Junior Capitals Down Junior Isles

Fabien Laniel scored a pair of goals to lead the Washington Junior Capitals to a 5-2 victory over the New York Junior Islanders on Day 142. The win moved Washington to 29-32-11 and kept the club's slim playoff hopes alive.

Washington got on the board first in the opening period on Laniel's 11th of the season from Greg Mauldin and Ryan MacMurchy at 7:46. New York tied the game a few minutes later when McDonald tallied from Stewart and Jones at 11:10. Just 41 seconds later the Caps were back in front as Patrick O'Sullivan netted from Sean Bergenheim and Ivan Baranka.

The Isles came through with a goal late in a fairly tepid middle stanza to make it 2-2. Roussin got the goal from Methot at 18:20.

With the game and potentially the season on the line, the Capitals came out flying in the final period and scored three goals to earn the win. Andrew Joudrey started it off from Branko Radivojevic at 8:54, before Bergenheim's unassisted goal at 16:19 made it 4-2. Laniel finished off the scoring from Henrik Tallinder and MacMurchy at 19:38.

Robert Muller made 22 saves to earn the win and improve to 4-0-2. Matt Zaba stopped 25 shots in the loss and fell to 36-25-9.

The Junior Capitals are back in action on Day 144 against Dallas.