Ice Tracker – Game Summary – Event Summary – Shot Report – Faceoff Summary – Play-by-Play – Home TOI – Visitor TOI – Advanced Stats at: hockeystats, Natural Stat Trick and more via Nice Time On Ice
The Capitals drove their win streak to five games and dropped a Metropolitan foe in the process on Tuesday. Goals from Brett Connolly, Justin Williams, and two(!) from Matt Niskanen were just what the creepy hipster Brooklyn doctor ordered. Namaste.
Here’s Tuesday night’s Plus/Minus:
Plus: Young Guns and Old Folks chipping in together! If I were the type of person to own a ukulele, I’d be singing feel-good songs! More on that below.
Minus: Tough to find too many on this one. John Carlson was the low water mark on defense, but a 4-2 victory is still pretty sweet grapes.
And now, this…
We miss Ice Cheetah but not enough not to troll him mercilessly. pic.twitter.com/T2lt8mZ2wC
— NYC Caps Crew (@NYCCapsCrew) December 14, 2016
And this, because I love these guys…
Those poor @NYIslanders fans in section 117. @NYCCapsCrew #CapsIsles #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/5JCAOC66ez
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 14, 2016
Ten more notes on the game:
2. Halfway through the first, Brock Nelson, Guy Whose Name Sounds Like The Teen You Beat In The Charity Skateboard Contest To Save The Community Center, caught John Carlson and Karl Alzner in a line change snafu. Carlson hustled to get back into the play, but in the end only did enough to perhaps deflect the shot a bit higher and over Holtby’s shoulder for the 1-0 lead. It would last them the period.
Brock Nelson goal pic.twitter.com/0tHdC3lEcR
— Stephanie (@myregularface) December 14, 2016
3. The second period got off to a quick bang like prom night, with Lars Eller rushing down the boards, taking long, strong strides like a Nordic Nordictrack. He won the puck and slid it over to Brett Connolly, who expertly potted it.
Connolly goal pic.twitter.com/CJcPbH0MwI
— Stephanie (@myregularface) December 14, 2016
4. Five minutes later, Kuznetsov made a great pass from behind the net to a fundamentally perfectly crashing Jakub Vrana, stick flat on the ice and ready. Vrana popped the shot high and into the back of the net for his second goal in as many games. Later, the goal would be changed to be credited to Justin Williams, who himself now has two goals in as many games. Vrana instead got the assist, and in addition to his secondary assist on the Eller-Connolly play – a smart chip along the boards in its own right – the rookie (dare I say) phenom recorded his first career multi-point NHL game. I – along with anyone watching – assume it will be the first of many.
Vrana goal pic.twitter.com/nyFSdgRPmP
— Stephanie (@myregularface) December 14, 2016
OK Vrana stays in the lineup. Retire his Hershey jersey.
— Capitals Outsider (@CapsOutsider) December 14, 2016
Jakub Vrana, former Hershey Bears player….
— Jason Rogers (@HeyJayJRogers) December 14, 2016
5. The Capitals continued to dominate the second period until the halfway point, leading the shots 7-1 to that point. Of course, there’s a big nasty but coming, and it makes its foul presence known in the form of a Nikolay Kulemin goal. A blast from the point into a veritable mosh pit that Joe B. called a “mass of humanity” found its way through, and tied the game for the Islanders at 2-2. That would be all for the second period.
Leddy or Kulemin goal pic.twitter.com/PBXaPVGpVa
— Stephanie (@myregularface) December 14, 2016
6. Just ninety seconds into the third period, like a steady American drafthorse that you can trust will never bolt on you, Matt Niskanen (perhaps the new American Hero?) walked in and sniped an honest-to-God wrister! Seriously, it was a beauty! Wristy Nisky is the new black.
The Nisk-Wrist-Cannon gives the #Caps a 3-2 lead. What a dart! #CapsIsles on @CSNMA. #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/pP4DkFGq8t
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 14, 2016
7. AND THEN HE DID IT AGAIN! Matt Niskaken scored his second of the season and his first ever double-dip as a Capital! I can’t stop using exclamation points! What a freakin’ mensch, this guy! The 4-2 lead would be enough for Washington, and they would leave Brooklyn with two points in regulation.
8. Holtby was a stone cold stud tonight, like cryogenically freezing American Pharoah to sire future horses. His posted a .929 save percentage and killed both penalties he faced. Earn that money, son.
The #HoltBeast keeps the #Caps ahead. #CapsIsles #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/zYFNgJyaJl
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 14, 2016
LIVE LOOK-IN AT HOLTBY: pic.twitter.com/WwRjmSyeqj
— Jason Rogers (@HeyJayJRogers) December 14, 2016
9. One name you may not have noticed mentioned was Andre Burakovsky. Bura was a healthy scratch tonight, a deliberate message-sender from Trotz. Hopefully seeing his replacement, Brett Connolly, go out and get a goal lights a fire under his Ikea meatballs. His New Young Guns™ counterpart, Evgeny Kuznetsov, went out and marked two assists for his part.
10. Your Washington Capitals have now won five straight games. I await your GIF party in the comments like the coming of spring.
There were some rough patches in that one, but overall a very solid win for the whole cast. Ride the wave, baby. Next up is the Hurricanes in Raleigh on Friday.
Game highlights: