New Jersey Devils Defeat Capitals 5-2 in Kolyachonok's Debut
A 25-year-old free agent scored the winning goal in his first game for the Devils, who extended their home win streak to seven.
By Nia Foster ·
Vladislav Kolyachonok broke the deadlock with a goal at 6:27 of the third period, propelling the New Jersey Devils to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
The shot slipped past goaltender Logan Thompson and marked the first appearance in a Devils jersey for the 25-year-old defenseman. He entered the lineup in place of the injured Johnathan Kovacevic after signing as a free agent in July.
Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves in the win, returning to the ice after the team sat him out Tuesday's loss at Winnipeg. Hellebuyck was traded from Winnipeg last month after stating that incidents involving his family prompted his request to leave.
Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring on the power play at 2:20 of the first period. Lenni Hameenaho tied the game at 2 with his first goal of the season, deflecting a shot from Brendan Dillon past Thompson in the second period.
Stefan Noesen added a goal at 17:07 of the third, and Jack Hughes scored an empty-netter to finalize the margin. The Devils have won their last seven home games and are 12-3-0 in their previous 15 contests.
The Capitals, who saw their two-game winning streak end, found the net twice through Ryan Leonard and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Thompson stopped 24 shots for the visitors. The teams are scheduled to play again in Washington on Saturday.
