Burakovsky lifts Caps past ‘Yotes (12-6-18)

By:Ryan Fowler

Headline Graphic Credit: Darrell Owens-LMS Network

GLENDALE, Arizona — Andre Burakovsky scored the go-ahead goal at 15:18 of the third period, and the Washington Capitals ended the Arizona Coyotes’ four-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory at Gila River Arena on Thursday.

Matt Niskanen had a goal and an assist, and Jakub Vrana scored for the Capitals (16-9-3), who won for the first time in three games and are 8-2-0 in their past 10. Pheonix Copley made 27 saves.

Christian Fischer and Lawson Crouse scored for the Coyotes (13-12-2). Adin Hill made 25 saves in his first loss and fourth start of the season.

Burakovsky, moved up to the Capitals’ No. 1 line with Tom Wilson out with an upper-body injury, skated in from the neutral zone and took a wrist shot that went in off Hill’s blocker to make it 3-2. “This game is funny. Overall, I wasn’t really there today, I had a tough one,” Burakovsky said. “Some nights, you have 1,000 chances and can’t score. Some nights, you’re struggling and you get one.Tonight I got one.”

Washington used different line combinations after Wilson was injured in a 5-3 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, but its top two lines combined for three goals against Arizona. 

Alex Ovechkin scored into an empty net with three seconds left for the 4-2 final score. It was his 21st goal, tied for the NHL lead with Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets.

TWIZZLING THE TWINE

The Coyotes went ahead 1-0 in the first period and 2-1 in the second.

“I hope our players are [mad], because the coaching staff is [mad],” Coach Rick Tocchet said. “These are games you’ve got to win, I think. It’s not the good old college try. It’s 2-2 (entering the third period), at least go to overtime. We kind of just backed up, and I hate backing up when it’s 2-2. … It’s frustrating.”

Fischer gave Arizona a 1-0 lead 4:48 into the game. Derek Stepan took the puck away from Burakovsky to set up Fischer’s one-timer from the right face-off circle.

Vrana tied it 1-1 on a wrist shot from the slot at 5:27 of the second after scoring twice against Vegas.

Crouse scored on the rebound of Jordan Oesterle‘s shot from the point to put the Coyotes ahead 2-1 at 6:59.

Niskanen tied it 2-2 with a shot that deflected off Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun‘s leg at 16:00. Copley got his first NHL assist on the goal.

Each team failed to score on a penalty shot; Arizona’s Richard Panik shot wide at 1:16 of the second period, and Hill made the save against Vrana 16 seconds into the third.

 POWER PLAY

With the first of his four shots on goal in the game, Ovechkin became the eighth player in NHL history with 5,000 and now has nine goals and five assists during a 10-game point streak…The Capitals hadn’t won at Arizona in regulation since Jan. 16, 2006. The Coyotes were 5-0-1 in their past six home games against the Capitals.

 UP NEXT

Capitals: At the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday (Dec.8)

Coyotes: Host the San Jose Sharks on Saturday  (Dec 8.)                                                    [R.F]