Yahoo Sports Live From The Locker Room: Capitals Proud Of Comeback But Know It's 'Not Ideal' Way To Play; Team Wants Clarity On Goaltender Interference
WASHINGTON — For Connor McMichael, this year's Washington Capitals can be summed up by one saying that's survived the trials of time in the game of hockey.
"Good teams always find a way to win," he recited with a smile after the team's 5-4 overtime win over the New York Islanders.
Washington pulled off its league-leading ninth comeback win of the season over the Islanders on Black Friday in stunning fashion.
The Capitals had gone up 3-2 in the second period, but what would've been the go-ahead goal for John Carlson was overturned due to goaltender interference. Hendrix Lapierre's presence in the crease at the time of Carlson's goal was the main issue, and the NHL situation room decided his presence impeded Semyon Varlamov's ability to play his position to a point where the goal shouldn't count.
Washington expressed frustration with the league's decision, which marked the third overturned goal for Carlson alone this season, and also wants more of a clear-cut, encompassing definition of goaltender interference.
"It's so arbitrary. I don’t know where it goes," head coach Spencer Carbery said postgame. "But I do feel like it needs to be way more clear for the players and for the fans and for the coaches to know exactly what we’re doing here.”
"It's frustrating for our whole group, but probably him especially. I don't know if there's a stat on how many goals have been called back, but he's got to be up there," McMichael added. "... It honestly deflated us more than we wanted it to."
After that, the Islanders got two quick goals to go up 4-2 heading into the third period. Instead of sitting back, though, D.C. used the second period to regroup and come back in the third ready to rally.
Dylan Strome started that comeback with a power-play goal early, and minutes later, Tom Wilson scored his second of the night to make it 4-4. Then, in overtime, Jakob Chychrun took matters into his own hands, scoring the overtime winner for the 5-4 victory.
"We got such a great group," Chychruyn said. "When we have a bad period, we take a lot of pride in turning it around the next.”
"We got guys with high character that never give up," McMichael noted.
While Wilson admitted that coming from behind is "not ideal" when it comes to winning games, he's proud of how the Capitals have been able to rally and push for two points, especially with Alex Ovechkin out the next few weeks with a broken leg.
"It's usually easier to play with a lead in this league," Wilson said. "But it says a lot about the group that you can be down, but never out of it."
