Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
The Washington Capitals beat the Ottawa Senators 7-2 Tuesday night at Capital One Arena. After giving up two early goals, the Capitals responded with seven unanswered goals. The win improves the Capitals record to 36-21-7 (79 points) on the season, and ties the New York Islanders for first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals next hit the road for a huge showdown with the first place New York Islanders on Friday. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM.
SUMMARY
The Capitals once again got off to a very sleepy start, giving up two quick goals to the Senators in the first 7:10 of the opening frame. The Capitals did not register their first shot on goal until the nine-minute mark. The Capitals finally woke up, getting goals from Tom Wilson and Lars Eller for a 2-2 tie at the first intermission. The Capitals would quickly take a 4-2 lead with a power play goal from John Carlson and a goal from T.J. Oshie, and add goals from Brett Connolly and another from T.J. Oshie for a 6-2 lead at the second intermission. Evgeny Kuznetsov added a seventh goal 17 seconds into the final frame to make it 7-2.
STARTERS
Braden Holtby (21-16-4, 3.04 GAA, .908 sv%) started between the pipes for the defending champions. Anders Nilsson (10-15-1, 2.95 GAA, .908 sv%) got the start in goal for the visiting Senators. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Capitals:
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Eller-Connolly
Hagelin-Dowd-Boyd
Kempny-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Jensen
Scratches: Dmitrij Jaskin and Christian Djoos.
FIRST PERIOD
The Capitals got off to yet another sleepy start. The Senators grabbed an early lead with a goal from Oscar Lindberg just 3:16 into the first frame. Lindberg was playing in his first game for the Senators.
The Senators would quickly make it 2-0 with a power play goal from Anthony Duclair 7:10 into the first period.
The Capitals were outshot 8-0 after the first eight minutes of play. But that would be the wake-up call for the defensing champs.
The Capitals would get their first tally of the evening with a goal from Tom Wilson at 16:57 of the first period, making it 2-1. Alex Ovechkin (29) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (41) were credited with the helpers.
The Capitals would tie the game with a goal from Lars Eller at 17:50 of the first period. Dmitry Orlov (16) and Brett Connolly (19) were credited with the assists.
The first period would conclude with the Capitals and Senators tied 2-2. The Capitals led in shot attempts 21-14 but trailed in shots on goal (SOG) 13-9 for the first 20 minutes. The Senators were 1 for 1 and the Capitals 0 for 0 on the power play in the first period.
SECOND PERIOD
The Capitals would take their first lead with a power play goal from John Carlson at 2:38 of the middle frame, making it 3-2 Caps. Nicklas Backstrom (44) and T.J. Oshie (21) had the assists.
The Capitals would stretch their lead to 4-2 with a goal from T.J. Oshie at 6:29 of the second period. Brooks Orpik (5) was credited with the lone assist.
The Capitals added a goal from Brett Connolly at 9:05 of the second period. Andre Burakovsky (12) had the lone assist. Craig Anderson would replace Nilsson in goal for the Senators.
The Capitals would add another from T.J. Oshie at 10:33 of the second period. Dmtriy Orlov (17) and Jakub Vrana (21) were credited with the helpers.
The period would conclude with the Capitals leading 6-2. The Capitals led in shot attempts 28-12 for the second period, and led
THIRD PERIOD
The Capitals would quickly make it 7-2 with a goal from Evgeny Kuznetsov 17 seconds into the final frame. Alex Ovechkin (30) and Tom Wilson (15) were credited with the assists.
SHAVINGS
- The Capitals move into a tie with the Islanders for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
- The Capitals scored seven straight goals in a single game for the second time this season (Oct. 3, 2018, 7-0 win against the Boston Bruins).
- The Capitals have now scored a goal in eight straight periods of hockey, not including Sunday’s overtime winning goal against New York Rangers.
- Eight players had multiple points for Washington.
- Andre Burakovsky recorded an assist on Connolly’s goal and now has points in three straight games (1g, 2a).
- Kuznetsov is now three goals shy of 100 career goals.
- The Capitals have now scored a goal in eight straight periods of hockey, not including Sunday’s overtime winning goal against New York Rangers.
- Kuznetsov’s goal came in 17 seconds to start the third period, nine seconds shy of the fastest goal by a Cap to start a period this season (Tom Wilson: 8 seconds, Nov. 30 vs. New Jersey).
- The NHL box score is here.
SCENES FROM THE DISTRICT
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New Caps acquisitions looked excellent tonight. Caps roared after slow start. Gimme that Seven Spot! And good old hapless #22 was minus-three tonight in DET in an 8-1 loss. The Caps look like a complete team for the first time in 2018-19
Let’s hope so, Day One. It’s now or never. Friday and March will be interesting.
Game was off to bad start with Caps down by 2 so I wondered if Rierden would read the Riot Act to them at the intermission. (It would have been the ultimate disgrace for Caps to lose to the decimated by trade, dead last Senators but Caps tend to lose to bad teams.) But they roared back to tie. Then, off to the races in Period 2. Game was a lot like their home opener vs the New Jersey Devils in 2010. They fell behind 2-0 but got back a goal in the first. In second period, they exploded and won 7-2 in a game that was a “Fight Fest”. No fights last night, though.
Indeed, that would have been a very tough pill to swallow if we had lost to the Sens last night. Slow starts are reoccurring theme.
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