The cast of Veep was in the house (Photo: Matt Walsh)
The Pittsburgh Penguins had won the last three games at Verizon Center, but that’s over now. A certain former Penguin defenseman scored a big power-play goal to send the Pens out of town disappointed.
Evgeny Malkin had the lone goal of the first period, the result of a strong drive by him and the Thrill. Patric Hornqvist made it 2-0 in the second, but Mike Richards (aided by Tom Wilson) scrambled effectively in the offensive zone to get the Caps on the board. Before the second period was up, Evgeny Kuznetsov added his contribution, tying the game 2-2 entering the third period.
With Evgeni Malkin in the box for high-sticking, former Penguin Matt Niskanen gave the Caps the lead with six minutes remaining. Oshie did not score the empty netter, gosh darn it.
Caps beat Pens 3-2!
- Pittsburgh’s goalie was a fella named Matthew Murray. He is 21. This is his 5th game ever. And the Caps didn’t make him work until nine minutes into the first period, when Marcus Johansson put the first Caps shot on goal.
- Dmitry Orlov is a good hockey player, but he was incredibad at Verizon Center on Tuesday. His pairing with Brooks Orpik was the rare combination of “firewagon” and “always playing defense.” Plus Orlov got called for embellishment was garbage.
- Somewhat more controversially, I also believe Jason Chimera’s embellishment call was garbage. Part of that is reputation (I cannot think of Chimmer as a diver), but part of it also the mere recognition that Kris Letang horse-collared the dude. Chimera’s legs kept moving but his head stopped, kinda like the Road Runner.
- Those two embellishment calls were probably when the game got out of control. After that it was red-on-red hits, crashing nets, 100-foot passes, and this knee-on-knee hit by Sidney Crosby on TJ Oshie.
https://twitter.com/SaukkolaVille/status/704850281968877568
- Oshie was fine. You can tell because he took shots and didn’t score. I kid, I kid. Oshie had a big dive (the good kind) to keep the puck alive before Nisky’s go-ahead goal.
- Speaking of the guy, we don’t give Matt Niskanen enough credit. He was the Caps’ best defenseman tonight a bunch of other nights too, but he’s so understated that it’s easy to miss him.
- Mike Richards is a Washington Capital. That sentence makes me smile.
- The Capitals were just real bad in the game’s first period, but they held even in the second, and came out strong for the third. I don’t know if there’s a real pattern here or just something fun to talk about, but it certainly makes games more entertaining. Or aggravating.
The Caps have the league's second best adjusted possession in the third period. 54.5 percent. Only LA does better. #AlwaysBeClosing
— RMNB (@russianmachine) March 2, 2016
- I thought Jay Beagle played very well, but I miss beagle.jpg.
- Sidney Crosby did nothing except talk shit and hit knee-on-knee. Zero shots on goal.
Two women’s RMNB shirts of the night (Photo: @caitichristie74)
The Caps won even though they didn’t play well for like twenty minutes again. I don’t have a problem with that, but I bet Barry does. Let him worry about it.
Personal note: I’ve gotta go to Texas for a few days, so please treat the JV squad well while I’m gone.
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