The Washington Capitals have defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in six games to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ha, what a ridiculous-ass opening sentence that was. Seems fake. But it’s not. Lemme tell you about it. You’re gonna like the part where the Caps win and it’s not in overtime.
The Blue Jackets came out of their cage and they were doing just fine until Dmitry Orlov tamped them down with a slapshot from the circles. Nick Foligno tied the game with a tricky rip in the second period, but Alex Ovechkin replied with two goals – one at evens, another from the Ovi Spot – to give the Caps a comfy lead headed into the third period.
That lead shrank quickly, as Pierre-Luc Dubois converted after a trip went uncalled behind the Caps goal line. A breakaway for Devante Smith-Pelly put the Jackets back in the two-goal hole. Chandler Stephenson put the dagger in with a shorthanded goal. Nick Foligno injected life back into Nationwide Arena with a tip-in with about 12 minutes remaining, but Lars Eller got a long-distance empty netter with fourteen seconds left, and that was that.
Caps beat Blue Jackets 6-3. Washington win the series 4-2.
- Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has five goals in six games. He has 98 points in 103 playoff games. He has those big broad Russian shoulders and #ThatRussianWagon, built for carrying a team out of the first round. His team appreciated the effort.
- Haven’t seen a Russian get so destroyed by his countrymen since The Death of Stalin. Tough break for Sergei Bobrovsky to face his BFF Dmitry Orlov (and his first career loffs goal!) and Alex Ovechkin tonight.
- I’m contractually bound to include a bullet for Brook Orpik‘s primary assist on Ovechkin’s first goal. Here ends the contractually obligatory bullet.
- JK, he truly had a monster game. He got lit up in shot attempts, like always, but he got two assists and absorbed a puck to the approximate region of his penis in the final two minutes.
- The Jackets got away with a blatant trip on Christian Djoos just seconds before Dubois’ third-period goal. That was a bad missed call, but it was worse for the Caps to stop skating in order to complain about the missed call while the other team scores.
- What up, depth boys! Devante Smith-Pelly, who has soft hands when he gets the opportunity, converted a breakaway. Chandler Stephenson, who will own the fourth line next season, scored his first career postseason goal – and shorthanded, no less. So rare to get contributions from the other guys in the postseason. Total treat.
- I’ve been indignant about the Caps’ tendency to turtle – sometimes when they didn’t even have the lead – over the regular season. The third period was something different. The Caps weren’t turtling; they were fending off a desperately hungry team playing to keep their season going. I don’t blame the Caps for being on their heels one bit.
- But then Evgeny Kuznetsov, on a breakaway, ran into (fellow Russian) Sergei Bobrovsky, inciting a goalie interference call. Sure. Gotta keep it interesting.
- Braden Holtby got lit up for three goals tonight, but he had a lot of traffic up front. The Caps had done a good job clearing the crease prior to tonight. They’ll need to button it up a bit more vs Amanda’s brother and his pals. Anyway, Braden Holtby stole at least one game this series. Very happy to have him as the number one.
Game Six #JoeBSuitOfTheNight #CapsJackets pic.twitter.com/KM30Mr2Kr3
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) April 23, 2018
Cool. More Caps hockey. I like that.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a damn good hockey team. This was a fine series, and it could have gone either way. Lumbus will be even better next year, and now I’ll look forward to their dates with Washington even more.
With Toronto forcing Boston to a Game Seven, we’ll have some time off before the second round begins. The Caps’ opponent will be a club from Pittsburgh called the Penguins.
^^^ Yinz gonna get one now from our store?
The Penguins team has enjoyed some success lately, and some sources are reporting that they’ve eliminated Washington in two straight postseasons in fashions to heartbreaking that we can no longer enjoy food or sustain eye contact or make love anymore.
Um.
Go Caps?
Headline photo: Kirk Irwin
