Analytics dreamboats Eric Fehr and Anze Kopitar
That was the best Caps game of the season. Straight up. The Capitals took a fantastic foe in the Los Angeles Kings and outplayed them at every step. It was as close to perfect as Caps hockey gets.
Jonathan Quick was solid until Troy Brouwer caught a lovely pass to make it 1-0. Brouwer got his second in the second period, gently tapping a rocket from Mike Green. The top line made the Kings look like statues on a tic-tac-toe sequence capped off by Backstrom. That sent LA into a spiral as Ward shut down a breakout to give Fehr his 16th goal of the season.
And Braden Holtby was perfect for the sixth time this season.
Caps beat Kings 4-0. Best Game. Now we dance.
Nothing is forbidden anymore!
- If you watched this game live or on TV, I hope you had as much fun as I did. I hope you liked the part where the Capitals had the puck, which was like the whole time. Let’s try to remember this one next time things get grim. Effing A, man. These Caps.
- Braden Holtby is tied with MAF for the league lead in shutouts. 27 stops. Elite.
- In his 500th NHL game, Troy Brouwer scored two goals. He was good at all strengths– opening up scoring at evens, getting his second on the power play, and even threatening a hat trick while shorthanded. Bravo on a big night for a big man with the manflesh.
- But this is Hermione Granger’s impersonation of all the exasperated fans sitting near the Brouwer Rangers tonight.
- I very much enjoyed Marcus Johansson‘s presence on the top line. Even though Mojo was the fifty-seventh guy to try at Ovechkin’s off wing, he looked comfortable and added variety– carrying the puck into the zone and getting it deep. I wanna see him and Ovi hook up more often before I’m sold, but this was a good start. He even shot the puck!
- Question: Who is the Caps’ most improved player from last season? I’m thinking it’s gotta be Brooks Laich or Johansson. What say you?
- Mike Green hit a dude. Alert Facebook!
- I love Eric Fehr. This was the best tweet of the night; I’m seriously emotional about this.
My son has been dying for @EricFehr to score so I can tweet this. @russianmachine pic.twitter.com/v6u2JlVjVM
— Jennifer Kirby, MD-PhD (@gu_girl) February 4, 2015
- Alex Ovechkin missed the net six times tonight. It tooked to me like Quick was anticipating the Ovi shot from the Ovi spot during the power play (which maybe was how Brouwer was able to score), so Ovechkin was held off the score sheet. I’m only slightly devastated, but maybe he’ll score two on Thursday to continue the every-other-game pattern.
- The Kings power play was totally left sharking it. They’re in the top third of teams both when it comes to generating shots and converting opportunities, but they looked defanged on their man advantage in the second period. The Caps got two shorthanded chances– one from Brouwer and one from Ward.
- Nick Backstrom‘s punctuation on the top line’s goal will get all the buzz, deservedly, but Backy was also boss on the faceoff dot. He went 12 for 18 and won all seven faceoffs he took in the middle period.
- Aaron Volpatti got predictably little ice but did well enough. He drew that penalty and spent most of his time in the Kings’ zone. The Capitals’ left shark was not he; it was Jack Hillen, who is unplayable right now. (Although the Kuzya, Brouwer, Burakovsky line is not strong enough– despite the goal.)
Joe B gray suit of the night
Like I said: this was the best game of the season.
The three top lines each got a goal tonight and the fourth line drew a penalty. Braden Holtby had a couple massive saves. The defense chipped in.
Ovi was activated and Green was physical. Backstrom was reliable and Marcus was dynamic. Orpik was on point and Alzner was aggressive.
And Braden Holtby did it again– that magnificent bastard.
That was a damn fine game of hockey. Well done, boys.
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