The final minute of Washington’s 4-1 win over Nashville was ticking away when the Capitals got one last power-play opportunity. But rather than send out Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom or any of his other usual goal scorers, Coach Barry Trotz elected to use his fourth line. This was a reward for an evening in which their production finally matched their play on the ice, and the gesture did not go unnoticed by forward Daniel Winnik.
Though the bruising 31-year-old failed to net his first hat trick, Winnik left Verizon Center with a smile on his face.