Like Stephen Van Rensselaer in 1812, the Washington Capitals entered Ontario looking for victory, but unlike Stephen Van Rensselaer in 1812 the Washington Capitals actually got it, outplaying and outscoring the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.
After a scoreless first period, Nic Dowd deflected Matt Roy’s long bomb to put the Caps up 1-0. That lead lasted about ten minutes, which is when John Tavares caught a ICBM pass to beat Charlie Lindgren with a filthy backhand.
Halfway through the third period, Connor McMichael restored Washington’s lead after an unfortunate turnover by Auston Matthews behind the Toronto net. Aliaksei Protas got an empty-netter.
Caps win!
- Tom Wilson loves playing for his hometown pals. He delivered a murderous open-ice hit on Pontus Holmberg in the first period and delivered a murderous open-ice hit on Conor Timins in the second period.
- Love a goal from both Matt Roy and Nic Dowd, two good role guys with short, short names who score a good goal in a big game. They are good and I like when they play and score. All the rest of the guys in this game have long names, but Nic Dowd and Matt Roy: short names.
- In the bold history of phantom penalties, this one on John Carlson stands out. Poor Carlson has had such a tough season where the refs are involved.
- Not the best night for the refs, who are just too conspicuous this year. For instance, the official behind Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz interrupted what I think was intended to be a hard-around by Auston Matthews – but what instead became a tasty turnover for Connor McMichael, and the prelude to his 15th goal of the season.
- What exactly was John Tavares doing so far behind the play before Chris Tanev found him with that distant pass? Tavares was floating deep in the thermosphere. I’m not mad; it worked for him. But that’s a bold choice.
- Taylor Raddysh has been all over the lineup this season. He started the year on the fourth line but has been filling in on the second. He played a little bit with Strome on the top line in this one. He can do anything.
- This wasn’t a particularly exciting game, as we were discussing in the Discord, but I’ll take boring and competent over any other iteration of the Washington Capitals from the last three years.
- Solid game by Charlie Lindgren, especially with a highlight save in the final minutes.
Big game tonight #joebsuitofthenight pic.twitter.com/XoncqDeFhT
— RMNB (@rmnb) December 6, 2024
So that is wins in five of the last six games, and 11 points out of twelve since Thanksgiving. Eight straight road wins. The Capitals are good, and we’ll see more of them on Saturday night, in an obvious trap game in Montreal.
