I don’t know what we were expecting from the Caps’ home game against the New Jersey Devils. The Devils are notorious for stifling fun, and the Capitals had Jay Beagle on their top line. Frankly, I blame the NHL.

Nothing happened for nearly fifty minutes, then Braden Holtby made an unwise board-and-out that found Mike Cammaleri. It was barely a hockey game.

Devils beat Caps 1-0.

• What am I supposed to even write about here?
• Okay, here’s this: Alex Ovechkin didn’t get a shot on goal until 38 minutes into the game. Jay Beagle on the top line ain’t working, but you already knew that.
• Not that anyone looked good in the corsis and fenwicks and doodads. The Devils are a good puck possession team– good enough to slow the game’s pace down to a trickle. For a while, Brooks Orpik was the only Caps player who wasn’t getting outshot during 5v5.
• By the end of the game, Alex Ovechkin had been blocked 7 times. That’s Devils hockey.
• I’m already running short on ideas. This was the lowest scoring game of the year by far. I’m soooo bored.
• Okay, dammit, Braden Holtby. Low event games like this are a matter of who makes a mistake first. Answer: Braden.
• Interlude: “Palisades Park” by Counting Crows.

• What’s colder than being cool? The Washington Capitals power play. Also: Ice-nine from Cat’s Cradle, but that’s not about hockey, and I’ve been told I need to #sticktohockey. The Caps PP was 0 for 4.
• I loved the urgency from the Caps in the final three minutes. Would’ve been welcome in the 57 before that.
• Uhh…

Joe B birthday suit of the night

Yeah, I got nothing. Sometimes hockey just washes over you.

Do it again tomorrow night, except not mind-numbingly boring?

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Devils