The Caps got back in action after the All-Star break with a fun-yet-Ovi-less win over the Canadiens in Montreal.
The Canadiens scored first, a one-on-zero as Jeff Petry eludes the Caps defense. Washington replied late in the first period as Tom Wilson took a sweet below-the-goal-line pass from Jakub Vrana.
The Caps added two more goals in the second period: one, an own-goal by Petry and awarded to Brendan Leipsic; and two, a gorgeous sequence finished off by Vrana but made possible by Kuznetsov’s awesome forecheck.
Dale Weise got one back in the third period was the Caps turtled, but Holtby bailed ’em out on the rest. Nicky Backstrom finished it off with an empty-netter.
Caps win!
- Just for our casuals: Alex Ovechkin missed Monday’s game as he served a one-game suspension for skipping the All-Star Game, a decision universally hailed as “The Right One” and “Fine by Me.”
- Jakub Vrana is on fire. He’s got eight goals in the last nine games. With precious little PP time, Vrana’s put together eight assists– second most among Caps forwards — despite playing way less ice ice time than his peers. His pass on the Wilson goal was lovely.
- . . . But not as lovely as Evgeny Kuznetsov‘s on Vrana’s goal. Kuzy forechecked (!!!!), out-dueled Shea Weber (less exclamation points there), and hooked up Vrana while on his back.
Evgeny Kuznetsov sets up Jakub Vrana from his back. 😱 pic.twitter.com/U77xWuF9mH
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 28, 2020
- Travis Boyd doesn’t get to play too often. I loved him slotting in on the third line, and I was glad he got a goal, and I was even gladder that he got it by banking the puck off Jeff Petry’s skate. Haha. (Boyd’s goal was temporarily awarded to Leipsic, but that was just plain old wrong.)
Back from the bye, it's the first #JoeBSuitOfTheNight in 9 days. Grey with a red tie. #CapsHabs pic.twitter.com/nkdw6UVWdJ
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 28, 2020
Braden Holtby got a much needed win — an even much needed-er save percentage above .930 for the first time in a long time. Holtby got exposed by some sub-par defense (both Habs goals were one-on-none) and made some big saves– including a glove save that was a game-saver. Still, Holtby’s gonna need a lot more support from his teammates than he’s been getting if he’s gonna dig out of the hole he’s in right now.
a la @hockeyviz pic.twitter.com/SodoPjBa1A
— Peter Hassett (@peterhassett) January 28, 2020
And here’s tonight:
https://t.co/bGpEoXNiI5 pic.twitter.com/ICGa5ugXrf
— Peter Hassett (@peterhassett) January 28, 2020
The Caps will entertain the Preds at home on Wednesday. I shall miss the game, as I’ll be in Chicago, which is a very pleasant place to be in freaking January.
