Sometimes you have one of those days. Sometimes you leave your backpack at Lindsey Graham’s office and then get the flu and have to have your mom pick it up three days later. Sometimes you get killed by the Buffalo Sabres. It happens.
Let’s go through the torture, because you know you want to.
Some lazy work in the offensive zone by the second line and the Schmidt-Orlov pair led to a wide open shot shot from the point and a rebound tally from fringe player Phil Varone. Exactly five and a half minutes later, Tim Schiller extended Buffalo’s lead after Orlov bumbled the puck like every conversation you try to have on Tinder.
In the second, Evander Kane added to Buffalo’s lead with a puck that trickled past Braden Holtby, leading to the mountain man’s premature exit. Cody Franson added a soft PPG later in the frame, but really who cares?
Marcus Johansson kept comeback hopes alive with a third period tally, but the Sabres squashed that pretty quickly. Sabres beat Caps 4-1.
- Mike Richards hand’t played since April of last year, but got into the lineup for the first time since being signed by the Capitals 10 days ago. According to head coach Barry Trotz, Richards has a high ceiling in this lineup so his role Saturday night on the fourth-line is likely temporary.
- With Trotz looking to keep the top-nine intact, Brooks Laich, who just tied Capitals legend Rod Landway for eight place on eight-place on the franchise games played list with 276, was a healthy scratch for the first time this season and just the third time since joining the team. Laich should get back in on Sunday against the Rangers, but it this move shows the $4.5 million man is somewhat redundant. His four line and PK duties were competently filled by Mike Richards and Zach Sill who make nearly $3 million less combined.
- Meanwhile, Richards was great on the fourth line, which was Washington’s best in an otherwise pathetic game. He did well on the PK too, skating 3:16 four-on-five and 13:01 overall, which is much more than Laich normally plays.
- We continue to pine for return of John Carlson. The top-pair D-man missed his 10th straight game. So much for the company line of “a couple” games on the shelf for J-Car. Once again, Matt Niskanen and Karl Alzner absorbed the extra minutes. Once again, they struggled. Niskanen skated almost 27 minutes with nearly 12 minutes of special teams time, much of it quarterbacking the power play, Carlson’s normal job, while Alzner had over 23 minutes of ice time. Once again, they struggled. Niskanen and Alzner had the team’s worst even-strength shot attempt differential, though the third period attempted comeback made things look decent.
- So much for the streak. Braden Holtby had gone 22 straight games with a point, which was one away from Jose Theodore’s franchise record set in the 2009-10 season. Theo’s run was also the NHL’s best stretch in the last 20 years. It was not to be. Braden allowed three goals on 16 shots. That’s bad for his GAA, but he wasn’t brilliant or much at fault. By being pulled, Braden may get a chance to start a new one Sunday against New York.
- So much for the other streak. The Caps had won five in a row.
- Philipp Grubauer did not see much in relief, though Buffalo’s fourth goal is one he probably should have had.
- Tom Wilson was looking for a fight. He got one. Cool.
- Normally studly, Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Orlov had an off night. Both were on the ice for three of Buffalo’s four goals. Dima’s PP oops was awful. But save for the lowlights, the pair was Washington’s best possession-wise.
- The Capitals’ second-ranked PP had four opportunities, but it only led to goals for the other team. The man-advantage unit was fully of sloppy passes and, when they finally did get their act together, missed chances. That could have revived the team despite their struggles five-on-five.
Three piece!
The Caps lost to a bad team. I’m not gonna read too much into it, because the Caps have been ridiculously good. There’s a game in 19 hours. I’ll be with you.
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