This game was a journey. And a ride. And an adventure. And at the end of the night, a win for the good guys.
There was a lot to process in this one. The Caps and ‘Canes traded chances, goals, and leads for a 12-goal explosion (and that’s with not one but two waved-off goals for Carolina), then carried the frenzy into overtime thanks to a late game-tying goal for the visitors before finally deciding things in the shootout.
Despite the lead changes and the assorted chaos throughout this game, though, Spencer Carbery’s troops really never panicked or seemed to count themselves out. He’s got this team playing in a way that they shouldn’t be able to play, and when it works – like it (sort of) did tonight, they can hang with the league’s best.
And also Carolina.
Four Takeaways:
- Nice to see Sonny Milano get back on the scoresheet in a big way, picking up his first career hat trick and snapping a six-game goalless streak…although that little dry spell came right after a five-game goal streak so…hot and cold for Sunshine this year. This goal, however, is probably the best of the bunch (and peep the excellent assist by Mr. Dylan Strome, as well):
- We’ve talked about the Caps’ power play regressing hard these days, but it’s kind of amazing to look at the numbers over the last two months. The Caps have scored at least one power-play goal in 20 of their last 27 games, dating back to January 18 – 27 goals total, for a torrid 31.4% power play rate. Last night marked their first three-goal outburst with the extra man this season, though, and their first one since November 7, 2022.
- There’s something kind of poetic about a game with 12 goals scored and then in the shootout we need to wait 10 turns before someone scores even one. (Also poetic? Evgeny Kuznetsov getting the chance to whip out his uber-slow shootout approach on his return to DC…and having Charlie Lindgren say NOPE.)
- There is no way to watch the celebrations for each of the Capitals’ goals last night and see anything but a team that is fully in this fight. The emotion, the excitement, the intensity – nobody’s packed it in just yet.
They Said It: