While the Capitals are just seven games into the regular season, they’ve already scored 29 times. With so many goals, NoVa Caps is taking a look at the ten best goals so far this season.
1. Alex Ovechkin’s Dazzling First
Description: Leave it to The Great Eight to score the best goal of the season thus far. In the team’s season and home opener, Ovechkin went coast-to-coast, dangling the puck between his legs before putting it past New Jersey Devils goalie Cory Schneider.
2. Ovechkin’s 900th Career Point
Description: Already well-established as a future Hall of Famer, Ovechkin reached a truly remarkable milestone when he scored his 900th point on a goal against the Calgary Flames. Taking the puck from the neutral zone, Ovechkin fired a shot on Calgary goalie Karri Ramo, collecting his rebound and sliding the puck past Ramo for No. 900
3. Evgeny Kuznetsov’s First Career Hat Trick
Description: Evgeny Kuznetsov is already showing why he’s going to be a superstar in the NHL, and in the Capitals’ 7-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers, he had a career night. Kuzy recorded his first career hat trick while adding two helpers for a five-point night.
4. TJ Oshie’s First Goal As a Capital
Description: As if his arrival in DC wasn’t exciting enough, right-winger TJ Oshie has shown why the Caps paid such a big price to get him. In his first seven games in a Capitals sweater, Oshie has recorded seven points (three goals, four assists). His first goal came on the powerplay, playing in the same spot as the man the Caps traded to get him, Troy Brouwer.
5. Nicklas Backstrom’s Breakaway Goal Versus the Oilers
Description: Center Nicklas Backstrom missed the team’s first four contests of the 2015-16 campaign but since he returned, he’s been red-hot playing alongside Justin Williams and Marcus Johansson; as he’s recorded seven points (four goals, three assists) in four games. His breakaway power play tally versus the Oilers is his best so far.
6. John Carlson Does a Spin-o-Rama Before Scoring on Scott Darling
Description: In a 4-1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks, defenseman John Carlson scored one of the fancier goals of the year. Collecting a pass behind him, Carlson swung around and hammered the puck through traffic to beat Chicago goalie Scott Darling top corner.
7. Justin Williams Deflects a Pass Past Anders Nilsson
Description: Washington’s other big-name acquisition this summer, Justin Williams waited seven until he got his first goal as Capital. With six points (one goal, five assists), Williams has proved a nice addition to the Caps’ Top-Six. His first goal was a pretty one. Defenseman Matt Niskanen stopped at the top of the right face off dot with the puck on his stick, waiting patiently. Williams, who was tangled up with an Edmonton blueliner, skated towards the net, keeping his stick on the ice to backhand the pass from Niskanen for a goal.
8. Brooks Orpik’s First Capitals Goal
Description: In his first 78 games as a Washington Capital, defenseman Brooks Orpik never scored a goal, only 19 assists. While not an offensively-gifted blueliner by any means, Orpik certainly wanted to get a goal. It took Orpik less than one game this season to net his first goal. Against the New Jersey Devils, Orpik made his way to the high slot, after a commotion of Devils and Capitals squirted the puck to the stick of right-wing Tom Wilson, who dished the puck to Orpik for a one-timer. No words were needed to tell how excited Orpik was: his grin said it all
http://video.capitals.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=844860
9. Matt Niskanen Whistles One Past Scott Darling
Description: Matt Niskanen has started off 2015-16 very well, putting up five points (two goals, three assists) in his first seven games. One of his two goals came against the Chicago Blackhawks, when Niskanen ripped a BB past Chicago’s Scott Darling for his second of the year.
10. Andre Burakovsky Buries A Sweet Pass From Kuznetsov For His First of the Year
Description: Already one of the Caps’ promising young talents at the ripe old age of 20, Andre Burakovsky entered the season with a bigger role. His first of the season came on an unbelievable pass from fellow youngster Evgeny Kuznetsov
By Michael Fleetwood
