Aliaksei Protas had two goals and an assist in the third period to key the Washington Capitals rallying to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Friday night, extending their winning streak to three games.
Red Wings Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime, right, hits Detroit Red Wings Dominik Shine, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Red Wings Capitals Hockey Detroit Red Wings right wing Dominik Shine, right, fights Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime (22) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
APTOPIX Red Wings Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals right wing Taylor Raddysh (16) celebrates after scoring against the Detroit Red Wings during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Red Wings Capitals Hockey Detroit Red Wings center Tyler Motte (14) skates with the puck against Washington Capitals left wing Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) and goaltender Logan Thompson (48) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Red Wings Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals center Aliaksei Protas (21) celebrates after his goal in front of Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (53) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Red Wings Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) celebrates after his goal with right wing Tom Wilson (43) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Red Wings Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) scores past Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot (39) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Red Wings Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) celebrates after his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings, Friday, March 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Aliaksei Protas had two goals and an assist in the third period to key the Washington Capitals rallying to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Friday night, extending their winning streak to three games.
Taylor Raddysh got the Capitals on the board after falling behind 2-0, and, after Protas tied it in the first minute of the third, Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal 66 seconds later. Logan Thompson bounced back from a rough start to stop 18 of the 20 shots he faced as Washington padded its lead atop the Eastern Conference.
Detroit’s Cam Talbot allowed five goals on 29 shots, falling apart just after the second intermission. Dylan Larkin and Moritz Seider had given the Red Wings — who are trying to get one of the East’s two wild-card spots — a lead, but they could not hold on and lost ground in the playoff race with their fifth consecutive loss.
Some Capitals fans chanted, “Pull the goalie!” late, hoping Alex Ovechkin would get a chance to shoot at an empty net. That did not happen, and he remains at 885 goals, 10 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career record.
Takeaways
Red Wings: With the New York Rangers, Ottawa and Columbus all adding at the trade deadline and playing better hockey, Detroit needs to turn things around quickly.
Capitals: Even without Ovechkin scoring, they are back to playing the hockey that has them among the league’s best teams.
Key moment
With the Red Wings up 2-1 going into the third, Talbot allowed three goals on the first four shots he faced in the period.
Key stat
Protas now has 25 goals this season.
Up next
The Capitals host Seattle on Sunday, while the Red Wings visit Ottawa on Monday night.
