Photo: Geoff Burke
Early in the summer, the Caps revealed that Nicklas Backstrom had hip surgery. Despite leading the league in assists, it was an issue that plagued Backstrom all season long. Without the Swede, we assumed the Caps first line would struggle. Over the first two games, especially after Alex Ovechkin was scratched on Tuesday, the line couldn’t find its voice. However, against the Blackhawks, the trio of Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and TJ Oshie was an offensive force. Members of the line contributed two goals and five points on Thursday, leading the Caps to a 4-1 victory. Now head coach Barry Trotz may keep them together even after Backstrom returns.
“They’ve got some chemistry,” Trotz said after the game. “I think what happens with a line is it needs some time to talk things out. I think that there’s a mutual respect. I think that they’re just learning each other.”
The line’s scoring got started early when Oshie fired home a shot from the slot on the power play. His linemate Kuznetsov provided the well-placed pass.
“[O]n the power play there, those guys have been feeding me pucks left and right it seems like, and I haven’t been able to put any in,” Oshie said. “I think a big part of that is I sort of settled down a little bit and started getting a little bit more comfortable and just playing hockey. Those guys have been playing great. Kuzy has been setting both of us up quite a bit. Ovi actually has set me up in the slot quite a few times on a couple backhands, so it was nice for the puck to find the back of the net.”
Ovechkin had high praise for his new teammate, who also showed off his puck handling skills throughout the night.
“He’s a very skilled guy,” Ovi told me of Oshie. “He controls his body, especially when he have the puck. It’s nice to have him.”
The first line continued to produce when Ovechkin, who fired 10 shots towards the net, added an insurance tally late in the third. The play was a beautiful example of skill and speed. First Oshie used the boards to bank the puck up ice to Ovechkin. Ovi charged in on a two-on-one with Kuznetsov. After a little back and forth, Ovechkin had his second goal of the season. The line finished the game with team’s best possession numbers.
“Right now we start feeling each other better,” Ovechkin said. “It’s working.”
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