Aliaksei Protas leads Capitals to win over Islanders with his first two goals of the season
Aliaksei Protas already has his Washington Capitals coaches and teammates raving about him again, just two games into the 2025-26 season. After a career-best 2024-25 campaign saw him record 66 points (30g, 36a) in 76 games, Protas is right back to racking up points, posting three (2g, 1a) in a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday night.
The big Belarusian’s efforts led the Capitals to their first victory of the year, and Protas is now the team’s scoring leader with four points (2g, 2a) through two games. His first goal on Sunday, with 6:08 remaining in the first period, gave the Caps a 2-0 lead. After Jakub Chychrun chopped at an Islanders turnover, Protas found himself alone in the slot and fired stick side past goaltender Ilya Sorokin.
Protas continued his hot-shooting ways late in the second period, beating Sorokin on the same side on a breakaway. After stripping Tony DeAngelo of the puck at the Capitals’ blue line, Protas used his blazing speed to break in all alone and score his second of the night.
“I think it was bobbling a bit, he made a mistake, it happens to everybody,” Protas said postgame. “Good thing to capitalize. Just try to use the speed and capitalize on the chance.”
While Protas played down the marker, his teammates and bench boss were less nonchalant about the speed and shooting talent that he showed off to put the Capitals up 4-0.
“[He’s] made in a laboratory,” Ryan Leonard said. “It’s crazy. We all say he’s the best player in the league, so it’s special. He’s a special player.”
“I’m telling you, he’s just scratching the surface on his career in this league,” head coach Spencer Carbery
“Whether the production is the same or not, I’m not really worried about. He’ll score and he’ll get into the situations that he did tonight and hopefully finishes at a high rate, but his all-around game and how effective he is night to night is just still going [up].”
The Capitals needed some instant offense Saturday after they created a good portion of chances in their home opener against the Boston Bruins, but were unable to score more than once on netminder Jeremy Swayman.
“We just needed someone, for lack of a better term, to shoot it in the back of the net, and that’s exactly what he did tonight,” Carbery said. “He got into a couple great areas and just snapped it right past their goaltender. We needed that because I thought we outplayed Boston the other night at home, but we only get one on the board. We needed some guys in some scoring situations to beat a goalie.”
Protas finished the game with his three points, as well as five shots on goal, eight shot attempts, seven individual scoring chances, four individual high-danger chances, and two drawn penalties. He skated 19:19 of total ice time, the most among all Capitals forwards.
Despite putting together a game-breaking performance so early in the season, Protas wasn’t happy with his overall effort and still believes he has more to give.
“I’m not like overall happy with the game I had today,” Protas said. “There was like so many areas to clean up for me, especially on the penalty kill, little D-zone exits. I got to be better, but overall, for sure, it gives you confidence to keep going.”
Protas will have the chance to continue his hot streak on Sunday night against the New York Rangers. Last season, Protas recorded four points (2g, 2a) in three games against the Rangers. He only had more points against one other team, the Detroit Red Wings (5).
Aaron Judge Confident in His Role as the Cornerstone of the Team After Stellar Performance Throughout the Season and Playoffs
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge has confidently expressed his dedication to being a foundational figure for the team following an outstanding performance throughout the regular season and playoffs. Judge, who has consistently delivered at the plate, remains focused on continuing to be the centerpiece of the Yankees' future roster-building efforts.
"I take great pride in being a cornerstone of this team," Judge said. "I've worked hard to maintain a high level of performance, and it's about more than just personal achievement. I want to help lead this team to championships and be a part of a championship-caliber roster for years to come."
Judge’s stellar statistics, combined with his leadership both on and off the field, have solidified his place as a central figure in the Yankees' long-term strategy. His offensive prowess, including a powerful batting average and home run tally, has made him one of the most formidable players in Major League Baseball, and his postseason contributions have only increased his value to the team.
"Every game is an opportunity to get better and contribute to the team’s success," Judge added. "I’m fully committed to giving everything I have for this team, and we’ll continue to work together to build something special."
With his contract extension now in place, Judge’s future with the Yankees is secure, and he will undoubtedly remain at the heart of their plans as they look to compete for more championships in the coming seasons. As the team continues to shape its roster around him, Judge’s leadership and elite performance will be integral to their pursuit of success.
