Photo: NHL

The Washington Capitals fell to the San Jose Sharks, 3-0 on Tuesday night at Verizon Center. The loss dropped the Capitals record to 8-3-1. The Capitals are off to Chicago on Thursday for a Friday night tilt against the Blackhawks. Puck drop is 8:30 PM. 

Braden Holtby got the start in net for the Capitals. Martin Jones got the start between the pipes for the Sharks.

Taylor Chorney and Brett Connolly were the healthy scratches for the contest.

The Sharks were 24-9-2-1 all-time against the Capitals, coming into the game.

This was the Capitals 322nd consecutive sellout at Verizon Center.

FIRST PERIOD
A spirited pace to the first five minutes, but very little in the way of scoring chances for either side. The Sharks were called for the game’s first penalty (holding) at the 5:37 mark of the opening frame, but the Capitals were unable to generate much in the way of scoring chances and came up empty for the man advantage. Shots on goal were 1-1 through the first ten minutes of play. Lars Eller was called for interference with 4:35 left in the first period, but the Capitals penalty kill was too strong, even generating a couple of short-handed scoring chances. The period would end 0-0, with the Sharks leading in shots on goal 9-4.

SECOND PERIOD
The Capitals had two net front chances in the first two minutes of the middle frame, but could not find the twine. The defensive play continued through the middle of the game, with shots on goal for the game at 10-10 with 10 minutes left in the middle frame. The Sharks would finally dent the scoreboard on a long, deflected shot by Marc Edouard Vlasic from the top of the slot at the 12:23 mark of the middle frame.

Brent Burns would stretch the Sharks lead to 2-0 on a wrister from the top of the right circle at 17:26 of the second period.

The second period would end with the Sharks leading 2-0, and leading 18-14 in shots on goal through two periods of play.

THIRD PERIOD
The Capitals stepped up the offensive zone pressure to start the third period, mounting several decent scoring chances, but none would dent the twine. The Capitals would go on their second power play at the 6:03 mark, but could only generate one shot during the man advantage. The Capitals would return to the power play with 6:12 left in the game, but again, the Caps power play unit could not capitalize on the man advantage. Braden Holtby would vacate the net with 2:50 left in the game, and the Sharks would subsequently add an empty netter to stretch the lead to 3-0 with 1:32 left in the game.

By Jon Sorensen

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NoVa Caps (@nova_caps)