The Washington Capitals got out to a hot start in New Jersey and road that start all the way to another W over the Devils. A Saturday afternoon battle ended 5-2 in favor of the Caps before the two teams duke it out again later today.

The shots ended up tied at 24 apiece and the shot attempts at five-on-five did as well at 43 apiece.

• A rapid, well played first led to an absolutely boring second and a very turtley third. The Caps broke out with three goals to start the game and didn’t let go of that lead for the rest of play although they sure tried to in the third period. You’d love to see the intensity and urgency that they started the game with flow throughout the final two periods but at the end of the day, a win is a win. And that was a win that has taken them back atop the East Division for now as the teams below them have to catch up with their games in hand.
• I thought Vitek Vanecek was practically spotless in this one even if the Devils beat him twice. The first goal came straight off the end boards to a Devils stick on a power play and the second goal came as he was stickless after being run into by two players. He made 22 total stops and his nine wins are the most among rookie goaltenders and are tied for the third-most in the whole league. Since the 4-1 defeat to the Rangers, Vanecek has stopped 82 of 89 shots for a .921-save percentage.
• Don’t look now, but John Carlson is racing up the point leaderboard again for defensemen. With his two assists, he has 19 points in 20 games and is now second only to Quinn Hughes when it comes to rearguard scoring with Hughes having played four more games. I thought Carlson and Brenden Dillon were fantastic overall as a defensive unit in this game as well.

The Capitals are 5-1-1 over their last seven games and have earned an NHL-best 11 points during that span.

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 27, 2021

• During that 5-1-1 run the Capitals hold at five-on-five (score and venue adjusted) a team shot attempt percentage of 51.9-percent, a team scoring chance for percentage of 52-percent, and a team high danger chance for percentage of 56-percent. That is a lot more like it and is the foundation of a definite playoff team…if they can keep it up.
• This one is via the Caps. “Through his first 20 games as head coach of the Capitals, Peter Laviolette is 11-5-4 (26 points), tied for the best 20-game start by a head coach in franchise history (Jim Schoenfeld: 11-5-4-0, 26 points)”. Ian’s story on this is — here.
• We’re waiting on number 700, Nicky. Please get. Today. Thanks.

Numbers thanks to Hockey-reference.com and NaturalStatTrick.com.

RMNB Coverage of Caps at Devils

Screenshot courtesy of NBC Sports Washington