TJ OSHIE FINALLY SCORED A GOAL

In a night full of firsts, TJ Oshie finally did the thing, giving us reason to give thanks on this Capsgiving Eve. On Wednesday night, the beloved Capitals winger, who started the season with just one point in 15 games, scored his first goal of the year.

I’ll faux-quote Rose from Titanic to set the scene. It’s been 84 years, and I can still smell the fresh vulcanized rubber. The hockey sticks had never been used. The jerseys had never been worn. The TJ Oshie was the forward of dreams, and he was.

The goal came on Oshie’s 30th shot on the season, ending a 19-game goalless streak that stretched back to last season – March 21, 2023 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

That’s our #OshBabe pic.twitter.com/LZSP3JrRCb

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 23, 2023

Oshie was the beneficiary of a tricky shot from Connor McMichael that bounced hard off Buffalo goalie Devon Levi’s pads. The puck found Oshie driving the center lane. With a backhand, the soon-to-be 37-year-old deposited the puck into a yawning net.

Happy bunch here#EasyToCelebrate | @budlight pic.twitter.com/NyM3zmHPkw

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 23, 2023

“We were talking about getting some pucks in some areas there,” Oshie said at intermission. “Forecheck was doing a good job. They threw it out to the neutral zone. [Anthony Mantha] made a great play and then after that, I found [Connor McMichael] over there. He got a shot. Finally a rebound came my way. It felt good to pop that one.”

Prior to the goal, Oshie was by some measures the most snakebit player in the league. Before Wednesday’s games began, these were the forwards with the most offense without a goal to show for it.

Congratulations and best wishes to Montreal’s Josh Anderson, who now rules the roost.

Per Capitals PR, Oshie’s goal ties him with Dale Hunter and Michal Pivonka (181) for the 11th-most goals in franchise history.