Home / News / ‘I just try to do what I can do best’: Jakub Vrana peels past playoff MVP Ryan O’Reilly for first career OTGWG

‘I just try to do what I can do best’: Jakub Vrana peels past playoff MVP Ryan O’Reilly for first career OTGWG

By Ian Oland

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October 3, 2019 12:38 pm

Jakub Vrana is looking to elevate his game to an even higher level this season after scoring a career-high in goals (24) and signing a two-year, $6.7 million extension with the Capitals over the summer.

In his first game of the 2019-20 season, Vrana was one of the best players on the ice, registering five shots, six shot attempts, and a 66.7 shot attempt percentage at five-on-five.

But it was his determination to score during a long shift in three-on-three overtime that led the 2018 Stanley Cup champions over this year’s defending champs, 3-2.

Vrana’s OTGWG was the first of his career.

Video

Skating with John Carlson and TJ Oshie, Vrana skated a total of 59 seconds in overtime during what would end up being the final shift of the game.

Vrana almost scored seconds before with a one-time slap shot from 38 feet away after being found at the top of the circles by John Carlson. Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington closed his five-hole just in time to extend the game. Vrana could be seen muttering to himself by NBCSN cameras.

On the very next faceoff, TJ Oshie beat playoff MVP Ryan O’Reilly to the draw. The Capitals cycled around the offensive zone until Vrana noticed he had enough separation from O’Reilly that he could make a play. Turning on his jets, Vrana peeled away from the Blues pivot and launched a shot that went through Binnington’s arm.

“It was a long shift and I was kind of tired a little bit,” Vrana said after the game. “I tried to use my skating. Once I got a little speed, it was just a quick snap shot and it went through him. So yeah, I was happy for that one.”

Vrana was asked if it was a special move for Binnington who had made some huge saves throughout the night.

“Like, I just try to do what I can do best,” Vrana, confused, said. “I don’t really, you know, he makes some saves, you’re right, but the last one he didn’t. I don’t know how to answer this question, sorry.”

Everyone laughed.

“That was some good patience in the zone. We really waited for the best shot to take. We were there for a long time so I just felt like I can use my skating and shoot the puck so that was a good job all three of us,” Vrana concluded.

The goal concluded a Capitals comeback from two goals down. Washington surrendered two early goals to Sammy Blais and Alex Pietrangelo before scoring three unanswered goals for the win.

“They had a good start, a couple of goals from the beginning, but we believed in ourself and figured out our game early enough to win the game and get it back,” Vrana said. That’s the most important thing – once you down early in the game- you just have to keep believing in your game and that’s what we did tonight.

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps at Blues

Headline photo: NBCSN

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