Radko Gudas had himself quite a night against the Chicago Blackhawks.
During the waning seconds of the first period, Gudas fought Connor Murphy after the Blackhawks defenseman attempted to land a high and stupid hit on Alex Ovechkin. It was Gudas’ second straight game where he defended a teammate.
But Gudas had more pain to deliver. And deliver it he did. In the third period, Gudas doled out three hits in six seconds, including a hip check that sent Dylan Strome high into the air.
Radko Gudas with the hip check and then a shoulder check. Good lord. What a game from this guy. pic.twitter.com/0c9raGJAUP
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) October 21, 2019
Let’s summarize. Gudas sends Strome airborne and into the glass with his hip. He slams into 2019 first-round pick Kirby Dach, who was making his NHL debut, with his back in the corner. Then he plays a game of chicken with Olli Maatta along the boards and shoulders the defenseman to the ice with authority. Gudas was only officially credited by NHL stat keepers with one hit during this sequence, but we all know the truth. The United Center ooooh’d and ahhh’d at the hits.
“Gudas running over guys,” NBC Sports Washington’s Craig Laughlin said laughing. “Not only a hip check but a big shoulder check here in the third period. Well done. Gudas has been terrific in this game once again.”
It’s also worth pointing out that this play is Brooks Orpik-esque. Orpik once racked up four hits in 15 seconds during the 2008 Stanley Cup Final.
Gudas’s big hits weren’t the only physicality of the evening. Tom Wilson choo-choo’d Maatta to the ice behind the net during a breakout.
why don't you take a seat pic.twitter.com/K31ib258Jx
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) October 20, 2019
The game got especially nasty in the third, which included a scrum with Dmitry Orlov and Evgeny Kuznetsov and other Blackhawks players.
The Capitals were officially credited with 38 hits on the evening – 14 more than the Blackhawks.
Alex Ovechkin recorded seven hits tonight, tying Tom Wilson (Oct. 14 vs. Colorado) for the most hits in a single game by a Capital this season.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) October 21, 2019
Full RMNB Coverage of Caps at Blackhawks
Headline photo: NBC Sports Washington
