This game was the first one for Connor McDavid and his Oilers team in DC since November 5, 2018. It was supposed to be a matchup between number one overall picks but Alex Ovechkin missed out due to testing positive for COVID.
Leon Draisaitil scored only a little over a minute into the game on a nice chip shot over Ilya Samsonov. Evander Kane doubled that lead with a tip-in try from the slot. Connor McDavid banked one in off of Samsonov to make the game 3-0 after only five minutes. Lars Eller provided some life for the Caps with a nice move in tight to beat Mikko Koskinen.
Conor Sheary cut that Oilers lead in half after banging home a loose puck in front of the net. Evgeny Kuznetsov did some geometry work to bank a wrister off a defenseman in front and past Koskinen to tie the game.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with a late shorthanded goal and an empty netter.
Oilers beat Capitals 5-3.
- I mean obviously you don’t want to start like that but it’s not like the Caps were just handing the Oilers grade-A chances over and over again. They even ended up with double the high danger chances at five-on-five in the first period than Edmonton did. It’s just that the ole goaltending issues reared their ugly head again. That and the refs handing Tom Wilson a tripping penalty because they bought that absolute sell job from Jesse Puljujärvi.
- Ilya Samsonov let in three goals on the first four shots he faced. The third was particularly soft but at the same time why is he even getting into this game in the first place? It’s very well known that goaltending efficiency wanes severely when a guy is asked to play on back-to-back nights, especially when the guy almost faces 50 shots.
- That TNT intermission with Jaromir Jagr was actually really cool. Jags on his time with the Capitals: “My years in Washington, it wasn’t great years. I wanted to be the best and it didn’t work out. Right now, I still can’t apologize to fans in Washington enough.” I think he’s pretty much been forgiven. If he plays any better do the Caps end up not blowing it up and not getting the chance to select that one dude during that one draft?
Caught the business end of Kuzy’s broken stick during warmups 🤣 @Capitals @rmnb @JoeBpXp @Laughlin18 pic.twitter.com/XAX5jD9s2C
— Matt Pennybacker (@pennybacker) February 3, 2022
- Pretty fantastic second period from the Caps as they found one of the goals they needed to tie the game up. They probably deserved a second but just could not find the right bounce. Ice was terrible at Capital One Arena again.
- After that very soft Wilson penalty early in the game the Caps had a whole lot of the puck and the whistles went silent until Conor Sheary drew a call with his speed. That didn’t matter though because they then had one of their worst power plays of the season that didn’t end up with a shorthanded goal against.
- What about Martin Fehervary posting up in front of the goal and creating the Sheary goal. What a player that dude already is and is going to be.
- Joe Snively was so close to his first NHL goal about three times. I really think the Caps need to keep him in the lineup if Oshie/Mantha are still out post All-Star break which is at least a probable guarantee for the latter. His craftiness and speed reminds me of basically just another Sheary.
Here’s the full segment/video. Just ridiculous from Rocky Wirtz. pic.twitter.com/9k9QxKW0gI
— Wally Maz (@WallMaz35) February 3, 2022
- Capitals deserved a point but their special teams ruined another one for them. Simple as that.
- Leon Draisaitl speared Aliaksei Protas in the groin and got away with it scot free. Pays to be a superstar with that type of thing.
- This power play is an absolute farce beyond all past farces. Blaine Forstyhe needs to be fired weeks ago. They have no idea what they’re doing. It’s incredibly clear they either are not coached or are just coached very poorly. ZERO SHOTS and a shorthanded goal against with a man up in this game. What an absolute joke.
All-Star break time. Let’s hope Willy and Kuzy get up to some funny shenanigans in Vegas because god what a sour note to end on.
Headline photo: @ReadLarrysLips/Twitter
