Jakob Chychrun scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lead the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. The win extended the Capitals’ winning streak to three games, improving their record to 3-1-0 early in the NHL season.
Chychrun’s decisive goal came at 1:19 of the extra period, set up by a skillful play from Tom Wilson. Wilson circled behind the net and passed from the left side to Chychrun, who fired a shot that hit the right post and went in. After the game, Chychrun credited Wilson’s vision, noting that he noticed his defender was “snoozing a little bit” and capitalized on the opportunity. The Capitals dominated the overtime period from the start, winning the face-off and maintaining possession until the goal.
Tampa Bay opened the scoring early in the first period when Jake Guentzel netted his first goal of the season at 7:06. Anthony Cirelli won a face-off back to Ryan McDonagh, who passed down to Guentzel for a one-timer from the right hash marks that beat Capitals goalie Logan Thompson through the five-hole. The Lightning controlled much of the initial play, but Washington gradually found their footing as the game progressed.
Washington tied the game 1-1 late in the second period with Aliaksei Protas scoring from the left circle. Connor McMichael retrieved a puck sent into the zone by Wilson and, while skating behind the net, passed behind him to Protas, who found the open left side of the net. McMichael later described the play as a quick decision that paid off, highlighting the team’s growing chemistry.
The Lightning regained the lead early in the third period on a power-play goal from Brayden Point, who tipped Victor Hedman’s shot past Thompson at 1:23. However, the Capitals responded quickly on their own power play, with Tom Wilson redirecting Dylan Strome’s point shot to tie the game 2-2 at 4:56. Wilson emphasized the team’s shift in aggression after a hesitant start, saying they focused on pushing the Lightning out of the game.
Wilson finished the game with a goal and two assists, playing a pivotal role in the comeback. Capitals goalie Logan Thompson made 17 saves and praised Wilson as “the heart and soul of this team,” highlighting his ability to build momentum through hits or key goals. For Tampa Bay, Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 25 shots, and Nikita Kucherov recorded an assist, bringing his career point total to 997 in his 807th NHL game.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper expressed disappointment with the overtime outcome, stating, “It’s unfortunate how this one ended. It’s tough when you don’t have the puck in overtime. They got the draw, we didn’t. They got to touch it, so it was unfortunate.” He acknowledged that despite playing well for large portions, a couple of mistakes cost them the game.
The Capitals’ strong defensive performance has seen them allow only two even-strength goals through four games, underscoring their resilience. Meanwhile, the Lightning, who fell to 1-2-1, will look to bounce back in their next game against the Detroit Red Wings. Both teams demonstrated competitive spirit in a tightly contested match that highlighted the intensity of early-season NHL action.