The Washington Capitals couldn’t help themselves. They simply had to beat the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. They could play listlessly for a period plus, they could give up odd-man rushes, they could faceplant on a scoring chance, but they’re still going to win this game, because at this point I fear they’ve forgotten how to lose.
Matvei Michkov, the one who got away, floated in neutral until he was set loose for a breakaway to make it 1-0. In response, Alex Ovechkin hit 879 with an atypical rush goal.
In the second period, Connor McMichael gingerly tapped in a pass from Aliaksei Protas to give Washington the lead, soon canceled out on the power play by Tyson Fœrster’s deflection of Emil Andræ’s long bomb. Michkov struck again after Martin Fehervary had an oopsie.
Lars Eller brought the Caps even in the third period, off the post and in, after a healthy amount of zone time. Finally, Jakob Chychrun secured the lead after a high-difficulty pass from John Carlson.
Caps win!
- I was just joking when I said the Capitals “should of” drafted Matvei Michkov. In a brief moment between spats with John Tortorella, Michkov scored twice. The first was shameless: Michkov waiting far behind the play for an outlet pass. The second was unfortunate: just in front of the Philly net, Fehervary either stepped on the puck or fell into one of the sheet’s many crevasses, setting the play screaming in the other direction.
- Michkov nearly had a hat trick, and he tried to do it in style, attempting a Michigan goal a few minutes into the third period. I wonder what Torts thought of that. In any case, Ryan Leonard seems like he’ll be pretty okay, so I’m not upset about it.
- The game had two things: bad ice and lots of on-the-rush offense. More on the latter in a moment, but the former delayed the start of the third period as the ice resurfacer had to come out for a touch-up before the players were willing to skate. I don’t know precisely why, but I loved seeing John Carlson complain about the ice. Very dad-like, as if he suspected someone turned up the thermostat.
- Alex Ovechkin, absurd, scored again – his fourth goal in as many games. It was on the rush, with Ovi himself making the outlet pass and then having last touch off Fehervary’s pass. He (Ovi, not Marty) is 39 years old, and if he hadn’t BROKEN HIS FLIPPING LEG he’d be on like a 55-goal pace. Instead he’ll have to settle for (soon) taking the all-time goal-scoring title.
- Ivan Fedotov becomes the 180th goalie to give a goal to Ovechkin.
- Aliaksei Protas continued his breakout season with a perfect setup for Connor McMichael, who himself is heating up with four points in his last four games. I’m glad they finished their chance together as they (i.e. Dubois’s line) otherwise didn’t have the strongest outing, getting outplayed by Sean Couturier’s line in frequent matchups. Protas was on-ice for two Flyers goals.
- Lars Eller has goals in back-to-back games. The tying goal came off his puck, and then he was on the ice for Chychrun’s go-ahead a few minutes later. John Carlson‘s pass was key to the Chychrun goal, but another common ingredient on both plays: Ethen Frank, who I think is an NHLer.
This was a game that the Washington Capitals in any normal season would have lost. But the Caps of 2024-25 don’t know they’re dead. No one told them they’re supposed to be a lottery team. It hasn’t occurred to them that they should lose. They’re Wile E. Coyote strapping rockets to his rollerskates and flying off a cliff – they’ll keep soaring as long as they don’t look down.
One more game before the break. Utahns, then the Super Bowl, then camels.
