- Alex Tuch scored the game-winning goal in the Capitals’ 4-3 win over the Predators
- It was his 10th goal in 12 games and his fifth game-winner, most in the NHL
- Read below for the goal, the postgame quotes and the full video
Alex Tuch keeps scoring, and the goals keep deciding games.
The Capitals winger scored the game-winner at 10:09 of the third period Thursday in a 4-3 win over the Predators in Nashville. It was his 10th goal in 12 games with Washington, and his fifth game-winner of the season, the most in the NHL.
Check out the Capitals’ video of all 10 goals so far:
The goal came with the game tied 3-3. Jakob Chychrun put a shot on net that Juuse Saros knocked into the corner, Jordan Kyrou won the race to the puck, and Tuch was waiting in the left circle. He wired a wrist shot over Saros’ shoulder on the short side.
Nashville had pulled even on Ross Colton’s goal at 6:34 of the third. Washington had led 3-2 on the strength of two goals from defenseman Cole Hutson, who was named the game’s first star. Boone Jenner added the other, and Filip Forsberg scored twice for the Predators.
Tuch was asked about the way the Capitals responded after Nashville tied it. He said the group never settled back:
Nobody else is close in the game-winner race. Kirill Kaprizov, Mason McTavish and Nick Schmaltz each have three, and Tuch’s five already top his totals from each of the last two seasons. His career high is nine, which he set in the 36-goal season he had with the Sabres in 2022-23.
Head coach Spencer Carbery talked about how the winner was set up. He pointed to the forecheck plan against Saros, who is one of the best puck-handling goalies in the league.
“He’s that good at playing the puck. You have to build a little bit of a plan,” Carbery said. “Tuchy, the shot is world class. But everything we did to get him into that spot was really well done by our group.”
Here’s Carbery’s full postgame media availability:
Ten goals in 12 games puts Tuch on a pace for about 68 over a full season. That is a lot to ask of anybody, but he has looked comfortable from his first game in a Capitals sweater. Earlier this week he was already talking about Ovechkin and the winning culture in D.C., and he got a measure of revenge on his old team when he scored the overtime winner against the Sabres.
Washington will take that kind of production every night, especially with games being decided in the third period.
