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They’ll take all three: Caps beat Islanders 1-0

By Chris Cerullo

 27 Comments

April 27, 2021 9:38 pm

For the third time in a row, the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders did battle atop the NHL’s East Division. Could the Caps sweep all three or would the Isles play spoiler in front of fans in DC for the first time this season?

Daniel Sprong stayed hot, picking the top corner after a net drive to open the scoring. Nada in the second. Nada in the third.

Vitek Vanecek with a shutout.

Caps beat Islanders 1-0!

  • Barry Trotz clearly told his team to try and make sure most of this game was played in the neutral zone. That was evident in the first period as I don’t think either team really spent any long shifts in the other’s zone. The Caps still ended up with more of the grade-A chances and were deserving leaders after twenty minutes.
  • Am I gonna devote an entire bullet to complaining about the non-call on Tom Wilson? Yep. Scott Mayfield not only cross-checked Wilson, breaking his own stick in the process, but Wilson also wasn’t even attempting to play the puck and was seemingly caught up high by the flying shrapnel. They could have gone with about four different penalty calls but due to calling two in quick succession on New York before the incident…they went with the ole shrug emoji instead.
  • I wasn’t a fan of the five-on-three look the Caps showed in the first period or really the overall just normal five-on-four setup with Alex Ovechkin out. A couple weird coaching choices. TJ Oshie needs to be in the bumper slot. He dominates from there and doesn’t have the one-timer to beat goaltenders from Ovi’s office. If you’re not gonna get Anthony Mantha or Daniel Sprong‘s shot involved, have Dmitry Orlov play the point and John Carlson in the ole office.

  • The Caps absolutely, positively dominated the entire second period. They just could not beat Ilya Sorokin. Process was entirely there, just no end result.
  • Matt Martin laid a hit on Michael Raffl‘s head that was clearly from behind and clearly boarding. The refs who I thought were absolute trash in this game decided it was not a penalty. So Zdeno Chara kicking Martin’s ass was the only punishment doled out.
  • Another ref bullet because Kelly Sutherland and Jon McIsaac sucked that much. I hate when people complain about the officials when it’s not deserved, but it is deserved in this case as the Isles ending up with the only power play in the second period is a special feat of officiating. Garnet Hathaway was cross-checked in the face by Braydon Coburn but that was also ignored.
  • Daniel Sprong stayed hot. He has three goals in two games since replacing the ailing Ovechkin on the top line. Sprong is the eighth Caps player with at least ten goals this season.

  • More of the same in the third. Just repeat my second period bullet. Vitek Vanecek with a shutout. Great game from him.
  • Gonna be nice to an Islanders player. Hold the vomit. Mat Barzal is annoyingly good at hockey. Imagine if he played on a team that accepted offense as a thing.
  • Refs stayed trash in the third period. Worst reffed Caps game of the season.

Next up for the Caps is two in a row at home against the annoyingly good Pittsburgh Penguins that refuse to lose a game right now. Big week this is.

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Islanders

Screenshot courtesy of NBC Sports Washington

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