Capitals' 2022-23 season ends with overtime loss to New Jersey Devils

Capitals' season ends with overtime loss to Devils originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

WASHINGTON – For the first 40 minutes of Thursday evening's regular-season finale, the Washington Capitals hardly looked like a team that will not play in the postseason for the first time in nine years.

The third period was a different story.

The New Jersey Devils scored twice over the final 20 minutes to erase a two-goal Capitals lead and force overtime. And with just 26 seconds remaining in the extra frame, 19-year-old rookie Luke Hughes beat Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper for the game-winner on a wraparound, his first NHL goal, to give the Devils a 5-4 victory.

Washington's regular-season finale started promising for the home side. Just 4:36 into the opening period, Joe Snively sniped one from the right circle past Devils goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood to give Washington a 1-0 lead. The Capitals doubled their lead just over two minutes later when Nicklas Backstrom assisted Rasmus Sandin on a one-timer from the low slot.

The momentum continued to build for the home side midway through the third period when Devils star Jack Hughes made an errant pass deep in his defensive zone that landed on the stick of Capitals winger Craig Smith in a prime scoring opportunity.

After corralling the puck, Smith wristed it in the top right corner of the net over Blackwood’s glove to extend Washington’s lead to three. The score was also a special one for Smith; it marked his 200th career NHL goal.

New Jersey got one goal back late in the first period when Erik Haula’s slap shot from the left circle beat Darcy Kuemper's glove side. Despite 11-8 shots on goal advantage, New Jersey entered the first intermission still trailing by two.

The Capitals extended their lead back to three just 65 seconds into the middle period courtesy of Tom Wilson. The 28-year-old was able to beat Blackwood on a rebound shot in front of the net, marking his fourth straight game with a goal. Blackwood's evening was over following Wilson's goal, as he was pulled in favor of Akira Schmid after allowing four goals on 11 shots.

In the other crease, Kuemper made several big saves in the second period to preserve the Capitals' multi-goal lead. The Devils were able to get one back on the power play with 1:24 remaining in the second period via a Miles Wood redirect in front of the net, but the home side entered the second intermission in firm control of the game.

The Devils trimmed the lead to one early in the third period after Haula beat Kuemper on a breakaway for his second goal of the night. After several minutes of back-and-forth hockey, the Capitals missed a prime opportunity to extend their lead back to two after Nicolas Aube-Kubel hit the post on a center point shot just under the nine-minute mark.

New Jersey was able to get all the way even with 7:37 remaining in the third period when Dougie Hamilton scored from the center point for his 22nd goal of the season, beating Kuemper in the five-hole. Neither team would score throughout the remainder of the frame, sending Game No. 82 into overtime.

The Capitals had several excellent scoring chances throughout the first half of overtime, yet were just unable to put one past Schmid. Rasmus Sandin was called for hooking with 1:15 remaining in the extra period, but Hamilton was whistled for tripping just seven seconds into the Devils' man advantage. With 26 seconds remaining before overtime would've ended, Hughes beat Kuemper on the wraparound for the deciding goal.

Kuemper finished the game with 27 saves, yet the final three goals of the game came from the visitors to give New Jersey their 52nd victory of the season. The Devils overcame two separate three-goal deficits to knock off Washington on Thursday night.

It's worth noting Capitals star Alex Ovechkin returned to the lineup for the team's season finale after missing the past three games with an upper-body injury. Ovechkin did not score on Thursday, ending his 18th NHL season with 42 goals -- the 13th time he's topped the 40-goal mark in his career. Ovechkin will enter the 2023-24 season with 822 career goals, 72 short of tying Wayne Gretzky for the NHL's all-time record.

The Capitals finished the 2022-23 campaign with 80 points, their fewest in a full 82-game season since Ovechkin's second year in 2006-07.