The 2016 rookie tournament kicked-off this afternoon in Coral Springs, Florida, as the Washington Capitals prospects faced prospects from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The tournament, which includes rookies and prospects from the Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers, will run through Tuesday.
The Capitals starting lines featured several 2016 draft picks, including first overall pick Lucas Johansen, Dmitry Zaitsev and Garrett Pilon.
Vitek Vanecek got the start in net for the Capitals. Tyler Lewington donned the captain’s “C” for the Capitals. Travis Boyd and Madison Bowey wore the alternate captain’s “A.”
Players for the game for the Capitals: Zach Sanford, Jakub Vrana and Riley Barber.
FIRST PERIOD
As for the game itself, things got off to a fast and furious start, with four goals in the first ten minutes of the contest. Capitals D-man Madison Bowey would drop the gloves just two minutes into the game:
Jakub Vrana would notch the first goal of the tournament, giving the Capitals an early 1-0 lead, less than four minutes into the contest.
The Caps would strike quickly again when Zach Sanford notched a goal, assisted by first round pick Lucas Johansen, giving the Capitals an early 2-0 lead. The Lightning would strike back with two quick goals to tie the game with 11:40 remaining in the first period. Travis Boyd would notch a beautiful, close-range wrister, to regain the lead for the Caps at 3-2, with less than seven minutes to go in the period.
The first period would end with the Capitals leading the lightning 3-2.
SECOND PERIOD:
John Parker would stretch the Capitals lead to 4-2 at 8:17 of the middle frame on a nasty wrister from the right dot.
With 10 mins left in the second period, the Caps switched goalies, replacing Vitek Vanecek with Adam Carlson. The Lightning would score two quick goals to tie the game 4-4, with 7:26 remaining in the middle frame. The second period would end with the teams tied 4-4.
THIRD PERIOD
The Capitals would regain the lead on a powerplay goal by Zach Sanford at 7:03 of the third period. This was Sanford’s second goal of the game. Tampa Bay would tie the game 5-5, at 9:50 of the final frame. The Lightning would take their first lead of the contest with a goal at 13:36 of the third period, and would add another goal at 14:38 to take a 7-5 lead. The Capitals would close the gap to 7-6 on a goal by Riley Barber with 4:02 remaining in the game, but that would be it for the scoring, as the Capitals fell 7-6 in game one of the tournament.
“I’d say @Tboyd93 was the best player on the ice.” – @TheHersheyBears Head Coach Troy Mann #SoFlaTourney pic.twitter.com/jCA0vqfXZo
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 17, 2016
Caps prospect’s @Tboyd93, @JVranaa & @zachsanford2 address the media after the 7-6 loss this afternoon #SoFlaTourney pic.twitter.com/hRORsYHygk
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 17, 2016
Some of the scenes from South Florida:
By Jon Sorensen
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