NBC picked up Sunday’s matinee game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals because 1) the NFL didn’t have an early afternoon game, and 2) Caps-Flyers sounds good, or, at least, interesting.
And yet, for 40 minutes, it was anything but. But in that final period, the Capitals reminded us why they’re streaking so hard in 2017: it’s because they’re bananas for goals.
First, Andre Burakovsky ripped off his shirt, drizzled oil down his chest, and scored all by his damn self. Then, Justin Williams caught a pretty pass from Marcus Johansson and roofed it. Matt Niskanen got involved with two goals: one, a classic passing sequence from Nick and Ovi, the second, an outside slapshot that Steve Mason should have had. Feeling left out, Justin Williams scored again, chasing Mason and bringing Neuvirth to the cage.
And the Flyers couldn’t beat Caps goalie Philipp Grubauer even once!
Caps beat Flyers 5-0! Nine-game win streak! Back-to-back shutouts! Unlimited power!
Tonight we dance.
- This is the 6th game the Caps have scored with 5 or more goals since the streak began. It’s been the bailamost.
- John Carlson left the game with a lower-body injury, perhaps the same one that had been bothering him earlier in the week.
- Without Carlson, Matt Niskanen had to pick up the slack for offense from the defense. He took Carlson’s spot on the power play and, oh what the heck, let’s add in a couple of goals on consecutive shots. That first one– from Ovi and Backstrom– was a goddamn classic bump-set goal. I could watch that on loop for the rest of the day and consider it a day well spent.
- Andre Burakovsky was a monster, kicking off scoring in the second period with an opportunistic, unassisted power play goal, then following it with a savage hit on that guy who boarded Orlov.
.@Capitals pic.twitter.com/ZkjDcRHfxE
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) January 15, 2017
- The Caps did not play well during even strength for the first two periods. Whatever Barry Trotz said during that second intermission is dubiously absolutely the specious precipitating event that we must fallaciously attribute to the team’s turnaround in the third. Same thing with Andre Burakovsky’s scoring streak since he was scratched.
- I saw Jay Beagle score twice on Friday night. On Sunday I saw him play lots and lots of defense.
"Come on, Vince. Smile for the camera!" pic.twitter.com/dS8yaa07ff
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 15, 2017
Pictured above: Caps forward Nick Backstrom holds Caps forward Andre Burakovsky
- Philipp Grubauer records his second shutout of the season. He had to be quite good early in this game, so he definitely deserved the feat. With Holtby’s shutout on Friday, the Caps goalie tandem has not allowed a goal since the mid 80s.
Joe B suit of the glorious afternoon
I thought this was the trap game that would end the Caps’ streak. I thought they’d sleepwalk into this game, commit too many penalties, and leave defeated. I was right on the first two points, and gleefully wrong on the last.
Thanks to Grubauer for getting Washington through those first two periods. Thanks to Yung Dre for showing some spirit in the first. Thanks to Niskanen for kicking it up a notch with Carlson hurt. Thanks to the Flyers for collapsing in the third.
Thanks for being so much fun, Caps. Let’s go for ten. Let’s dance.
Headline photo: @Capitals
