Nicklas Backstrom is a mild-mannered Swede who shuns the spotlight. That’s why I’m here today to shine that light bright on him.
Early in the second period, the NHL’s reigning first star of the week made a fantastic defensive play, knocking a breakout pass by Conor Sheary out of mid-air. At real speed, it’s cool. The play takes about a half a second to happen.
Monday night at PPG Paints Arena, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins played in a historic game likely never to be duplicated. The two rivals combined for 15 goals. Only one of tallies was scored by one of the team’s two future Hall of Famers (Sidney Crosby in the third period).
After jumping out to what seemed like an insurmountable 3-0 lead, the Capitals gave up five straight second-period goals to the Penguins.
“There were about four or five turning points,” Matt Niskanen said to the Capitals’ Mike Vogel. “The four-on-four in the second period, they get two goals in two minutes. That’s where things started to get a little crazy. Obviously they got a ton of momentum then. We couldn’t really stop them for a while.”
The Capitals would then mount comebacks two different times before eventually forcing overtime with the two teams tied 7-7.
After a controversial no call in the extra session, Conor Sheary scored the game-winning goal, ending a game that seemingly could have gone on forever.
The 15 goals were the most tallied scored in a Caps-Pens game since 1993, when the Penguins beat the Caps 7-5 on March 18, 1993.
Whatever that was between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, it died the way it lived: messily, physically, while blurring the lines of legality.
But if you rewind just a few moments, you’ll find a play that everyone can agree on: Sidney Crosby tripped the living hell out of Alex Ovechkin.
Towards the end of an insane second period, Evgeni Malkin completed a hat trick to give the Penguins a 6-5 lead. But the tally was controversial.
Capitals Head Coach Barry Trotz challenged the call on the ice because goaltender Philipp Grubauer was taken out by Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist. After nearly a ten-minute review (on a tiny tablet), Frederick L’Ecuyer and Dan O’Halloran ruled that the goal would stand.
The Capitals looked to be in the driver’s seat after Justin Williams extended the team’s lead to 3-0 over the Penguins. Then referees Frederick L’Ecuyer and Dan O’Halloran missed an obvious penalty and everything went to hell.
Patric Hornqvist cross-checked forward TJ Oshie in the chin, causing the Caps forward to leave the game briefly. The officials missed it.
So this is a thing that happened.
Late in the second period, the Capitals took a 2-0 lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nicklas Backstrom scored the goal, but I need to point you to what happened seconds before that.
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is a certified legend after tallying his 1,000th point last week. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have time for his people.
After tallying an assist in the Caps 5-0 win over the Flyers, Ovechkin met up with three members of the Montgomery Blue Devils hockey team in the Verizon Center parking deck. Of course he posed for an amazing picture.
Although the Caps won 5-0 against the Flyers in a matinee on Sunday, John Carlson had every reason to be bummed after the nationally-televised game. He suffered a lower-body injury and left after the first period, missing all of the goals that his teammates scored in quick succession.
Despite this, I’m sure he had the biggest smile on his face after this adorable greeting from his son Lucca in the belly of Verizon Center.
By Madeline Dement 6 years ago
The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers played a mostly sleepy game through 40 minutes. Then the third period happened.
Washington exploded for four goals in five minutes. To complete the scoring, Nicklas Backstrom found Justin Williams with a no-look, between-the-legs pass. The tally gave the three-time Stanley Cup champion his 14th goal of the season.
It was Backstrom’s second stunning assist of the period.
While Alex Ovechkin is undisputedly one of the greatest goal-scorers of all time, he’s also become a very good passer. Sunday against the Flyers, Ovechkin authored one of the greatest assists of his career.
I’m serious.
