VIDEO: Kuznetsov critical as Capitals buoy playoff hopes with win on Long Island

Capitals rookie Evgeni Kuznetsov scored the only goal of the shootout as Washington escaped Long Island with a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders to keep their playoff aspirations afloat.

After erasing New York's 1-0 lead early in the second, Kuznetsov represented Washington's first shooter and pulled through, blasting a pin-point wrist shot over Evgeni Nabokov's shoulder to eventually tack on the extra point. 

[Courtesy NHL.com]

With two points in tow, the Capitals provisionally leapfrogged the New Jersey Devils -- who play Saturday in Carolina -- into tenth place in the Eastern Conference and just two points back of idle Columbus, who owns a game in hand and the current rights to the conference's final wild card spot. 

The Capitals will travel to St. Louis and Carolina before heading home to host the Blackhawks and Lightning to conclude their regular season schedule.