New York Islanders v Washington Capitals, January 13, 2003
MCI Center, Sec 104 Row QSince being named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team,
Jaromir Jagr has played like he wants to prove he deserves the honor.
Jagr had two goals, including the game-winner with 36 seconds left in overtime, and two assists as the Washington Capitals edged the New York Islanders, 4-3, for their third straight win.
"I've scored a lot of points the last two games, but before that, the third line carried us for about 10 games," said Jagr, who collected a hat trick and four assists in Saturday's 12-2 rout of Florida. "Every game somebody comes up and scores a lot of goals and that's why we're winning hockey games."
After the Capitals squandered a two-goal lead, Jagr got a pass on the right side from Robert Lang, who was skating away from the net, then blasted a slap shot past goaltender Chris Osgood for a power-play goal.
It was the 23rd goal of the season and seventh game-winner for Jagr.
Washington fell behind early, but Jagr helped set up the tying goal, a slap shot by defenseman Sergei Gonchar that found space between Osgood's pads on the power play 6:37 into the game.
"Obviously, we're going to feed off him," Gonchar said. "When you have a guy like that playing like this, everyone else plays better. He's not the kind of player who's only going to score a goal and get a point. He's always going to pass the puck and get someone else involved. He makes everyone else better."
Jagr put the Capitals in front with 3:58 left in the first period when he muscled his way around right wing Arron Asham, maintained possession of the puck and fired a wrist shot into the top right corner of the net.
Just under two minutes later, Jagr threw a changeup, gently sliding the puck from the right side to the left post. When Osgood committed to the potential shot, it gave Kip Miller an easy tap-in for his seventh goal and a 3-1 lead.
"Jagr, he was tough out there," Islanders coach Peter Laviolette said. "He is tough to stop. But I liked our game in the first period. I thought we cycled the puck well and played some tight defense, with the exception of Jagr."
After the first period, the Islanders were able to fend off Jagr long enough to force to overtime and earn a point for the ninth time in 10 games.
"All points are big points right now," Laviolette said. "We needed to get points and we got one. We needed two, so I am disappointed."
Oleg Kvasha scored his fourth goal of the season and third in four games to get New York within 3-2 in the second period and Michael Peca tied it with 4:17 left in the third, beating Olaf Kolzig from the left side of the slot.
Islanders defenseman Kenny Jonsson was penalized for holding the stick with 1:53 left in overtime to set up the winning goal.
"The refereeing seems to be dictated by emotion at times, trying to teach you a lesson with no regard for the rule book," said Peca, New York's captain. "It's frustrating. It becomes a case of they want you to shut up and if you are going to complain then you aren't going to get the calls.
"I know that it has been an unwritten rule for some time, but it doesn't make it any better. There were some calls throughout the game that frustrated us and we were looking for explanations and weren't getting any."
New York is winless in its last 13 visits to Washington and has just one victory in 26 meetings with the Capitals since April 12, 1997.
Villanova v Virginia, January 17, 1987 
