A nine goal offensive explosion powers the Capitals over the Canadiens in Washington, DC.
Game Summary – Event Summary – Shot Summary – Face-off Summary – Play By Play – Home TOI – Visitor TOI – HockeyViz – Money Puck – Natural Stat Trick
In Washington’s final game of 2022 the Capitals jumped on the Canadiens early and often on their way to a memorable and thorough 9 to 2 (!!!) home ice victory.
Here’s Saturday evening’s Plus/Minus:
Plus: Erik Gustafsson’s second period assist extends his helper streak to six straight games.
Minus: 2023 will be calendar year number five since the Stanley Cup.
More notes on the game:
- 30 seconds into the contest Gustafsson put the Capitals ahead for good. A series of sweet passes between Gustasfsson and Evgeny Kuznetsov set up the defenseman’s sixth goal of the season.
- Four minutes later Garnet Hathaway kept the offense going. While stalking Jake Allen’s crease Hathaway deflected an Aliaksei Protas shot into the net from five feet out.
- Cole Caufield cut the Capitals’ lead in half at the game’s 24 minute mark courtesy of a special no look pass from Nick Suzuki.
- Washington responded shortly after with Nic Dowd finishing off a powerful Protas rush down the left side.
- The Canadiens then tallied again with Caufield netting his second of the night. No assist on that scoring play.
- Alex Ovechkin continued the offensive outburst, camping out to Allen’s right side and taking advantage of an opportunity. A cross ice pass from Trevor van Riemsdyk gave Ovechkin plenty of net to hit which is exactly what he did with one single touch.
- Before second intermission arrived Dylan Strome added to the lead. Working the puck around the outside of the offensive zone Strome took it to the slot and put the puck up and over Allen’s right side reach.
- Early in the final frame Ovechkin made shorthanded Montreal pay one more time. A high hard shot from his office was the Capitals’ sixth of the game and 25th of the captain’s season.
- Following that in short order was Marcus Johansson putting Washington ahead by a five spot. His quick short side shot eluded Allen. Anthony Mantha added another at 55:43.
- To cap off an eventful evening Ovechkin tallied for a third time, his thirtieth (!!!) career hat trick. Lids rained down onto the ice as the scoreboard was updated to nine and Capital One Arena was rocking.