Capitals storm back to defeat Islanders in OT

WASHINGTON -- Jakob Chychrun scored at 1:20 of overtime, and the Washington Capitals rallied for a 5-4 win against the New York Islanders at Capital One Arena on Friday.

Chychrun entered the zone and put a wrist shot past Semyon Varlamov from the top of the slot to win it for Washington, which trailed 4-2 entering the third period.

Tom Wilson scored two goals, and Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists for the Capitals (16-6-1), who have won three straight. Connor McMichael had three assists, Chychrun also had an assist, and Logan Thompson made 20 saves.

“[It’s] usually easier to play with the lead in this league,” Wilson said after Washington’s ninth come-from-behind win of the season. “Says a lot about the group that you can be down but never out of it and able to turn it around. Don’t want to make it a habit, but when you do come together in the third like that it’s always fun.”

Simon Holmstrom had the first two-goal game of his NHL career, and Anders Lee had a goal and two assists for the Islanders (8-10-6), who have lost three in a row and six of seven (1-4-2), losing five times in that stretch after leading in the third (0-3-2). Bo Horvat had two assists, and Varlamov made 21 saves.

“I thought we played a pretty solid game, but again we dropped it in the third and that’s something we’ve really got to figure out,” Holmstrom said.

Strome pulled the Capitals within 4-3 on the power play at 1:20, scoring on a wrist shot from the right face-off circle.

Washington was 2-for-4 on the man-advantage; New York was 0-for-3.

“Our power play is going to have to produce,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. “Tonight, it was the difference. They scored two power-play goals and I don’t know if we generated chances [with] that first unit, so we’ve got to be better.”

Wilson tied it 4-4 at 7:24 on a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle off a pass from Trevor van Riemsdyk.

“Played really good the first two,” New York defenseman Noah Dobson said. “I think that we’ve got to figure out a way that even if one goes in -- they get off to a hot start in the third -- we’ve got to figure out a way to weather the storm and just finish the game.”

Holmstrom, filling in for late scratch Jean-Gabriel Pageau (lower body) on the top line, gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 3:36 of the first period, scoring on a wrist shot over Thompson’s left shoulder from the right circle.

“He played really well,” Roy said of Holmstrom. “That line was really, really good. I was very impressed with the way he played, very impressed. He was solid on the wall, played well offensively. I loved his game, big time.”

Nic Dowd tied it 1-1 at 4:50. He skated behind the net, took a pass from Ivan Miroshnichenko at the right side and slid a backhand past Varlamov.

Wilson gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead at 12:10, completing a tic-tac-toe passing sequence with McMichael and Strome by scoring from the slot.

Lee tied it 2-2 at 1:15 of the second period when he redirected Dobson’s shot past Thompson.

John Carlson appeared to give the Capitals a 3-2 lead at 14:05 during a delayed penalty, but the goal was overturned after the Islanders challenged for goaltender interference.

Kyle MacLean put New York ahead 3-2 at 16:28, converting a pass across the slot from Horvat.

Holmstrom then extended it to 4-2 at 18:09 when he scored in the slot with a deflection of Dennis Cholowski’s shot from the left point.

“Second period [we] dug ourselves a hole,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “We could have let that determine the game and we didn’t. So that’s what you appreciate about the group.”

NOTES: Roy said Pageau is day to day. … Lee got an assist on New York’s first goal for his 200th in the NHL. … Chychrun and Strome each has six points (two goals, four assists) in a three-game point streak.