WASHINGTON (AP) — Pierre-Luc Dubois scored in his first game since Halloween, Jakob Chychrun added a pair of goals and the Washington Capitals beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 on Thursday night.
Logan Thompson returned in goal from an injury of his own and made several sparkling saves, and the Capitals won for the fourth time in five games entering the Olympic break. Tom Wilson, who is on Canada's roster for those Olympics, also scored for the Caps.
Jonathan Marchessault and Michael McCarron scored for Nashville, which had its five-game points streak snapped.
Dubois had no points in his first six games this season and underwent surgery on injuries to his abdominal and adductor muscles. He hadn't played since Oct. 31.
Wilson opened the scoring for Washington, and then Dubois made it 2-0. The flashiest goal belonged to Chychrun, however. The defenseman left Nashville's Tyson Jost behind with a 360-degree spin near the boards, then entered the offensive zone and scored.
Thompson, also headed to the Olympics for Canada, stopped Marchessault when he and Erik Haula came in on a two-man breakaway in the second. Marchessault did score later that period when Haula's deflection bounced in off his left skate.
Washington's Nic Dowd had a goal called back on an offside review in the first minute of the third period, and then McCarron scored almost immediately afterward. Chychrun restored a two-goal advantage when he beat goalie Justus Annunen on the power play.
Barry Trotz, who recently announced he'll be retiring as general manager of the Predators, received a standing ovation from the Washington fans. He coached the Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018.
Up next
Predators: Host Chicago on Feb. 26.
Capitals: Host Philadelphia on Feb. 25.
