Every game that the Washington Capitals get someone back from their lengthy injury list it seems like they add two more players back onto it soon after. That common annoyance didn’t hamper the Caps’ performance in Edmonton on Monday as they stymied Connor McDavid and the Oilers in a very nice 3-2 victory.
No new injuries? Everyone cross all of your fingers and toes.
- When the Caps put 22 shots on goal in the first period, came out of the frame without a goal, and then gave up an early second-period marker to Brett Kulak to open the scoring…I’m sure many of you, like me, were transported to a very negative place. Our favorite team didn’t let that get them down though and they put another 19 shots on net in the second and scored two goals. Then got the winner in the third. Just a very measured, tremendous road performance deserving of the full two standings points that they received.
- Although Connor McDavid did pounce on a John Carlson mistake to tally shorthanded for Edmonton, the Caps did a rather great job on him at even strength. With McDavid on the ice at five-on-five, the Oilers held a minus-6 shot attempt differential, a minus-4 scoring chance differential, a minus-2 high-danger chance differential, did not score a goal, and got scored on themselves twice.
- Really solid game from Charlie Lindgren in net as he made 28 stops on 30 shots in his third overall win of the season and second against Edmonton. He made all the stops he should have made and was especially good late when the Oilers made their push to try and tie the game back up. The problems with this team this season are not in the crease.
The Capitals have killed off 54 of 64 power plays (84.4 percent) over their last 22 games, dating back to Oct. 22. During that span, Washington’s 84.4 penalty kill percentage ranks second in the NHL.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 6, 2022
- Aliaksei Protas got some much-deserved praise from all over Caps land postgame. He made the great play to set up the eventual Nic Dowd game-winning goal in the third period. Big Pro only has five points in 27 games this season but I think that’s more due to how he has had to fill in on the team’s ultra-defensively deployed fourth line. I think there is untapped offensive potential in him and I hope he isn’t stuck in this grinder role for too much longer although he is very capable of playing it.
- The Caps are now 11-1-1 this season when they score three or more goals. That math equation for success seems rather simple.
- Big congrats to Dylan Strome on his 300th NHL game and Garnet Hathaway on his 400th NHL game. Those are big round numbers.
Numbers thanks to Hockey-reference.com and NaturalStatTrick.com.
