WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex DeBrincat tied the game and scored in overtime to help the Ottawa Senators snap the Capitals’ five game winning streak, beating Washington 4-3 Thursday night.
Tim Stutzle scored with 15.3 seconds remaining in the second period to start Ottawa’s comeback from a two-goal deficit. DeBrincat tied the score with 5:43 left in regulation and won it 1:31 into 3-on-3 OT.
Cam Talbot bounced back from allowing two goals on the first eight shots he faced to make 22 saves. Rookie defenseman Jake Sanderson also scored to help the Senators win a second game in a row.
Alex Ovechkin scored his 23rd goal of the season and 803rd of his career for Washington, which lost for the first time since Dec. 15. Dylan Strome and Evgeny Kuznetsov also scored for the Capitals, and Darcy Kuemper made 41 saves in his second consecutive start.
The Capitals were in a giving mood in their second game after the NHL’s holiday break, handing the Senators several quality scoring chances on odd-man rushes and breakaways. The stingy defense that was the backbone of their run of 10 victories in 11 games faltered in several instances, and Kuemper, despite some big stops, could not bail out his teammates.
After rolling along amid several injury absences, the accumulation caught up to Washington in the second consecutive game without top defenseman John Carlson, who took a puck to the face and is out indefinitely, and fifth in a row without winger T.J. Oshie, who has an upper-body injury.
NOTES: Capitals defenseman Erik Gustafsson extended his point streak to six games. Kuznetsov is on a four-game point streak. … Washington assistant coach Scott Allen missed the game because of COVID-19 protocol. Center Nicklas Backstrom, who appears to be nearing his season debut after offseason hip surgery, went into protocol Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Senators: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.
Capitals: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday afternoon.
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Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
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