After seven days in Western Canada, where 65 percent of Discovery Channel shows are filmed, the Washington Capitals are finally heading home to America, which had a good run.
But first, one more hockey game, this time in Winnipeg, Manitoba against the Jets.
The first period was filled with phantom penalty calls and Jets shots, but the Capitals got on the board in the final minute of the frame when Karl Alzner unleashed a muffin towards oblivious Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
In the second, Winnipeg continued to control play but the Capitals jumped out to another 2-0 lead after Marcus Johansson scored his millionth goal of the road trip. The Jets whacked Braden Holtby and TJ Oshie a bunch of times, but Washington held the lead.
In the third, Mark Scheifele managed to put the Jets within one after a Capitals defensive breakdown. Then there was another, when John Carlson and Brooks Orpik made a large oops, and the game was tied.
However, with just 30 seconds left Jay Beagle won the game on a scramble in front. Nothing made any sense, but we’ll take it. Caps beat Jets, 3-2.
- Karl Alzner now has two goals in three games, though he hasn’t actually done anything.
- Marcus Johansson now has scored in three straight games, with five total tallies. That makes him second in the league with six goals. With his assist on Alzner’s goal, Johansson also has three multi-point games in a row.
- While Johansson’s goal gets the headlines, the play was made in the neutral zone, the most underrated of zones, when Mojo intercepted a pass and gave it Evgeny Kuznetsov, who did his usual behind the net magic. Johansson was in his usual place, ready to cash in.
Annual reminder that Marcus Johansson going to the net and scoring goals is not a new thing for him (career heatmap https://t.co/re5yG5DY7p) pic.twitter.com/wEy7E6oOAZ
— pfholden.bsky.social (@pfholden) November 2, 2016
- Braden Holtby was brilliant Tuesday night and the only reason the Capitals won. The Jets peppered him with shots, many of them of “that should have been a goal” variety. The Jets finally scored after Braden made nearly 40 saves.
https://twitter.com/CSNCapitals/status/793629221490946049
So… the road trip was an interesting one. It started off with a stinker, two wins with lines that ostensibly were generated by a wood chipper, and finally a win despite being outshot 45-27. I’m confused, but my brain is 90 percent candy.
