Photo: Amanda Bowen
Mike Green returned to Verizon Center for the first time since, eh, I’d rather not talk about it. The Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals played another one of their agonizingly tight games, but it was actually pretty good hockey, so it was fun to watch. But if this game were played in May, I’d be vomiting my soul up right now.
The Capitals didn’t wait long to score. Justin Williams took advantage of a broken play by Detroit to score his 600th career point. A little later, a dumb icing call gave Dylan Larkin the opportunity to set up Henrik Zetterberg for a smooth-looking goal. Detroit took the lead in the second period with Tomas Jurco’s first goal of the season. The Caps drew two penalties in the third period, the second of which Alex Ovechkin converted by crashing the net. Tied at two, the game went to 3v3 overtime, which is basically just NBA Jam for hockey. The Caps had to kill a big penalty in the extra period to force the shootout.
Shootout bullets!
- TJ Oshie put the biscuit in the basket.
- Gustav Nyquist did NOT put the biscuit in the basket.
- Evgeny Kuznetsov put the biscuit in the basket.
- Pavel Datsyuk did NOT put the biscuit in the basket.
Caps beat Red Wings in the shootout!
- The shootout skills on this team are stupid good.
- The Capitals have taken at least a point from every game since November 21. Fantastic. We’re living high on the hog, friends.
- Word on the street is a few Caps were banged up for this one. Karl Alzner‘s consecutive game streak was nearly snapped, and Marcus Johansson had to appeal to the coach to get a sweater despite a “tweak.” Those guys did just fine tonight, which is encouraging. Meanwhile, Brooks Orpik is still on the shelf and seems no closer to returning.
- The Caps’ depth players had a rough night across the board, but watch this video of the Jurco goal in particular.
- The Caps choke the blue line, which is fine, but no one is moving their legs, so Joakim Andersson chases the dump and outworks Dmitry Orlov to get possession. Tim-Tom Chorney is one of those Caps caught flatfooted, so he chases to the far side, expecting Orlov to send a hard-around pass. As a result, he’s not marking his man, Tomas Jurco, who scores his goal of the season like everyone seems to do against the Caps. The forward, Wilson, Laich, and Latta, were about as effective as traffic pylons on the blue line. Rough play.
- In an odd collision of milestones, Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams recorded their 200th and 600th points on the same goal. No way they saw that puck in half, right? That’s all Williams’. It’s gotta be. Tell me I’m wrong.
- Alex Ovechkin had one of those classic offensive drives in the third period, but he was kept from a true scoring chance because he was being held by Mike Green. I don’t want to be hyperbolic here, but this was literally just as anguishing as the Civil War must have been for a mommy whose sons were on opposite sides of a battle except without the death and genocide.
- I’m sick of this, Braden Holtby. I’m sick over this. It’s sick. It’s unbelievable. Glue this damn mask on if you want to stay on the top of the #mcm Caps cuteness ranking.
Braden Holtby's mask is off again. Ouch. pic.twitter.com/FKhU3gN0ZH
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) December 9, 2015
- After three games without a goal, Alex Ovechkin got one in a big way. Tying the game by crashing the net in the third period, Ovi kinda made me think, even if just for a moment, that the Caps power play isn’t in dire trouble after all. Detroit challenged the goal, but just to pretend like the league isn’t completely prejudice against the Caps, they upheld the call. Subtle move, National Hockey League. Real sneaky.
- Wes Johnson is a gift.
- With the game on the line in the third period, Trotz did what you’d expect him to do. He shortened the bench and relied on his best players to get control of this game. That’s exactly what happened as the Caps dominated possession late and had a terrific sense of urgency to their attack. I loved that third period.
- More feelings: Mike Green outworking Evgeny Kuznetsov in overtime to steal the puck and force a pivotal penalty by Alex Ovechkin. Dylan Larkin, by the way, is real good. Superb defense by Beagle and company during the sudden-death kill.
- Ted Leonsis is tweeting first-person now. It’s kinda cool.
Yes it did! #CapsWings pic.twitter.com/QpvpFcJTXs
— Ted Leonsis (@TedLeonsis) December 9, 2015
No Joe B suit of the night. That wasn’t exactly a neutral game call, was it?
Goals by Williams and Ovechkin, fun and free 3v3 hockey, two standings points, a shootout gimmick. and seeing good ol’ Mike Green. I’ve had worse Tuesday nights. See you Thursday.
