The Washington Capitals will need their top players to be at their best if they have any hope at making the playoffs in the 2024-2025 season. One game in, their stars showed up but it wasn’t enough as the Caps fell 5-3 to the Devils on opening night.
The star power started early with John Carlson firing a rocket pass New Jersey goalie Jacob Markstrom to give the home side a 1-0 lead hallway through the opening frame. The power play goal was assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois. Dubois, a central piece of the offseason moves made by Washington recorded his first point of the season on the play.
Dubois registered two shots on goal and a hit and was involved in a couple of post-whistle scrums in just under 17:30 of ice time. The debut performance did not go under the radar of Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery.
“I thought he was one of our better players tonight,” the second year head coach said, who went on to compliment the trio of Dubois, McMichael and Wilson as the Caps best line of the night.
Dylan Strome, who led the Caps in points last season, also registered an assist on the goal and then scored his first of the season early in the second period, a goal that tied the game at the time. Carlson and Alex Ovechkin added helpers on the tally. Tom Wilson scored the Caps third goal of the game, cutting the deficit to one early in the the third period, but the stellar showing from the Caps stars wasn’t enough to overcome costly mistakes.
“Our job is to help the team win in whatever way we do best.” Strome said. “The first and second line guys are relied on to score goals and help on the power play, nice to help do that.”
Strome knows, however, it will take everyone in the lineup for the team to be successful.
“Ultimately its four lines, three pairs of d and two goalies that we need at all times,” Strome continued. “It’s going to take a full effort. We talked about that as a team last couple of days.”
