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Caps collapse under Canadien crush 6-4

By Peter Hassett (@peterhassett) on November 1, 2018 | 2 Comments

The Washington Capitals finally returned to action with a rowdy game in Montreal. The Canadiens positively ran the show during 5-on-5 play such that a Caps goal-scoring explosion in the second period wasn’t enough to withstand the Quebecois domination.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi got the game going with his first NHL goal, then Lars Eller responded by scoring on Matt Niskanen’s rebound. Brendan Gallagher opened the second period with an early goal and another one less than three minutes later. The second period closed out with another goal from Lars Eller and a pair of even-strength markers for Alex Ovechkin.

The Habs tied it with three minutes left in the third period as Kotkaniemi cleaned up a scramble in front of Holtby. The game went all the way to overti – just kidding, Max Domi got a lucky break to win it with twenty seconds left. An empty-netter made it a done deal.

Caps lose 6-4.

  • We offer hearty congratulations to 18-year-old center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who scored his first NHL goal against the Caps, as per tradition. For his second goal, tying the game in the waning minutes of regulation, we offer nothing but an indifferent glance and passive-aggressive eyeroll.
  • Lars Eller used to play for Montreal. I know this because I’ll never be able to unsee this video. Eller was the best player on the ice for either team, notching two goals, getting physical with his formers, and not getting totally dominated in puck possession like the topic of the next bullet…
  • Alex Ovechkin flirted with a hat trick, and both of his goals came during 5-on-5 play, but don’t let that fool you: his line got destroyed. Ovi’s line was both on ice and complicit in those Gallagher goals early in the second period, plus the game-winner in the final minute.
  • That said, Ovi’s first goal was exactly what I want to see from a line with him, Kuznetsov, and Jakub Vrana. Kuznetsov got (and earned) credit for his primary assist, but Vrana’s bump pass to Kuznetsov is what started the rush in the first place. This is exactly how this line should work, but they have got to settle down without the puck.

So. Defense. What does it even mean? The word itself. Let’s split it into parts.

Def is short for Def Leppard, which I thought was heavy metal music when I was seven and hadn’t yet heard Venom.

And then ense, which is the sound of sidechain compression on bass and hi-hat in one of those fancy techno songs you youngsters like so much.

Together: Defense. The concept remains a mystery, as we saw the Caps expertly demonstrate in this frustrating (but fun-to-watch) loss.

This team has some work to do.

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps at Canadiens

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