Following a collision with Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews on Thursday night, NHL official Tim Peel will be unable to work in the foreseeable future. John Shannon reports that Peel fractured his fibula.
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
The Caps are in partly cloudy, 72-degree Tampa today for the first game of their mentors’ trip (pictured above), hosted by the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are in a weird situation. Last year’s regular-season dominators, the Lightning of 2019-20 are ambling along outside the playoff window at the moment. They will be highly motivated to win this one.
Puck drop’s at 7 PM. Ya boy Chris Cerullo is on the recap.
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
The league’s number-one and number-two teams collided as the Washington Capitals hosted the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night, delivering a night of real good hockey.
NHL goal leader David Pastrnak scored first with an odd-man rush. TJ Oshie scored two goals in the second period, including a thrilling highlight-reel goal we’ll discuss below. Sean Kuraly tied the game early in the third period by deflecting Krug’s wild shot from way out, but John Carlson answered with a one-timer serviced by Nicklas Backstrom. The lead held.
Caps win!
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
Pete DeBoer joined a rapidly growing list of fired head coaches on Wednesday night. The Sharks, sixth place in the Pacific division, announced they have relieved DeBoer of his duties.
Don’t worry though: it’s just because their team is bad.
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
After a nice run on the road, the Washington Capitals had a bit of a letdown game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and they did it during our anniversary party, which was rude frankly.
Cam Atkinson scored first for the Blue Jackets, beating Braden Holtby on the near post. Ryan Murray was the beneficiary of Nick Jensen getting beat to make it 2-0 in the second period. Alex Ovechkin got a nasty backhander to crack the shutout in the third, but Columbus responded with two more goals — Nash and Bjorkstrand — to earn a 4-1 lead. Nicklas Backstrom in his big return, but Atkinson got the empty netter.
Caps lose 5-2.
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
Despite missing their top-line center for eight games, the Washington Capitals currently lead the division, conference and league. They’ve taken nearly 80 percent of available standings points so far, putting them on an absurd 128-point pace. They’re getting a Norris-caliber season from John Carlson, a breakout season from Jakub Vrana, and they might have the best fourth line in the league.
There is certainly adversity coming. The schedule gets no kinder at the end of the calendar year, and there are some worrying gaps in the lineup, but the looming return of Nicklas Backstrom might be a miracle cure.
Let’s do the snapshot.
By Peter Hassett 2 months ago
Nicklas Backstrom suffered an upper-body injury on November 18, causing him to miss eight games. But that’s all over now. From the man himself, Backstrom will return for Monday’s home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
By Peter Hassett 2 months ago
Jakub Vrana kept his breakout season going on Friday night, scoring the winning goal in an uneven effort against the Anaheim Ducks.
Vrana’s latest goal puts him in good company among league-leading scorers — with one big distinction.
By Ian Oland and Peter Hassett 2 months ago
We’re turning 10 years old next week, so, uh, Is Party Soon. To mark the occasion and get you psyched for it, Ian and I hit the big red button on the podcast machine.
In today’s episode: Thornton’s heel turn, MacKinnon and Alzner wanting less money, the reckoning for authority figures in hockey, aaaaand Baby Yoda.
By Peter Hassett 2 months ago
