Hendrix Lapierre ends 90-game goal drought in Capitals’ 3-1 win over Flames

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Washington Capitals' Aliaksei Protas, right, celebrates his goal against the Calgary Flames with teammates during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press via AP)

Washington Capitals' Justin Sourdif (34) looks for a rebound as Calgary Flames goalie Devin Cooley makes a save during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press via AP) — Washington Capitals' Aliaksei Protas, right, celebrates his goal against the Calgary Flames with teammates during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press via AP)

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9:18 PM on Friday, January 23

The Associated Press

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Hendrix Lapierre ended a 90-game goal drought, Alex Ovechkin had an empty-netter and the Washington Capitals beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 on Friday night to end a four-game losing streak.

Aliaksei Protas also scored and Logan Thompson made 25 saves against his hometown town.

Morgan Frost scored for Calgary, and Devin Cooley stopped 35 shots. In the third, Cooley denied defenseman Jacob Chychrun's lacrosse-style wraparound attempt on a power play.

Protas broke a tie at 7:35 of the third. When Cooley slid to his left to defend against Tom Wilson, a rebound squirted out to the Belarusian, who fired the puck into an open net.

Lapierre tied it at 1 at 6:33 of the second. John Carlson's shot deflected off the leg of Yan Kuznetsov and onto Lapierre’s stick for the 23-year-old’s first goal since March 18, 2024, which also happened to be against Calgary. He has 10 career goals,

Calgary countered a Washington short-handed, odd-man rush with a power-play goal on the Flames’ next trip down the ice. Frost bear Thompson with a wrist shot below the goalie’s outstretched stick at 6:09 of the first.

Up next

Capitals: At Edmonton on Saturday night.

Flames: Host Anaheim on Sunday night.

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