The Washington Capitals squared off with the Utah Hockey Club in one of the NHL’s final games before an extended break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Josh Doan opened the scoring just 1:10 into the first with a long-range wrister. Michael Carcone made it 2-0 Utah just 32 seconds later with a tip-in. Tom Wilson responded on a power play with his 23rd goal of the campaign. Jack McBain put Utah back up two before Pierre-Luc Dubois again reduced the Hockey Club’s lead to one.
Dylan Guenther pumped the still-to-be-permanently-named Utah team back into a two-goal lead. Dylan Strome buried his 16th of the season to get the Caps back in the game. Wilson tied the game with 1:31 remaining in regulation. Nothing in OT, so to the shootout, we went.
- Dubois did not put the biscuit in the basket.
- Schmaltz put the biscuit in the basket.
- Protas did not put the biscuit in the basket.
- Keller did not put the biscuit in the basket.
- Strome did not put the biscuit in the basket.
Utah Hockey Club beat Capitals 5-4.
- The Capitals weren’t at the races to start this game but rebounded to finish the first period strong. Their efforts were aided by two great power-play opportunities, which they scored on. Can’t say we love seeing them struggle for over eight minutes to get their first five-on-five shot of the game, but at least they recovered.
- Pierre-Luc Dubois factored in on both goals in the first frame, assisting Tom Wilson’s and then potting his own. The big centerman had been quiet the past two games, recording no points, so good to see him get all over the scoresheet. He’s on pace for 66 points (19g, 47a), which would be a career high.
- I love to see the crowd oohing and ahhing whenever Ethen Frank gets to rev up his engine and just simply skate in a straight line down the ice. His speed is legitimately special and so fun to watch. He also drew the penalty that helped the Caps stop the bleeding early. Great stuff.
- The Capitals didn’t really use any of the momentum they gained to end the first in the second. I thought they looked slow and were second to a lot of pucks. Utah scored the only goal in the period, an absolute rip from Dylan Guenther.
- Alex Ovechkin forced goaltender Connor Ingram out of the game with a booming drive that led to PLD’s goal in the first period. Ovechkin also passed Phil Esposito for 11th in all-time NHL scoring (1,591 points) on the play.
- Alex Alexeyev is too good to be sitting out for as long as he has. I wish Spencer Carbery had given some of the regular healthy scratches this game before the break. It’s not like this mixture of defenders is exactly excelling of late.
- Congrats to John Carlson on the point 700 celebrations. The Capitals have been at their best with him on the ice this season. Great career that probably will be enshrined in the rafters of Capital One Arena and potentially in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
- Not enough sustained pressure in the third. They had chances but traded too many with Utah. Huge play from Ovi to find Wilson to tie the game.
- Big two-goal game from Tom Wilson. He’s on pace for a 36-goal season.
- Only slightly terrifying to see Dylan Strome in so much pain coming off the ice early in the third. “Luckily,” it was just a bad shot block and not any sort of twisted knee or anything. He returned almost immediately after.
- What do we think about Utah’s eventual name? I think Mammoth and Outlaws are both great. I may lean towards Outlaws just because it’s not the awkward singular/plural situation. Just none of this leaving it the way it currently is business. That is so boring.
We’ll see you again with another recap all the way on February 22 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Go, Team USA?
