The Washington Capitals started their western Canadian road trip off on the right foot as they took down the current Pacific Division-leading Calgary Flames 5-4.

The Caps just refused to go away. That’s a game to build off of.

• I’m gonna throw a little cold water out here just to start off but I’m obviously overall happy with how that game went. I thought the first half of the game the Caps were good and the scoreboard did not reflect that. I thought the back half of the game was not as good yet the scoreboard favored the Caps in those minutes. The Flames were also playing in a back-to-back. Okay, now that’s done. I actually think the five-on-five stats were generous towards the Flames. This was an even game. I don’t buy them out-high danger chancing the Caps 12 to 5. So I’m actually gonna give some of the numbers I usually lean on the side-eye treatment for this post.
• I thought Dmitry Orlov had an awesome game. One play in particular that stood out to me was just before Ovi’s empty-net goal. Dillon Dube is given the puck with a full head of steam coming into the Caps zone and Orlov calmly forces him to the outside and separates him from the puck with a perfectly timed check that allows Nick Jensen to spin the puck up the boards to Tom Wilson and the rest is literal history. The Caps out-chanced the Flames 12 to 8 with Orlov on the ice at five-on-five.
• Dima’s partner in crime Nick Jensen chipped in with three assists in the game, tying a single-game career-high in both points and assists. It’s very on-brand for Jensen that two of them just came from throwing the puck around the boards but that doesn’t make those not good plays. His other assist came from a beautiful outlet pass to Nicklas Backstrom who set up Anthony Mantha.

Alex Ovechkin scores 765th and 766th goals against Flames, ties Jaromir Jagr for third all-time https://t.co/rZPMEQ2Ltk

— RMNB (@rmnb) March 9, 2022

• Vitek Vanecek came up with some absolutely huge, timely saves in this one. There was one in particular on I believe a mid-air shot from Tyler Toffoli just after the Caps had tied the game at three. In 2022, Vitek now has a 7-3-0 record with three shutouts, a 2.04 goals-against average, and a .931 save percentage. All three of those latter stats are top five in the league among goaltenders with at least ten appearances.
• The “third” line had a really nice night, skating to a plus-six shot attempt differential, a plus-two scoring chance differential, and a plus-one high danger chance differential. Conor Sheary is on fire right now with four goals and six total points in his last four games.
• Really good to see Anthony Mantha get on the board for the first time since coming back. That one had been coming as it feels like he’s had about 20 chances in these past two games.

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