But the Capitals were expecting the game to be “a little bit nasty,” as Coach Spencer Carbery put it after his team won, 2-1, in overtime behind two goals from center Pierre-Luc Dubois, who was at the center of the high-emotion proceedings throughout.

Quite a bit has factored into Dubois' success, as he's playing in a top-6 role and finding chemistry alongside the likes of Tom Wilson, Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael, while also taking on more responsibility in his own end by going up against opponents' top lines.

The Washington Capitals took a gamble on Pierre-Luc Dubois over the summer. The Capitals struck a trade with the Los Angeles Kings to acquire the former third-overall pick after a disappointing 2023-24 season.