The Washington Capitals comfortably defeated the worst team in the league, the Chicago Blackhawks, on Saturday night.
Hendrix Lapierre kept his white-hot streak going early with a deflection to beat Petr Mrazek. Mike Sgarbossa made it 2-0 with a scramble in front of the net. Then Tom Wilson got a power-play goal to wrap up a pretty pleasant first period.
There was more of the same in the second, especially when Sonny Milano got help from Aliaksei Protas and a terrible line change by the Hawks to make it 4-0 after forty minutes.
Tyler Johnson ended Charlie Lindgren’s shutout streak with a subtle deflection ten minutes into the third period, and that’s where the scoring ended.
Caps win!
- More goals from the young’ns. Well, the young’ns and 31-year-old AHL veteran Mike Sgarbossa, who is my sentimental favorite of the new crop. I think there’s a lot to be excited about on the outside of Washington’s core.
- Though maybe be cautious in how excited you allow yourself to be for Hendrix Lapierre, who before tonight had seen a higher on-ice shooting percentage than 375 of 377 forwards over the last five games. Individually, as of his goal tonight, Milano had five goals on seven shots. He’s on a ride though, that’s for sure.
- I loved that the “mic’d up” segment caught Ovechkin’s advice for Lapierre.
Listen to the #Gr8 and good things happen
Mic’d Up | @MonSportsNet pic.twitter.com/o0CGWKIsPp
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 10, 2024
- With his goal tonight, Sonny Milano has ’em in five straight. Wonder how this season might have been different had they not lost him for two months.
- Meanwhile, from the Shinra Electric Power Company out-of-town scoreboard, John Tortorella got ejected and did not cope well.
- Philly got smoked and roasted by the Bolts tonight, but it should not have a meaningful impact on Washington’s playoff hopes, which are now held only by the very naive and very brave.
- Aliaksei Protas should have had a goal tonight, but Max Pacioretty’s offside violation got it rescinded in review. I really wanted that goal for Pro, who has been up and down depending on his partners and opposition of late. I am convinced there’s an extra gear for him waiting to be unlocked.
- Another sterling game from Washington Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren, who is signed with the Washington Capitals through next season. That’s Charlie Lindgren of the Washington Capitals. Lindgren (WSH) had a shutout last game, and came damn close to making it back-to-back until a lucky bounce beat him (him being Lindgren, a Capital of Washington, signed through next season).
- I don’t have anything to add about Evgeny Kuznetsov tonight. I am pretty sure I’ve written more analysis about him than any hockey writer on the planet, and I’m not ready to unpack all that right now. I’ll just say I’ll miss him forever. I’m elated that he has another chance to play NHL-level hockey again. He deserves it, and Carolina might be smart enough to set him up to succeed. They’re a very interesting team tactically, and I can kinda see how Kuznetsov’s finishing magic, if still extant, could elevate them further.
Invoking springtime with a pink shirt. Meanwhile Craig can't go wrong with blue and brown. pic.twitter.com/flENLqLIsX
— RMNB (@rmnb) March 10, 2024
Time to shift gears. The trade deadline is passed, and we are all changed by it. But now the Capitals have a long and difficult road trip ahead: Winnipeg, Edmonton, Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary. Three of those teams could win the Cup this year, and the Seattle one will come unrested. Worst of all: three of those games are at 10 PM eastern. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me, but remember two things: hockey is a stupid sport and watching it with us is mandatory.
