The Washington Capitals are back after a long three-day layoff to take on the New York Islanders for 90’s Night. The Islanders come into Capital One Arena with a 4-1-2 record, sitting fourth in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals sit one point behind them in fifth, riding a three-game winning streak.
The Capitals are facing an uncertain future without superstar center, Nicklas Backstrom, who announced he was taking a leave from the team due to his lingering hip injury. Connor McMichael will shift to center in the Swede’s absence, his natural position.
Puck drop is a little after 7 pm. The game’s on Monumental Sports Network featuring Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin on the call.
Must read RMNB content
- Nicklas Backstrom’s leave of absence
- The lines without Backstrom
- Ovi: “It’s hard as a friend to see what’s happening right now”
- Oshie: “It’s just tough all around to not have 19 on the bench next to you”
- Carlson: “It feels weird to me. I’ve never been here without him.”
- Wilson and Oshie will share vacated “A”
- Update on Pacioretty
- An injury update on Dowd
- Edmundson skates again
- First RMNB snapshot of the season
- Appreciating Backstrom
Lines
Lineys!#CapsIsles | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/XXDybMKcGe
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 2, 2023
Tunnel weirdness
Woooooweh#ALLCAPS | @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/xdF5yvYrbQ
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 2, 2023
1st Period
🚨 1-0 Isles. Ryan Pulock scores 22 seconds into the game beating Darcy Kuemper with a wrister.
🚨 2-0 Isles. Simon Holmstrom scores 10:41 into the period via a snap shot.
Oh gosh. Darcy Kuemper had a 0 percent save percentage in the period.
It's official: Darcy Kuemper made zero saves that period. Allowed two goals on two shots. That's a save percentage of .000. We double-checked the math.
— RMNB (@rmnb) November 2, 2023
The Capitals out-shot the Islanders 8-2 in the period and dominated in five-on-five shot attempts, 22-5. Just no puck luck.
2nd Period
TJ Oshie down the runway and to the locker room after taking a shot off his hand on the power play.
Oshie is back and only missed a few minutes.
Former Capital Semyon Varlamov is out here holding a clinic.
🚨 3-0 Isles. Brock Nelson scores on an odd-man break. Kuemper remains in the game despite giving up goals in three of his first five shots, a masterpiece.
Evgeny Kuznetsov gets hit in the face by a Bo Horvat clearing attempt at the end of the period. He appears to be okay.
Capitals are outshooting the Islanders 22-10 and destroying the Islanders in 5v5 shot attempts, 37-11, and high danger chances, 18-2. Isles lead 3-0 going into break. lol
3rd Period
TJ Oshie scores a butt goal, but it’s disallowed due to goaltender interference.
Caps lose 3-0 and are shut out by Semon Varlamov.
The Capitals outshot the Islanders 32-21 and out-attempted them at 5v5, 65-36. In the final period, the Islanders had 8 of 10 high-danger chances.
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