The Capitals picked up two critical points to close out their home stand, and a lot of it was thanks to T.J. Oshie.
WASHINGTON — Cowboy hats littered the ice in the final seconds of the third period on Thursday as "Take Me Home, Country Roads" played early and often for T.J. Oshie, who put on a show and got a hat trick to lead the Washington Capitals to a key win over his former team.
Oshie struck three times, and special teams played a key role as the Capitals emerged with a 5-2 win. The victory moves them into a tie for a Wild Card spot for the time being, and it marks the team's fourth win in six games.
Here are all the takeaways from the victory:
T.J. Oshie Stays Hot & Nets Hat Trick, Chemistry Remains With Pacioretty & Strome
Since making his return from injury, T.J. Oshie has been a different player for the Capitals, and he remained red-hot while helping lead Washington past St. Louis.
Oshie got things going halfway through the first, as he was able to stick with the puck and pull off some nice moves before sniping a quick shot past Jordan Binnington. It extended his point streak to three games.
Later on, he would strike again to another power-play chance, scoring off a one-timer from the bumper spot to make it 3-1. He now has four goals in his last four games and points in five of the last six overall.
He added an empty-netter with 19.5 seconds left for his sixth career hat trick.
Not only did Oshie extend his hot streak, but he continued to show chemistry with Dylan Strome and Max Pacioretty, both on the man advantage and at even strength. That trio stayed together amid Alex Ovechkin's return and did a good job creating space and generating chances. They also battled hard for pucks while showcasing their speed and skill.
They were also on the top power-play unit, and Pacioretty had two assists while Strome had a primary helper and a goal as the team's fourth power-play opportunity expired. Pacioretty's two assists marked his first multi-point effort since 2021-22. Strome's goal and assist tied him with Ovechkin for the team lead in scoring.
Penalty Kill Comes Up Big As Special Teams Plays Pivotal Role, Charlie Lindgren Solid
The penalty kill, operating without top PK forward Beck Malenstyn (personal matter), again came up huge on Thursday. Washington killed off a double-minor in the first period and before killed three more penalties in the second to go 5-for-5 on the night. Washington has now killed 16 straight penalties over the last five outings.
Charlie Lindgren wasn't the busiest, but he was there when D.C. needed him. The 30-year-old stayed sharp in net. He stopped 18 of 20 shots, and the only ones to beat him were through traffic. Over 75 percent of his starts have seen him post a save percentage of .900 or more.
Overall, Lindgren and special teams played a vital role in two big points.
Aube-Kubel Scores Strange Goal, Three Post Multi-Point Games
After ex-Capital Nathan Walker tied the game at 1 to close out the first, Washington got a key go-ahead goal from Nicolas Aube-Kubel in the second on a rather odd play. He picked up the puck from Hendrix Lapierre and went to pass, but his cross-ice feed ended up going off of a defending Justin Faulk and past Binnington to restore the lead.
It marked Aube-Kubel's fifth goal of the season. Lapierre's primary helper marked his first point in six games, and John Carlson got the secondary assist. He would pick up another assist later on to make him the third Capitals player to post a multi-point effort in the win, joining Strome and Pacioretty. Carlson's 23 assists lead the team this season.
Alex Ovechkin Returns From Injury For Capitals, Beck Malenstyn & Joel Edmundson Miss Game
The Capitals also got Alex Ovechkin back after the captain missed the last three games with a lower-body injury. He had a solid showing in his return, picking up an assist and two shots. He now has points in seven straight outings.
Washington was still shorthanded, though. Malenstyn did not play due to a personal matter, and Joel Edmundson sat out with an upper-body injury and is officially listed as day-to-day.
In other injury news, Rasmus Sandin, who upgraded to contact on Thursday, missed his seventh straight game with an upper-body injury. Sonny Milano also remained out for the 19th consecutive game due to his own upper-body injury.