The Washington Capitals entered the raucous concrete lump that was once known as Nassau Coliseum to play the surging New York Islanders and boy did this game feel like playoff time.
Tom Kuhnhackl “scored” to give the Islanders an early 1-0 lead. Got noothing for ya from the second. Jakub Vrana tied things up in tight in the third and Alex Ovechkin gave the Caps a lead on a power play shortly after.
Josh Bailey literally scored an own goal.
Caps beat Islanders 3-1!
- I for the life of me cannot understand why the Caps continually look utterly shellshocked for beginning stretches of hockey games this season. They’ve given up a goal in the first four minutes in four straight games now.
- I however did like how they responded to the Isles’ initial push. A couple great shifts from the first, second, and fourth lines drove play in the correct direction after the Caps killed off that early penalty.
- Ross Johnston is a complete plug and it’s a joke that he’s in an NHL lineup for a playoff team.
- Well, the NHL definitely has an issue with delayed offside calls not being challengeable. I think that goal standing is inexcusable and completely momentum shifting. Lord have mercy, the player who scored the goal didn’t even celebrate because he knew how offside he was. Goal was questionable at best and I’m already sick of talking about it.
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) March 2, 2019
- Somebody needs to hit Evgeny Kuznetsov with a sandal the next time he passes on a god flipping breakaway.
- Good lord the Islanders are fast when they want to be and seemingly all of their chances come out of using that speed to create counter attacks. I seem to remember that from somewhere. Those two recent Penguins Cup teams have created more than a few monsters around the league, including last year’s Capitals.
- Those rush chances are something the Caps have mightily struggled with this season. Remember this for later in the season.
Me at the end of a @russianmachine recap https://t.co/BlXgPSiYDr
— Chris Cerullo (@CJC_95) March 1, 2019
- Jakub Vrana is the best y’all.
- Cal Clutterbuck is like if Brad Marchand sucked at hockey but was also slightly more intelligent. I enjoy nothing more than seeing him hit the ice after a clean body check.
- Fantastic back half of the game from the Caps. Beat up on a probably drained Isles team on a back to back. Big win.
#JoeBSuitOfTheNight #CapsIsles Not a pajamaboy pic.twitter.com/145OycW5Y9
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 2, 2019
The Caps next game has them staying in New York for a Sunday afternoon affair at MSG with the Rangers. Hank and the boys are surely done this season, but it’s never a dull day when those two teams matchup.
Full RMNB Coverage of Caps at Islanders
Headline photo: Mike Stobe
