WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The San Jose Sharks scored three times in a dominant second period to defeat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Thursday night at Capital One Arena. After Dylan Strome gave Washington a first-period lead, the Sharks responded with goals from Zack Ostapchuk, Collin Graf and Pavol Regenda in a span of 5 minutes, 46 seconds. Graf finished with a goal and an assist. Ryan Leonard scored late for the Capitals, but San Jose goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 21 saves to preserve the win. The victory, before an announced crowd of 18,347, improved San Jose to 24-22. Washington fell to 24-24. The Sharks avenged a 7-1 loss to the Capitals from Dec. 3.

WASHINGTON (Interstat) — A dominant second-period outburst and a crucial third-period stand propelled the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night at Capital One Arena, exacting a measure of revenge for a lopsided loss earlier this season. The Sharks, who were thumped 7-1 by the Capitals in San Jose on Dec. 3, flipped the script with three unanswered goals in the middle frame before weathering a fierce Washington push in the final period to secure the win. The victory improved San Jose’s record to 24-22, moving them two games above .500, while Washington fell to an even 24-24. A scoreless and tightly contested first period gave way to a decisive second, where the Sharks solved Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson three times in a span of 5 minutes, 46 seconds. The surge began at the 6:27 mark when Zack Ostapchuk, the 6-foot-4 center from St. Albert, Canada, wristed home his third goal of the season off assists from defenseman Dmitry Orlov and William Eklund. Just over two minutes later, rookie forward Collin Graf extended the lead. The right wing from Lincoln, Massachusetts, stationed at the top of the crease, deftly redirected a Pavol Regenda pass behind Thompson for his 13th goal of the year at 8:53. The Sharks’ top line then capped the flurry. Franchise centerpiece Macklin Celebrini, named the game’s top star, orchestrated the play, feeding Regenda for a wrist shot and the 3-0 lead at 12:13. Celebrini, the Vancouver native, finished the night with an assist, six shots on goal and won 15 of 24 faceoffs, continuing a torrid stretch that has seen him accumulate 10 points in his last five games. Washington, which had been stymied by Sharks netminder Alex Nedeljkovic through the first 35 minutes, finally broke through late in the second. Capitalizing on a sustained offensive zone shift, Dylan Strome collected a loose puck and slipped a backhand past Nedeljkovic with 59 seconds remaining in the period. The goal, Strome’s 11th, was assisted by Alex Ovechkin and Jakob Chychrun, cutting the deficit to 3-1 and injecting life into the crowd of 18,347. The Capitals carried that momentum into the third period, controlling play and outshooting San Jose 12-5. Their persistence was rewarded at the 7:11 mark when rookie Ryan Leonard snapped a wrist shot from the high slot for his 10th goal, pulling Washington within one. John Carlson and Martin Fehervary recorded the assists. From there, the game became a tense, defensive struggle. Washington pressed relentlessly for the equalizer, firing 23 shots toward Nedeljkovic in the final two periods. The San Jose goaltender, a native of Parma, Ohio, was superb under pressure, turning aside 21 of those 23 shots overall, including several key stops in the final minutes as the Capitals deployed an extra attacker. Nedeljkovic’s best sequence came in the dying moments, first denying a point-blank chance from Strome with just over 90 seconds left, and then smothering a tipped attempt by Ovechkin seconds later. The Sharks’ defense also contributed with 18 blocked shots, helping to preserve the narrow lead until the final horn. Thompson took the loss for Washington, making 23 saves on 26 shots. The Capitals’ power play, afforded two opportunities on penalties to San Jose’s Vincent Iorio and Tyler Toffoli, went 0 for 2. Washington’s John Carlson was penalized twice for infractions against Celebrini, and the Sharks failed to convert on their three power-play chances. The result defied the pregame projections. While National Statistical’s game simulator had predicted the exact 3-2 final score, its ELO rating system gave Washington a 69.6% probability to win, and the Capitals had been installed as 1.5-goal favorites on the betting spread. The total of five goals went under the over/under line of 6.5. For San Jose, the win marks a successful start to a critical six-game road trip and avenges their most one-sided defeat of the season. They continue the trek Friday night in Detroit. Washington, which had won two of its last three, looks to rebound when it hosts the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

Preview: Sharks at Capitals WASHINGTON (Interstat) — Two teams hovering around the .500 mark will look to gain traction when the San Jose Sharks visit the Washington Capitals on Thursday night at Capital One Arena. Both clubs enter with identical 23-win records, though the Sharks sit at 23-22 and the Capitals at 23-23. The matchup represents a critical point in the schedule as each seeks consistency before the All-Star break. San Jose arrives after a 7-2 home loss to Vegas on Sunday, a game in which rookie forward Collin Graf scored one of the Sharks’ two goals. Graf has been a bright spot, registering six goals and three assists in his last 10 contests. The Sharks had won three straight prior to the Vegas defeat, including an overtime victory against Dallas. Washington is coming off a 3-2 road loss to Nashville, also on Sunday. The Capitals’ offense continues to run through veteran captain Alex Ovechkin. The 40-year-old winger remains productive, with five goals and three assists over his last 10 games, including a goal and an assist in the loss to the Predators. The teams last met on Dec. 3, 2025, in San Jose, where the Capitals dominated in a 7-1 victory. For the Sharks, the game opens a four-game road trip through the Eastern Conference. Following Thursday’s contest, they travel to Detroit on Friday. The Capitals will begin a five-game Western Conference road swing after hosting Florida on Saturday. The Sharks’ recent success has been fueled by secondary scoring alongside Graf, including contributions from Alexander Wennberg and Jeff Skinner. Washington has shown a Jekyll-and-Hyde tendency, mixing decisive wins with periods of offensive struggle, often relying on Ovechkin and contributions from players like Ethen Frank and defenseman John Carlson. In net, neither team has announced a starting goaltender. The game will be the only regular-season meeting between the clubs. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.