As your government prepares to shutdown, it appears that your favorite hockey team has got a head start. The Washington Capitals, in the back half of a back to back and coming off of a bye week (thanks NHL), matched up with the struggling Montreal Canadiens at Capital One Arena. A game that would normally star Canadian beauts Braden Holtby and Carey Price instead gave us Philipp Grubauer and Antti Niemi. Which backup would come out on top?
Nothing happened in the first. Max Pacioretty and John Carlson traded power play goals in the second. Paul Byron put the Habs up one in the third. Pacioretty would get another on an empty netter. Lars Eller breathed new life in a game with a marker of his own, but that was it.
Canadiens beat Caps 3-2.
- The Caps made a kid’s wish come true, and suddenly the result of this game matters a lot less.
- I hate this Twitter account with the fire of a thousand suns.
the panthers just had a bunch of shots turned aside by subban a goal for us would be good right about meow
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) January 20, 2018
- Hey, that fourth line Andre Burakovsky kid was sure flying to start the game. He did some fancy dan stick-handling, hit a post, and drew a penalty on former Caps ironman Karl Alzner. This is the first game in a long time that I’ve even noticed the fourth line, so good on ya li’l Dre. It didn’t last long though, as he was promoted to the second line within the first ten minutes of the second period.
- Alzner went to the home penalty box by mistake, and it made me laugh and kind of want to cry at the same time.
- Teams that average ten shots per thirty minutes are not good teams. The Caps need to stop doing that. I don’t care about your imaginary “shot quality.”
- Alex Ovechkin is now up to 499 career assists after his apple on John Carlson‘s second period power play goal. If you could have 500 of any thing, what would it be? 500 Ree-seas peanut butter cups?
- I campaigned for a return of #TopLineTom and we got it tonight. Mr. Wilson did not repay my efforts with a good performance. His line got crushed all night five-on-five, he misfired on a breakaway, and did a bunch of naughty penalty stuff which included fighting someone for exactly zero reason.
- The goal posts at each end got beat to hell in this one. Hug your nearest post. Or punch it? I don’t know.
- Christian Djoos can do no wrong.
- Is Manny Machado still an Oriole?
Is Manny Machado still an Oriole? pic.twitter.com/9xjoInPkhU
— cara (@carabahniuk) January 20, 2018
- Brooks Orpik can seemingly do no right.
- Are car companies forced to use Imagine Dragons in every commercial they make? Does NBCSWA ever have any commercials that aren’t car commercials?
- Philipp Grubauer is still really good. The mystery of what exactly to do with him continues to get more interesting as February 26 grows closer.
After a week off, we are spoiled with two nights in a row of Caps hockey #JoeBSuitOfTheNight #CapsHabs pic.twitter.com/xgZeRSJ8p7
— cara (@carabahniuk) January 20, 2018
Joe B suit of the night
See you Sunday afternoon for a match up with a crowd favorite, the Philadelphia Flyers.
Full Coverage of Caps vs Canadiens
Headline Photo: Rob Carr
