saved by MAF, but the rebound falls right to Wilson’s skates for an easy put-in.

🚨 1-1 tie. MIN Goal: Ryan Hartman (15). Assists: Z. Bogosian (5), J. Eriksson Ek (11). Time: 11:24.

Hartman with a deflection in front of the net to tie 65 seconds later.

Tom Wilson gets cross-checked into Minnesota’s net. Then Marc-Andre Fleury cross-checks him out of it. Capitals go to the power play!

Oh NoOoOo

🚨 2-1 Minnesota Wild. MIN SHG: Yakov Trenin (3). Unassisted. Time: 19:07.

Poor stickhandling behind the net, Lindgren loses both the puck and his stick and Trenin scores a layup on his backhand.

At intermission: The Capitals are outshooting the Wild 13 to 11 and are out-attempting them 24 to 12 at five-on-five but go into break down 2-1.

2nd Period

Puck is dropped.

Another big early glove save by Lindgren. This time on Frederick Gaudreau 18 seconds in.

Tom Wilson to the box for roughing Brock Faber at 8:43.

Martin Fehervary loses a tooth. He looks like Ovi now. Oh no. Marat Khusnutdinov to the box for High-sticking – it’s a double minor.

🚨 2-2 tie. WSH PPG: Alex Ovechkin (18). Assists: D. Strome (30). Time: 15:08.

Alex Ovechkin scores again on Marc-Andre Fleury for 871st career goal, now 23 away from Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record

Ovi’s 871st career goal and 28th against MAF. 23 away from Gretzky.

At intermission: The game is tied 2-2. The Capitals are outshooting the Wild 21 to 18.

3rd Period

Puck is dropped.

Both teams are going hard for the next goal.

🚨 3-2 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Martin Fehervary (1). Assists: P. Dubois (24). Time: 05:34.

With Fleury bowled over by his own man, a missing-tooth’d Fehervary hits the back of the net for the first time this season. Huge goal.

Caps to the penalty kill after Nic Dowd takes an interference penalty on Mats Zuccarello at 6:20.

Penalty killed.

A Tom Wilson goal is taken off the board due to a high stick.

OH NO.

Seconds later…

🚨 3-3 tie. MIN Goal: Marco Rossi (15). Assists: R. Hartman (5), J. Brodin (10). Time: 11:19.

Rossi with a great redirect, then captures the rebound and scores.

Jakob Chychrun beats Fleury but hits the post with around three minutes remaining in the game.

Tom Wilson just misses scoring again after a great feed by PLD. The puck rolled on Wilson.

Capitals and Wild end regulation tied 3-3. To overtime we go. The Wild outshot the Capitals 32-31.

Overtime

Puck is dropped.

Matt Boldy in a foot race… and he hits the post!

John Carlson stopped at the last second by MAF after a huge rush of speed.

Shootout

This is the Capitals’ first shootout of the season.

❌ Dylan Strome is stopped by MAF.
❌ Mats Zuccarello is stopped by Lindgren.
❌ Pierre-Luc Dubois is stopped by MAF
✅ Matt Boldy beats Lindgren with a shot to the top corner past Lindgren’s glove.
❌ Alex Ovechkin is stopped by MAF.

Minnesota Wild win 4-3 (SO).

Skills competition sees Washington fall on home ice: Wild beat Capitals 4-3 (SO)

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