Cole Hutson’s OT goal lifts the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

The Washington Capitals defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in overtime at Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday, with Cole Hutson scoring the game-winner at 1:14 of the extra period. Hutson’s winning play came as he released a wrist shot from the top of the right face-off circle, sending it toward the far side with bodies positioned in front of Senators goaltender Samuel Ersson.

Washington opened the scoring 35 seconds into the first period when Matt Roy fired a slap shot from the point for the first goal of the game. The Capitals’ lead did not last long, however, as Ridly Greig tied the score 1-1 at 11:05 of the second period after taking a cross-ice pass from Thomas Chabot in the left circle and finishing with a forehand-to-backhand release to the blocker side.

Ottawa took its first lead of the night on a Senators rush at 16:04 of the second period. Hayden Hodgson scored from a low spot in the right circle on a wrist shot to the short side after Chabot set him up, snapping a long goal drought that the NHL.com recap noted had last ended on March 24, 2022.

A major momentum swing arrived late in the third period when Pierre-Luc Dubois tied the game 2-2 at 12:31. Dubois scored after Hutson fed him with a cross-ice pass in the right circle, setting up the equalizer that forced overtime.

The game’s flow included extended stretches of play in Ottawa’s favour during the middle portion of the match. According to the recap, the Senators outshot Washington 17-2 in the second period. It also reported a significant goaltending and defence stretch by Washington late in the game, with the Capitals going 21:05 without a shot on goal against them spanning from 5:24 of the second through 6:29 of the third.

Goaltending remained a central factor at key moments. Logan Thompson made 23 saves for Washington, while Ersson stopped 14 shots for Ottawa, including saves during the late stages that preserved the Senators’ opportunity to build and protect the two-goal advantage.

As the teams played into the third period, the Senators also faced a lineup setback. Nick Cousins left the game and had to be helped off the ice with 2:57 remaining after being hit along the boards by Washington defenceman Jakob Chychrun. The recap did not indicate whether Cousins returned, and the only documented detail was that he did not come back into the contest.

The final result pushed Washington to its second straight win, improving the Capitals’ record to 10-6-0 as noted in the game summary. For Ottawa, the Senators entered Tuesday with momentum after winning two consecutive games and finished the night with a 11-6-2 record, despite their overtime loss.

With the loss, the Senators will return to the question of how to convert late leads and manage defensive structure against a Capitals team that found its equalizer through Hutson’s setup to Dubois and then closed the game in overtime through Hutson again. For Washington, the victory highlighted a quick-strike capability, starting with Roy’s first-shot goal of the game and ending with Hutson’s decisive wrist shot at 1:14 of extra time.

The overtime finish gave the Capitals a 3-2 edge on Tuesday, completing a night in which the score changed multiple times, and the timing of goals played a defining role: Roy at 35 seconds of the first, Greig at 11:05 of the second, Hodgson at 16:04 of the second, Dubois at 12:31 of the third, and Hutson’s winner at 1:14 of overtime.