Junior Capitals Can't Match Junior Kings, Fall 2-1

The Washington Capitals continued their slow start to the season in a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Junior Kings on Day 21. The setback drops Washington to 2-8-0.

Washington carried the play in the first period, outshooting Los Angeles 11-9, but it was the Kings that got on the board first. Juntunen was the scorer from Eriksson and Kukkonen at 13:15. The Capitals had a late power play chance, but the team could not capitalize on the man advantage.

Trailing 1-0, the Caps quickly leveled the score in the second period. Matthew Hansen netted his first goal of the season from Peter Pohl and Fabien Laniel at 1:46 to make it 1-1. Neither team managed to score for the rest of the period as Washington squandered a pair of power play chances. The Kings also failed on a single man advantage of their own.

With the game on the line in the final period, Los Angeles upped the tempo and took a deserved lead when Eriksson scored from Carcillo and Welch at 6:24. Washington couldn't mount much of a comeback bid after the goal and managed just six shots on goal in the final period.

Brad Topping made 29 saves in the loss and dropped to 2-7. Sebastian Caron stopped 22 shots to earn the win and improve to 7-3.

Washington returns to action on Day 23 at home to the Edmonton Junior Oilers.