Capitals vs Islanders Game 2: What Worked and What Didn’t

After a disappointing Game 1 loss and facing the daunting prospect of taking a two-game hole to a raucous Nassau Coliseum, the Caps skated onto the Verizon Center ice and— though the score didn’t always show it— dominated.

Yesterday, we took a look back at what worked in Game 1 and what didn’t, respectively appended with the parentheticals “not a whole lot” and “a whole lot.”

This time around, after a big 4-3 win on home ice, we get to swap those parentheticals out for each other. Never has swapping parenthetical appendages been so fun.

What Worked

• Nicklas Backstrom

It was probably Nick’s best game since he notched two goals and an assist— all on the power play— back on February 19 against Winnipeg.

Interestingly, after having a good game with Ovechkin on Wednesday night, Backstrom seemed better off away from the Great Eight on Wednesday night. Here’s a look at how the Super Swede fared with Ovechkin, and his more common wing, Marcus Johansson.

But Corsi measures shot attempts – and the Caps had plenty of trouble getting shots through to Jaroslav Halak, as evidenced by the disparity between their 82 (!) shot attempts, and 35 shots on goal. Here’s how actual shots shook out for Backstrom’s wingers.

In summary, Backstrom and Johansson were fantastic together, and shot attempts in this instance are a bit misleading for Ovechkin/Backstrom— those two got almost all of their shot attempts through to (and past) Halak, while either blocking or forcing misses from their foes on the other end of the ice.

But let’s talk more about Marcus Johansson.

As stellar as one Swede was, it might have been the other who was the stronger skater last night— and he might have been rewarded on the score sheet about 10 seconds into the game if Jaroslav Halak hadn’t just gotten his left toe to the post to foil a slick wrap around attempt from Johansson.

And here, take a look at Johansson’s with-you’s, for skaters with whom he shared more than 1:20 of ice.

Nine shot attempts in only 3:31 with Mike Green? Nice.

If our pals over at Lighthouse Hockey were to do a similar serial to this one, they might file this image under “What Didn’t Work”.

(This data, and so much of the rest, courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.)

Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom are obviously primary scorers, accounting for 2 of the Caps’ 5 goals scores so far in the series. Chimmer and Alz are secondary for sure, but probably more realistically (and perhaps generously) categorized as tertiary, and Marcus Johansson’s tally of a more secondary nature.

Regardless of your categorization preferences, to receive scoring contributions up and down the lineup, while playing a strong game at evens, is a solid recipe for success. Add in a strong performance in net and you’re cookin’ with fire…

When you’ve got the League’s best power play, and no calls seem to be coming your way, what do you do about it? Whine incessantly Create your own power plays.

On two separate instances, an Isles’ stick snapped in the defensive zone, allowing the Caps to set up in the zone and get the puck to the point— a look not unlike the man advantages that have been so scarce. On the first one, Green took his precious time with the puck on his stick, and with a stickless defender standing in front of him, slid the puck over to Alzner, who blasted it short side on Halak.

On the second instance, the Caps used the freedom granted by the extra ice to coax some extra traffic (by virtue of maneuvering Islanders skaters) in front of Halak. Niskanen fired low off the pad, and Ovechkin was there to clean up the rebound, in the culmination of a fantastic display of patience, opportunism, and smart decisions.

If you were there, your ears are probably still ringing, your throat a bit raw. And your efforts did not go unnoticed. I’ll let some important members of the organization take it from here.

We fed off the crowd…trust me, the crowd helps. Keep doing that. We feed off it. Keep rocking…we need you.

– Barry Trotz

It [Verizon Center] was as loud as I’ve heard it.

– Jason Chimera

It was unbelievable. There’s not a better feeling than celebrating in front of that crowd rocking.

– Tom Wilson

And, if you needed any additional proof that I have the privilege of writing for the most eloquent editor in all the land…

What a game. And anyone who has an issue with the Verizon Center crowd can eat a hot bowl of porcupine assholes.

— Japers’ Rink (@JapersRink) April 18, 2015

No truth to the rumors that JP has taken a position writing scrum quotes for the players next year.

What Didn’t Work

In game 2, John Tavares won only 44% of his draws… but he won five of eight in the offensive zone, and, you guessed it, after one of those draws, the puck promptly ended up in the back of the net off the stick of Ryan Strome. Granted, Backstrom probably technically won that draw, but on account of some inattention from Brooks Orpik, John Tavares was able to retrieve the puck, effectively winning the draw.

So, the takeaway here: don’t lose faceoffs to John Tavares in the defensive zone.