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For 40 minutes the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning played a largely tactical game that was dominated by play between the blue lines. The last 15 minutes were a different matter.
Check back for our full recap later, but first, here’s Friday night’s Plus/Minus:
- Plus: “”GrubOshie.” A ten-bell save by Philipp Grubauer at one end on a Vladislav Namestnikov shot, followed moments later by a T.J. Oshie goal at the other end brought the fans out of the lethargy that seemed to settle over them over the first 45 minutes of the contest. It brought the crowd — and the Caps — back to life.
- Minus: Those first 45 minutes. The Caps were out of sorts at both blue lines, not being able to exit their zone smartly, nor deny Tampa Bay comparatively easy entries into the Caps’ zone.
Ten more notes on the game:
- “Chess match” might have been the apt description for the first period of this game. Despite the teams combining for 40 shot attempts (Washington: 22; Tampa: 18), much of the first 20 minutes was played between the blue lines.
- Unreal…almost two years to the day (December 10, 2013) in the same building, the Capitals spotted the Lightning a three-goal lead, only to come back in the third period to tie the game, then win in a shootout.
- Even with Braden Holtby having an off night, the Caps found a way. Holtby did a lot of the heavy lifting in the first 30 games. It was good to see the boys pick him up in Game 31.
- T.J. Oshie was a monster in the third period with two goals and an assist.
- Hits can make a difference, and Matt Niskanen had one on T.J. Brown in the ninth minute of the third period that had the crowd howling and seemed to give the Caps a spark when they needed it.
- Even strength was not kind to the Caps tonight as the Lightning outscored them, 3-1, at fives. This from the team that was second in the league in 5-on-5 goals for/goals against ratio before facing the Lightning.
- Zillions of pixels have been put into service documenting Alex Ovechkin’s propensity to shoot the puck, He lived up to that in the first period of this game, recording 12 of the Caps’ 22 shot attempts (no other Cap had more than two), four of their ten shots on goal (no other Cap had more than one).
- Breakdowns in discipline did in the Lightning. The Caps converted three of four power play chances for the second time in two tries against the Lightning at Verizon Center this season.
- Ripping a snap shot past goalie Ben Bishop on a power play in the third period after leaving Anton Stralman behind on a curl and drag gave Ovechkin his first multi-goal game of the season.
- After all is said and done, it wasn’t pretty, but it sure was fun in that third period. Not a bad way to end the last home game before Christmas. It was another sort of “Christmas Story” than the greeting card video, and just as heartwarming.
And now, this…
Game highlights: