Home / News / Jakub Vrana’s return: Capitals vs Red Wings live blog (February 21, 2023)

Jakub Vrana’s return: Capitals vs Red Wings live blog (February 21, 2023)

By Ian Oland

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February 21, 2023 7:06 pm

This is your place to check for updates and comment along with the Washington Capitals vs. Detroit Red Wings game on February 21, 2023.

The Washington Capitals, losers of four straight in regulation, have fallen out of playoff position and have low odds to make the big dance at the end of the year. The Capitals have two regulation wins in their last 12 games.

Tonight, Washington will face off against the Detroit Red Wings who have won seven of their last 10 and are two points behind the Caps. The Red Wings will be buoyed by the return of Jakub Vrana, who will be playing in his first game since being forced out of DC by Peter Laviolette.

The Capitals will have Nic Dowd back in the lineup. That in turn has sent (one of their best process players this season) Aliaksei Protas back to the minors. Lars Eller will play on the wing.

Tonight’s game is back on NBC Sports Washington and puck drop is shortly after 7:00 pm. The Capitals are wearing their Stadium Series jerseys for one last time.

Links

Lines

Tunnel shenanigans

1st Period

Eller-Dowd-Hathaway and Fehervary-Jensen get the start. Darcy Kuemper is opposing Ville Husso in net.

The Capitals honored Jakub Vrana with a tribute video.

Dmitry Orlov nailed Vrana with a big hit in the defensive zone.

🚨 1-0 Red Wings. Robert Hagg scores after Trevor van Riemsdyk commits goaltender interference on Darcy Kuemper. Not an optimal start.

The Red Wings have seven of the game’s first nine shots.

Dylan Larkin has been ejected and given a five-minute major for cross-checking TJ Oshie in the chin. Oshie is fine but was bleeding a bit.

🚨 2-0 Red Wings. SHORTY DETROIT. Erik Gustafsson deflects a Pius Suter shot on a two-on-one past Kuemper.

The Capitals had no shots on goal on the power play through the first three minutes of the major penalty.

🚨 2-1 Red Wings. Tom Wilson deflects an Erik Gustafsson shot into the net. It’s a PPG.

The Red Wings outshot the Capitals 8 to 6 and out-attempted them 17-10 during 5v5 play. The Red Wings hold the expected goals edge 1.14 to 0.84.

2nd Period

Jonatan Berggren takes a two-minute minor for tripping on TJ Oshie.

Caps can’t get anything going on the resulting power play.

After the PP ends, Garnet Hathaway shanks one off the post. He had a wide-open net.

Anthony Mantha has left the game due to injury.

Red Wings to the power play after a Tom Wilson hooking penalty on Jake Walman.

This is the best period the Capitals have had in a week and I’m not sure that’s saying much.

The Red Wings are out-shooting the Capitals 21 to 12 and out-attempting them 29 to 23 at 5v5. The Red Wings have an expected goals lead of 1.75 to 1.27.

3rd Period

🚨 3-1 Red Wings. Nick Jensen makes a poor pass to Evgeny Kuznetsov right in front of the net, which bounces right to Pius Suter for his second of the night.

Bertuzzi and Hathaway to the box for matching minors.

Darcy Kuemper was pulled for an extra attacker with 2:51 remaining.

Comment below. Refresh this article throughout the night as we’ll be updating it live.

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