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First three-game winning streak of the season: Capitals beat Kraken 4-1

By Chris Cerullo

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December 9, 2022 9:35 pm

The Washington Capitals were back home on Friday night and hosting the Seattle Kraken. Could the Caps start a little streak before they head back out on the road again?

Adam Larsson sent a seeing-eye wrister from the point to open the scoring. Anthony Mantha clicked a loose puck off of Jamie Oleksiak to tie the game. Marcus Johansson scored on an extended Caps power play to give the Caps a lead. Lars Eller empty netter. Alex Ovechkin empty netter.

Capitals beat Kraken 4-1!

  • The Capitals recorded the only four high-danger chances of the first period and of course, left it down a goal. The first 15 minutes or so of the first were insanely boring. The good guys started to push late and looked more likely to score first until Larsson found some luck through a screen for Seattle.
  • In better news than the end of that first, Tom Wilson skated with the team for the first time this season earlier today. He did so with Nicklas Backstrom and Dmitry Orlov. Would be very nice to get all three of those guys back here sooner rather than later. The “day-to-day” Orlov missed his sixteenth game in a row after being held out of this one.
  • Just going to stop and mention again how hard the Caps hit these Reverse Retro jerseys out of the park. I would really love to see them stick around past this season. The black is just so nostalgic and unique, especially in the Eastern Conference.

  • Really fantastic second period from the Caps. The Kraken were really never in it and were lucky to be down just one after it. Negating the long power play the Caps still out-attempted Seattle 24 to 10, out-scoring chanced them 12 to 5, and out-high danger chanced them 7 to 3 in the second frame.
  • That long power play came from a horrible, horrible headshot from Jamie Oleksiak on Capitals rookie defender Alex Alexeyev. Oleksiak was assessed a major penalty, ejected from the game, and will likely be taking a seat for a few games after this one. Double A would immediately leave the game and did not return. Oleksiak is very lucky Wilson isn’t ready just yet.
  • In more positive Alexeyev news, he recorded his first NHL point on Mantha’s goal. Matt Irwin also grabbed an assist on it for his first point of the season. Really good to see for Alexeyev, let’s hope he’s okay.
  • RMNB’s Faith Harris wrote a really cool piece on NBC Sports Washington’s Alexa Landestoy this week. It’d be really cool if you checked it out if you haven’t already.

  • The third period was also fabulous from the Caps. They should have won this game by four goals. Charlie Lindgren was as solid as ever again. Really awesome to see him step up in net and be the face of the team’s first three-game winning streak of the season.
  • Philipp Gruabuer had a ridiculous evening for the Kraken against his former team. He was the sole reason Seattle was in the game for as long as they were.
  • Capital One Arena has brought back the Alex Ovechkin goal counter as Ovi nears 800 career goals and Gordie Howe’s all-time 801 mark. He got number 796 with another empty netter.

Guess what? The Caps are headed back out onto the road. First to see the Winnipeg Jets where I’m sure the weather is just lovely and then to Chicago to meet the Blackhawks.

Headline photo via @pennybacker

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