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The Caps struck first, courtesy of the 4th line, and entered the first intermission with the lead. Deficit notwithstanding, Nashville looked to be stronger on the whole, and the Predators turned that advantage into five goals in the final 40 minutes. Nashville 5, Washington 2.
First, here’s Saturday evening’s Plus/Minus:
And now, this..
Tom Wilson has goals in two straight games. What a pass by Beags. pic.twitter.com/WLxucEceT5
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) February 25, 2017
Ten more notes on the game:
Yes, it was the end of a back-to-back on the road, and Nashville’s top line is playing very well right now. But this game continued to show how fragile the Caps’ balance is. Matt Niskanen and John Carlson are crucial for helping the rest of the blueline fall into place; T.J. Oshie adds significant skill and helps keep players playing minutes they can handle, instead of minutes they can’t.
Four of the five best records in the league belong to teams in the Metropolitan Division. The second- and third-place teams will be each facing one of the best teams in the league in the first round; the first, a team that just snuck into the playoffs. The Caps are in good position to hold onto first, but one short losing streak coupled with a Pittsburgh or Columbus winning streak would change that really quickly.
Game highlights: