Capitals snap 3-game skid with a 7-3 win over the Flames

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Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) tries to get the puck past Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley (1) and defenseman Kevin Bahl (7) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

A puck shot by Washington Capitals center Justin Sourdif, not shown, gets past Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley (1) for a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) — Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) tries to get the puck past Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley (1) and defenseman Kevin Bahl (7) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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6:45 PM on Monday, March 9

By SAMMI SILBER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Connor McMichael scored twice and the Washington Capitals beat the Calgary Flames 7-3 on Monday night.

Justin Sourdif had a goal and two assists and Hendrix Lapierre added a goal and an assist for Washington. Tom Wilson, Ethen Frank and Ryan Leonard also scored for the Capitals, who ended a three-game slide.

Matvei Gridin, Blake Coleman and Yegor Sharangovich scored for Calgary, which has lost five of its last six.

Washington surged to a 3-0 lead in a dominant first period. Just 2:46 into the game, Lapierre, playing the fourth-line center role with new acquisition David Kampf still going through immigration, scored off Martin Fehervary’s rebound to open the scoring. After more sustained pressure in the opening frame, Wilson sent a bouncing puck past Devin Cooley before McMichael scored from the slot, ending end a personal seven-game goal drought.

The Flames charged back and tied the game with a three-goal second period.

Gridin converted a backdoor feed from Olli Maatta past a sliding Logan Thompson to pull Calgary within 3-1. Ryan Strome, facing his brother, Dylan, got an assist on the play and has three points in two games since his trade to the Flames.

The Flames scored back-to-back short-handed goals in a span of 1:16 after turnovers by Washington. Coleman scored on a breakaway before Joel Farabee fed Sharangovich for a tying goal.

But the third period belonged to Washington.

McMichael scored on a rebound to restore the lead for the Capitals. Twenty-three seconds later, Justin Sourdif’s shot bounced past Cooley and Ethen Frank iced the game late with an empty-netter.

With 15.6 seconds to go in regulation, Leonard broke away and scored past Cooley to extend his point streak to three games.

Thompson stopped 22 of 25 shots in the win. Cooley had 22 saves.

Up next

Capitals: At Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Flames: At the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

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