The Gauntlet 2025-26 · Qualification night
The Capitals smother the Islanders
Capitals 4, Islanders 2
October 11, 2025. The Washington Capitals went out in the quarterfinals, put out by the New Jersey Devils.
Every round of the 2025-26 Gauntlet
Flamekeeper
Aliaksei Protas
Protas scored twice, a snap shot and an unassisted wrister, and set up Ryan Leonard's game winner.
Protas strikes twice as Washington burns on
One night, no mercy
Qualification night gave the New York Islanders no second chance, and they knew how that felt: a year earlier the Detroit Red Wings had snuffed them on this same night. The Washington Capitals, 2nd of 32 last season, came to UBS Arena with a scar of their own from 2023-24, when the Toronto Maple Leafs blew them out in the opening round. One of these candles was going dark in Elmont.
Washington needed 1:50 to strike. Martin Fehérváry, a defenseman, slipped a backhand home from Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson, and the Capitals never trailed.
Protas feeds the fire
Aliaksei Protas snapped in the second goal at 13:52 of the first. In the second period, Ryan Leonard ripped a wrist shot at 9:50, set up by Jakob Chychrun and Protas, and it stood as the winner. Protas then struck again, unassisted, with a wrister at 15:30 for a 4-0 lead.
Thompson holds the line
The Islanders scored only on the power play. Anthony Duclair converted at 18:51 of the second with Chychrun off for elbowing. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman, poked one in at 4:28 of the third while Matt Roy sat for slashing. Logan Thompson stopped 34 of 36 and gave up nothing more. The Islanders' flame went cold, and 24 still burn.
What is the Gauntlet?
A proposal for an NHL in-season tournament. All 32 teams start alive, every Gauntlet game is a game already on the regular-season schedule, and lose one and you are out.