Washington Capitals fans everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief. The eight-game losing streak that threatened to torpedo the team's high hopes is finally over. The Capitals have defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on the road to snap the streak.
The win didn't come easy. The Capitals fell behind 2-0 after an uninspiring first period that looked all too familiar during this losing streak. But they rallied in the second period, thanks to Matthieu Perreault. The diminutive center scored twice near the crease in a seven-minute span, getting the team on the board 34 seconds into the period and scoring the eventual game-winning just over six minutes later. Eric Fehr sandwiched Perreault's two goals with a goal of his own for the final margin.
The ending was a nervous one, though. The Senators got a power play with two minutes and 45 seconds left, thanks to a penalty by Jason Chimera inside the Senators zone. They eventually pulled their goalie, giving them a six on four advantage in the final seconds. But the Capitals' defense held firm, killing the penalty and hanging on for the win.
Michal Neuvirth, starting in favor of Semyon Varlamov, had 24 saves to pick up the win. Bruce Boudreau elected to go with him, and Neuvirth was up to the challenge. Now, the Capitals can move on with their season. The monkey is officially off their back.