Good news: The Washington Capitals scored a lot of goals against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. Less good news: the New Jersey Devils also scored a lot of goals.
You thought it was going to go badly after the first goal – as Erik Haula caught Caps goalie Logan Thompson sleeping. But the Caps responded in force, starting Tom Wilson racking up his fourth goal in his fourth game. Tom’s linemate Connor McMichael came next, crushing a rebound opportunity. And before the first period was up, Alex Ovechkin had notched his first of the year – definitely not a freak goal that banked off Kovacevic, certainly not a total dumb-luck accident to get him back on the chase.
The first minute of the second period I’d classify as sub-optimal. Nico Hischier got two goals in the first minute: after a pass from below the goal line and then after a brutal turnover by Trevor van Riemsdyk. But the Caps responded again. Andrew Mangiapane got his first as a Capital with a perfect finish after an even perfecter stretch pass from TVR. Dylan Strome got the last touch on a busy play to make it 5-3, unlocking the team’s best offensive game of the season.
But in the third, Dawson Mercer got fancy to bring the Devils within one. Then, Dougie Hamilton tied it up with a deflected power-play goal, leaving us tied as regulation time expired.
In overtime, Tom Wilson became the hero, ringing the post and in.
Caps win!
- That first period was probably Washington’s best of the season so far. A clinic in driving play.
- Finally, Alex Ovechkin got on the scoreboard. Just like he drew it up. I’m not sure I’d call it a shot had it not hit the back of the net.
- By the way, if you want have a good time, get Ian going about what’s more important: tying or passing Gretzky.
- Tom Wilson has five goals in four games. Someone committed identity theft against me and put me down for a prediction that he’d score 13 total this season. I’ve been in contact with law enforcement and I’m considering pressing charges. Right now he’s shooting like 45 percent.
- Trevor van Riemsdyk is a New Jersey native, and we don’t hold that against him, because that’s a clammy joke. Joe Beninati said he had a lot of friends and family in the audience, which means they all saw him get embarrassed by Timo Meier. But they also saw him send that perfectly pristine pass to Andrew Mangiapane. As the Caps get more offensively potent, that TVR passing is going to become even more valuable.
- This was not a great outing for Logan Thompson. It seems like he didn’t lock down the post on Huala’s opening goal, and he got plainly beat on Hischier’s second. But that save in overtime, boy howdy, I believe in him.
- Hendrix Lapierre was light on ice time again, but he looked confident and in control out there. Maybe the opening week yips are behind him?
See, this is one of those cursed games. The Caps got their offense cooking, and everyone is elated over it. Hurray, we said, this is going to be a fun season. But the Devils didn’t give up. Two good shifts in the third and a strong comeback effort in the third made this the kind of game coaches hate. So I imagine we’re going to hear Carbery say something about needing to slow the game down when they’re holding the lead, which to me just means playing more boring. I know it’s unreasonable, but I want the Caps to be manic and reckless and trying to score eight goals every night.
I’ll settle for wins though. And Ovi goals. And, sure, Tom goals too.
Hey, next week is a home-and-home with the Flyers. That’ll be fun. Are they any good?
