It's hard to be excited about a win like this one. It wasn't a terrible game but the inability to close out a team like the Predators once they were staked with a two goal lead is the continuation of a disturbing theme in the early going.
For 35 minutes (except as noted below) the Caps controlled the game and had a two goal lead that should have been three or four. At least this time they got the breakdown out of the way before the third period - giving up two goals, one on a well executed odd-man rush and the other on a Varlamov brain spasm, within minutes of each other.
Despite OV's first period goal, the power play still looks uncertain and tepid - to wit, the two(!!!) short handed breakaways they gave up on the first PP opportunity. The Caps have never (under BB) had a dump and chase PP style but now they are pressing to gain the blue line with control and are making ill-advised passes too frequently. Once they get set up, the open lanes and crisp passing of last year don't seem to be there. Everyone knows what they have to do - keep it simple and get the puck on the net.
The defense looked pretty solid - although I thought Sloan backed in too far on the odd-man break that led to the first Preds goal. I didn't notice it so much, but Schultz got grief for giving up the puck that led to the second Predator goal - guess I was just mesmerized by the sight of a goal from 35 feet away that began its journey on the goal line.
Once again Mike Green took a Mike Green penalty - waving his stick (from behind, naturally) at the arm of puck carrier literally as he was skating through the crease - as if it were even remotely possible that the action would have any kind of positive outcome. As my brother would say - "You can educate them, but you can't make 'em think." Otherwise they did a good job of staying out of penalty trouble.
So let's talk about the fun stuff. Did I mention yet that OV handled all of the Capitals scoring including the only goal of the shootout?
The first was a textbook PP one-timer from his favorite perch at the top of the left wing circle. I never get tired of seeing that goal. I wish someone would put together a reel of all of the one-timers he's scored from that spot. It would be lengthy.
We've seen the second goal before as well. The play is drawn up in the Capitals Playbook under the title "Get Alex the Puck". Brendan Morrison lobbed the puck from the mid defensive zone to the offensive blue line boards with Alex racing underneath the flight to the touchdown spot like a wide receiver on corner route. I pity the poor defenseman who moved forward to corral that puck - he probably would have known better than that if he played more games against the great one. Alex was the beneficiary of a bit of a lucky bounce as the puck squirted off the boards right past the aforementioned D-man - who, if he had any sense (or experience) would have turned tail and hauled ass towards his own zone the second he saw that puck go airborn. In any event, the puck was collected, shake and bake, five-hole, blah, blah, blah.
We all know that OV is a marginal shootout scorer - but how do you not put him out there? Persistence pays off - his double deke and lay-up into an empty net couldn't have looked any easier and was the game winner. Although I understand the enthusiasm - I can't say I endorse the idea of celebrating the "hat trick" with the customary haberdasherial (?) response. The last thing Varlamov (formerly "The Future" - now, "The Fog") needed at that juncture was three extra minutes to think about saving the game while headgear was raked off the ice like so many autumn leaves.
The Ugly:
It's becoming rapidly apparent that the Capitals have no credible third line threat. I'll address this topic more when we do some summary posts - maybe at the ten game point. But if it was up to me the third line would be Streckel, Bradley and Laich. That combo will have to wait until some injured players get back in the mix but at this point its fair to ask whether the Caps have the needed depth at forward.
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