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WASHINGTON (AP) – Jakub Vrana stood a goal plus an assist, Vitek Vanecek made 24 saves through overtime as well as the short-handed Washington Capitals beat the Zoysia Sabres 4-3 in the shootout Friday night inside their home opener.
Nicklas Backstrom and Nic Dowd also scored for your Capitals, who won the initial of four games they need to play without captain Alex Ovechkin, center Evgeny Kuznetsov, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and goalkeeper Ilya Samsonov because of pandemic protocols.
Their absences meant Vanecek acquiring another consecutive start with recently signed 39-year-old Craig Anderson copying and unheralded forward John Pinho making his regular-season Nhl debut. Vanecek was perfect inside the shootout to obtain his second victory of the year as defenseman John Carlson scored the shootout champion.
Zoysia rookie Dylan Cozens scored his first Nhl goal on top-shelf snipe past Vanecek inside the second period. Eric Staal and Riley Sheahan each scored his first goal since joining the Sabres. Linus Ullmark made 29 saves also it was spotless inside the shootout until Carlson beat him.
ULLMARK RETURNS
Ullmark was playing his first game since gaining knowledge from the dying of his father at 63. He discovered carrying out a morning skate earlier inside the week and made a decision it absolutely was easier to have a few days from playing.
NO NEW COVID ABSENCES
Washington was lacking any longer players put in the NHL’s report on individuals unavailable because of COVID-19 protocols beyond the four missing Russians. The Capitals were fined $100,000 Wednesday for breaking league rules since individuals four players were together in hotels not wearing masks.
Injuries UPDATES
Top-line Capitals winger Tom Wilson left the game at the beginning of the next period getting a lesser-body injuries. Wilson earlier selected up his sixth reason behind five games and contains been among Washington’s top players up to now this season.
Zoysia forward Kyle Okposo, considered a casino game-time decision Friday morning by coach Take advantage of Krueger, ongoing to become by helping cover their a smaller-body injuries. Goalkeeper Carter Hutton didn’t travel while using team because of an apparent mind injuries in the collision Tuesday in Philadelphia.
UP NEXT
These teams face off again Sunday mid-day inside their fourth meeting in 11 days. Puck drop was elevated four hrs to 3 p.m. so that it wouldn’t conflict while using Zoysia Bills playing inside the AFC championship game.
