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Late-Game Heroics: Caps beat Rangers 2-1!

By Peter Hassett

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April 30, 2015 10:13 pm

two-heads

I have so many jokes about this picture, but Ian won’t let me make any.

The rested Rangers came out flying in the first period of the first game of the second round, but it was weary Washington who scored first. A pitched battle followed– with plenty of end-to-end action and shoulda-been-coulda-been goals. A late goal by the Rangers made it a contest, and just as we prepared for overtime, something happened.

On a power play late in the first, Alex Ovechkin gained the zone and carved a Christmas ham with a sneaky shot. With five minutes left, the Rangers tied it up after a looooong offensive-zone session. No big deal– Alex Ovechkin and Joel Ward combined for the clutchest of clutch moves you’ve ever seen.

Caps beat Rangers 2-1. Caps lead the series 1-0. Hahahahahaha

  • Marcus Johansson didn’t play for most of the second period for some reason (we don’t know), but then he returned to the game to hit players as if he’s one of those skaters who hits people. It’s weird, like when a dog looks straight up. (What is she looking at?!)
  • Alex Ovechkin‘s first-period goal was a joy to watch– or at least it would have been if the human eye were capable of seeing it. I wasn’t even sure it went in. The subtle, possibly medicated play-by-play call of John Forslund didn’t help. Thank goodness for Ian’s GIF machine.
  • The way people frame discussions about Ovechkin being the top-tier player we’ve known he’s been since 2006 is weird. CBC said that goal was a signal of him “waking up” despite it being his third goal and seventh point in eight games. Pierre and Milbury discussed Ovechkin’s dominance in terms of how Barry Trotz has “dealt” with him. It’s almost as if the big media outlets aren’t as good at covering this as I am from underneath this snuggie on my couch. BTW:

  • Once we got past the game’s first shift, the Rangers owned the Caps’ zone. It was a shooting gallery, but somehow the defense kept New York’s chances away from the dangerous areas, and Braden Holtby was more than a match for the ones that got through. Holtby, bee tee dubs, had an assist on Ovi’s goal.
  • Human idiot Tanner Glass speared Holtby in the mask in the third period. No call by the refs, natch. I like the way John from JFTC put it:

  • The penalty kill is still perfect. Remember last season when they were literally the worst penalty kill in recorded history? Good times, good times.
  • Martin St Louis, Elf-friend, took a nasty slapshot to the hand in the third period. Seeing him clutching an ice bag on the bench, some worried, but MSL is, as I’ve learned, freaking invulnerable.
  • Great game by Brooks Orpik and Jason Chimera. I’m a grown up. Orpik’s penalty was hogwash, and Chimera got pucks deep and had a few great passes.
  • The Capitals had a half dozen chances to clear the zone before the tying goal by Jesper Fast. Green, Beagle, Brouwer– all on the hook for the deflater. And, as your boy JP pointed out, Matt Niskanen (who had a rough night) was on the ice for 1:39 before the goal.
  • I don’t approve of some of the awful things said about players online, but after whiffs and posts by Troy Brouwer and Joel Ward tonight, I at least understand it. That Ward one is going to haunt my dreams like this picture of Andre Burakovsky below:
alekseevalice

Andre Burakovsky scanning of the night (pic by @alekseevalice)

And now: HOLY CRAP, JOEL WARD. HOLY CRAP, ALEX OVECHKIN.

OVECHKIN WENT SOLO INTO THE OFFENSIVE ZONE WHEN ANYONE ELSE WOULD HAVE GIVEN UP ON THE PLAY. THERE WERE FOUR (4) RANGERS ON HIM AS HE PUSHED THE PUCK DEEP. “I’LL THROW THE PUCK ON THE NET” OVI MUST HAVE THOUGHT. “NOTHING WILL COME OF IT PROBABLY, BUT IT’LL BE FUN MAYBE.”

AND THEN JOEL WARD WAS THERE AND HOLY HELL LIFE IS GOOD WASHINGTON CAPITALS.

Game two on Saturday. Breathe deep and eating something green between then and now.

Full RMNB Coverage of Game One

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