Brandon Hagel's late goal helps Lightning edge Capitals

Field Level Media|published: Sat 8th November, 22:22 2025

Nov 8, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) controls the puck against the Washington Capitals in the third period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Brandon Hagel scored the tie-breaking goal and had an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning won for the seventh time in eight games by beating the visiting Washington Capitals 3-2 on Saturday night.

Jake Guentzel also had a goal and an assist, and Emil Lilleberg scored for the Lightning as well. Charle-Edouard D'Astous posted two helpers. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves.

Brandon Duhaime and John Carlson hit the back of the net for the Capitals, and Ethen Frank and Nic Dowd recorded assists. Goalie Logan Thompson made 16 saves.

The match was the second this season between the Eastern Conference clubs, with the Capitals winning 3-2 in overtime at home on Oct. 14.

The Capitals slipped to a 1-5-1 mark in their last seven games.

Duhaime put the Caps up 1-0 at 4:06 when he buried his first goal of the season from a sharp angle, beating Vasilevskiy on the short side.

However, the Lightning tallied a pair of goals to beat Thompson and liven the home crowd.

Lilleberg notched his first goal two minutes after Duhaime found the net, then Guentzel's sixth marker came on the Lightning's first power play, snapping the twine with 4:51 remaining in the frame.

The final five minutes of the second period were wild.

Vasilevskiy made a spectacular kick save on Tom Wilson's breakaway attempt with 5:04 left, but the Lightning were given a penalty on the play.

Tampa Bay killed the penalty, but a big scrum broke out at after Wilson knocked Hagel into Thompson, who was shoved into the goal and broke his skate blade.

Carlson knotted the score at 2 shortly thereafter when his shot trickled through Vasilevskiy at 17:08 for his fourth goal.

In the third, the Lightning took advantage of a turnover in the neutral zone, and Hagel skated into the slot and ripped the go-ahead goal at 8:42.

Wilson and Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman were both assessed minor penalties with 3:48 remaining, setting up four-on-four play in the match's closing minutes.

But Carlson took a hooking penalty at the end of four-on-four play, and the visitors could not produce the tying marker.

--Field Level Media

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