The Washington Capitals played a tightly contested game against the Philadelphia Flyers in their return after the Olympic break. Through two periods, the two teams managed just one goal, a second-period marker from Rasmus Sandin to put the Capitals up 1-0.
Just 29 seconds into the third, the Flyers got a tying goal from Noah Cates, which meant the Capitals needed someone else to step up and find the game-winner. That heroic role was filled by an unlikely member of the team’s roster, defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, who put the Caps ahead with just 5:52 remaining in regulation.
The big goal, which was enough to earn the Capitals a huge two points to kick off their crucial stretch run, came after Declan Chisholm made a great play up the ice and sent a cross-crease pass to his defense partner, TVR, who got enough on a shot to beat Flyers netminder Dan Vladar up high.
“It looked like they were changing, we were kind of changing, too, so I knew even if it didn’t work out, we’d have forwards behind me coming in late,” van Riemsdyk said postgame. “They’d done a great job all night of being responsible, letting us be aggressive down those walls, and then Chis made a great play. The entry, through the middle, drop it, and to slide it through that guy, just kinda gave me an empty netter.”
The strangeness of having both of the Capitals’ defensemen next to the opposing team’s goalie during a play wasn’t lost on TVR. However, the normally defensively dependable blueliner saw his opportunity to take a risk, and it paid off huge for the team.
“It was nice,” TVR said. “I almost felt like I was crowding everyone. O was there, too. It felt like we had a lot of guys in that rush, but Chis made a heck of a play to kinda open the guy up and slide it right through his triangle there. Like I said, I was just in a good spot to tap it in.”
The Capitals’ two non-empty-net goals came from guys who have not exactly filled up nets this season. Sandin’s tally was just his third of the season, and TVR’s was just his second. The contributions summed up what the Caps seem to think they’ll need in the final months of the regular season to qualify for the postseason.
“I just think those are big plays,” head coach Spencer Carbery said. “We talked about it as a group. It’s not going to be about who’s getting points, who’s scoring goals. That all is out the window at this point of the season. Everything is about how we can find a way to win a hockey game and get two points. So, Riemer steps up, and Chis, they make a heck of a play.
“We just have to find ways to win games. Tonight, I don’t think it was our best, but coming off the break, shaking some of the rust off, and finding a way to win, get us some momentum, and start this final push off on the right foot was important.”
TVR echoed some of what his bench boss said and emphasized that this year’s Capitals team needs to play as a full unit if they want to climb the standings.
“I think we all know it’s going to take contributions all over the ice this time of year,” he said. “Teams are dialed into what they’re trying to do. It’s hard to score, and if you don’t have all five guys in the attack, it’s going to be really hard to score. We know how tight it can get this year. We know that our group of D can add a lot to this team, and if we can be aggressive, rely on one another, we’re a tough team to deal with.”
In the victory, van Riemsdyk skated 17:27 of ice time, fired two shots on goal, and blocked two shots.
The Capitals will be back in game action on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights, the first half of a back-to-back with travel. They’ll then fly north to play the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
