Eff you. Brouwer is an anteater. (Photo credit: Travis Golby)
On Thursday, the Washington Capitals beat the Winnipeg Jets by coming out shooting and then protecting the lead. On Friday night’s insta-rematch, the Caps didn’t own the puck by any measure, but they did carpet bomb the Thrashers so decisively that no one noticed. Goals went like this: Brooks, Brouwer, Beagle– and then Ovi and Green jumped in to disrupt the literary consonance– and then Byfuglien, and then Ovi again for some kind of poetic unity. It was a blowout when the Capitals needed it most.
Okay, maybe they coulda used it more at the beginning of the season. Sure. No no no, that’s a fair point. I hear you. Yeah. Okay. Listen I don’t wanna fight tonight. It’s Friday and the Caps won and won big. Can’t we all just get along?
Caps beat Thrashers 6-1.
Blake Wheeler took liberties with Karl Alzner in the first period, prompting the ever-gentlemanly Brooks Laich to demand satisfaction. The following duel was penalized, but Wheeler’s initial hit drew no such comeuppance. That advantage might have mattered more if the Jets power play were not so horribly deficient on the night, mustering just 1 shot on goal through their first 6 power play minutes.- At even strength, however, les Capitales had pretty dismal possession. The Jets finished the first period with a plus-13 in even-strength shot attempts and never gave any slack back. That would have been the story of the game, except the Winnipeg Jets filled their net with a matador*. Ondrej Pavelec let in three on nine shots, Al Pacino let in a trio more.
- (*Listen: about that last bullet. I didn’t get it either, but the guests at RMNBHQ demanded it. Like “Olé” I dunno guys I can’t defend it. They can’t all be winners.)
- Troy Brouwer scored one of the prettiest goals of the year, a 2-on-1 set up by Mike Ribeiro. Ribs was the dude-behind-the-dude on the game’s first two goals. Doesn’t mean the Caps shouldn’t trade him for a pocket full of golden dragons come the deadline.
- This bullet is here to justify the puppy pic at right. Like so many others, Jay Beagle scored tonight, his second of the year. Beagle caught a total BS penalty for goalie interference; he was clearly shoved into Montoya.
- And Alex Ovechkin scored too. Twice– once at 5 on 5 and again on power play. (It’s pretty obvious that these bullets are just naming people who scored, so if you’ve seen the box score, just step away from the recap and call it a night.) Ovi is on another streak, y’all. Alert the national hockey media. No, seriously, they won’t know otherwise.
- Mike Green made his Steven Stamkos stick work for him. He scored from waaaaaaay outside, ensuring wings if wings could be ensured, and proving that scoring on the Jets is like playing tennis with the net down.
- <sarcasm>Oh noes, Braden Holtby didn’t get back-to-back shutouts against the Atlanta Thrashers. We are utterly devastated. Bravo, Dustin Byfuglien/Mike Green’s skate, you have bested our champion.</sarcasm>
Six goals. Two by Ovi. Points for pretty much everyone. A shining performance by Holtbeast in net. Is there anything not to completely love about how the Caps acquitted themselves tonight and the night before?
The Capitals absolutely mollywallopounded the Jets. You’d have no idea that the Jets lead the division because — oh yeah, they won’t for long.
I have no clue what this means for the Caps’ prospects, but I do know that we should reserve all judgment until after Sunday night, when the Caps occupy Madison Square Garden.
That’s okay. We’ll take it from here, guys. RT @capitalweather: If anyone got a pic of meteor, please share, thanks so much….
— RMNB (@russianmachine) March 23, 2013
