Pothier nets game-winner in Caps win

Brian Pothier received a nice ovation in the first period when he was shown on the scoreboard during his first home game since missing 14 months after a concussion.

He earned a much more boisterous one later in the evening.

Not only did Pothier score his first goal since the career-threatening head injury, but it also proved to be the game-winner for the Washington Capitals in a 5-3 victory Friday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning at sold-out Verizon Center.

“I was really happy for him,” Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said. “You just think of the mountain the man had to climb if you guys knew the days when he came in and couldn’t even focus. He would just be there and bring his kids in and walk around. He practiced for two months I think without getting cleared — he had worked so hard and to see a little bit of success happen to him tonight was really uplifting.”

Brooks Laich worked the puck from along the left wall into the middle of the ice, and it trickled out to the right point to Pothier, whose slap shot hit a Tampa Bay player and found the back of the net at 4:30 of the final period.

The goal helped the Caps escape the lowly Lightning after yielding a two-goal lead. Tampa Bays Vinny Prospal had tied the contest at 3-3 just 91 seconds earlier with a shot from the top of the right circle that surprised Washington goalie Jose Theodore.

“It has been a while, and I really had to hold back the emotions a bit,” Pothier said after the ovation when his goal was announced. “Just to feel like I was contributing ? it has only been a few games and I felt like a spare part sometimes, but to put in such an important goal was pretty special.”

For the fourth time in five games against the Lighting this season, the Caps potted three goals in the first period. Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring with a five-on-three goal at 6:49.

A pair of Lightning players took penalties trying to stop Ovechkin on a rush, and it led to two-man advantage for a full two minutes. Ovechkins first attempt was blocked, but the puck eventually came to Nicklas Backstrom to the left of goalie Mike McKenna, and he sent it back to the leagues leading goal scorer for another blast from the top of the circles.

Backstrom made it 2-0 at 11:17 with another power-play marker. Ovechkins slap pass hit Backstroms skate and went in, but the goal was allowed after an official review didn’t show a distinct kicking motion.

The sophomore center added another extra-man tally just before the first intermission. McKenna stopped Mike Greens one-timer from the right point, but Backstrom was at the top of the crease to tap home the rebound.

It was Backstrom’s first multigoal game of the season and second of his career. Boudreau split Backstrom and Ovechkin up at even strength, but they combined for seven points in the game ? six on the power play.

Ovechkin added an empty-netter with seven seconds left to give him 53 goals and 100 points for the season. It is the second-most goals in his career and his third 100-point campaign.

“He’s a great player,” Backstrom said. “To play with him is great, and we had our goals on the power play tonight. Otherwise, it doesnt matter who you play with ? you always try to do your best out there.”

Steven Stamkos, the first overall pick in last year’s NHL draft, cut the Caps lead to 3-2 with the lone goal of the middle period. He collected a rebound and shifted to his backhand for an easy tally with 54 seconds left.

Story Continues →