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This is real: Caps beat Lightning 6-2!

By Peter Hassett (@peterhassett) on May 13, 2018 | 1 Comment

Everything could have gone wrong for the Washington Capitals in Game Two. With a couple brutal whistles gone against them early, each yielding a goal, one could understand (if not forgive) if they had put on their grumpypants and stomped their way to a loss. Instead, the Caps stuck to the script and delivered a compelling performance that wouldn’t be unfairly characterized as dominant. I can’t believe this actually happened. I can’t believe this is actually happening.

Tom Wilson scored on the first shift of the game, tipping in Matt Niskanen’s shot. Not long after, a couple suspect calls by the officials spotted Tampa two power plays, both of which were converted courtesy of Point and Stamkos.

In the second period, Devante Smith-Pelly scored a rush goal with a keen assist by Alex Chiasson to tie the game. Lars Eller put the Caps ahead with a net-front crash, then Evgeny Kuznetsov got a little help from the Bolts to get his centering pass into the back of the net just before the second period was over.

Evgeny Kuznetsov set up Alex Ovechkin for a back-breaking breakaway goal to make it 5-2 in the third. Brett Connolly put a wristshot behind Vasilevskiy to send Bolts fans, welp, bolting for the exits.

Caps beat Bolts 6-2! Caps lead the series 2-0!

In a moment, bullets. But first: Bailamos! We don’t get to do this enough. Turn it up.

  • The Caps were on fire from the very first shift. Tom Wilson‘s goal thirty seconds in seemed sudden in the moment but inevitable in retrospect.
  • The penalties. I dunno, y’all. The interference call on Wilson didn’t seem out of the ordinary, but without Chris Kunitz getting similar treatment for his hook – that just seems wrong. Oshie’s “high stick” against Victor Hedman was a work of fiction. Oshie’s stick probably touched Hedman’s hand, but it was the puck that hit Hedman’s face. I know because Hedman protected his face, which is what drew the attention from the refs. Refs make mistakes, but on balance they should not benefit one team this strongly.
  • Was Andrei Vasilevskiy‘s trip on Andre Burakovsky a make-up call or legit? At first I thought it was soft, but then Mike Milbury said it was a good call, and now I don’t know what to think about anything anymore.
  • On twitter I likened Evgeny Kuznetsov‘s goal to a Megan Rapinoe corner kick. Kuzy had a garbage angle, but he funneled the puck to the net with some kind of next-level geometric matrix brain genius move. Eller was there purely for ornamental reasons.

  • Juuuuust your average, run-of-the-mill, dime-a-dozen Chiasson-to-DSP rush goal.
  • With Nick Backstrom out, Lars Eller has really stepped it up. The shift he and his line put on before his goal was stunning, and I don’t think Kuznetsov’s goal would’ve slipped through without Eller’s net-front presence. To call him a good Dane would be a sad understatement.
  • Here’s one bad bullet: Michal Kempny earned two penalties, each bad. The first was an unnecessary interference behind the goal line, the second was a big cross-check. Kempny has mostly been terrific since coming to town in February, but tonight stands out in a bad way.
  • With Ovechkin, Eller, Connolly, and DSP all scoring, the Caps saw production from all four lines. You could catch some good-ass PokeMon with that rare candy.
  • Oh, also: Braden Holtby’s good.

Joe B suit of the night, kind of, via Rob Carlin

I’m ready to say it: The Caps are the better team. I mean that in a bunch of ways. Yes, they’ve been better than the Lightning so far this series – in results as well as process. But they’re also better than they themselves were. In November this team couldn’t put a competent breakout together to save their lives. Now they’re firmly controlling play during even strength. And it’s showing up in the outcome: two road wins against a very good team to take a 2-0 series lead home.

When there were about ten minutes left in the game, Ian told me he paused working so he could sit back and enjoy the game for a moment. If you know Ian and his work ethic, you know that’s uncommon. Ian saw what I hope we all see: this is a special time we’re in right now. I’m not sure how to describe it except to call attention to it, and to ask you if you’re feeling it too. So, are you?

The Capitals will fly back to DC tonight with the wind at their backs and two wins in their favor.

This is really happening.

Full Coverage of Game Two

Headline photo: Mike Carlson

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