Tom Wilson, Capitals hand Ducks their 8th straight loss – Orange County Register

ANAHEIM — The Ducks watched the Washington Capitals grind out a victory against the Kings on Wednesday but struggled with the friction of their forecheck just the same Thursday night, slipping 5-3 at Honda Center in their eighth straight regulation defeat.

Last season, the Ducks had the lowest point total in the NHL, but they didn’t produce a slump this severe until the end of the season when they lost nine straight in regulation as part of a 13-game winless streak to conclude the campaign.

Rookie Tristan Luneau and former Capital Brett Leason contributed a goal apiece and both assisted on Brock McGinn’s goal for the Ducks, who had won eight of 10 games before the losing streak started. Frank Vatrano also scored and John Gibson made 21 saves.

Tom Wilson scored his first career hat trick (in his 700th game), while Anthony Mantha and Nic Dowd also tallied for Washington. Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson each had two power-play assists and Darcy Kuemper stopped 28 shots.

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In the opening 20 minutes, the Ducks trailed, led and then trailed again during a period that featured a six-goal flurry.

Many fans were still traversing the temporary circuitous route from the parking lot to the arena when the two sides traded unassisted goals in the second minute of the match.

Just 87 seconds in, Mantha collected his second goal and third point in two games, after Pavel Mintyukov succumbed to forecheck pressure. Mantha took the puck off his stick and pranced across the entire crease for a backhand goal.

The Ducks recouped that goal 22 seconds later off of their own version of football’s “pick-six,” when Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov mishandled a pass in the center of his own zone. Luneau was so open that he had time to launch one menacing shot and then turn his threat into a promise with a second.

The Ducks sprang from the first goal of Luneau’s career to one of the sweetest setups to date for another rookie, No. 2 overall pick Leo Carlsson. He did his best Mario Lemieux impression, skating through all three zones and using his reach to deke two defenders en route to the net, where he created a rebound for Leason’s go-ahead goal 7:51 into the game.

All that youthful joy proved fleeting, when the Caps scored three unanswered goals at 15:54, 18:39 and 18:59.

Wilson’s first goal saw him exit the penalty box following an unsuccessful Ducks power play and pounce on the puck just as it arrived to Mason McTavish. Wilson darted off for a breakaway tally.

A special teams battle factored directly into Wilson’s next goal, though it wasn’t for lack of effort. During a Capitals power play, perhaps the most lethal shot in league history, that of Ovechkin, was launched from his favorite spot, the left faceoff circle. Radko Gudas, who missed Tuesday’s game against Vancouver with a knee injury, dropped down to block the shot with his leg. His effort went for naught when the puck caromed to Wilson, who scored easily from the doorstep, leaving Gudas visibly deflated.

Washington extended its lead with a heavy forecheck and Dowd’s tip of Rasmus Sundin’s shot from the point.