Thursday’s date between the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals was a low-key, low-shooting affair punctuated with some punches until an exciting three-on-three session ended it.
With a turnover by Nashville in their own zone, Brett Connolly secured his 15th goal of the season. In the second, with a turnover by Washington in their own zone, James Neal (ugh) tied the score at one. Tied after sixty, we went to overtime, where Viktor Arvidsson ended it with a 2-on-1 goal.
Preds beat Caps 2-1 in overtime.
- As a unit of entertainment, this was not a great hockey game. Craig Laughlin said it had a “real playoff feel,” but to me it was just brutal tedium. The Preds had 4 shots in the first period, the Caps had 5 in the second.
- Brett Connolly and Lars Eller have not been scoring — or even generating chances — like they did when sweet summer child Andre Burakovsky was with them. They got generally creamed on Thursday, but ersatz-Andre Jakub Vrana exploited a DZ turnover by Nashville to give Brett Connolly his 15th goal of the year. If you predicted Brett Connolly getting 15 goals way back in October, I hope you took it to #thebank.
Gotta check out our inaugural Shamrock Shake chugging contest from our #CapsGoGreen #StPatricksDay Game! #ShamRockTheRed @McDonalds_DMV https://t.co/Nj4RvGbo92
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 17, 2017
- The above is a concerning tweet because it seems to imply that the Washington Capitals organization is planning to make people chug Shamrock Shakes again, which I believe would be a war crime — if America is still a signatory to the Geneva Conventions a year from now. Check back with me.
- Jay Beagle went a perfect 7-for-7 on the faceoff dot during regulation before losing one in OT, and he led the team in 5-on-5 shot-attempt percentage, doubling up the Preds in possession.
- Early in the third, Preds forward Austin Watson shoved Tom Wilson‘s sideways into the end of the Caps bench, slamming Wilson’s side into a corner. In response, Wilson thoroughly walloped Watson. I’m not a fight guy, but I saw in that scrap reflections of some of John Erskine’s brawls of yore.
- TJ Oshie got butt slashed by Tom Wilson before the game, but did not score, which is unsettling.
I don't care what happens in the third period, @Laughlin18 is tonight's first star of the game 😂 pic.twitter.com/VPom9txjz9
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 17, 2017
- Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin covered the game from the lower bowl, presumably so healthy scratch Nate Schmidt could play Zelda: Breath of the Wild in privacy in their normal booth. Between high-fiving fans in the 100 level, Joe B and Locker invited guests to join them during the broadcast, including Caps owner Ted Leonsis. Fun times to spice up a tame game.
- Three shots on net and three more attempted for Alex Ovechkin, who looked good apart from one failed jailbreak that came at the end of an exhausting shift.
- The Caps got outplayed in overtime, with a bad change by Evgeny Kuznetsov giving Viktor Arvidsson more than enough opportunity to finish it.
Joe B suit of the night
Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s day. I remember Mike Vogel once calling the holiday amateur hour for drinking, and it stuck with me. I’m Irish, but I’m gonna stay home and cook food and do puzzles in Zelda, so you guys have fun and be safe!
Headline photo: Patrick Smith
