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Victory from the jaws of defeat: Caps beat Panthers 5-4 (OT)

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The Caps have been on a five-game winning streak. The Panthers have put together a mini-streak of their own with two straight dubs. The sun had to set on one team in Sunrise tonight. Let’s get into it.

Thomas Jefferson Oshie John Carlson scored 25 seconds into the game off a bouncing puck that looked like it hit everyone on its way past Sergei Bobrovsky. Frank Vatrano answered right back because why not, we love a breakneck first few minutes. Then the Caps cooled down. After some prolonged zone-time, Brett Connolly gave Florida the lead off a deflected Anton Stralman shot because of course he did. Sasha Barkov slapped the bejeezus out of a one-timer to start the second, but the Caps got a gift on the power-play thanks to Alex Ovechkin. Ovi got his second off a funky deflection in front, and then the Caps got two more penalties and Evgenii Dadonov gave Florida the lead back. Tom Wilson provided a fly-by deflection to tie it again, we got overtime, and Willy put the team on his back to get the game-winner.

CAPS WIN 5-4 IN OT!

  • Fam, the first 10 minutes of the first period. Hooooly pace Batman. Both teams scouting reports probably had mentions of aggressive defensive pinches, because both teams had odd-man rushes back and forth. Phew.

  • Y’all. #Carlson4Norris lives with that first goal from John Carlson. It ping-ponged all over the place and it looked like various teammates got a piece, but alas. Carly now has eight goals, which leads all NHL defensemen.
  • Another defender who’s en fuego? Michal Kempny. He’s a point-per-game defenseman since his return from that hammy injury. Remember when now-Florida coach Joel Quenneville didn’t play Kempny back in Chicago and then he was traded to the Caps and now he’s #actuallygood? We love some karma.
  • For those asking, it was @sickunbelievabl who decided Brett Connolly was gonna score on his former squad, not us. We are accepting your apologies now.

  • Is it just me or do y’all enjoy watching history literally every Caps game? Alex Ovechkin passed Mike Gartner in multi-goal games with his 136th. Until Ovi retires, we dare you to pry the Rocket Richard Trophy away from the man.

  • Alright, we’re gonna do one bullet for alllll the bad things. After the first 10 minutes, the eye test says Florida absolutely dominated until the Caps got a power-play gift from Ovi. Blown defensive coverages, lack of effort, it was a full-on cavalcade. A lot of people were burying Braden Holtby and there were definitely moments he looked subpar, and he’s had a weird season to say the least. But man, there were moments he got no help (see: Kuzy and Orlov’s effort on Conno’s goal), and that final save in overtime? LITERAL GAMESAVER. This game was a mess and honestly, the Todd Squad needs to get it together effort-wise. This ain’t gonna cut it the rest of the way.
  • Y’all delivered on some GREAT hockey names, and I’m pocketing them later, but this thread…TAKES THE CAKE. I’ll see myself out.

I’m not sure what to make of this game. Both teams had moments when they were desperate and wanted the win, and moments where they didn’t care in the slightest. The Caps get the Vegas Golden Knights Saturday, and they’ll need to bring it.

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps at Panthers

Headline photo: NBC Sports Washington

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