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The Caps seem wanting to get Canadien teams checked off the list early as they play their third Canadien team in their first six games. The Senators are a team on the rise, with a slew of young, skilled kids starting to make an impact. In fact, the Senators are coming off a win against the Boston Bruins. They may still have defensive issues but they have no problem putting pucks into the nets.
It was never going to be an easy game for the Caps, who were missing Evgeny Kuznetsov (suspension) and Connor Brown (injury), on top of missing Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom for quite awhile, but none of them are these days, are they?
Plus: The first period was the Caps best period of the season so far. Even if they didn’t score (and they did), they played the way they needed against a speedy team like Ottawa.
Minus: The third period was the Caps worst period of the season so far. It was all Senators. The second period penalties gave them some life and they took it and ran.
More Notes:
After an amazing save by Kuemper, Oshie drew a penalty in the offensive zone. Almost a minute into that the Caps got a 5-on-3 after a delay of game. With just seconds left in the 5-on-3 Johansson skated behind behind the net and fed a nice backhand pass to Oshie who sniped it top corner. Then while still on the power play, Mantha one timed a bombed top corner giving the Caps a 2-0 lead with nine minutes left in the first.
3. Caps put on a clinic of a shift in the offensive zone that spanned two lines. Oshie jetted up the middle with a backhand chance that Forsberg made a strong save on then Strome had a great chance on a one timer but whipped it too high.
4. In the second period, for some reason, a 4-on-4 happened after Hathaway was sent to the box with a Senator he was holding back from cross checking a hurt Dowd. As the 4-on-4 happened Sheary took a tripping call and the Senators scored a no angle knuckle puck goal to cut the Caps lead to 2-1.
5. Towards the end of the second period McMichael got in a scuffle with a Senator that laid out Carlson. It was a clean, hard hit and McMichael more wrestled than fought, but that wasn’t the point. McMichael was more showing to his team, and more importantly, Laviolette that he’s a team player and will do anything to stay in the lineup.
6. The Senators took a 2-3 lead after a poor effort defensively by the bottom pair and fourth line. It was a slot shot but you’d like to see Kuemper stop that one because you never want to see a puck go through you.
7. Right after that the Senator goalie made a highlight reel save you’ll see plastered all over the #1 spot for the next week on Johansson. Soon after that the Senators had a couple good chances but Kuemper made back to back chances.
8. The Senator took over the rest of the period and the Caps fell 2-4 after an empty net.
Up Next:Up Next: The Caps take on the LA Kings at home this Saturday at 7PM.