A New Standard: Caps Beat Leafs 3-2 (SO)

November 7, 2015 11:07 pm

Photo: Geoff Burke

After six years, Sergei Fedorov no longer stands alone as the most prolific Russian goal scorer of all time. With a backhanded whack, kiss of the glove, and a one-footed body slam into the end boards, Alex Ovechkin tied his legendary former teammate with his 483rd career goal. The Great Eight did it in 476 fewer games. The fans gave Ovechkin a standing ovation for his second period tally. The Leafs scored earlier in the game, btw, but that wasn’t important for our biased and bloggy narrative.

In the third, Tom Wilson made a dumb and James Van Reimsdyk and the Leafs capitalized. It looked like the Leafs were in for a win.

But wait! In one of the most glorious moments I’ve witnessed at Verizon Center, Ovechkin, with his back to the goalie, flipped the 484th goal of his career, breaking the Fedorov’s record. It tied the game. Until it didn’t. The goal was called back on a coach’s challenge.

BUT WAIT!

Nicklas Backstrom scored with the goalie pulled and less than one second left on the clock, sending the game to three-on-three overtime and then — and apparently we still do these things — to a shootout.

Some stuff happened and then OVI WON IT! That was amazing! Caps beat Leafs, 3-2 (SO).

This was fourth straight game the Capitals have allowed the game’s opening goal. Clearly Ovi needs to provide the boys with some more ammonia inhalants.
The Leafs were playing their sixth game in nine nights, which seems like a workers rights issue. Even so, James Reimer got the start on back-to-back nights over Antonie (?) Bibeau (never mind, that’s his real name). Reimer got the start tonight. He might as well have been asleep in the first, got pressured in the second, and almost survived.
Last year, Alex Ovechkin scored 25 of his 53 goals on the power play, accounting for 42 percent of the team’s goals on the man advantage. Coming into Saturday’s game, none of Ovechkin’s seven goals were scored on the PP. Peter looked into it. The PP is fine. So is Ovi, he’s just been missing.
He didn’t miss tonight. The marker was historic. Listen as J-Walt brings it to you.

But how about that five-on-three power play at the end. Gross!
Coming into Saturday’s game, Braden Holtby had more wins and shutouts and a lower goals against average on Saturday than any day of the week. You would think Bray would be distracted by his morning stroll through the Old Town flea market, but no, nothing phases Holtby — not even artisan soap and old magazine ads.
I wrote that bullet before the game. Braden, who is tied for the NHL lead in wins, was rocky early, playing too deep on the Leafs first goal by Daniel Winnik (SHOW YOURSELF, ADAM OATES!) and letting the post save him twice in the first period. He got better as the game went along and was perfect in the shootout.
This was recently installed in the Verizon Center press box. Knuble, Erskine, Schultz, Perreault! Brill.

Barry Trotz has been a revelation for the Capitals, getting them to try harder and character more during his year-plus with the team. Next fall he’ll be taking those supreme skills to Team Canada as an assistant to Leafs coach Mike Babcock, who is making former senator money in effort to rebuild Toronto.
Lil’ Andre Burakovsky has been freed! Saturday, he played on the “Tre Kroner” line with Marcus Johansson and Nicklas Backstrom because everything must have a nickname, apparently. I was looking for a breakout game and Burakovsky responded with stuff, maybe? Pretty much nothing on the sheet, save for a hooking minor. The big daddy crown did tie the game very, very late.
It looks like a dose of Justin Williams was an elixir for the Caps third line, which has heretofore been crap. Williams, Jay Beagle, and Jason Chimera had best possession numbers of any line playing for either team.
Dmitry Orlov and Nate Schmidt have been one of the league’s best defensive pairs so far. They came back to earth tonight, as Orlov missed a bouncing puck that led to the Leafs’ first goal. The pair was still above water, though.
Tom Wilson is really enjoying his time on the fourth line. Six penalty minutes and seven hits. It looks like the Leafs targeted him. It worked. Tsk, tsk, Willy Baby. He got benched after the penalty and finished with a team-low 6:38 TOI.
Someone right in front of me had a cowbell. Bye, surgically repaired eardrum and brain.
Alex Ovechkin!