Red Wings @ Capitals – Inside The Numbers: A Familiar Formula

Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images

This game was in doubt for about the first three minutes of the first period. After that, it was #ALLCAPS. Alex Ovechkin would register his 21st career hat trick and the Capitals would get additional goals from T.J. Oshie, Travis Boyd and Brett Connolly for the 6-2 win. Here is a look at numbers from the convincing victory.

SUMMARY
Once again, the Capitals raced-out to an early lead, scoring three goals in the opening frame (Lines 1, 2 and 4 would get the tallies), and adding two more in the middle frame for a comfortable 5-0 lead after 40 minutes. The Red Wings would get a goal early in the third, making Caps fans wince a bit, with memories of Anaheim fresh in their head, but the Capitals would remember as well, and finish this one out. Alex Ovechkin would score his third goal midway through the final frame and the game was over.

Our complete game recap can be found here. The NHL box score can be found here. Stats provided by Natural Stat Trick are here.

Lineup
T.J. Oshie returned to the lineup for the first time since sustaining a concussion against Winnipeg on November 14. Tom Wilson missed a third straight game after sustaining a concussion in Las Vegas on December 4.

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Connolly
Stephenson-Eller-DSP
Jaskin-Dowd-Boyd

Kempny-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Djoos-Bowey

Holtby vs. Bernier

Scoring
Brett Connolly opened the scoring with a power play goal early in the first, Travis Boyd scored his second goal in as many games and Alex Ovechkin added his 23rd of the season for a 3-0 lead at the first intermission. Ovechkin and Oshie would make it 5-0 at the second intermission. Dylan Larkin would get the visitors on the scoreboard early in the final frame, but it was too little, too late. Ovechkin would get his third for the 6-2 final.

SHOT ATTEMPTS (POSSESSION)
The Red Wings out-attempted the Caps 20-15 and led in shots on goal (SOG) 11-10 for the first period. However, most of the Red Wings shots followed the Capitals early 3-0 lead, as typically occurs when a team is trailing. The Capitals out-attempted the Red Wings 18-13 and led 10-7 in SOG in the middle frame. Detroit out-attempted Washington 22-12 and led 16-8 in SOG in the final frame. Nothing too surprising here.

SHOT ATTEMPTS (DIFFERENTIAL)

SHOT ATTEMPTS (LOCATION)

GOALTENDING
Braden Holtby was solid in goal again, stopping 35 of 37 shots for a .946 save percentage. The Red Wings Jonathan Bernier did not have a good night. He would stop 10 of 15 shots before being replaced in the second period. Howard would stop 9 of 10 shots for a .900 save percentage in relief.

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Capitals power play made a resounding comeback Tuesday night, going 2 for 2 on the man advantage. The Red Wings went 0 for 1 on the power play.

FACEOFFS
The Red Wings won the battle at the dot, 52-48%. (35 of 67). Nicklas Backstrom was 10 of 22, Lars Eller was 7 of 14, Nic Dowd was 8 of 9, Travis Boyd was 1 for 4, T.J. Oshie was 0 for 2 and Evgeny Kuznetsov was 6 of 16.

PLAYER STATS

5-on-5 Points Leaders (30 games)