Do you ever feel incompetent? Like there’s no way your crush will go out with you; you’re not smooth. Like you won’t get that senior dev position; you don’t comment your code. Like you can’t be the Deputy Director of the FBI Director; you are a podcaster. Well, worry not, my fellow losers. Even we get lucky some times. For example: the Washington Capitals Mr.-Magoo’d themselves into an overtime win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.
With a fraction of a second left in the first period, Aliaksei Protas made it 1-0 Caps.
In the second, Jesper Bratt converted on the power play with a layup, but Anthony Beauvillier replied after Jack Hughes misplayed a breakout. The Caps led 2-1 after two periods.
The lead evaporated in a span of 32 seconds in the third. Jesper Bratt made space for himself from outside, then Cody Glass scored a weird one in the wake of a breakaway. Alex Ovechkin whispered nyet, and swept in the tying goal assisted by Rasmus Sandin.
Onto overtime, where the Caps hardly had the puck until Jakob Chychrun won it in a blur.
Caps win 4-3!
- Whatever ailed the Capitals before the Christmas break ails them now still. The Devils are a good team, and that was some of the worst hockey they’ve played all season in the second period. To be fair, they were much better in the third.
- Aliaksei Protas had a three point night: the goal below, a primary assist on the Beauvillier goal, and a fake assist on the Ovi goal. He’s got seven points in five games. While everyone else is sputtering, Pro is soaring. They should clone this man.
- Two goals from my favorite non-Caps player of 2024, Jesper Bratt. He looked like he had multiple boons from Hermes out there and had not engaged the Vow of Frenzy.
- Brandon Duhaime took a penalty in each of his first two shifts of the second period. Those shifts were also two of worst I’ve seen from this team this season. Spencer Carbery agreed. He sat Duhaime, giving him 1:02 of ice time (one shift and five seconds of another) in the final fourteen minutes of that period.
- The real story of the night happened far away from Jersey, when star Caps prospect Cole Hutson took a puck to the head. He was immobilized and taken to the hospital but has since been released. I think/hope that means the nightmare scenario has been avoided.
- The Devils should not be allowed to wear black. I’m texting Gary.
- Justin Sourdif got a curious spot at the top of the lineup and then made even curiouser plays at both ends of the ice. That marathon defensive-zone shift could have ended earlier had he made safe outlet pass. And then he blew a golden chance in front of Jake Allen’s net.
- Alex Ovechkin un-schneided himself thanks to that brilliant pass by Rasmus Sandin. It’s not often that Ovi can sneak his way to the goal-mouth. His last goal was nine games ago, December 3, a two-goal effort in that blowout against San Jose. Nine hundred and twelve goals, growing his lead over Lionel Messi (896).
- As regulation closed and the teams prepared for overtime, goalie Logan Thompson, who was great, spit. Except it didn’t get enough distance, so he just spit all over his beard. I’m including this bullet at the insistence of my life partner.
The colors. The patterns. The pocket square. THE SIZE OF THE LAPELS. If only the Caps could serve like this#joebsuitofthenight
I love that OT winner. Chychrun said, screw puck possession, I’m shooting this!
But, a respectable third period and an important win aside, that was an awful game in a ever-lengthening string of awful games by the Caps. I’m feeling worse about them as each passes. I don’t know what Carbery expected from the Sourdif – McMichael – Ovechkin line, but I know what I expected, and I got it: ass.
Panthers on Monday.
