The Minnesota Wild secured a hard-fought 4-3 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals on January 2, 2025, in a tightly contested game at Capital One Arena.
The game was a showcase of offensive talent, clutch moments, and determined goaltending, with the Wild prevailing in the end to claim two points.
The Capitals opened the scoring midway through the first period when Tom Wilson netted his 15th goal of the season at 10:19. Rasmus Sandin set up the play with his 12th assist, giving Washington an early edge.
The Wild, however, responded strongly. Ryan Hartman tied the game at even strength, and Yakov Trenin capitalized on a shorthanded opportunity to put Minnesota ahead 2-1 by the first intermission. The Capitals outshot the Wild 13-11 in the period but trailed on the scoreboard.
In the second period, Alex Ovechkin electrified the crowd with a power-play goal at 15:08, tying the game at 2-2. The tally was Ovechkin’s 18th of the season and 871st of his career, leaving him just 23 goals shy of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record.
Dylan Strome provided the assist, his 30th of the season. Despite the Capitals’ momentum, neither team managed another goal in the period, with both sides registering seven shots on net.
The Capitals regained the lead early in the third period when Martin Fehervary scored his first goal of the season at 5:34. Pierre-Luc Dubois recorded his 24th assist on the play, giving Washington a 3-2 advantage.
Minnesota answered back at 11:19, as Marco Rossi found the back of the net to knot the game at three apiece. The Wild turned up the pressure, outshooting the Capitals 14-10 in the final frame of regulation.
Overtime featured just one shot on goal from each team as both sides played cautiously, leaving the game’s outcome to be decided in a shootout. Washington’s Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Alex Ovechkin were all stopped by Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson.
On the other side, Charlie Lindgren denied Mats Zuccarello, but Matt Boldy converted for the Wild to secure the victory.
Minnesota held a narrow edge in total shots, outshooting Washington 33-31. The Capitals earned one point in the standings for the shootout loss, while the Wild claimed the full two points to continue their strong campaign.
Ovechkin’s goal was a highlight of the night as the Capitals captain inches closer to hockey history. With 871 career goals, he remains on pace to challenge Gretzky’s historic mark of 894, adding intrigue to every game.
The Wild demonstrated resilience in overcoming multiple deficits, while the Capitals were left to rue missed opportunities in the shootout. Both teams will look to build on this high-energy contest as they continue their respective seasons.