All Tomorrow’s Penalties: Canucks beat Caps 3-2

October 29, 2013 12:31 am

Photo: Jonathan Hayward

Man, it is late. Are you awake? Okay, just stick with me for a minute and then you can go to bed.

It’s been a long, tough road trip for the Capitals. Western Canada has been mostly forgiving to the team’s softer features (e.g. like everything that happens in their end of the ice), but the Caps needed a win over Vancouver in this final game to get back to .500 on the season. The thing about wins, though, is they require your team to score more goals than the other team.

Zack Kassian beat the Caps 4th line to a loose puck and scored the game’s first goal. Jason Chimera knotted the score a bit later with a Kanooblian goal up in Luongo’s face. After a scoreless second period, Jason Chimera dived to feed Mikhail Grabovski on the go-ahead goal. Ryan Kesler nullified the lead soon after with a lay-up on a loose puck, and then Daniel Sedin put the Canucks up after a lengthy O-zone occupation against the Caps top line.

Canucks beat Caps 3-2.

From the NHL rulebook: 24.1 Penalty Shot – A penalty shot is designed to restore a scoring opportunity which was lost as a result of a foul being committed by the offending team, based on the parameters set out in these rules. At first it seemed odd to me, but the more I think about it, the more the penalty shot call on Alexander Edler‘s trip of Alex Ovechkin is a solid interpretation of that rule. Ovi duffed the attempt.
I don’t know if I should chalk the Zack Kassian goal up to bad luck, bad defense, or the universe’s mandate the Capitals must not score first.
Speaking of the universe as a sentient thing concerned with the Capitals, maybe if we don’t talk about Jason Chimera‘s goal streak (3 in 3 straight games), it’ll keep going. Here’s how John Walton ululated it:

Mike Green blocked a shot with his lower leg, and I freaked out. Green takes a ton of minutes for a Caps D corps that, let’s face it, isn’t very good. Green hasn’t played more than half a season since 2011, so he should be really wearing bubble wrap out there.
Best thing about games in Vancouver is their loyalty to local boys done good, Japandroids. “Nights of Wine and Roses” is a Rogers Arena staple, and for good reason. That song is great.

Not Alex Ovechkin‘s night. Through the halfway mark, he had just one shot on goal and one miss (ringing the post) despite nearly four minutes on the power play. Ovi’s lifeblood is shot volume, so that worries me. He finished the game with 3 shots on goal.
Tom Wilson has spent a little over 80 minutes on the ice and 25 minutes in the penalty box. But Plymouth would have been a waste.
Then again, the Capitals penalty kill is inhuman rampage right now, so maybe all those early penalties weren’t so bad. The excellent PK makes the womp-womp 5v5 defense even more confounding for me.
My favorite Lou Reed song was definitely “All Tomorrow’s Parties” off the Nico album. I love that song and every girl I’ve met who loved it too. What’s your favorite?
The Canucks absolutely pwned the Capitals in the possession game, particularly in the second period, when Vancouver attempted 29 shots to Washington’s 12. Thank goodness for Michal Neuvirth.
Facebook comment of the night from Tom K: “You can’t spell Steve Oleksy without Evokes Style.” No, seriously. I checked. Okay, go peep those wobble GIFs again.
Bask in the splendor of the Chimera to Grabo goal, via welshhockeyfan:

Joe B suit of the early morning

When I think about where this game went wrong, I keep coming to the conclusion that Capitals’ decision not to play offense was a contributing factor. Without offense, an Algonquin word meaning oh for eff’s sake it’s game 12 get it together, the Caps probably didn’t have a sporting chance. That’s not me trashing the Caps forwards, though there is blame to be distributed there (where was Ovi tonight?). Mostly, it appears to me that Washington’s problems start in their own end.

No, I’m not going to talk about John Tortorella’s coaching style because I hate it and him and right now I hate you too.

I’m sorry. It’s late.

It’s the end of October and the Caps are two games under .500. The Caps defense needs an overhaul or a rebuild or a CPU overclock or I dunno what.

At least Alex Ovechkin got the night off.

Personal note: My friend Crystal is a great doggy mother, but her pup Bastian got hurt real bad the other night. Bastian had to have an amputation, and the bills are staggering. Crystal is doing the right thing in taking care of her pup, but she could use some help. If you’re a dog lover or just have a big heart, please consider donating to Bastian’s medical bills. Thanks.