Too Little Over the course of the 82-game regular season, only the Tampa Bay Lightning scored more goals than the Capitals, who averaged a positively robust 3.49 lamp-lighters per outing. In the playoffs, that number has dropped to 2.67 overall (padded with five empty-net goals and lowest among teams still in the tourney) and a woeful 1.50 in the second round (which includes an … [Read more...] about The Narrative: Too Little, Too Late, and Two-Game Hole
Capitals vs. Carolina Game 4 Recap: Comeback Falls Short in 5-2 Loss
Plus: Seeing the Caps finally score a goal – and then another! – on Frederik Andersen after going more than five periods without one was a very nice reminder that they can actually, occasionally, generate offense. Sometimes. Minus: Just another really disappointing effort by a team that has shown us they are capable of much, much more. Our three stars: *** Jakob Chychrun … [Read more...] about Capitals vs. Carolina Game 4 Recap: Comeback Falls Short in 5-2 Loss
Capitals-Hurricanes Game 3: How the Game Was Lost
For the first 25-30 minutes of Game 3, the Capitals did something they hadn’t managed to do for much of the rest of the series, and that was control the game and slow the Hurricanes’ attack. The only thing that was missing from that control was actual goals, as all 12 of the the Caps’ shots in the game’s first half were turned aside by Frederik Andersen. That lack of offense – … [Read more...] about Capitals-Hurricanes Game 3: How the Game Was Lost
Capitals vs. Hurricanes Game 3 Recap: Strong Start Fizzles in 3-0 Loss
Plus: The first 30ish minutes of this series were probably the best the Capitals have looked so far in this series, as they took Carolina’s game and flipped it on them. They were winning battles, carrying play, and frustrating the Canes so much that the immovable boulder(face) that is Rod Brind’Amour even made some lineup changes because his matchups weren’t working. Minus: … [Read more...] about Capitals vs. Hurricanes Game 3 Recap: Strong Start Fizzles in 3-0 Loss
The Narrative: Tom, Son!, Thompson, and Tom-orrow
Tom, Son! Memorable players have signature games, outings that in one way or another encapsulate what that athlete was all about that are remember for years to come. Game 2 of the Caps’ second-round series against the Hurricanes was a signature game for Tom Wilson. Wilson was the best skater on the ice (by GameScore and the eye test), registering a brilliant assist on … [Read more...] about The Narrative: Tom, Son!, Thompson, and Tom-orrow