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Matthew Phillips was as close to a guaranteed goal scorer as it gets in the NHL. The Washington Capitals forward spent the past five seasons in the Calgary Flames organization, and few things motivate a player like facing his previous team — especially when that player <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/10/16/matthew-phillips-small-washington-capitals/" target=_blank>has an opportunity with his new team</a> that he didn’t get with the last one.

So when Phillips and Sonny Milano skated up the ice on a two-on-one early in the second period Monday night at Capital One Arena, there was little question about what Milano was going to do. He lofted a nifty pass through the slot to Phillips, who tucked the puck under the crossbar for his first NHL goal.

The goal sparked Washington’s comeback, helping the Capitals erase an early two-goal deficit and take the game to a shootout. Evgeny Kuznetsov scored the only goal in the tiebreaker to give Washington a 3-2 win and its first victory under Coach Spencer Carbery. Darcy Kuemper made 38 saves on 40 shots and wasn’t beaten in the shootout.

“We obviously kind of got outplayed in the first, and Kuemps was great,” Phillips said. “Kind of just got back to our game and put a little more pressure on them, used our speed a little bit better. To get a couple there and tie the game, it kind of swung the momentum for us.”

The Capitals' 588-game home sellout streak is over

The list of first-period issues for the Capitals was lengthy. After dominating from the drop of the puck, the Flames scored the first goal less than five minutes in. It took more than seven minutes for Washington to register a shot on goal, and the home side added only two more the rest of the period. Calgary scored on the power play late in the period to double its lead.

When the Capitals had the puck, which was rare as they struggled to break out of their end or navigate cleanly through the neutral zone, they never appeared to be on the same page. Passes sailed, missing their intended targets by several feet, and players often held on to the puck in the perimeter of the offensive zone, waiting for a perfect opportunity that never arrived.

“We’re trying to find it — I’ll be honest,” Carbery said. “We’re just off a little bit with a lot of our touches, our execution, our decision-making at times.”

After being shut out for four-plus periods to start the season, the Capitals finally began to figure things out in the second period. It wasn’t seamless, but Washington (1-1-0) managed to stay afloat.

Phillips’s goal ended the Capitals’ season-opening goalless drought at nearly 87 minutes, and it didn’t take long for them to add another. Just over three minutes later, Phillips slipped a pass to Connor McMichael at the blue line that led him into the offensive zone. McMichael’s shot eluded Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom, tying the score and adding an assist — also his first in the NHL — to Phillips’s night.

The 5-foot-8, 160-pound forward has <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/10/16/matthew-phillips-small-washington-capitals/" target=_blank>faced doubters</a> as he has forged his professional career, but he made it clear Monday that he can make an impact in the NHL.

“Even though probably you could argue that the deck was stacked against him,” Carbery said, “he fought his way onto this team. … He wasn’t going to be denied.”

After the Capitals tied it, their penalty kill was called into action multiple times to keep the game level. Forward Aliaksei Protas was whistled for tripping late in the second period. Forwards T.J. Oshie and Tom Wilson each took a penalty in the third — and defenseman Alex Alexeyev yielded a penalty shot after hauling down Flames forward Blake Coleman. Kuemper denied Coleman, and the Capitals held firm with Calgary (1-1-1) on the power play.

Kuznetsov converted in the shootout with his trademark slow-motion move.

“I saw it in person on the other side [as a Toronto assistant],” Carbery said, laughing. “… This was the first time I’ve seen it on the home bench, and I was very, very happy to see that.”

Here’s what else to know about the Capitals’ win:

Last time out: In opener under Spencer Carbery, Caps are blanked at home by Penguins

Goaltender Clay Stevenson is growing familiar with the route connecting Washington and Hershey, Pa. The goaltender was recalled from the Capitals’ American Hockey League affiliate to serve as the backup for Friday’s season-opening loss while Kuemper was out after the birth of his first child, and he was recalled again Monday after Charlie Lindgren was injured during the morning skate.

Lindgren was on the ice for just a few minutes before he left with the athletic trainers following closely behind. The Capitals did not disclose his injury; he’s listed as day-to-day. To make salary cap space to add Stevenson, Washington placed defenseman Joel Edmundson, who had surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand in late September, on long-term injured reserve, which requires him to miss at least 10 games and 24 days. His earliest possible return is Nov. 8.

University of Michigan, BA in communications

Bailey Johnson joined The Washington Post in 2023 as the Washington Capitals beat writer. She previously covered the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Columbus Crew for the Columbus Dispatch. 

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