Alex Ovechkin did not score any goals in the Washington Capitals’ road loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. Ovi’s team got an early lead and blew it to smithereens.
The Caps got off to a hot start, recording a power-play goal from TJ Oshie and a greasy one from Nic Dowd before the game was five minutes old. Filip Chytil stripped the puck from Dmitry Orlov and scored on a rush before the first period was up.
After a scoreless second period, Kaapo Kakko took a pretty pass from Panarin to knot the game 2-2 early in the third. Two minutes later, Adam Fox put the Rangers in the lead on the strength of a strong forecheck. Artemi Panarin locked it up with yet another breakaway with four minutes left. Somebody (Buchnevich) got an empty netter.
Caps lose.
It’s a reverse bailamos, folks.
- The Caps had a quick start, notching two goals in the first 4:22 of the game. They looked pretty confident in those first twenty minutes, but it did not last.
- Still, TJ Oshie‘s goal ended Washington’s six-game power-play slump.
- Lars Eller returned to active play for the first time since March 13. His line was probably the strongest during even strength.
- Whereas the Caps’ top line was a bit of a mess. They got totally flustered on the Adam Fox goal, flailing and failing to break out against an aggressive Rangers forecheck. Like Ian said on Twitter, New York seems to match up well against Washington.
- Out of town: I thought Tampa defender Victor Hedman‘s season was over when this happened, but then he came back and recorded a career-high in shots on goal?
Big save by Merzlikins as Hedman goes down over a diving Lehtonen. Gets off the ice under duress with assistance. #TBLightning #CBJ pic.twitter.com/aa5YAi1wcY
— Alison (@AlisonL) March 31, 2021
- Alex Ovechkin did not score a goal. He ends March with 11 goals in 14 games. (He got just two assists.)
- Huge congrats to Jakub Vrana for clocking over 12 minutes on ice!
- Tom Wilson got scrappy with, uh, the entire Rangers bench in the game’s final minute and was assessed a game misconduct.
#JoeBSuitOfTheNight #CapsRangers Navy blue with a red tie @JoeBpXp pic.twitter.com/uDDxS5aDVl
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 30, 2021
So, at long last, Washington’s insouciance with a lead finally cost them a game.
See you Thursday.
RMNB Coverage of Caps at Rangers
Screenshot courtesy NBC Sports Washington
