On Sunday night, the Washington Capitals did the thinkable: defeating the Vegas Golden Knights on the road to earn their first pair of consecutive wins this month, and they did it on the strength of the Great Eight, Alex Ovechkin.
Scoring started as all scoring should start in any orderly universe: Alex Ovechkin from the faceoff dot during a power play. Jakob Chychrun doubled the lead with a sharp shot from the high slot made possible by a prompt pass from Dylan Strome. A very strong first period for Washington ended with an unfortunate but bonafide Freak Goal, a hard but lucky bounce off the end boards that went right to Brett Howden waiting at the goal mouth.
The Caps were much weaker in the second period, but they still outscored the Knights, bookending Keegan Kolesar’s goal on a delayed penalty with a fast release by Jakub Vrana first and then Ovechkin netting his second of the night with a rush goal.
In the final minute, Alex Ovechkin completed his 31st career hat trick.
Caps win!
- The Capitals had been cursed on road games in Vegas, going 0-5-1 in regular-season games before tonight. There may have been games outside the regular-season however that we could consult if needed for context. Or delight.
- Alex Ovechkin scored the 11th and 12th and 13th goals of his season, also known as the 864th and 865th and 866th of his career. He looked lively across the whole sheet in this one. We saw him in his office, The Ovi Spot. We saw him blazing through neutral for the rush goal. And we saw him do something in his own end too; we’ll get to that in a moment. Ovechkin’s hunger for a third goal was obvious – he was seething on the bench after whiffing on a high-danger chance. He got it with 37 seconds left to play.
- Ex-Caps goalie Ilya Samsonov joins The List – one of the many victims of Ovechkin’s march into legend.
- Dylan Strome did not have an assist on Ovechkin’s second goal. It was the first Ovechkin goal without his assistance all season. I don’t see why Matt Roy couldn’t have gotten him a touch. Pretty rude if you ask me.
- Back in the Caps’ zone, Ovechkin got stung blocking a shot by Brayden McNabb. He was fine, but he wasn’t done with his defensive involvement. He full-on saved a goal here.
- Jakub Vrana has goals in two straight games. That was a nifty shot he had. I’m saying it: He’s back. Classic comeback story. That’s why you gotta support the people in your life who are struggling – because eventually they’ll get back on track and then they’ll score the game-winning goal in a mid-November road game. That’s how the old saying goes.
- The Capitals were sublime in the first period, just as they have been in bunches of first periods this month. But just like in latter periods earlier this month, they lost their momentum and ceded the possession game to the (trailing) opponent. There’s some odd puck management happening, especially just inside the offensive zone, that has been really frustrating to watch lately. If that’s the consequence of them taking early leads all the time, then I guess I just need to be restraining in my complaining.
- Brandon Duhaime was a game-time decision after taking some damage on Friday. He played, but his line struggled a bit – and they sorta have for a few games now. They were on the ice for Howden goal, which was such a fluke I don’t hold it against them. The boards were spring-loaded. But let’s keep an eye on the fourth line.
- Lars Eller looks great. When he and Vrana start connecting, look out.
Putting aside some crummy turtling, the Caps were once again wonderful. Alex Ovechkin is so locked in right now; the intensity is palpable. At current pace he is set to pass Wayne Gretzky at 4:15 Tuesday afternoon.
I’m having a real good time this season. How about you? Answer quickly, as the Caps have to go to Utah right now, to play, I presume, the Utahns. See you tomorrow night.
