Crash the net! (Photo credit: Mitchell Layton)

Three times in Game Six did the Boston Bruins gain a lead over the Washington Capitals. And three times did the Caps tie it up. But the Caps just couldn’t finish off Boston.

Rich Peverley was credited for deflecting Bergeron’s blue-line bomb past Holtby. Mike Green got that back with a slapshot from way out, bouncing off Greg Zanon’s lower body in traffic. David Krecji used his speed to convert a power play and restore the Bruins’ lead. Jason Chimera evened it up by finishing off a great setup from Nick Backstrom at the end of the second period. Tyler Seguin’s rebound made easy feeding for Andrew Ference, giving the Bruins their third lead of the day. Alex Ovechkin canceled that out with a laser-quick  shot off the faceoff with just five minutes remaining.

Into overtime, which Boston dominated until Tyler Seguin got the game winner. Bruins beat Caps 4-3 (OT). We’re going to Game Seven in Boston.

• Mike Green‘s goal was his first since October 22, 2011– when Bruce Boudreau was head coach and dinosaurs ruled the earth.
• Alex Ovechkin‘s high stick to Zdeno Chara‘s face drew blood, so a four-minute power play ensued. The Bruins and their fans had been waiting for that call since game one, but the Caps PK unit held them to a single shot. Epic kill.
• And then again in the 4-on-3 kill that wrapped around the second intermission. Hendricks got called for a trip a few second into 4-on-4 hockey, leading to a very tense opening to the third period. The PK unit– Alzner, Beagle, Laich– was superb for the duration.
• Jason Chimera clipped an unaware Brad Marchand before his goal. Julien wanted the call but didn’t get it– either because Marchand’s embellishment is hockey’s version of baroque caligraphy or because Ted Leonsis worked the refs on a blog post a few days ago. We think the latter is the reason, but we’re gonna give Ted the secondary assist on the goal anyway.
• The pride of the Caps defense had been sweeping away the loose pucks and rebounds that Braden Holtby’s occasionally produces. Even Dennis Wideman, whose very presence in the lineup is mystifying, excelled at clearing the slot. But when it failed, it failed big– giving Andrew Ference a teed-up puck to hit.
• We lack the intellect and vocabulary to have a cogent discussion about how Dale Hunter manages ice time. Aucoin getting tons of time on the power play? Yeah. Mike Green getting short shrift so that Wideman gets more ice time? No clue. For example…
• As pointed out by maven Nate Ewell, the two even-strength shifts that Alex Ovechkin and Nick Backstom shared resulted in goals. We recommended this after game one, and we are totally cocky about it now.
• Man, Tyler Seguin really picked a good time to get into this series, eh? Birdpoop.

Series record: Capitals 3, Bruins 3

Yeah, that sounds about right. The Capitals never held a lead in this game. They were playing catch-up for way too long, and that’s not a plan for success.

The Ovechkin line was used heavily in overtime. He and his mates have long been criticized as lacking defensive awareness, and that criticism rings true right now. Tyler Seguin was alone in the slot when Lucic set him up for the win. Not sure what Wideman was doing. Not just on that play, but in general.

So we’re going back to Boston in a few days. The Capitals should be disappointed but not discouraged. They played good hockey today. They’ve proved lots of people wrong already. When they win on Wednesday, they’ll have proven everyone wrong.

Photo credit: Patrick McDermott

With 42 seconds left in the second period, the Capitals tied Game Six up with a bizarre play that resulted in both Brad Marchand getting bloodied and Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara being faked out of his jock. Let’s review, shall we?

As Karl Alzner and John Carlson waited to breakout of the defensive zone, the Capitals forwards recoiled at the blue line and looked for a pass. As Jason Chimera curled, Brad Marchand was caught in no-man’s land and got partially clipped by Chimera’s shoulder. Marchand — known for being the diviest diver ever to dive — then dramatically plummeted to the ice like he was shot by a shotgun from close range.

Chimera smartly continued with the play and kept skating.

As Nicklas Backstrom advanced the puck into the Bruins offensive zone, he cradled the puck on his forehand, as if he were going to shoot, and froze Chara. He then threw the puck on to his backhand and dished to a streaking Chimera, who one-timed the puck home.

It was Chimera’s first goal of this year’s playoffs and the fourth playoff goal of his NHL career.

This is what Swedish revenge looks like. (Photo credit: Mark Baer, US Presswire)

The playoff series gives Caps fans a chance to learn all about our rivals and the exotic places they come from. For the first of their Stanley Cup travelogue series, the PuckBuddys offer “How To Spot A Bruins Fan” and helpfully explain why living in Boston is worse than gargling with cat litter.  

The Geography of Bad: Let’s just put a few things on the table. Some cities are horrible because of where they are. Tampa comes to mind. Not quite poor enough to be swamp trash, not quite rich enough to be coastal, it’s the worst of Florida compressed into one atomically fetid spot. Or take Winnipeg. God help anyone who has to go to Winnipeg.

Other places aren’t so much insufferable because of where they are, but because of who lives there. Philadelphia, for example, where entire generations have refined the art of being over-privileged and grating. Dallas, which is just about all we need to say about that hole. Or pretty much the entire state of Arizona.

That said, there’s a whole special category of wretched for cities that, were the Lord truly merciful, He would just dump into the ocean and pretend it never happened. Can you guess which blighted dung pile is featured in this week’s list of awful?

Ding ding ding! Boston, America’s capital of bedbugs and mange. And sitting atop it all are Boston Bruins fans. To help with this week’s influx of overly loud and underly mannered Bruins, we offer “How To Spot A Bruin.” You’ll thank us.

But first, let us briefly explain how curdlingly ghastly Boston is.

See Scenic Boston!

How Much Awful Is Awful?

We all know their entire team is terrible; from Coach Claude “Ratso” Julien to Zdeno “The Kraken” Chara to Patrice “Bite Us” Bergeron, they don’t so much compete as throw a 60-minute tantrum on the ice. I would say it’s hard to know where to begin, except it isn’t. Any game will do. Like Saturday, when we saw human blimp Tim Thomas taking pot-shots at not one but two Capitals and Brad Marchand– that sophisticated gentleman– grabbing hold of Nicky’s visor, giving it (and him) a good shake the way a cracked-up inmate might.

And we know that what passes for officiating during a Bruins game is just slightly less of a baggy-pants farce than Dancing With The Stars. Every bully needs a compliant tool to help them maintain their bully aura, and the NHL zebras are exactly that for the B’s.

And then, somewhere underneath all that, you’ll find the Bruins and their fans.

How To Spot A Bruins Fan

• “What Did You Say?” The Bruins fan is instantly recognizable not by what they look like, but what they sound like. At first encounter you may think you’re experiencing a bad case of tinnitus, but it’s most likely the Bruin. Operating in a register that psycho-acousticians classify as “annoying,” Bostonians don’t so much speak English as they torture it. Think of that sound the dentist’s drill makes on your molar and you have your basic Bruin.
• “Wicked Pissah!” Once you adjust to the shrill tenor of the Bruins’ voice, you’ll next notice that you can’t understand a thing they’re saying. ‘Perhaps they’re having a stroke?’ you might ask. Don’t worry. What you’re hearing is the Bruins jumbled jargon they call “speaking.” Semioticians such as Noam “Boston Red” Chomsky speculate this may be little more than an effort to confuse non-Bostonians, lulling them into a stupor so they might then steal your doughnuts.
• Giant Mutant Bumble-bees. Next is the native Bruins’ traditional costume. What’s white, black and gold, and covered in mustard stains? Either Don Cherry on a bad day or a Bruin. (Ha! A tw0-fer!)
• 

  Another good give-away of a Bruin: bad tattoos

  Shambles. Next, note the Bruins’ manner of movement, adopting a sort of shambolic shuffle between their seats and the Sam Adams beer stand. Experts have long been puzzled by this almost devolutionary quirk, yet Bostonians have been quick to adopt it as their own. I believe it was Elizabeth Barrett Browning who once said “…the native Bostonian, in all elements, possesses the grace of a swan…a really fat, drunken swan.” Or not, we don’t care.

• Seatmates. If all of these clues don’t alert you to being in the presence of a Bruin, there will be no mistaking them should you be unlucky enough to be seated next to them. You may notice the faint whiff of brackish water, or a vague nausea washing over you, as if you had just found forgotten baby diapers. But once the game begins there will be no mistaking them. They will be the ones with the blood-lust in their eyes. They will be the ones loudly sharing their complete lack of hockey knowledge. You will want to turn to them and ask,’Pardon good Sir, but why are you an idiot?’ You must avoid this temptation; go to your mental happy place, keep calm and carry on.
• The End. Finally, you will know a Bruin this week by how fast they scurry out of the Verizon Center when their team loses like crazed lemmings flinging themselves off a cliff. Think how quickly Timmy the Whale left after being harpooned by our Swedish fishermen.
  

  Actually Zdeno Chara

We could continue (and we may!) for sometime chronicling the waking nightmare that is Boston and the Bruins. But we also learned something else recently. For all their bluster, the will cracks just like anyone else. And we believe it has.

Oh, and I’ve just been informed it’s “Fatso” Julien. Wicked good!

Photo credit: Charles Krupa

After Thursday’s disappointing overtime loss to the Boston Bruins, Dale Hunter’s Washington Capitals redoubled their efforts. The result: another excruciatingly tight hockey game at TD Garden, but with a heluva lot more offense.

Troy Brouwer crashed the net to score to the game’s first goal after 38 scoreless minutes. Halfway through the third, Benoit Pouliot tied the game with a backhand off a loose puck in the slot.

And the overtime. Nothing. OT2 ended in a blink… as Nick Backstrom beat Thomas over the shoulder. Caps beat Bruins 2-1 (OT).

• Dale Hunter outcoached Claude Julien. Hunter double-shifted Ovechkin, freeing him in fleeting moments from Zdeno “would you like a peanut?” Chara’s halitotic coverage. That was the key to Troy Brouwer‘s crashed net and the Caps’ first goal in this series. Since I’ve been a critical jerk about Hunter all season, here’s me eating crow and singing praises: Hunter rules.
• Did you guys see Ovi webering after the Brouwer goal?
  

  Separated at birth

• I think JP called this on the last Caps Lunchbox: John Carlson has emerged in the postseason.  He and Roman Hamrlik both, really. The Capitals’ defense has been the target of mockery and ire all season, but they’re playing a much tighter and physical game now that the 82 are over. Against a large and aggressive Boston offense, it means everything.
• One thing the Caps D-corps has done in particular is pressure along the blue line, causing approximately two billion off-sides calls against the Bruins.
• Thrown sticks, cross-checks, blatant trips, goalie punches– the Bruins got away with everything tonight. Contrast/compare the reffing in this series with the Penguins/Flyers. The officials were injecting their own narrative into a hockey game that is supposed to be decided by the players. People, it sickens us to say this, but even Mike Milbury thought this was some garbage hockey. Yeah: we agree with Mike Milbury. Print this recap out and frame it.
• We can admit that Alex Ovechkin‘s stick caught Dennis Seidenberg up high, but the Bruins were like Pesci in Casino: You beat ['em]  with fists, he comes back with a bat, you beat him with a knife, he comes back with a gun, and if you beat him with a gun, you better kill him, ’cause he’ll be coming back and back, until one of you is dead. That applies particularly to Marchand grabbing Nick Backstrom‘s visor and shaking him around like a ragdoll at the end of the second. That’s assault, brutha.
• Dennis Wideman‘s deflection led to the Bruins’ game-winning goal in game 1. Dennis Wideman’s pinch led to the Bruins’ tying goal in this game (although with help from Matt Hendricks’ meh pressure and Holtby’s bad read). But then he saved the game in OT, so what do we know?
• As your boy Nate Ewell points out, punching a player in the head with a blocker is a game misconduct in the rulebook. The refs threw that book out.

Series: Bruins 1, Capitals 1

Holy heck.

Erase all your doubts. This team can do anything. They’re stonewalling one of the best offensive teams in the league.

Dale Hunter beat Claude Julien. Alex Ovechkin broke free of Chara. Nick Backstrom has re-awoken.

Be very afraid of this team.

We’ll have a lot coming before Game 3, but for now: liberate yourself of predispositions. The rookie netminder is electric. The flaccid Caps defense is impenetrable. The lightweight forwards are throwing their weight around.

Game on.

Photo credit: Elsa

A few days ago in a post entitled “How to Solve Tim Thomas in the Playoffs,” I pointed out that the Capitals have had a tough time scoring on Tim Thomas in the regular season. When they did score in regulation, there was an obvious pattern:

• All 7 goals scored were within the “scoring-chance zone.”
• 6 of the 7 goals were within 27 feet of the net.
• 4 of the 7 tallies were what I’d call “dirty goals” — deflections or rebounds in front of the net.

Last night, according to NHL.com writer Corey Masisak, only one of the Capitals 17 shots came within 27 feet of the net. They had more than one shot on net in a 60-second span twice during the game — evidence that they were not getting to any rebounds.

If we take a look at the shot chart from Game 1 (illustrated by The Washington Post), there is a worrying pattern:

All of the Caps’ shots were from the perimeter, and all are from way out. These are routine stops for any NHL-level goaltender, and the kind that a Vezina/Conn Smythe winner like Tim Thomas can beat in his sleep.

The Caps fired a total of 26 unblocked shots towards Thomas from an average distance of 42 feet. Of those 26, just 17 hit their target. Here’s how it broke down: 10 wristshots, 9 snapshots, 5 slapshots, 1 backhand, and 1 tip-in. The closest shot on net Thomas saw all night was a wrister from Marcus Johansson early in the third period– from 27 feet out.

Chara checks Ovechkin. (Photo credit: Brian Babineau)

These numbers tell us that either the Capitals are not doing enough to get pucks deep and open up seams, the Bruins are doing an exceptional job crowding the Caps, or– most likely– some combination of both. Considering that Zdeno Chara shared 13:48 of Alex Ovechkin‘s 17:34 ice time, it’s safe to assume that physically stifling the Caps’ offense is a priority for Boston.

To counteract that, the Caps may need to play a more aggressive transitional game. In addition to tightening up their breakouts and their play on neutral ice, the Capitals should be playing exploitative hockey. That means storming the Bruins zone and loosening up the puck with stick checks and big hits. Since the conventional game isn’t working, this would be a good Plan B. Or at least it’ll be fun to watch.

In addition, the Caps should consider breaking up the Ovechkin-Laich-Brouwer trio. If the intention behind this line combination was to open up ice for Ovechkin to shoot, then based on the first game played the experiment must be seen as a failure. Ovechkin finished the game with a minus-11 Corsi score (the sum of all pucks fired at Boston’s net subtracted by the sum of all pucks fired at the Washington net). Meanwhile, Ovechkin’s shadow, Tyler Seguin, led his team in puck possession with a plus-13. That’s domination.

The Capitals need their captain scoring — or at the very least — driving play, but Boston was able to successfully neutralize him in Game 1. Trying out two scoring lines against Boston’s deep defense was a bold move, but it didn’t work. That’s why it may be time for Dale Hunter to put all his eggs in one basket: reunite the team’s best scorer, Alex Ovechkin (49 goals/season), their best playmaker, Nick Backstrom (.71 assists/game), and their best possession player, Alex Semin (54.8% scoring chances). They’ll face the toughest competition possible, but they will dictate the game and give the Caps the best chance to crash the net.

Putting #22 back in the lineup wouldn’t hurt either.

Additional reporting by Peter Hassett.

Not Alex Ovechkin. (Pic via capitals.com)

For those of you who like the All-Star Game, good news: this game was just as loose and ridiculous as you could have possibly dreamed. For those of you who dislike the All-Star Game, good news: it’s over.

We return to real hockey on Tuesday and thank goodness for that, but it was a nice weekend of rest for most of our team, and a nice weekend of dumb, mindless spectacle for hockey fans. I expect to see the rest of the Caps come back with suntans, and Dennis Wideman to come back with a smile on his face. As silly as most of the actual events of the weekend are, recognition is and always will be one of the best feelings in the world, especially for a guy like Wideman that rarely gets what he deserves.

It’s still official Dennis Wideman Day for the rest of Sunday, and then after that you can go back to your regularly scheduled Caps fandom.

Best Moments

• Remember that time that Henrik Lundqvist said that Marian Gaborik couldn’t score on him? Gaborik should have made him bet on it. He had two goals against his teammate, and on the first one he went down into Artem Anisimov’s “shotgun” goal celebration. Luckily John Tortorella appeared to think this was very funny. Either that, or that was his crazy laugh.
• Dennis Wideman was paired with Dion Phaneuf today…in a game where players don’t hit, which basically negates any value that being paired with Dion Phaneuf could have had. Sorry, Dennis.
• A good moment to ask Alfredsson for an in-depth retrospective on his career is definitely when he is on the ice in the middle of a hockey game.
• Due to overwhelming demand, Drake performed at intermission. We were in tears. He is truly this generation’s Shakespeare.
• Tim Peel was a referee for the game, and had to be told several times to stop trying to call diving on Alex Semin.
• Gaborik scored three goals for a hat trick, but no hats were forthcoming. One guy tried to throw a hat on the ice–a referee threw it back. Buzzkill.
• Hartnell after he scored: “Woo! The Sedin triplets!”
• The Kessel-Lupul line scored twice. The Ottawa crowd was quick to celebrate their careers and accomplishments in a game that crosses all team lines. Also tonight in almost-irony: Tyler Seguin was the other player on their line.
• Hometown hero Daniel Alfredsson scored twice in the second period, and the crowd tried to blow the speakers out with the “Alfie” chants. Great moment.
• Scott Hartnell kept tempting us with baby checks–the broadcast team classified them as “bumps”. We just want somebody to flat-out check somebody else. Just one time. Ryan Suter on this: “Someone’s going to have to settle him down. He’s running around there hitting guys.” The horror!
• Steven Stamkos stopped a puck with his stick from the bench so that Dan Girardi didn’t have to chase it down for icing. That’s so illeg–ahhhh, it’s the All-Star Game.
• Awkward Kessel of the night. “Phil, you look good out there, your legs look like they’re moving better than last night!” “Oh, I don’t know about that. I feel awful.”
• The broadcast team recklessly encouraged Claude Giroux to trip Scott Hartnell, who not only immediately took their suggestion but also tried to get other players in on it as well. #pushHartnelldown

Priceisms

Pic: Fred Chartrand

• “Carey, did you get a piece of that?” “Nope. I’ll say I did though.”
• To the ref, when he covered the puck: “Don’t blow that whistle, I want this thing to run out here!”
• On his goalposts stopping pucks: “These guys are awesome tonight. They’ve been excellent all year.” “Did you kiss your posts like Patrick Roy?” “No but I gave them a pretty good love tap here. They were awesome in that sequence.”
• On his teammates: “These guys are playing hard for me right now! I might have to buy them a dinner afterward!” This is apparently very new for Carey Price.
• “Oh, here we go,” I have deciphered, is Price-speak for “please shut up real quick, people are trying to score on me.”

Results

• Winner: Team Chara, 12-9. I can see why the NHL wants higher-scoring games. This was so thrilling and suspenseful.
• Goal Scorers: Gaborik (3), Malkin, Spezza, H. Sedin, Tavares, Lupul (2), Pominville, Alfredsson (2), Kane, Kessel, Iginla, Giroux, Hossa, Chara, Perry, D. Sedin.
• Game MVP: Marian Gaborik
• Wideman ended the night with 20:27 of ice time, a -2, and one assist.
• If you are looking for an extensive gallery of artistic crotch shots, Getty Images has got you covered. This is what the spirit of the All-Star Game is really all about.

And we’ll leave you with this. (Pic: Gregory Shamus)

Screengrab via @CarrottBazooka

Since Alex Ovechkin has opted out of the All-Star Weekend (and has better things to do anyway), Dennis Wideman is now Washington’s lone representative in Ottawa. While Wideman is perhaps slightly less likely to don a hat and sunglasses and do trick shots, he’s a Capital, so we love him all the same. We’ll be covering Wideman’s foray into the glamorous life of an All-Star, so check back for updates, because let’s face it, you’re already bored without hockey.

Dennis Wideman was picked in the 15th round with the second-to-last pick that could be used on a defenseman, before only Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler. This means that we can get hipster now if we want and call him underrated. We knew Dennis Wideman when he wasn’t cool. Logan Couture was picked last overall and won a brand new caaaaarrrrr! Somehow it just wasn’t the same without Ovechkin there laughing and taking pictures.

Best Moments

• Pavel Datsyuk went first overall to Team Chara. Erik Karlsson got picked first for Team Alfredsson because he babysits Alfie’s kids, apparently.
• Alfie got confused about what round it was multiple times, leading to excellent cutaways of him asking everyone around him.
• Do the Leafs suck? I feel unsure. I wish that someone would have clarified this.

• Carey Price, clearly not expecting to be picked by a Bruin and a Leaf, had a mouthful of water when he was picked by Team Chara, and spent a good thirty seconds remembering how to swallow. It wasn’t an actual spit-take, but it was close.
• James Duthie somehow talked to Tim Thomas about the White House scandal without ever once actually mentioning what happened. Because, you know, he wouldn’t want to distract from the event at hand.

Best Quotes

• Joffrey Lupul on being booed every time he took the podium: “I like it. I don’t want to be cheered in Ottawa anyway.”
• Jason Spezza: “I owe Malkin 20 bucks. I told him he’d get picked before me.”
• Carey Price: “Is Z going for offense or defense? Wait remember, there’s no defense.”
• Tonight in unintentional rhymes: “Our third pick…Jonathan Quick.”
• Jarome Iginla to Patrick Kane: “Hey, what’s up man?” Kane: “Yeah, you too.”

via penslove.tumblr.com

• Chara to Tyler Seguin after making him wait till the second-to-last round: “Hug it out?”
• Cody Hodgson on ending up on Team Chara “It wasn’t my choice.” Pained face.
• Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson discussing Sedin mythology: “I wonder if him and his brother will have any chemistry in the game?” “Doubtful.” “Aliens.” “They know where to pass the puck without even talking. It’s insane.”
• Alfredsson on Marion Gaborik being picked by Team Chara: “We were hoping Gaborik would be left, but Hank said you can’t score on him anyway.”

Important Questions

• Do they know who each team is going to draft beforehand, or do they just have two of each sweater for everyone?
• Who is most desperately in need of a haircut: Letang, Stamkos, or Hartnell? Discuss.
• What do you call a person who lives in Ottawa? Is it Ottawan? Ottawaian? Ottauan?

Photo credit: paparazzi.ru

This week, the Caps went 3-1-0 against the Lightning, Hurricanes, Islanders, and Habs, and if you asked someone who they thought was the only team to beat us, they would probably be surprised by the answer. Despite being outshot 77-136, the Caps still managed to outscore opponents 9-7 and take 6 of 8 points. Especially if you blindly ignore that Tuesday ever happened, it was a pretty good week.

Elsewhere in the NHL, a compelling case was made for wearing helmets in warmups, Mrs. Pronger made us sad about Chris Pronger again, Brian Elliott was re-signed in St. Louis, Chara and Alfredsson were named captains of the All-Star Game, Rangers owner James Dolan apparently has no idea the Stanley Cup is not awarded in January, and Ryan Kesler and Alain Vigneault had a lovers’ quarrel.

In case you were wondering the most important question–how does everything in the world apply to the Washington Capitals?–here’s a helpful guide to what’s terrible this week.

Best of the week

• Dmitry Orlov has a pretty hard shot.
• This graphic will be helpful for tonight!
• Terrifying enforcer Karl Alzner fought Steve Downie.
• Alex Ovechkin, rap star.
• Dmitry Orlov’s face after scoring his first NHL goal.
• If you haven’t watched the Rene Bourque Punch-Out Video, watch the Rene Bourque Punch-Out video.

Follow Ana on twitter, or on her blog, you know, if you feel like it, or get really bored.

GROUP HUG! (Photo credit: Rob Carr)

Jason Chimera brings the intensity in a second period fight with Brent Seabrook. (Photo credit: Jacquelyn Martin)

In dramatic fashion, in front of a national television audience  and a sellout crowd at Verizon Center, the Cardiac Caps were once again back at work as Washington pushed their winning streak to eight. Less than one month ago it would have been hard to imagine any of this happening. Nevertheless, the Caps are now just a single point out of first-place in the Eastern Conference.

“Guys have a bit of a swagger right now, back to the way things were,” said Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby.

The Blackhawks opened the scoring less than five minutes into the contest. After receiving a feed from Marian Hossa, Nick Leddy put the puck past Holtby. Just under two and a half minutes later, however, Boyd Gordon would knot the game at one. After picking up an errant pass by the ‘Hawks power play, Gordon raced down the wing before firing a slapper past Chicago netminder Corey Crawford for the shortie. Late in the first frame, after John Erskine drew a holding penalty, Washington headed to their recently anemic power play. This time, however, it would be different. New Cap Jason Arnott fired a bullet from the point that found twine, giving Washington their first lead of the game.

Three minutes into the second period, Chicago would tie the game at two when Holtby gave Tomas Kopecky a little too much daylight. Kopecky seized the opportunity, banking the puck off ‘keeper’s back from behind the goal-line. In the waining moments of the stanza, things got physical when Chicago’s Brent Seabrook delivered a hard check behind the net to Jason Chimera. Everyone favorite fire-footed, stone-handed forward took exception to Seabrook, challenging him to a duel. Seabrook appeared to come out with the win in the bout but it was Chimera got the take-down.

“Chimmer, I thought, he was a factor. He did not get a star or anything, but I thought he was a real big factor in the game,” said Chimera’s teammate Brooks Laich. “He was the one that sort of instigated that little rhubarb there. I think he does a good job and takes one of their top defenders off. So I think he had a very good night.”

Six and half in to the final frame, the aforementioned Laich put home Matt Hendricks’ (or more accurately Eric Fehr’s) feed from the corner to put the Caps on top. Washington appeared to be in control until Marcus Johansson was called for hooking at 18:10. “I thought it was a pretty chintzy call,” said Boudreau. On the ensuing Blackhawks power play, Jonathan Toews converted on a mad scrum in front of the net, as the puck bounced in off Holtby’s skate.

In overtime, the Capitals missed numerous chances until, finally, Mike Knuble — with a little help from Johansson — came to the rescue. Ballgame over. Caps top ‘Hawks, 4-3.

• Braden Holtby continued his determined play of late, making 27 saves on 30 shots despite, as he said later, not feeling at the top of his game. The first two goals he gave up he’d most likely want to have back. On Leddy’s opening goal, a diving Matt Hendricks and a standing Boyd Gordon screened Holtby on the shot from the point. On Kopecky’s “no-angled” tally from behind the net, Holtby cheated off the right post, thinking it was a centering pass. Plain and simple, a rookie mistake.
• “I did not feel that great out there. Today was kind of a battle the whole game,” Holtby said. “Thankfully the guys played a great game, especially defensively, and did not give up too much. A little bit of a mistake by me in the second, but we were still able to come out on top.”
• Still, Holtby was praised by head coach Bruce Boudreau after the game, saying “they are really not making it easy” for him to chose a playoff starter. “I am going to be ready if called upon, willing to put my heart on the line for this team,” said Holtby of that prospect.
• Holtby cleared the puck on a penalty kill again, prompting NBC’s Pierre McGuire to say, “this guy’s about as good as Marty Brodeur when it comes to handling the puck.” We’re still waiting for that empty net goal, Braden.
• 

  DJ Pauly D poses for a photo with Eric Fehr and John Carlson after the game (Photo credit: JC74)

  DJ Pauly D of “Jersey Shore” fame was at the game today after accepting Alex Ovechkin’s invite at Shamrockfest Saturday. Mr. D (?) stayed through overtime and even met with the boys in the locker room after the game, despite having a scheduled show in Harrisburg, PA at 5pm. Outfitted in a Caps jersey, a large chain and diamond earrings, Pauly D rocked the red with Slapshot, filmed an interview with Guerin Austin of Caps Red Line and took a photo with Fehr and John Carlson after the game. I would make some sort of joke here but I’m still dumbfounded.
• Thanks to Arnott’s late power play goal, the Caps came into the first intermission with a lead for the first time in 13 games.
• The Capitals third line of Jason Chimera, Brooks Laich and Eric Fehr played playoff style hockey. Laich won seven of his eight face-offs, Fehr had five shots while Chimera racked up three hits, two shots and, of course, his fight with Seabrook. Chimera’s fight was notable, if only because it took Seabrook – one of the Blackhawks best defensemen – off the ice. With Brian Campbell struggling with a foot injury and playing only 7:05, the Blackhawks opened the third period with only four rearguards. The group’s hard work was also rewarded by a second period goal from Laich. Fehr did all the heavy-lifting, outmuscling Duncan Keith behind the net for the puck before then dishing out a no-look backhander to Laich for a one-timer. It’s Fehr to say, Caps fans Laich goals by Brooks. Yeah, we’re horrible
• Marcus Johansson not only had the game-winning assist, but he also had a game-high seven shots on goal, two hits and three blocked shots. Can we assume his unintentional appearance at RMNB Party Two spurred his inspired performance today?
• Alex Ovechkin‘s seven game point streak — during which he accumulated four goals along with seven assists — may have ended but Ovi was still a force to be reckoned with. Ovechkin had six shots while registering three hits. He saved his most impressive effort for his last shift of the game, where he went one-on-three in the offensive zone, breaking through the triangle of players to fire a wrist-shot just wide of the net. Given how much criticism Ovechkin received for his poor — at least by his standards — play earlier in the year it’s important to note the renewed energy, creativity and hustle that he has displayed over the past month or so.
• Tomas Kopecky unintentionally boarded Dennis Wideman face-first into the glass in the third period, giving the Caps a two-minute power play. But this bullet is actually dedicated to Kopecky’s good sportsmanship after the hit. He tried to hold Wideman up as he fell down, stopped playing and asked to make sure he was okay. With the Zdeno Chara-Max Pacioretty hit dominating sports headlines over the past week, this was good to see. Wideman returned for his next regular shift and logged a team-high 27:27 of ice time.
• Jeff Schultz had five blocked shots. He also happened to miss the net by about 15 feet on a wide-open shot from the point. Nevertheless, a good performance from Sarge despite that fact he finished minus-one for the day.
• Finally, NBC did a nice feature on John Carlson during the second-intermission. View it here.

Joe B. sign of the game (Photo credit: Chris Gordon)

“I just like our team so much more than at this point last year,” said Knuble. “I think we’re definitely headed in the right direction.”

Still, Boudreau doesn’t want to worry about being the top dog in the East. “It is a nice feather in your cap,” he said. “In the end, I mean, I don’t care if we are eighth or first. I got to believe the eight can beat the one. It’s happened, I think.”

The Caps in Montreal Tuesday night. We’ll see you right back here.

Bonus Video: Homer McFanboy captures DJ Pauly D meeting up with Ovi after the game

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Flawless! Holtby's four saves and first NHL victory gets him the hardhat. (Photo by @cnichols14)

Tim Thomas: impenetrable (Photo credit: Nick Wass)

You’d think the Capitals, after suffering two consecutive beatdowns at the hands of the Boston Bruins, would have the good sense not to face them again. In spite of that, the NHL overlords decreed that they should meet again on this fifth of November.

After a quiet first period, marked only by a  Tyler Sloan goal (whaaaa?), the Caps provided an explosive second period– quickly becoming the team’s signature period– to lead 3-0. The Bruins then excused superlative goalie Tim Thomas in favor of Tuukka Rask and scored three unanswered goals themselves, earning Michal Neuvirth the hook. Enter Braden Holtby and cue John Carlson, provider of the GWG– a perfect slapshot immediately after the faceoff. With the Boston net vacated, Alex Ovechkin tasted blood in the water and sealed the deal. Caps beat Bruins, thankfully, 5-3.

• Woot! Tyler Sloan scores his first of the season right after the face-off early in the 2nd period– a stunning slapper from high circle. It looked like a Knuble tip-in to me, but that might be because Ian and I have a bet about Knuble’s goal production this year.
• Tim Thomas entered tonight’s game with .977 SV / 72 GAA and left riding the bench.  The Caps used the second period for the explicit purpose of urinating on those statistics. Tuukka Rask, fresh off the freighter from Dantooine, tended net in the final frame.
• John Carlson‘s slapper is worthy of remark. With the game tied at 3, Carlson took a faceoff slapper, aided by an Eric Fehr screen, and created the game-winning goal.
• Alex Ovechkin‘s empty netter in the final minute showed both a sense of urgency and globetrotter-osity that we don’t get to see nearly enough.  After some wild scrambling at and below the goal line, Ovechkin plopped the puck into the net, humbling the twice-victorious Bruins. Otherwise, not a strong game from the league’s best player: -1 scoring differential, -7 Corsi.
• 

  Krejci shoots while net's off moorings. Holtby gives him the 'what for.' (Capture via @maamfo)

  Braden Holtby: 100 SV%, 0.00 GAA. Welcome to the NHL, sir. Your WTF moment will look good in a career retrospective video package.

• Alphabetically challenged circus freak Zdeno Chara with minus-4 and zero shots on goal. Excellent dessert, poor defense.
• Alexander Semin continues his streak of acting like he’s the best dude in NHL. His short-handed grundlewhistler, facilitated by Mike Green, showed the weakness in Tim Thomas’s net protection. Semin is officially streaking. Bonus: no stick penalties. This is the Sasha we want to see in the playoffs.
• Mike Green didn’t explode out of the gates this year, but he’s now recorded three goals in three games. He showed inimitable patience on his tally tonight, outwaiting Gregory Campbell and Tim Thomas before pulling the trigger. Lovely top-shelf goal. Let’s try out a new nickname for 52: Slow hand.
• Boyd Gordon had seven of his eight starts in defensive zone. He was +7 Corsi with 67% FOW% in defensive zone. The Bruins managed no even-strength scoring chances while he was on the ice. Emphasis needed: The Caps are unbeaten in every game Gordon has played.

Bonus photo: Telestrating genius Craig Laughlin goes a bit overboard with the Semin bio pics during intermission.

Joe B's suit-of-the-night

Excusing that first period and its panoply of lazy dump-ins, this was a riveting game of hockey.  The Caps led the Bruins in shots 39 to 18. The Caps are quickly making the center frame dangerous for opposing teams, and find their competence on offense and defense alike. If they can firm up the looseness of the third period, this team will claim their rightful spot at top of the league.

The Caps have a homer against the Philadelpha Flyers on Sunday in the late afternoon. On a Redskins bye week and against an eastern conference rival, this should be a rowdy game.

Additional Reporting: Neil Greenberg
Executive Producer: Greg Landrum
Special Guest Star: Heather Locklear