DETROIT (Interstat) — The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 in overtime Sunday at Little Caesars Arena, completing a two-game weekend sweep. Ethen Frank scored both goals for the Capitals, tying the game late in the third period. Dylan Strome assisted on both Washington tallies. Detroit’s Cam Talbot made 31 saves for the win. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider scored for Detroit in the second period to erase an early deficit. John Leonard netted the overtime winner, assisted by Andrew Copp, who finished with two assists. The Capitals fell to 19-17. The Red Wings improved to 21-16.

DETROIT (Interstat) — Moritz Seider scored 2:44 into overtime, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena, completing a weekend sweep of the home-and-home set. Seider collected a loose puck near the right point, skated into the high slot and fired a wrist shot through traffic that beat Washington goaltender Charlie Lindgren, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. The goal capped a resilient effort from the Red Wings, who erased a pair of one-goal deficits before securing the extra point. The game was a goaltending duel for long stretches, with Detroit’s Cam Talbot making 31 saves to earn his 21st win of the season. Lindgren was nearly as sharp at the other end, stopping 30 shots for a Capitals team that has now lost two straight following a three-game winning streak. Washington opened the scoring late in a dominant first period. After a sustained offensive-zone shift featuring several quality chances, center Ethen Frank converted on a backhand at 14:17. Dylan Strome won an offensive-zone faceoff cleanly back to John Carlson, whose quick shot was tipped in front. Talbot made the initial stop, but Frank pounced on the rebound for his fifth goal of the season. The Capitals carried that 1-0 lead into the first intermission, having outshot the Red Wings 15-7 and largely controlled the pace. Detroit found its footing in the second period, tilting the ice and eventually breaking through on the power play. After Washington’s Brandon Duhaime was called for tripping Alex DeBrincat, the Red Wings’ league-leading power play went to work. Lucas Raymond tied the game at 1-1 at 16:37, taking a cross-ice pass from Axel Sandin-Pellikka and wiring a wrist shot from the left circle past Lindgren for his 11th goal of the year. Detroit kept pressing and took its first lead just over ten minutes later. Off a cycle in the Washington zone, Andrew Copp fed Alex DeBrincat at the right half-wall. DeBrincat’s centering pass was deflected in front by John Leonard, who redirected the puck between Lindgren’s pads at 26:44 for his second goal, making it 2-1. The Red Wings nearly carried that lead into the third, but Frank struck again for Washington to force overtime. With just under ten minutes remaining in regulation, Frank took a pass from Strome, drove wide on Detroit defenseman Ben Chiarot, and snapped a sharp-angled wrist shot that beat Talbot short-side at 30:22. The goal was Frank’s sixth of the season and second of the afternoon, with Carlson earning the secondary assist. The third period saw both teams trade chances, with Talbot making key stops on Anthony Beauvillier and Alex Ovechkin, while Lindgren turned aside dangerous attempts from Raymond and Nate Danielson to send the game to an extra frame. In overtime, Detroit controlled possession from the opening faceoff. After a cycle in the Washington end, a clearing attempt was kept in at the point, eventually finding its way to Seider. The defenseman from Zell, Germany, did not hesitate, firing the game-winner for his fourth goal of the campaign. Frank’s two-goal performance led the Washington offense, while Strome contributed two assists. Beauvillier fired a game-high five shots on Talbot but was repeatedly denied. For Detroit, Raymond finished with a goal and five shots, Copp had two assists, and Seider added the decisive goal along with four hits and two blocked shots. The victory improves Detroit’s record to 21-16, solidifying their position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The loss drops Washington to 19-17 as they continue a challenging stretch of their schedule. The Capitals have lost four of their last six games. The result defied both the betting markets and a key statistical projection. Washington entered the game as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5, and National Statistical’s ELO system gave the Capitals a 53 percent probability to win. However, the total combined score of five goals fell under the pregame over/under line of 5.5. National Statistical’s game simulator had projected a 4-3 Detroit victory, coming closest to predicting the outcome. The Red Wings have now won three consecutive games and will look to continue their momentum when they host the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The Capitals, meanwhile, will aim to rebound quickly as they return home to face the New York Rangers, also on Tuesday night.

Preview: Capitals at Red Wings, Sunday, December 21, 2025 DETROIT (Interstat) — The Detroit Red Wings will look to complete a quick two-game sweep of the Washington Capitals when the teams meet again Sunday at Little Caesars Arena. Just 24 hours after Detroit’s 5-2 victory in Washington on Saturday, the scene shifts to Detroit for the back end of the home-and-home set. The Red Wings (20-16-0) used a three-goal second period to pull away from the Capitals (19-16-0) and solidify their hold on a playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Defenseman Moritz Seider was a force for Detroit in Saturday’s win, recording a goal, an assist and three hits. He enters Sunday’s contest on a hot streak, with eight points (two goals, six assists) in his last 10 games while consistently delivering a physical edge. Washington, which had won four of five before Saturday’s loss, will aim for a split on the road. Forward Anthony Beauvillier, who had a hit in the Saturday defeat, has been a steady presence with six points in his last 10 outings. The Capitals’ recent form has been inconsistent, mixing decisive wins like a 4-0 victory over Toronto on Thursday with several lopsided losses. Their road record will be tested against a Red Wings team that is 12-6-0 at home this season. Detroit has won seven of its last 10 games overall, showcasing an offense that has scored four or more goals in six of those contests. Beyond Seider, the team has gotten balanced scoring, with veteran James van Riemsdyk also coming off a strong performance Saturday with a goal and six shots on net. National Statistical’s game simulator projects a close, high-scoring affair, predicting a 4-3 victory for the Red Wings. Following Sunday’s game, both teams face a quick turnaround before the holiday break. Detroit hosts the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, while Washington returns home to face the New York Rangers that same night. Sunday’s puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.