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#CapsFilmRoom: A Tale of Two Passes

Photo: Justin K. Aller

It was the best of games, it was the worst of games. Okay, maybe that was forced, but it still holds true. Game Three began with a grope, but ended with a 3-2 loss on enemy ice. The Caps absolutely outplayed the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Monday night, but still walked away down 2-1 in the series.

Even so, there are positives to pull from the game. It was the first match of the series that the Caps unquestionably controlled the play against the Penguins. The Capitals probably never expected to come into Pittsburgh and take both games, so while it makes Game Four on Wednesday all the more important, it is not a backbreaker either.

The Caps are rightfully feeling pretty good about their current play going into Game Four. This was a game of bounces. The Pens got them. The Caps didn’t.

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Kris Letang Suspended One Game For Head Shot on Marcus Johansson

Tuesday afternoon, the NHL announced a one-game suspension for Penguins defenseman Kris Letang. The linchpin of Pittsburgh’s blueline delivered a head shot to Capitals forward Marcus Johansson in Washington’s offensive zone during the first period. Letang was given a two-minute minor penalty for interference.

Johansson left the game and returned at the start of the second period, playing over 18 minutes. He passed concussion tests, but complained of neck pain. Tuesday morning, Johansson was held out of practice due what the Capitals termed an upper-body injury.

The Department of Player Safety explains their decision below.

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By Chris Gordon 3 years ago

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In the first period of Game Three, Marcus Johansson got elbowed in the head by Kris Letang. The hit, which was not unlike Brook Orpik’s in Game Two, forced a dazed Johansson to retreat to the locker room. Johansson returned for the start of the second period and ended up skating nearly 20 minutes in the game. With suspensions and fines often based on whether or not the player is injured, the league’s Department of Player Safety will undoubtedly soften the blow to Letang because Johansson came back. The Capitals forward said he passed concussion testing but had “a little whiplash.”

“I didn’t see him coming, he came from the blind side,” Johansson said. “I just looked at it, he obviously leaves his feet, and hits me in the head. It’s the kind of play you want out of the league. Doesn’t look good.”

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By Chris Gordon 3 years ago

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Justin Williams: ‘Excuses Are For Losers and We’re Not Losers’

Photo: Doug Pensinger

The Washington Capitals played their best game of the postseason in Game Three of the Second Round, firing 49 shots at Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Matt Murray. After allowing three unlucky goals, two off deflections and one off a tip-in in the crease, the Capitals pummeled Pittsburgh with 21 shots on goal in the third period, scoring twice and nearly converting on a myriad of scoring chances in the final minutes. After the Capitals mustered just 10 shots through the first 40 minutes of Game Two, Nicklas Backstrom was angry with how his team played. But speaking after Monday’s loss, which put the Capitals down 2-1 in the series, he was far more confident in his team.

“We had more shots tonight than we had last game, so that’s a good thing,” Backstrom said after Game Three. “It’s a seven game series and I think it’s so important that you take something positive even if you lose. I thought we played right.”

The message was the same throughout the Capitals locker room.

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By Chris Gordon 3 years ago

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Penguins beat Caps 3-2: Nothing Feels Good

Urine (Photo: Tom Guilitti)

Albert Camus portrayed existence as the mythical Sisyphus carrying a stone up a hill only to watch it fall once he reached the top. Sisyphus trudges down and starts over. He drags up the hill again, and again it drops. This story, Camus tells us, is just like life: meaningless, tedious, thoroughly absurd.

Just like Capitals playoff hockey!

Washington sure tried hard. They sorta dominated play in Game Three, but the universe is unconcerned with effort. The Caps lost. The rock rolled down the hill.

Patric Hornqvist got one first, scoring after a failed Caps clear. One minute later it was Tom Kuhnhackle’s turn, getting some lucky bounces to beat Braden Holtby.

The Caps were furious in the second period, but it was Carl Hagelin who struck, making it 3-0 after Nate Schmidt’s misplay in his own end.

In the third, Alex Ovechkin ripped one to the top corner to crack Matt Murray’s shutout. With a minute left, Justin Williams found an open net and scored. The Caps pushed hard in those final minutes, but the rock rolled back down the hill.

Penguins beat Caps 3-2. Penguins lead the series 2-1.

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By Peter Hassett 3 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin Scores On Impossibly Fast Shot

Coming into tonight’s game, Alex Ovechkin had been held goalless for the last five playoff games. According to CSN’s Rob Carlin, Ovechkin had not gone more than six games all season without scoring.

I can report that streak remains intact.

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By Ian Oland 3 years ago

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Pierre McGuire Slaps Matt Cullen’s Butt

Earlier on Monday, Barry Trotz, frustrated by the length of Brooks Orpik’s three-game suspension, suggested the NHL favors the Pittsburgh Penguins.

This GIF doesn’t help with that appearance.

Pierre McGuire, who works for the NHL’s TV partner NBC, gave a friendly butt slap to Matt Cullen after the pregame interview.

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By Ian Oland 3 years ago

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Kris Letang’s Headshot on Marcus Johansson

The first period of Game Three was bad, but worse than the scoreboard was the image of Marcus Johansson collapsed on the ice after suffering a late headshot by Kris Letang.

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By Ian Oland 3 years ago

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Round 2, Game 3 Live Blog: Caps at Pens

Photo: Bruce Bennett

The series has moved to Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh all tied up 1-1 after Eric Fehr dispatched the Caps in Game Two at Verizon Center. The Caps are going to have to win a game in Pittsburgh, a place where they went 1-1 during the regular season, if they want to see the Eastern Conference Final.

Brooks Orpik has been suspended by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for 3 games after his late hit to the head on Olli Maata in Game Two. This likely means that Dmitry Orlov will return to the defensive corps and that Matt Niskanen, Karl Alzner and John Carlson are probably all never going to leave the ice.

Let’s get a win eh? Also, NEW SHIRTS! Liveblog below.

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By Chris Cerullo 3 years ago

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Caps at Penguins Pregame: Bounce Back

Photo: Dave DiCello

Tonight, the curtain drops in Pittsburgh for Game Three. The series is tied at 1-1, and it’s evident that the Capitals must play the hockey. After getting dominated by the Pens in Game Two, the Caps hope to bounce back in essentially every aspect of their play. (Except for you, Braden Holtby. We heart you forever.)

Puck drop is at 8 PM from Consol Energy Center, whose namesake’s stock is finally trading up. NBCSN with da coverage.

Team	Record	Possession	PDO	Power Play	Penalty Kill
Washington Capitals	56-18-8	52.0%	101.1	21.9% (5th)	85.2% (2nd)
Pittsburgh Penguins	48-26-8	53.0%	100.6	18.4% (16th)	84.4 % (5th)

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By Margaret Stuart 3 years ago

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