The Washington Capitals had a slow start on Saturday night against the Florida Panthers. That plus no goals from any non-Jakob-Chychrun players made for a shameful loss on Pride Night.
AJ Greer scored the lone goal of the first period off the rebound.
Jakob Chychrun scored twice back-to-back in the second period – once on the rush and again through traffic – but Sam Bennett was in the right place at the right time, and then Uvis Balinskis converted on the power play to keep the Cats in the lead.
Anton “MyPillow” Lundell got an empty-netter from just past his own blue line, and then Carter Verhæge got another.
Caps lose.
- The Florida Panthers had a big weekend, notably losing 9-1 last night. More wired than tired, the Panthers dominated the Caps in the first period, attempting 28 shots to Washington’s 13 and doubling them up in expected goals.
- Connor McMichael could have redeemed that period with strong drive to the net but his goal was overturned because Aliaksei Protas was offside.
- Bailey Johnson reported that Jakob Chychrun’s wife Olivia had a baby yesterday. Dad strength isn’t a meme. It isn’t a joke. It’s a physiological fact, proven true once again as the Boca-born blueliner scored twice. Both were brilliant goals. I don’t know how the second one got through traffic. The first one was just smooth.
- Ivan Miroshnichenko got a sweater for the first time this month. He had a critical screen on Chychrun’s second goal.
- So we know the Caps are looking for a “higher-end skilled winger.” Artemi Panarin’s name has been floated, but that’s not the guy the Caps want. They should want Jason Robertson. That’d be the blockbuster we’ve been begging for since early December.
- It was Pride Night at the rink. Shout out to Lesbians 4 Dylan Strome and We 💙 LGBTVR. Shout out to the in-arena entertainment group for playing bangers all night.
- Hendrix Lapierre ice-time check: 6:36. I don’t know what we’re doing here.
ostentatious pocket square #joebsuitofthenight
That was a tough game, but compared to the Caps’ next opponent it was a cakewalk. The Caps play an afternooner in Colorado on MLK Day. The Avalanche are on a 132-point pace. Everything except their power play is elite – as rarefied as the air up there.
