Tom Wilson’s power-play goal lifts the Capitals over the Lightning 5-4
Tom Wilson’s power-play goal lifts the Capitals over the Lightning 5-4
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (81) and Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) looks at the replay after giving up an own goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals left wing Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Gage Goncalves (93) battle along the boards during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Michael Eyssimont (23) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals celebrate a goal from center Aliaksei Protas (21) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals right wing Taylor Raddysh (16) handles the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) checks Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) celebrates his second goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) blocks a shot during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals left wing Andrew Mangiapane and center Dylan Strome (17) celebrate Mangiapane’s goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (81) and Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (81) and Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) looks at the replay after giving up an own goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) looks at the replay after giving up an own goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals left wing Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Gage Goncalves (93) battle along the boards during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals left wing Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Gage Goncalves (93) battle along the boards during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Michael Eyssimont (23) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Michael Eyssimont (23) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals celebrate a goal from center Aliaksei Protas (21) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals celebrate a goal from center Aliaksei Protas (21) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals right wing Taylor Raddysh (16) handles the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals right wing Taylor Raddysh (16) handles the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) checks Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) checks Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) celebrates his second goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) celebrates his second goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) blocks a shot during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) blocks a shot during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals left wing Andrew Mangiapane and center Dylan Strome (17) celebrate Mangiapane’s goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Capitals left wing Andrew Mangiapane and center Dylan Strome (17) celebrate Mangiapane’s goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Wilson scored a power-play goal with 3:26 left in regulation to lift the Washington Capitals to a 5-4 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.
With Anthony Cirelli in the box for a high-sticking, double-minor penalty with 4:03 left, Wilson tipped a Jakob Chychrun shot for the winning goal.
Aliaksei Protas scored shorthanded while Andrew Mangiapane, Dylan Strome and John Carlson scored for Washington, which has won six straight on the road. Charlie Lindgren finished with 24 saves.
Brayden Point registered his fifth career hat trick for Tampa Bay while Michael Eyssimont also scored for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 27 shots.
Tampa Bay had leads of 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3, with Point’s hat trick goal giving Tampa Bay the lead after Lindgren tried to play the puck behind him but fired it into his own net at 7:25 of the third period. But Carlson pulled the Capitals even again with 9:30 left.
Takeaways
Capitals: Washington has two power-play goals in four games since Alex Ovechkin was injured.
Lightning: Head coach Jon Cooper coached his 900th career regular season game to become just the eighth coach in league history to do so with one franchise.
Key moment
After Lindgren’s mishap on the own goal put Tampa Bay in front, the Capitals did not get rattled and answered three minutes later with Carlson’s third goal of the season.
Key stat
Point scored three goals on Wednesday, including his league-leading eighth power-play goal. Point has a goal in 71% of the games he’s played in this season, 12 of 17 games.
Up next
Washington returns home to host the New York Islanders on Friday while the Lightning are at Nashville on Friday.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl