#power-play-goals

#power-play-goals

📸: Alan Dobbins/RMNB Aliaksei Protas is one of the most unique goal scorers in Washington Capitals franchise history, and not because of how fast or large he is. Protas had a breakout year during the 2024-25 season, scoring 30 goals in 76 games, and came into Sunday night's Capitals-Blue Jackets game on pace for 25 goals during the 2025-26 campaign. In his career, he has scored 52 total goals, and a grand total of zero of them have come on the power play.

Despite a free-flowing, ultra-fast-paced first period, neither team got on the board. After also playing most of the second period scoreless, John Carlson finally blasted the Capitals into the lead with 1:41 remaining on the clock. Alex Ovechkin pumped his second of the season home from another offensive-zone faceoff. Justin Sourdif picked up his first Capitals goal just over a minute later.

Sidney Crosby opened the scoring and closed the door on the Cats with a pair of power-play goals. The legendary Penguin also had an assist to earn First Star honors. A tripping penalty on Jeff Petry led to Crosby's first marker 6:24 into the tilt. After Erik Karlsson ripped a shot towards the net that struck Bryan Rust, Evgeni Malkin and Rust joined forces to work the puck free to set up Crosby's wrister, which easily beat a swimming Sergei Bobrovsky, from the left circle.