For years, the Caps and the Sharks played a similar style of hockey that is exhausting but entertaining: fast end-to-end hockey with lots of goals in both directions. Some people hate that (e.g. coaches), but I love it. We got more of that on late Wednesday/early Thursday as Washington and San Jose played hot potato with the lead for three periods and then some.
Jay Beagle scored first, of course he did, by sweeping in a rebound from Brooks Orpik, who in turn was set up by Michael Latta’s strong play behind the net. Brent Burns returned fire in the second period with two goals inside half a minute. Alex Ovechkin served up Troy Brouwer to tie it in the second, but Logan Couture’s wraparound gave San Jose the lead headed into the third.
Jay Beagle got his second goal of the game after an official set a pick for him, and then John Carlson established the lead with six and a half minutes left. Joe Thornton knotted it up just a bit later, beating Holtby on the short side. That pushed us to overtime, where Joel Ward crashed the net for the win!
Caps beat Sharks 5-4 in overtime!
The only appropriate song for a high-scoring game like this one:
Somebody left the game oooooopennnnnn!
The Caps looked sleepy to start the game– with one exception that will not surprise you. Alex Ovechkin always comes to play. He dragged his team, kicking and screaming, into this game. He racked up 6 shots on goal and got a big assist, but nothing in the back half of the game. And when is he gonna convert on one of those breakaways? And why am I complaining about the best scorer in the world? Shut up, Peter. Appreciate what you’ve got while you’ve got it– that goes for more than just hockey.- Brent Burns is a great player/lycanthrope (and I like him at defense for the record). In the first 43 seconds of the second period, Burns scored twice– first on the PP then again during evens. I think he shoulda stayed out for the natural hat trick, but I’m a gambler like that. He was also terrifying in 4v4. Scary good player.
- Not a peach of a game by Braden Holtby. My philosophy is to just sorta accept a goal one time out of every 10 or 11 shots and set a generous policy of clemency when the team’s defense is putrid. We saw some of that putrescence tonight, though the Logan Couture goal is probably on Holtby for not locking down the post. See! I can be critical of goalies! (I still love you, Braden.)
- Heh, your name means clothes.
- What were we expecting when we put weak possession player Evgeny Kuznetsov with weak possession player Troy Brouwer and then added in weak possession player Jason Chimera? Each of those players has traditionally required some kind of driver or shelter to mask or mitigate their weaknesses. Together, they were a little… singular. They were outshot massively during 5v5, but they didn’t allow any goals against– they merely squandered their shifts.
- We’re usually not big on highlighting fights here, but Troy Brouwer’s bout in the first period was too stirring to ignore. Here’s what Alan May said about it, which is more pleasant than my take.
Say what you will about fighting, but Brouwer taking down Dillon gave #Caps momentum, which turned into 1st goal
— Alan May (@AlanMay_16) February 12, 2015
- Jay Beagle was wonderful tonight, and it wasn’t just those goals. The first was mostly due to Latta’s puck control behind the net, and the second was a hilarious (or heartbreaking, if you’re a San Jose fan) officiating blooper. But all night long the fourth line was certainly better than, say, the Kuznetsov line. Beagle was promoted to Fehr and Laich’s line after Carlson’s goal. As long as that’s the only promotion he gets; this tweet, again from Alan May, is giving me palpitations.
#Caps Beagle should have a new $6million+ contract by training camp next fall
— Alan May (@AlanMay_16) February 12, 2015
- The Caps lacked something in the third period– either urgency or competence. It took them 10 and a half minutes to get their first shot on goal that frame, and that one was nothing to write home about. The Caps came out flat to start every period really. They eventually woke up, but those slow starts hurt– especially when guys like Pavelski and Couture were able to get extended zone time. And, oh yeah, Brent Burns getting two goals in twenty-some seconds. Ugh, that guy. So good. I hate him.
No Joe B suit tonight, but we do have pics from Caps fans at SAP Center.
@russianmachine @CSNCapitals @brouwerrangers @washcaps @WaltonCaps #CapsSharks. Let's go CAPS!!! pic.twitter.com/Yye7qlhokh
— William “Buster” Patterson (@busterpatt) February 12, 2015
Great announcing tonight, right? Yeah, really helps you appreciate that Joe B and Locker aren’t just sentimental favorites– they’re actually really damn good.
Haha, Lonnie Cameron. That’s the lineman who set a pick on the Sharks, allowing Jay Beagle to run unfettered to the net. That and the blown interference call in OT– woof. The Caps probably didn’t deserve that point, but each team plays dozens of games each season that they don’t deserve to win and don’t deserve to lose. What matters is capitalizing when dumb freaking luck hooks you up.
The Caps did that tonight/this morning, earning two points when one might have been asking too much.
Alright, go to bed. Unless it’s already morning, in which case, get to work!
