The Washington Capitals lost a heartbreaker to the Buffalo Sabres that could cost them the whole season. The lights are dimming.
The Caps controlled the first period all the way up until Zach Benson tapped in Jeff Skinner’s shot. Alex Tuch had a bit too much space from Connor McMichael to make it 2-0 in the second, but McMichael promptly redeemed himself with a rush goal two minutes later.
Jack Quinn curled-and-dragged the Caps down into hell, making it 3-1 with ten minutes left. They got the empty-netter too. Tom Wilson chopped a puck to score a goal in garbage time, but it was over.
Caps lose.
- The stakes were high in this one, and boy could you not tell from the first ten minutes. There were three shots on goal among both teams.
- I wrote that down in my notes and immediately the Caps began a puck-possession clinic. They pressed on every shift for the rest of the period, save one. The one shift was the one where the Sabres got on the cycle and found Benson up front for a tip-in.
- The flow of play shifted in Buffalo’s favor after that goal. The Caps didn’t look like they were playing to keep their playoff hopes alive, but they were. They just didn’t know it. Maybe they didn’t see the Cyberdyne out-of-town scoreboard.
Watch your heads! pic.twitter.com/7z0cX6lO9X
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 11, 2024
- From the Cyberdyne out-of-town scoreboard: Perfect Storm scenario. Wild Bunch situation. Everyone but Clint in the saloon in Unforgiven happening.
- With the Caps down in the third period, they played more good hockey until Jack Quinn ripped their goddamn hearts out. Seems like good process for the Caps didn’t turn into goals, which is poetic after so many having so many unlikely wins powered by good finishing and despite poor possession.
- Which I guess means we have to point out that Charlie Lindgren saved about two goals worse than expected. Bad night to have a bad night. (Feel free to do the “no way he could of stopped that one, he was screened” routine in comments.)
- Connor McMichael scored his 18th goal of the season. If last summer you asked any Caps fan how many goals McMichael would score, they’d say “for the Bears, or?”
- McMichael scored his goal off a nifty pass from linemate Max Pacioretty, with whom he’s had some chemistry of late. Pacioretty had one really good look tonight that reminded me of the Patches of days gone by, but he was also on the ice for two Sabres goals.
- Hendrix Lapierre had a tough night, getting caught out on some long and heavy shifts by the Sabres in the Caps’ zone. He looked overexposed, which I haven’t thought of him recently.
- I don’t want to assume anything about this. It’s possible Spencer Carbery did not notice Vincent Iorio was on the bench tonight.
- So no power plays, eh?
can you BELIEVE this shirt/tie combo #joebsuitofthenight pic.twitter.com/s9UzqcUMjJ
— RMNB (@rmnb) April 11, 2024
Well, that was traumatic. The Caps were disengaged, then dominant, then down-on-their-luck, then desperate, then dismal. When you build your season by winning games you have no business winning, then sometimes you’re going to lose a game you had no business losing.
You can’t get mad. Okay, you can absolutely get mad, but it’s not like they didn’t have this coming.
At least it came at the very worst time of the year.
This is my final game recap of the season. The regular season, at least. I hope I can write more. I hope.
