Caps beat Jets 1-0, Neuvirth Gets the Shutout, Ovechkin is Clutch

December 15, 2011 11:55 pm

Photo credit: Jonathan Kozub

After Tuesday’s crushing defeat, the Washington Capitals hoped a trip to the frozen north and the Winnipeg Jets would bring good fortune. It was a tight one. A goalie’s duel. A game of inches.

We were scoar-less forever until Alex Ovechkin fired off Marcus Johansson’s tee-up. Caps beat Jets 1-0. Shut out for Michal Neuvirth!

The Ovechkam was about as exciting as B-reel from the London season of The Real World. (Is that show even on anymore?) But Alex Ovechkin showed up in the clutch, killing Pavelec’s shut out and winning the game.
Michal Neuvirth was a sieve in net tonight. Unless sieve means he was bad. In which case, he was NOT a sieve.
Guys, I don’t know what sieve means. Whatever, 26 saves and a shutout for Little Mikey.
The Capitals had to kill three penalties in the front half of the game. Two of those calls– a Mathieu Perreault trip and a too many men whistle– were dubious. But with our little Quebecois firebrand shooting his mouth off at the refs, it’s understandable. The PK unit was perfect then and even better on Brooks Laich’s late-game holding penalty.
The Caps were behind in shots 14-5 in the first period. I’m not sure if it was the Caps who turned up the heat or the Jets who cooled off, but those numbers settled down with the Caps ahead 28-26.
Jeff Halpern, the Rock, won 9 of 12 faceoffs.
Alex Semin played some exciting hockey and did not commit “Slasha”, but he did demonstrate one of the laziest forechecks in recent history. Chasing a loose puck behind the Peg’s goal line, Semin knew a hit was coming and sluggishly waltzed into it, absorbed it, and left the ice. Sasha don’t care.

Joe B suit of the night

This one is all Mikey. If goalie performance has been plaguing the Capitals season so far, it was their savior tonight. We’ll see Neuvirth again on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Mike Knuble continues serving his time on the 4th line. He pulled just 12:29 TOI, committed a penalty, and failed to shoot on a huge shorthanded chance. Nonetheless, Kanoobs is a guy we want to see more of. Let’s get him back on the top line, right? Who’s with me???

We’re gonna see our ex on Saturday night: Semyon Varlamov. Aaaaawkward. Poor baby Varlamonster has an .898 Sv% (38th in the league) and 3.05 GAA (36th). Let’s see what we can do about that.