Capitals wrap up solid homestand with 4-1 victory over Kraken, rebound from loss to Canucks

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Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd (26) celebrates his goal with center Ethen Frank (53) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (40) skates with the puck against Washington Capitals center Aliaksei Protas (21) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) — Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd (26) celebrates his goal with center Ethen Frank (53) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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9:40 PM on Tuesday, October 21

By NOAH TRISTER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nic Dowd, Ryan Leonard and Jakob Chychrun scored for Washington, and the Capitals defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Tom Wilson also scored for Washington, into an empty net in the final minute.

Jaden Schwartz had the only goal for Seattle, which was on the second night of a back to back. The Kraken lost both in regulation after earning points in each of their first five games.

Washington wrapped up a homestand in which it went 3-1. The Capitals fell behind 4-0 in a 4-3 loss to Vancouver on Sunday, but they were much sharper at the start of this one.

Brandon Duhaime entered the offensive zone along the right side in the first period before finding John Carlson open between the circles. Carlson made one more pass to Dowd, who scored on an easy redirect.

Washington added two more goals early in the second. Leonard, who hit the post in the first, scored 25 seconds into the second when he collected the puck in the high slot and beat goalie Matt Murray with a wrist shot.

Just over a minute later, Chychrun scored on the power play to make it 3-0.

Schwartz broke up the shutout bid for Washington's Logan Thompson with his goal in the third. Seattle had a power play not long after that, but a shot by Jani Nyman hit the post, then Nyman whiffed on a rebound in front seconds later.

The Kraken are 1-2-2 on this road trip with one game left.

Alex Ovechkin assisted on Chychrun's goal but remained two goals shy of 900.

After a slow start to the season with the man advantage, the Caps have a power-play goal in four straight games.

At 20 years, 273 days, Leonard become the youngest Capitals player to score in consecutive games since Nicklas Backstrom (20 years, 103 days) in 2008.

Jason Serbus, Washington's head athletic trainer, worked his 2,000th professional game Tuesday. The players had him out on the ice for celebratory fist bumps after the win.

Up next

Kraken: At Winnipeg on Thursday night.

Capitals: At Columbus on Friday night.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL