On Friday the Washington Capitals dropped just their third game in regulation this season, but a banged up team without any rest now has to face maybe the best team in the league. the Boston Bruins. This will probably be Washington’s toughest game of the month.
Catch it at 7 PM. The divine Elyse has recap duty, which means she’ll try to start some static on Twitter about something silly at the first intermission like always.
By Peter Hassett 3 weeks ago
I asked Pat what he thinks about the Caps right now. He had already blown off our double date/board-game night this weekend because he’s a Serious And Busy Grown-Up, so all he gave me in response was this barely legible tweet.
jake vrana shooting more than Ovechkin, Leipsic’s offensive confidence and flash, and me wondering when Poti came back every time I see Jensen
— Paddy Holds (@pfholden) November 15, 2019
Still, that’s some good stuff. Let’s talk about that stuff.
By Peter Hassett 4 weeks ago
After twenty games, the Washington Capitals find themselves in a novel position. For the first time since 2016-17, the Caps appear to have a darn good penalty kill. And you could argue that they’re even underperforming.
By Peter Hassett 4 weeks ago
The Washington Capitals were due for crummy game, and they certainly gave us one against the Arizona Coyotes on Monday night, except Washington’s winning ways were irrepressible. A late-game rally saved a bummer of a night, but the win streak did not survive.
Clayton Keller started scoring for the Coyotes with a crash-the-net rebound goal. Christian Fischer added a second with a shot to Ilya Samsonov’s glove that crossed the goal line. Michael Grabner made it 3-0 with a giveaway from TJ Oshie.
Then Evgeny Kuznetsov started doing his thing. He cracked the shutout in the second period and then turned a negative-angle shot into a goal to make it a one-goal game in the third. TJ Oshie tied it with 76 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. OT gave us nothing, so here we go:
Shootout bullets!
Caps lose 4-3 in the shootout.
By Peter Hassett 4 weeks ago
Hockey Night In Canada institution Don Cherry was fired on Monday following his recent controversial statements about immigrants. As first reported by Deadspin, Sportsnet is currently evaluating replacements for Cherry, including some familiar faces.
By Peter Hassett 4 weeks ago
Monday is Remembrance Day in Canada, a holiday to celebrate members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty. During Saturday night’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, Don Cherry used the holiday to lament the perceived ingratitude of Canadian immigrants towards veterans.
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
I’m going to start with a bummer, but stay with me and I promise it’ll get better.
So, Evgeny Kuznetsov has sort of been a disaster this season. Looking at relative numbers — the percentage-point difference in how the Caps do when he’s on the ice versus on the bench — he’s been arguably the team’s worst full-time forward.
I’m been handwringing about this on the RMNB patreon since Kuznetsov returned from suspension. It’s scary. The team is committed to him through 2024-25, so if he really is this bad, he’s going to hurt the team for a long time.
Except it looks like Todd Reirden may have figured out how to get Kuznetsov playing the right way.
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
Caps prospect Connor McMichael continues his hot start in the OHL.
The London Knights forward scored four goals and four assists over the weekend, earning him the OHL’s ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week title for the second time this season.
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
The Washington Capitals defeated the visiting Calgary Flames on Sunday, but most people will remember this game for the Washington Nationals’ gleeful, rowdy celebrations in the crowd. Oh, and Jakub Vrana’s first-ever hat trick.
The tired Flames struck first as Dmitry Orlov turned the puck over so that Andrew Mangiapane could score. The Caps responded with two slick goals from breakout stud Jakub Vrana, but Elias Lindholm tied the game in the last two seconds of the first period.
Vrana completed his hat trick with a breakaway goal in the second period to restore Washington’s lead and collect a bunch of World Series championship hats. Lars Eller added a power-play goal in the third period to make sure Vrana did not hog all the limelight.
Caps win 4-2!
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
It was bound to happen. Washington Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton performed the Ritual of Champions before Sunday’s game against the Calgary Flames.
In front of the Caps, Eaton spoke the Sacred Words, “Let’s go, boys.” He then flipped his jersey over his face and poured a Bud Light through the jersey and into his mouth.
The room erupted in Solemn Applause.
By Peter Hassett 1 month ago
