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Shorthanded Capitals keep pushing, start back-to-back with dominant win

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Shorthanded Capitals keep pushing, start back-to-back with dominant win


The Washington Capitals were without winger T.J. Oshie, defenseman Martin Fehervary, center Nic Dowd, defenseman Nick Jensen and winger Sonny Milano, all of whom are written into the lineup in ink when healthy.

Washington was hosting the resurgent Ottawa Senators, who entered Monday night’s game at Capital One Arena on a two-game winning streak after taking down Dallas and Vegas, two of the top teams in the Western Conference.

None of that mattered to the Capitals, who matched their season high with six goals to beat the Senators, 6-3. They were led by a three-point game from forward Aliaksei Protas, the first multi-goal game of center Hendrix Lapierre’s career and a power-play tally by winger Max Pacioretty that ended a 17-game goal drought.

After 1,400 games, Alex Ovechkin is the Russian machine that won’t break

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With the win, its fourth in five games, Washington moved into fourth place in the Metropolitan Division, four points back of the third-place Philadelphia Flyers with two games in hand.

“Through this stretch, I think you’re seeing a lot more goals because we’re playing a lot better,” defenseman John Carlson said. “We’re doing the right things and going to the right spots. You get rewarded for that. … If we want to get in this thing, like we do, there’s a lot of teams hunting that down. We don’t have time to think about it.”

Defense and goaltending seemed to be optional Monday night. Washington netminder Darcy Kuemper made 18 saves on 21 shots; Anton Forsberg and Joonas Korpisalo combined to stop 14 of 20 shots for Ottawa.

The Capitals jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first 8:30, getting goals from Protas, who completed a backhand finish on a two-on-one with winger Anthony Mantha, and Carlson, who scored on a quick-trigger wrist shot after center Dylan Strome won a faceoff on the power play.

Carlson’s goal came seconds after he was honored for becoming Washington’s franchise leader in games played by a defenseman at 984, eclipsing Calle Johansson.

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“It was a cool little moment, especially after all that,” Carlson said. “It was just one of those things you can’t make up. Good things happen sometimes.”

But the lead evaporated even quicker than it was built: Ottawa’s Drake Batherson and Shane Pinto scored less than three minutes apart to bring the score level with 12:41 left in the period.

Pacioretty’s goal, his second of the season and first since Jan. 11, gave Washington the lead back with 1:27 left in the period. Winger Beck Malenstyn scored just 14 seconds later to double the lead heading into the first intermission.

“I thought it was going to settle in from that point [at 2-2] because it gets sort of back to level, but we answered right there with those two late in the first period and took control of that game,” Capitals Coach Spencer Carbery said. “And still, there was a few instances where it almost went to 4-3 where it felt like we might be in something where it’s going to go back and forth, but our guys did a good job.”

The two-goal cushion was needed after Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk cut the Capitals’ lead in half 1:27 into the second period. That was as close as Ottawa came the rest of the way.

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Lapierre, whom the Capitals recalled from the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears on Friday, scored the first of his two goals just 31 seconds after Tkachuk’s tally, capitalizing on a rebound at the far post. For his second goal, which stretched the Capitals’ lead to three, Lapierre finished a give-and-go with Mantha at 10:55 for a highlight-reel goal to pair with his workmanlike first tally.

With both teams on the front end of a back-to-back — the Capitals visit the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, while the Senators will play in Nashville — the third period was a grind, standing in stark contrast to the first 40 minutes. The teams combined for just 10 shots on goal as they glided toward the finish line.

Lapierre, who was last with the Capitals when they were in the midst of an ugly road trip through the Central Division that began a six-game losing streak, feels the difference a month later.

“We played a really mature and composed third period,” he said. “It’s not easy to be up by three and have to manage all that. But this group, they’ve been there, right? They know what it is, and they want to get there. You can definitely feel it in the air.”

Here’s what else to know about the Capitals’ win:

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Oshie is considered “week-to-week” with an upper-body injury; he left Thursday’s win at Tampa Bay after going down without contact in the third period. Jensen was a game-time decision with a lower-body injury and did not play. Milano was a late scratch with an illness.

Fehervary (lower body, week-to-week) and Dowd (upper body, day-to-day) skated Monday morning in noncontact jerseys. Carbery said he would “like to see them potentially, maybe” join the Capitals for practice Thursday, their next full skate following Tuesday’s game in Detroit and a day off Wednesday.

Winger Ivan Miroshnichenko was recalled from Hershey to give the Capitals an extra forward for the back-to-back but was a healthy scratch against the Senators. To make room on the roster, Oshie was placed on injured reserve.



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Chisholm’s homer keys 3-run 9th as the Yankees rally past Washington 5-3 – WTOP News

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Chisholm’s homer keys 3-run 9th as the Yankees rally past Washington 5-3 – WTOP News


Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the New York Yankees over the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the New York Yankees over the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night.

The Yankees and Nationals rank 1-2 in the major leagues in home runs, and all but one run in this game came via the long ball. Ben Rice hit his 29th of the season for the Yankees, and Jasson Domínguez and Austin Wells also went deep for New York.

Keibert Ruiz and James Wood homered on consecutive pitches in the seventh to give Washington a 3-2 lead, but in the ninth, the Nationals brought in left-hander Matt Krook — who had allowed 22 earned runs in 12 2/3 big league innings dating to 2023. Krook (0-1) yielded a one-out single by Domínguez, and Chisholm followed with his 13th homer.

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Wells added a solo shot off Justin Lawrence to make it 5-3.

David Bednar (3-3) won in relief, working the final two innings. The Yankees remained four games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

Rice homered in the first off Carson Palmquist, but the New York designated hitter fouled a pitch off his right leg in the fifth and was shaken up. He was able to stay in the game.

By that time, Domínguez had given the Yankees a 2-1 lead with a homer off Zack Littell (8-6) in the fourth.

The game was delayed two hours at the start, and a wet field might have prevented Washington from tying it in the sixth. New York starter Ryan Weathers allowed a one-out double to CJ Abrams. Then Jacob Young followed with a single. Abrams looked likely to score, but he slipped rounding third and had to stay there.

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Fernando Cruz then replaced Weathers and struck out the next two hitters to strand both runners.

New York’s Paul Goldschmidt singled in the first to snap an 0-for-34 drought, and he also reached on an infield hit in the sixth.

Amed Rosario of the Yankees struck out in all three of his plate appearances and made two errors at third base before being lifted for a pinch-hitter.

Up next

Cam Schlittler (9-5) was scheduled to start for New York on Saturday against Miles Mikolas (3-7) of the Nationals.

___

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.



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Washington State Democratic Party draws criticism over reparations, antisemitism language

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Washington State Democratic Party draws criticism over reparations, antisemitism language


Party platforms are typically lengthy documents intended to define political values, not enact law.

But language adopted by the Washington State Democratic Party is drawing scrutiny from Republicans, some Jewish community leaders, and even some Democrats who say they were left out of the conversation.

The debate centers on two planks in the party’s newly approved platform: one supporting continued work on a state reparations study and another linking a recent rise in antisemitism, in part, to actions by the Israeli government.

Stephen Reed, a spokesperson for the Washington State Democratic Party, said the platform is developed every two years by delegates selected from communities across the state.

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“They develop the platform. They write all the planks. They debate the planks,” Reed said.

Last month, the Washington State Democratic Party announced that more than 1,000 delegates at its 2026 convention in Spokane unanimously adopted language supporting reparations for descendants of victims of U.S. chattel slavery. The party described the move as the first such addition to a state Democratic Party platform.

The approved language says Democrats support “the study and implementation of reparative action, remedies and reconciliation” for descendants. The party also said Democrats had previously passed a 2024 resolution urging Washington leaders to create and fund a statewide study on reparations, which is currently underway and being managed by the Department of Commerce. A final report with recommendations is due in June 2027.

Reed said the party’s platform does not settle the question of whether Washington should provide direct payments as reparations, noting that other proposals include offering free college tuition to descendants.

But it is the platform’s language on antisemitism that has prompted criticism from both inside and outside the party. The approved platform states: “There has been a dramatic resurgence in antisemitism in recent years on all sides of the political spectrum, due in part to actions taken by the Israeli government. History shows us the dangerous repercussions suffered when collective action to combat antisemitism and promote understanding is not taken. We must ensure that the Jewish community is protected from misinformation, harassment, and violence.”

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It is unclear whether the Washington State Jewish Democratic Caucus was consulted before the language was adopted. The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle criticized the provision.

“By ascribing the rise of antisemitism in the United States, even partially, to the actions of the Israeli government, the Washington State Democratic Party has rationalized, and given cover to, the actions of antisemites rather than full-throatedly condemning them. At a time where the Jewish community, which makes up only 2% of the U.S. population, is the target of nearly 70% of religion-based hate crimes, we urge the Washington State Democratic Party to do everything in its power to reduce antisemitism rather than justify it,” Solly Kane, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, said in a statement to KOMO News.

The State GOP, which is no stranger to incorporating national public policy into its regional platform either, criticized the Democrats.

“I read the Washington State Democratic Party platform, and it’s a banquet of trust-fund leftist nonsense,” Washington GOP Chair Jim Walsh said. “A lot of it is just not grounded in any real policy issue facing Washington families.”

Walsh said the platform contains “very little coherent stuff about tax reform or safe communities or improving K-12 schools,” while highlighting what he called “a very bizarre commitment to reparations for slavery.”

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Asked why the Washington Republican Party’s 2024 platform includes language calling for limiting federal funding for programs that support critical race theory or The 1619 Project and for ending birthright citizenship, Walsh said, “We’re talking about not spending public resources. That means forcing taxpayers to pay for programs of various controversial sorts.”

“There is really no moral equivalence here,” he added.

Reed said he personally interprets the Democratic platform’s language as criticism of the Israeli government, not of Jewish people.

“I take this language personally to mean that the government of Israel is engaging in actions that are making Israel less safe, that are causing untold harm in the Palestinian community, especially among civilians,” Reed said. “That simply isn’t the right behavior for an ally of the United States.”

Reed acknowledged that the language has prompted concern and debate. He said the party has a Jewish caucus and that party officials tried to provide proposed platform language to caucuses before the convention, but he conceded the process may have fallen short.

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“We did our best, and we hear that we may have come up short in those outreach efforts to give them enough time to digest everything,” Reed said. “If we fell short, we apologize to those communities.”

Reed said party platforms are designed to show voters where the party’s grassroots stand, even when the issues are complicated, controversial, or beyond the scope of state government.

“It’s a statement of values,” Reed said. “This lets Washingtonians know where the Democratic Party’s grassroots are, how they’re thinking, and the values they’re going to bring.”



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Bengals 2026 Opponent Preview: Washington Commanders

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Bengals 2026 Opponent Preview: Washington Commanders


Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be taking an in-depth look at the Bengals’ 2026 opponents. The Bengals play in Washington on Monday Night Football in Week 11 against the Commanders.

2025

The Commanders went 5-12 last season, finishing third in the NFC East a year after making a run to the NFC Championship Game. QB Jayden Daniels played in just seven games due to injury after winning NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024. Veteran Marcus Mariota started eight games, going 2-6, while now-Bengal Josh Johnson logged two starts under center.

Washington’s offense averaged 20.9 points per game last season, ranking 22nd in the league. Without their second overall pick quarterback, the Commanders struggled to pass the ball, averaging 184.1 passing yards per game, good for 24th in the league. The team’s top receiver Terry McLaurin played in 10 games as he too struggled with injuries. As a result, former San Francisco 49er Deebo Samuel led Washington with 72 receptions for 727 yards and five touchdowns.

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The Commanders were more effective on the ground, ranking fourth in yards per carry (4.7) and yards per game (134.7). Washington primarily featured two backs: rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez. Croskey-Merritt paced the team in attempts (175), yards (805) and touchdowns (eight) while Rodriguez added 112 carries for 500 yards and six scores.

On the other side of the ball, the Commanders allowed 26.5 points per game, the sixth most in the NFL, and 384.3 yards per game, the most in the league. Washington allowed the third-most rushing yards per game (141.8) and fifth-most yards per carry (4.8). The defense allowed 242.5 yards per game through the air, the fifth most. The unit struggled to force turnovers as well, notching the second-fewest takeaways in the NFL with 10.

Offseason Changes

Head coach Dan Quinn had to replace both coordinators this offseason, as the team decided to mutually part ways with former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and let go of defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. The Commanders hired two first-time coordinators in David Blough (OC) and Daronte Jones (DC).

Washington overhauled its defense this offseason, starting with the defensive line. The Commanders signed former Ravens and Chargers DE Odafe Oweh to a four-year deal, former Texans DT Tim Settle Jr. to a three-year deal and former Jaguars and Patriots DE K’Lavon Chaisson to a one-year deal. They also drafted DE Joshua Josephs from Tennessee in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

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The team added LB Leo Chenal from the Chiefs in free agency and spent the seventh overall pick in the draft on LB Sonny Styles Jr. from Ohio State. On the back end, Washington signed S Nick Cross and CB Amik Robertson.

On the offensive side of the ball, Washington let Rodriguez walk in free agency and signed former Browns RB Jerome Ford and former Buccaneers RB Rachaad White instead. It added depth to the receiver room with one-year deals for Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson and used a second-round pick on Clemson WR Antonio Williams. The Commanders also signed TE Chig Okonkwo to a three-year contract from the Titans.



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