The Washington Capitals just cannot stop the bleeding as they’ve now lost six games in a row on the trot and this latest loss came in particularly deflating fashion. The San Jose Sharks improbable 7-6 overtime victory just adds gas to a seemingly infinite bonfire of frustration.
The Sharks out-shot the Caps 43 to 39, but the Caps won the five-on-five shot attempt battle 48 to 42. Yay.
- So, lets start with the good and this time it’s a universal good and that good is named Alex Ovechkin. Ovi’s first goal of the game was the 641st of his career, which jumped Dave Andreychuk‘s 640 and gave Alex sole possession of 14th place on the NHL’s all time goal scoring list. Ovi’s second goal of the game marked his 129th career multi-goal game. And finally, Ovi’s hat trick goal gave him three hat tricks this season and 23 in his career. The Great Eight is now only two points shy of passing Sergei Fedorov for the most points among all Russian players (1,179).
- TJ Oshie has ten points in his last eight games, Andre Burakovsky has three points in his last two games, and Jakub Vrana has set a new career high in points with 28.
Ovechkin's 23rd career hat trick propelled him ahead Teemu Selanne (22) and into a tie with Jari Kurri (23) for the 10th-most in NHL history. #NHLStats #SJSvsWSH https://t.co/EQtnZlThC5 pic.twitter.com/pcECL31TGd
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 23, 2019
- The Caps have now lost six games in a row and they snatched this defeat from the jaws of victory, allowing the game tying goal with just one second in regulation and then falling in three-on-three overtime. Siri, play Numb by Linkin Park.
- Caps team defense is kinda an utter mess right now, but man every team in the league needs a big save from their goaltender and the Caps just are not getting that right now from either Braden Holtby or Pheonix Copley. That Tomas Hertl overtime winner was particularly leaky.
- Enough of that depressing stuff, Alex Ovechkin leads the league in total goals since April 9, 1994. If you’re thinking that looks weird, yes Ovi debuted in 2005 and yes it’s still correct.
- The Caps are only three points from the top of the Metro and believe it or not still the fourth best team in the Eastern Conference points wise, behind the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders, and Toronto Maple Leafs (based on ROW).
Numbers thanks to Hockey-reference.com, NaturalStatTrick.com, and Corsica.hockey.
Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Sharks
Headline photo: Patrick Smith
