The Washington Capitals like to celebrate round number accomplishments, but sometimes important milestones happen even without zeroes.
For instance, Tom Wilson scored his 12th goal of the season in the third period of the Capitals’ 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
It was Wilson’s 69th career goal. Very nice!
TJ Oshie is a man of many talents. And Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Oshie used his soft hands to score a nifty wraparound goal late in the third period. From his knees.
The goal gives the Osh Babe three tallies in his last two games. It officially put the game out of reach for Tampa.
The Caps traveled to Tampa Bay on their annual dad’s and mentor’s trip to take on a familiar foe in the Lightning. Two of the only fifteen Russian netminders in NHL history were also due to do battle.
Nicklas Backstrom got a gift from a Lightning defenseman and potted it to kick things off. Brayden Point tied it up on a power play in the second. Lars Eller kicked the third off with a bang and Garnet Hathaway followed his lead not long after. Jan Rutta brought the Lightning back into the fray before a TJ Oshie wraparound goal.
Tom Wilson empty netter.
Caps beat Lightning 5-2!
By Chris Cerullo 7 hours ago
Garnet Hathaway was behind one of the grossest plays of the hockey season, but time heals all wounds. Also wound-healing: Garnet’s papa John Hathaway.
The elder Hathaway, whose blonde locks and beard make him look like a cross between Jerry Garcia and Santa Claus, is especially in touch with his emotions. And during the first intermission, Papa Hathaway waxed poetic about just how special being on this Mentors’ Trip with his son was.
It honestly made me want to run through a brick wall.
The Tampa Bay Lightning owned the first few minutes of Saturday night’s game with the Capitals, but a turnover by Ondrej Palat helped Nicklas Backstrom on his way to scoring the game’s first goal.
Forcing that turnover? Ya boy, Alex Ovechkin.
The Capitals are strangely healthy. What a novel feeling. Let’s hope it lasts.
Puck drop is at 7 PM. Here’s your injury report.
By Peter Hassett 12 hours ago
Following a collision with Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews on Thursday night, NHL official Tim Peel will be unable to work in the foreseeable future. John Shannon reports that Peel fractured his fibula.
By Peter Hassett 16 hours ago
The Caps are in partly cloudy, 72-degree Tampa today for the first game of their mentors’ trip (pictured above), hosted by the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are in a weird situation. Last year’s regular-season dominators, the Lightning of 2019-20 are ambling along outside the playoff window at the moment. They will be highly motivated to win this one.
Puck drop’s at 7 PM. Ya boy Chris Cerullo is on the recap.
By Peter Hassett 16 hours ago
For the longest time, it seemed like every team in the NHL would have a dog except for the Capitals. That all changed in October when the Washington Capitals announced they had adopted Captain, a 10-week-old yellow lab.
Since then, this very very good doggo has become the apple of our eye. From dressing up in costumes to giving smooches to our favorite hockey players, Captain is a constant source of joy. He can even drive cars! Friday, he was given a very special honor by Always Late host Katie Nolan.
Captain, you guys, is the Sports Dog of the Year.
By Ian Oland 1 day ago
Nicklas Backstrom isn’t just promoting Swedish beds made out of horse hair. He’s now putting his name behind a Swedish energy drink, IQ Fuel.
IQ Fuel’s “Backstrom Edition,” is a blueberry and lime flavored drink that — according to the company, and as translated by RMNB’s Magnus Cadelin — is Backstrom’s “new favorite flavor.”
By Donya Abramo 2 days ago
