Dubois Pair and 5-Game Point Streak Helps Capitals Beat Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks visited Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night for the second game of their five-game road trip, facing off against the Washington Capitals. Heading into the matchup, Vancouver had won only two of their last ten games. They aimed to secure two more points to boost their confidence for the second half of the trip. With the help of a big game by Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Capitals picked up a big win over the Canucks. Here’s a period-by-period breakdown of the game.

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1st Period: Dubois and the Caps Targeted Hughes

The first few minutes of the game were very physical. Pierre-Luc Dubois targeted Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes early, focusing on the Canucks’ star defenseman. In the Capitals’ zone, Dubois roughed up Hughes and even hooked him on his injured hand, which has been bandaged since his return to the lineup in Montreal. Dubois also delivered a hit to Hughes’ knee. Things escalated after the whistle, with Kiefer Sherwood and Connor McMichael dropping the gloves, while Tom Wilson and J.T. Miller wrestled nearby.

Dubois didn’t let up, shoving Hughes to the ice even during a commercial break. The sequence resulted in six penalties, including a hooking and a roughing minor on Dubois, which gave Vancouver a four-minute power play. Hughes also received a roughing minor. However, the Canucks struggled to generate scoring chances on the man advantage, not surprising given their top scorer was in the penalty box.

Roughly five minutes later, Vincent Desharnais chased down Dubois, trying to get him to fight. Dubois declined and instead drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Desharnais. The ensuing power play created several good chances and shifted momentum in Washington’s favor.

Late in the period, Dubois had the last laugh. He capitalized on a rebound from the point, burying the puck to give the Capitals a 1–0 lead heading into intermission.

2nd Period: Logan Thompson Hot For Capitals

The second period went more Vancouver’s way. They had a lot more offensive zone time and managed to put 21 shots on net. Unfortunately for the Canucks, Capitals’ goaltender Logan Thompson stood on his head, shutting down Vancouver’s high-danger chances.

Vancouver also showed they would not be pushed around. At the end of the first period, J.T. Miller took a hit from Martin Fehervary and skated to the bench holding his shoulder. He shook it off in the second, getting two shots on net, finishing every hit, and getting under Tom Wilson’s skin as best he could. After non-stop shots from the Canucks and Thompson losing his stick, defenseman Jakob Chychrun was forced to take a hooking penalty at the end of the period. On the subsequent powerplay, Conor Garland tied it up. He had many chances throughout the game and capitalized off a rebound point shot from Quinn Hughes.

3rd Period: The Goalies Did Their Job

It was a defensively sound period from both teams. Each had good scoring chances, but Kevin Lankinen and Logan Thompson were unbeatable. All signs were this game would end in extra time.

Overtime

In overtime, had a slight edge in possession, with both teams having few scoring chances. This was until the Canucks turned the puck over in the offensive zone after an awkward line change. Aliaksei Protas carried the puck to the Vancouver zone, patiently wrapping it around the net before passing it to a wide-open Dubois. He deked out Lankinen and sealed the overtime winner for the Capitals with his second goal of the night.

Overall, the Canucks didn’t play a bad game. They showed heart and resilience, especially when Hughes was getting roughed up. Lankinen’s play remains one of the best stories of the season as he stays consistent, having already started 27 of the 40 Canucks games played.

In Washington, Logan Thompson stole the game. The Canucks just ran into a hot goalie. The Capitals continue to impress. This win put them once again at the top of the NHL standings. Pierre-Luc Dubois is playing the way he was expected to when drafted. A hard-nosed, big-bodied center with offensive skill and a good net-front presence. Protas’ great play continues, as that overtime assist gives him a 72-point pace this season.

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