The Washington Capitals are not having a good time right now. After starting their road trip with two losses, they met the juggernaut Colorado Avalanche and things did not go well.
Cale Makar put Colorado ahead during the final minute of the first period with a snipe that Charlie Lindgren had no chance at saving. Nathan MacKinnon extended his perfect home-point streak to 24 games with three goals in a row, a natural hat trick.
Dylan Strome at least spoiled the shutout with his team-leading 17th of the season. Mikko Rantanen grabbed his fourth point of the night to extend the Colorado lead back to four. MacKinnon scored again. Strome scored again.
Avalanche beat Capitals 6-2.
- The Capitals actually went blow for blow with the Avalanche in the first period. I really liked how they started the game but it’s almost like once they were given a few power play tries, they stopped skating. You can’t do that against Colorado as they’ll pounce on anything and everything. They are such a deep team.
- Cale Makar did just that while shorthanded at the end of the period. A bit of a nothing turnover from Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin and one of the best players in the world needs just a foot in the door to do what he did. The Capitals just do not have a response to that sort of player on their roster and Colorado has like four of them.
- The Avalanche goal song is “Chase the Sun” by Planet Funk, which is a banger. It’s also the song that Arsenal fans use as the base for Martin Odegaard’s chant. I am a diehard Arsenal supporter so it will be stuck in my head for the rest of the week.
Congrats on 400 career games, Stromer! 👏#ALLCAPS | @LeidosInc pic.twitter.com/bbRQOHdRBf
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 25, 2024
- The second period showcased the different levels that these two teams are on right now. One is a Stanley Cup favorite and the other is likely a playoff pretender. The five-on-five stats don’t look horrid and Georgiev was definitely good in Colorado’s goal but that’s secondary to just the fact of the matter. If the Avalanche are on their game, you don’t beat them.
- Remember when I was talking about the best players in the world that are on their roster? Nathan MacKinnon is the best of the lot. I feel like that might be obvious though after watching that second period. Just absurd domination. Four goals and five total points.
- Alex Ovechkin had an empty net on a late second-period power play and instead of shooting into it, tried his tip pass play to a covered teammate in front. That was not fun to see. I think it’s clear that The Great Eight is fighting with himself a little bit and then also fighting the opposition.
- Ethan Bear sat out healthy against the Wild and one of his main actions in this game was to carelessly lift a puck out of play for a delay of game call. MacKinnon scored on the ensuing power play. Probably not the best way to get back in the coach’s good graces.
tj oshie starter pack https://t.co/t6txD9Saxw
— former wild card spot haver (@OVECHKlN) January 24, 2024
- Tough to evaluate much about the third period after the second pretty much ended the game. I like the effort that this team shows on a game-by-game basis but the execution is just rarely all there. MacKinnon is just an alien playing hockey.
- The power play had the chance to change this game a bunch of times. They didn’t. I still hate watching it.
- Dylan Strome should be going to the All-Star Game. I love ya Tom and in most seasons you’d probably deserve it but we gotta be honest here.
Two guys hoping for a win to turn this road trip around #JoeBSuitOfTheNight pic.twitter.com/kOjIFC1A06
— RMNB (@rmnb) January 25, 2024
One last matchup on the road in Dallas this weekend. The Capitals are then off until February 6 due to All-Star festivities.
