The Capitals hadn’t played a game since the late 80s (okay, Saturday), so they looked rested and dialed-in for most of Thursday’s home game against Adam Oates and the New Jersey Devils. Then the third period happened, wherein the Capitals played a prevent defense, which is about as effective as the rhythm method is at birth control.
Inconceivably, Karl Alzner scored first, wandering deep in the offensive zone, where Oates did think him naughty for being there. Eric Fehr doubled down in the second period because he’s terrific, but then Travis “Pat” Zajac cashed in on one of the Caps’ many power-play turnovers. The Caps surrendered the possession game in the third period and relied way too much on Braden Holtby. Steve Bernier tied it up in the final thirty seconds to force overtime, but who cares– Matt Niskanen fired the niscannon to get the OTGWG. (Or maybe Kuznetsov tipped it? Doesn’t matter. CAPS WIN!)
Caps beat Oates 3-2 in overtime.
Also: this. Wow.
Last #Caps player to score OT GWG vs NJ? Adam Oates.
— Mike Vogel (@VogsCaps) March 27, 2015
- New father Brooks Orpik had a good game from my perspective, which is not the same as Tuomo Ruutu‘s perspective, which was mostly flashing images of Orpik slamming into his torso tonight. If you think I’m a Orpik hater, I’m actually about to plant some kale in my backyard. So deal with that.
Travis Zajac
- I looked at my spreadsheet of all the starting lines this season. It looks like this is the first time Tom Wilson started in the middle six all season. That can’t be right, can it? Even on a new line, Wilson did his normal routine: hitting every dude what needs hitting, especially poor Eric Gelinas. But in addition to bruising dudes, this was one of Wilson’s best possession games of the season. I think pairing him with Eric Fehr added a little bit of thick-cut, hickory-smoked dynamism to Wilson’s physical game. My choice for player of the game.
- “Look right, shoot left, and hope for the best.” That’s what Karl Alzner said of his fifth goal of the season. I’m trying to figure out what’s different with his offense this season. My eyes say shot distance, but the numbers don’t agree. Maybe just a reversion of crummy luck? He’s shooting darn near 8 percent this year, which, if my math is correct, that’s more than his usual 2 percent.
- Two tweets from Pat to preface my next bullet:
Shot attempt 12-0 NJD since 2:48 left in 2nd.
— Pat Holden (@pfholden) March 27, 2015
Guess which team coughed up a 3rd period lead (hockeystats.ca) pic.twitter.com/tEg4V3Kr9F
— Pat Holden (@pfholden) March 27, 2015
- This could have and should have been a blowout, but Zajac’s shorty kept New Jersey in it, which meant the third period was filled with a desperate Devils crashing Holtby’s net over and over. The Capitals had no offense in the first half of the third period, a stark break from their much better performance in the first forty. No puck possession means the Caps get busted for penalties they don’t deserve– such as Marcus Johansson getting framed for holding. And we all know Mojo doesn’t do penalties.
- Secondary scoring has been sorely lacking for weeks, and the Caps finally got some tonight. They needed it though, as the top line was totally shut down during 5v5 by the Devils, Cammalleri’s line specifically. Nothing from Alex Ovechkin besides a few half-executed moves and one big hit.
- Three times this game went to four-on-four, twice thanks to Tom Wilson. The Caps scored on the first and used the latter two to regain some momentum. Very good game from Wilson.
- CSN’s Joe Beninati described the Capitals as “stunned” after Steve Bernier’s goal. If they were truly stunned, they’re idiots. Bernier’s goal is the most painfully obvious outcome of playing the way the Caps did in that third period. I’m hoping the looks on their faces meant something like “We did this to ourselves.”
- From the Serval Industries out-of-town scoreboard: the Canes are crushing the Pens, and the Rangers are blowing out the Senators. I think both of those are good.
- Adam Oates sucks.
Joe B suit of the night
Decent game until it went all pear-shaped in the third. I really didn’t like that final frame, but two points is two points. Or, I guess they are two points. Plus, they are two points off the back of Adam Oates, which makes them even better, because that guy was the worst.
Break’s over. The Caps had four long days off, and now it’s a busy sprint all the way to game 82– starting with two tough back-to-back matinee games this weekend. First: the Preds and Forsberg, then the Presidents’ Trophy leaders the New York Rangers at MSG.
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