The Washington Capitals have been in grind-it-out mode for about a week now. Tuesday’s night road game against the New York Islanders was no exception.
First period: No goals.
Second period: No goals.
Third period: No goals for thirteen minutes, then Brock Nelson got a quick look from the slot to beat Vanecek.
That’s it. Caps lose.
This is the vibe right now:
- Ever since that 8-4 disaster game, the Caps seem meek. They’ve not a particularly aggressive team on offense this season, but it’s become more pronounced this month. They had trouble generating any real chances in this one and ceded a lot of time-on-attack to the Isles. At least, that’s how it went for 48 minutes. The last ten and change were fun!
- Which is why goalie Vitek Vanecek is so grateful to his goalposts, which saved two or three goals in this one — two from Eberle alone. VV made a brilliant save on his own in the third period. He needed a lot more goal support.
- Carl Hagelin had a breakaway attempt early in the third. OF COURSE he did not score.
- Jakub Vrana returned after two games in the doghouse. He had some looks, especially in a decent second period, but most importantly: he did not get benched. Broke right through that eleven-minute glass ceiling.
- Alex Ovechkin did not score. He looked peeved about it after a second period power play. I did some lip reading in the GIF below.
uploading a clean one without the controls at bottom b/c Ian shamed me on discord pic.twitter.com/rB3ipITj5l
— Good Tweet Pete (@peterhassett) April 7, 2021
- These days I notice Brenden Dillon only when he makes mistakes. I noticed him a lot in this one.
#JoeBSuitOfTheNight #CapsIsles Plum! @JoeBpXp pic.twitter.com/cKlaUc7jPl
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) April 6, 2021
Craig Laughlin and Joe Beninati described the Caps’ style of play lately as a “tractor pull.” Which is to say: not super exciting. The team was so shaken by that April Fools mess that they’ve changed their whole style in response. The games are not very compelling right now, and when they can be decided by one failed clear — that’s not a margin I think the Caps should be happy with.
Just seems like a mismatch of style to the team’s talent to me.
RMNB Coverage of Caps at Isles
Screenshot courtesy of NBC Sports Washington
