Dylan Strome scored two goals, including the game-winner at 1:55 of overtime, and the host Washington Capitals edged the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Strome, who has 25 goals on the season, scored in front of the net off a John Carlson feed. Nic Dowd and Connor McMichael also scored for the Capitals (36-26-9, 81 points), who have won six of their past seven games. Charlie Lindgren made 30 saves.
Detroit (36-29-7, 79 points) fell two points behind Washington for the Eastern Conference’s second and final wild-card spot.
Alex DeBrincat, David Perron and Patrick Kane scored the Red Wings’ goals. Alex Lyon made 26 saves.
Both teams had seven shots on goal and a power play in the opening period but neither scored. The deadlock was broken early in the second period when Detroit failed to clear the puck from its zone.
Nick Jensen picked up the puck along the boards and found Dowd in the slot. Dowd ripped a one-timer at 2:09 for his ninth goal of the season.
DeBrincat’s first goal in 13 games tied it at 4:53 of the period. He skated toward the crease and converted a Jeff Petry pass for his 24th goal of the campaign. J.T. Compher collected the secondary assist.
After killing off an Andrew Copp penalty, the Red Wings scored in the final minute of the second to take a 2-1 lead.
With Aliaksei Protas in the penalty box, Detroit put heavy pressure on Lindgren. During a wild scramble, Perron scored from the side of the net for his 14th goal. Compher and Dylan Larkin had the assists.
The Capitals tied it 35 seconds into the third period. Martin Fehervary fired a wide shot and T.J. Oshie got his stick on the puck before McMichael collected it at the side of the net. He slid it past Lyon’s left leg for his 17th goal.
Washington won a faceoff in Detroit’s zone, leading to the go-ahead goal. Strome scored off a rebound of a Carlson shot at 4:49.
Kane tied with 5:20 remaining in regulation. After a Capitals turnover, DeBrincat set up Kane’s quick shot from the slot for his 17th goal.
–Field Level Media