Photo: Rob Carr
So ends a very successful home stand for the Washington Capitals. Defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in #rego, the Caps earned their seventh consecutive win at Verizon Center. It was all but decided in the first three minutes, but we went ahead and did another 57 minutes for fun.
When Jason Chimera notched a goal just three minutes into the game, we thought we’d have a goal-scoring bonanza on our hands. Instead, we went the distance without another entry on the scoresheet. I think we can all agree that’s okay.
Caps beat Flyers 1-0! Braden Holtby records his fourth shutout of the year!
- The Capitals came out literally on fire in the first period. The Flyers came back with a two or three great offensive-zone sessions in the second period, but the Flyer’s flurries were few and far between. And in those moments when they did get near the Caps zone, well, keep reading.
- I thought the Kuznetsov line looked wonderful tonight– and it wasn’t just the Russian guy. Troy Brouwer had a great occupation of the Flyers zone in the second period that should’ve led to a goal. Kuznetsov’s reversal later that same period was positively #jokes.
- But the best crew on the ice was the pairing of Karl Alzner and Matt Niskanen. The second of those dudes was the one who laid a mondo gonzo and impeccably clean hit on Scott Laughton, who we won’t hear from until next Tuesday, because that’s where he was knocked. No, he’s actually hurt, so we’re actually worried.
- Jason Chimera missed a little time in the second period. No confirmation yet, but we hear he got popped in the face while sitting on the bench and needed some repairs. Or maybe he just thought he was too good for the fourth line.
Just a flesh wound #hockey pic.twitter.com/bYa23joh3A
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 15, 2015
- But that’s not super fair. Jason Chimera truly did have a great game– and not just because he scored. He was getting touches near the Philly net all night, and he helped the Caps survive a spirited Flyers power play in the third period.
- The more Jack Hillen plays, the more I wish he didn’t. He was a step behind everyone tonight, missing checks, spending his shifts in the D-zone. I’d like to see Steve Oleksy in a Caps uniform this weekend.
- A lot is made of the Caps’ unsustainably high PDO of late, and rightfully so. But on the offensive side of the ice, I can pick out literally ten near-misses that could have been goals in the last week. Fehr got robbed by Rob Zepp tonight, Ovechkin rang post, and Johansson shanked it. I want to see a lot more goals out of this team, and I think it’ll happen– eventually.
- Y’know, I’m starting to think that maybe Claude Giroux isn’t the best player in the world after all.
No Joe B suit of the night, so here’s Tom Wilson playing hockey with his eye closed.
Heyyyy Braden Holtby! The beast did it again, though Philly didn’t exactly bury his handsome ass in cold, vulcanized rubber.
Twenty-one saves for his fourth shutout of the season.
A quick and polite reminder that the line to apologize to Holtby, which previously formed to the left, has been closed. The line to grovel and beg forgiveness now forms to the right.
Holtby can’t keep this up forever. No one can. But he’s carrying the team on his handsome back for now and hoisting them all the way to the playoffs. He should be an all-star.
The Caps are on fire right now. Let’s enjoy it. Share your good vibes below.
