“Let’s just enjoy it.” That’s what Barry Trotz told the Caps when they were down 3-1 in the series. Speaking with Pierre McGuire during the second period, Trotz relayed his message to the team: a mashup of Rafiki from the Lion King (“The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.”) and everyone from the Terminator (“There’s no fate but what we make for ourselves.”). I think the Caps heard it: they played the best game of their season to force a Game Seven, at home in DC on Wednesday night.
TJ Oshie kicked off scoring by being the toe in a blistering tic-tac-toe sequence. Andre Burakovsky made it 2-0 in period two with his second goal in two games. Nicklas Backstrom kicked off the third period with a snipe to the high glove to make it 3-0. Matt Niskanen hooked up John Carlson for a perfect PPG, then Andre Burakovsky roofed it again to invoke Enrique.
Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin got two goals in garbage time, but no big deal.
Caps beat Penguins 5-2! Caps force Game Seven!
Nothing is forbidden anymore.
- Sidney Crosby‘s top line was bad, and I’m confused. The Pens just didn’t bring their A game. What gives?
The Penguins' top line of Conor Sheary, Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist has not put a shot on goal through 36 minutes of this game.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) May 9, 2017
- Possible factor: top liners Sid and Patric Hornqvist both got banged up in the first period, the latter running headfirst into the boards. He returned for the second period, concussion spotters be damned. I won’t speculate, but I’ll say this: Crosby returning for the second was either great news (he’s healthy!) or horrible news (the NHL’s concussion protocol is a sham.)
- The Caps PP sputtered early on, and then they gave us maybe their best goal sequence of the season. Backstrom to Kuznetsov to Oshie was fast and precise. TJ Oshie had been too quiet this series, but that ended in the first, and he wasn’t done.
- Oshie had a great keep-in to set up Andre Burakovsky, my godson and heir, for his second goal in two games. Dre drove to the net and found the narrowest angle; it was physicality and finesse smushed together like Cold Stone. In the third he added a roofer to make this just a miserable night for the man who made him miserable for five games prior, Marc-Andre Fleury. As a person who’s been invoking the Breakoutovsky for two weeks, I had a fun night.
- Not a hockey bullet: hug your pets while you can. RIP Della, RIP Fettucine.
- Shout out to the non-stars. Jay Beagle and Daniel Winnik particularly were pokey pups on the PK, starving the Penguins of shots and confidence. Trotz didn’t use his fourth line players much, but he sure as hell used them well.
- That Braden Holtby kid’s not bad. Let’s keep an eye on him. His skaters got a big careless in that late four-on-four, but that’s nothing to worry about for us. Still, I’m slightly bummed he didn’t get a shutout.
Looks like the caps advanced to conference final.
— bryzgoalie30 (@bryzgoalie30) May 9, 2017
- Bryz, can you not?!
Caps in seven of the night
A convincing effort on enemy ice. The Caps were just excellent across the board, across the bench. From the first puck drop, I loved this hockey game. Thanks, universe, for letting us share this with each other.
And now, my attention turns.
Ah, gay sev, my old friend. Game Seven is the fiercest foe of the Washington Capitals, and it’ll be against the team that has bounced them more than any other. Game Seven is the apotheosis of everything this hockey team has been fighting for almost three decades.
I think we’re on the verge of something new.
Cheers.
loffs pic.twitter.com/0j9s6eehs8
— Good Tweet Pete 🌮 (@peterhassett) May 9, 2017
