Capitals vs. Oilers Recap: Edmonton Edges Washington with Slick Showing

After disposing of the Canucks at Rogers Arena Monday night Washington traveled east to Rogers Place to face the Oilers. Once they arrived in Edmonton the Capitals were upset 4 to 1 by their hosts (including old friend Alex Chiasson).

Here’s Friday morning’s Plus/Minus:

Plus: Notwithstanding Edmonton’s third period goal Braden Holtby had an excellent evening, notching 28 stops in a .903 night. His performance deserved a better outcome.

Minus: John Carlson had a rough game, tallying assists for both teams. Despite an impressive start to the campaign he was limited to a largely ineffective, and season low, 21:04 TOI.

Nine more notes on the game.

1. Four minutes into the contest Connor McDavid found himself on a breakaway, the beneficiary of his own shot block against Carlson. With the League’s best bearing down towards him Holtby calmly closed his legs to deny McDavid the early opportunity.
2. But the Oilers would get on the board first, just before the game’s 17 minute mark. With Michal Kempny in the penalty box youngster Evan Bouchard fired a slap shot through Chaisson’s screen that beat Holtby glove side for his first NHL goal.
3. Bouchard’s power play goal marks the sixth straight contest in which Washington has yielded a man advantage tally. Yikes.
4. Midway through the second frame the Oilers extended their lead to two goals. With Edmonton shorthanded Ryan Nugent-Hopkins picked off Carlson’s neutral zone pass, danced around Nicklas Backstrom above the faceoff circle, and fired a shot that beat Holtby to his right side.
5. A little more than two minutes later, though, and the Capitals were able to get on the scoresheet. Nic Dowd raced below the goal, abruptly pivoted, and dished the puck to Andre Burakovsky, who buried it behind a surprised Cam Talbot.
6. Burakovsky’s tally was his first goal, and point (!), of the new season.
7. Washington was whistled for their second faceoff violation of the season early in the third period when Dmitrij Jaskin was kicked out of the dot immediately after Dowd was excused. The Capitals would successfully kill the penalty.
8. But it would not matter, as Chiasson extended Edmonton’s lead to two once again. Chiasson’s shot from fifty feet eluded Holtby’s glove, the Washington goaltender’s only blemish on the evening.
9. McDavid would complete the contest’s scoring at 58:43 with an empty net goal.