With a 12-game undefeated streak and a five-game winning streak, the Washington Capitals blazed into Tuesday night’s game with the Blackhawks.
The Hawks put out the five-alarm fire.
Coach Alpo Suhonen called their 3-2 victory “one of the best games we played the whole year in every part of the game.”
Steve Sullivan scored his second goal of the game and 31st of the season when he broke away, winning a one-on-one duel with Capitals goalie Olaf Kolzig and snapping a 2-2 tie with 6 minutes 17 seconds elapsed in the third period.
It took a goal-line stand in the final 88 seconds to make it stand up. Jaroslav Spacek hooked Ulf Dahlen during a concerted attack on the Hawks net, creating a power play for the Capitals Then coach Ron Wilson pulled Kolzig for an extra attacker with 63 seconds remaining, giving the Caps six skaters to the Hawks’ four.
But penalty-killers Steve Dubinsky, Stephane Quintal, Steve Poapst and Sullivan collaborated with goaltender Jocelyn Thibault to quell an all-out offensive by the NHL’s best power play.
“We knew they were going to come hard,” Thibault said. “There weren’t a lot of shots, but there was a lot of puck movement and there were screen shots. Steve Dubinsky made some great saves in front of me.”
The Capitals, who hadn’t lost since Jan. 27 and compiled a 10-0-2 record during the NHL’s longest undefeated streak since 1998-99, had tied the score 2-2 when Peter Bondra swiped the puck while Quintal was falling to the ice.
“I’m a big guy. I weigh 235 pounds,” Quintal said. “It takes a lot to pull me down. He tripped me.”
No penalty was called. Bondra sent the puck to Dmitri Kristich, who relayed it to Adam Oates for the goal. The Hawks had taken the lead 71 seconds into the second period. Washington center Jeff Halpern had tried to control the puck with his skate after losing his stick. Eric Daze took the puck off Halpern’s skate and wheeled in the right circle for his 11th goal in 11 games.
