- Jack Hughes bailed out of a high-danger chance when he saw Tom Wilson coming
- Capitals broadcasters Craig Laughlin and Joe Beninati had the call
- Read below for the video and how the game ended
Tom Wilson didn’t even have to hit Jack Hughes to ruin his shift.
The Devils star was bearing down on the Capitals’ net during Saturday’s game in Washington when he looked up and saw the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Wilson coming across. Hughes got rid of the puck with a quick backhand and hit the ice before any contact happened.
Check out the moment:
Hughes had a better option on the play. He could have cut across the crease for a higher-danger chance, but he flipped a harmless shot at Logan Thompson instead.
Capitals broadcaster Craig Laughlin was asked to explain it on the Monumental Sports Network call, and he went with the obvious.
“[Hughes] sees him at the last second and says, ‘Uh oh, my life is flashing in front of me,’” Laughlin said. “He quickly got that backhand away.”
Play-by-play man Joe Beninati put it even simpler. “Bail out!”
Hughes knows what Wilson brings. Wilson also buried Hughes’ brother, Luke, with a hit earlier in the game, so the Devils had already seen the show once.
Wilson finished with a team-high three hits. Hughes, who came in as New Jersey’s leading scorer with nine points in seven games, went without a point.
The Capitals won it 4-2 and moved to 5-3-0, while the Devils fell to 4-4-0. Thompson stopped 29 shots, and Ryan Leonard scored a highlight-reel goal on the power play, per the NHL.com game recap.
Hughes has plenty of good moments this season, including his overtime winner against the Red Wings. This one just wasn’t going to make the highlight reel for him.
