The Washington Capitals started 2015 on a high note with a 3-2 Winter Classic win over the Chicago Blackhawks. In front of a home crowd of 42,832 at Nationals Park, the Caps sealed the deal with a power play goal from Troy Brouwer with just 12.9 seconds remaining.
The goal came on the back of a wild sequence where Alex Ovechkin had his stick broken - with some players distracted, Brouwer controlled the puck in the left circle and sent a desperation shot towards goal.
"I'm not even sure where it went in," Brouwer told reporters after the game, "but I heard the noise of the crowd, heard the noise of the guys on the ice."
This is Washington's second Winter Classic victory, their first coming in 2011's 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Caps become the first team to win the Winter Classic twice, with Eric Fehr's goal today cementing his spot as the game's leading scorer (Fehr scored twice in Washington's 2011 victory).
The victory takes the Caps to 19-11-7 on the season, and they move up to third in the Metropolitan Division with the win vaulting them a point ahead of the New York Rangers. Washington now has two days off before hosting the Florida Panthers at the Verizon Center on Sunday.
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