800 games for this big lug (Photo: Jeff Vinnick)
You shoulda gone to bed. The Washington Capitals blew the final game of their trip through Western Canada with a loss to the Vancouver Canucks. The Caps let the Canucks take a ton of shots, which would’ve been fine if Justin Peters could’ve been perfect for two more minutes.
The first period was a disappointing affair, but the Caps survived it without giving up a goal. Marcus Johansson scored in the second after a great setup from fellow Swede Andre Burakovsky to put the Caps up, but the Canucks came back with a burst of scoring. Within two minutes, Vancouver struck thrice– first by Henrik Sedin on the power play, then with two more by Bonino and Sbisa. Things looked grim for the Caps until Liam O’Brien scored his first NHL goal late in the middle frame.
The third period wasn’t fun at all. Radim Vrbata got a long bomb into the empty net with 61 seconds left.
Canucks beat Caps 4-2.
This dude is my dude. (GIF: @myregularface)
- Liam O’Brien’s first NHL goal was a beaut. Taking a pass from Mike Green in neutral, O’Brien put a deft deflection up to beat Ryan Miller and his hair. A wonderful milestone for a tough player, but also a timely goal for a Caps team that badly needed some momentum at the time.
- Because, yeah, the wheels came off in the second period. In a spurt of less than two minutes, the Canucks got three goals— two of which were pretty lucky. That shouldn’t excuse the Caps defense (i.e. everybody), who looked mortal for the first time this season. The Canucks cracked 30 shots on goal– the first time Washington has allowed that all season.
- After getting outshot decisively in the first period, the Caps clawed back in the second period, which is in encouraging in a mild way. Possession was essentially even.
- Blaming the refs isn’t the most sophisticated of hockey analysis, but yo what about those refs? They had a whistle allergy in the first, but then Barry Trotz must’ve peed in their Gatorade during the intermission because they came back with a vengeance. The Caps got busted for three consecutive penalties, resulting in one Canucks goal, before the refs deigned to notice Vancouver icing six skaters late in the second.
- It’s pronounced “HAM-hoos.” I always have to remind myself.
- John Carlson kicked the game off with a bad turnover, which raised a doubt in my head. I just sort of assume that Carlson is the one disadvantaged by being paired with Brooks Orpik, but what if…
- Marcus Johansson, who was bad during evens last season, has already tied his 5v5 goal total from last season. Johansson’s line was outshot on Sunday, so it was the percentages that gave him the goal– the same percentages that made him ice cold next to Ovi last year. Hockey is random as hell.
- The fourth line was the Caps’ best for the second night in a row. The only thing that really changed there was swapping Evgeny Kuznetsov out for Joel Ward. What does that mean for Kuzya? He got a couple shifts in Andre Burakovsky’s spot on the second line. Those shifts did not go well.
- What’s wrong with Alex Ovechkin? The shots just aren’t there. I don’t think it’s line chemistry. Is it tactics? Injury? The Western Canadian Wendigo curse of Tanaraq? SOMEONE FIX THIS.
Joe B suit of the night.
Worst game yet.
My closing thought is of Justin Peters, who apart from those two tragic minutes, was a god-tier goalie. Particularly when the Caps looked deflated in the first period, Peters was tumescent. At a bargain-bin price, Peters is an excellent back-up for Braden Holtby, and that’s a good enough takeaway for a disappointing loss to end a disappointing road trip.
Better days are ahead.
Programming note: Chris Gordon will have your game recap on Wednesday night when the Caps take on the Red Wings. I’ll be in Amsterdam, where I’m sure I’ll be shampooing thoroughly.
