The top line converts, but Ovechkin is pretty mellow. (Photo credit: Lou Capozzola)
I know a special place. A magical place. A place where the beer flows like wine. Where normal men are giants, and struggling hockey teams play like they’ve never been better. A place called Long Island.
The Washington Capitals spent the evening in that benign growth of land dangling unloved off the mainland. There they met the New York Islanders (29th in the league in… oh let’s just say everything). But the Caps didn’t play down to their competition. Instead they looked like the studs we know deep down they really are. But looks can be deceiving.
Nick Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin delivered a masterful possession that Jason Chimera finished off from the goal mouth. Backstrom then broke his 21-game goalless streak by cleaning up an Ovechkin rebound. On a rail, NYI’s Michael Grabner beat John Carlson’s coverage and Braden Holtby’s read to put the Islanders on the board, but the third period was scoreless. Caps beat Isles 2-1.
No one’s unhappy about the win. Seriously, we’re delighted. But there should be a measure of caution in the triumph. The Caps did play an inferior opponent, but they committed a bunch of penalties. They crashed the net, but their defense was spotty. So let’s be both grateful for the standings points and attentive to the lessons. It’s still a long way to May.
A final note: Caps expatriate/current Avalancher, Tomas Fleischmann, will miss the rest of the season due to pulmonary emboli. Even if this isn’t related to the blood clot in his leg that cost him a chunk of last season, there is still reason to worry for Flash. RMNB wishes a speedy recovery to our beloved ginger weirdo.
Ian has the reins for Saturday’s dance with the Maple Leafs. I’ll be at the Dismemberment Plan concert!
Additional reporting by Neil Greenberg, who has beat me in our last two matches of Words With Friends.
Russian Machine Never Breaks is not associated with the Washington Capitals; Monumental Sports, the NHL, or its properties. Not even a little bit.
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