This is just how you wanted a game like this to go.
The Bolts have been playing pretty good hockey lately and had a bee in their bonnet about the eleven straight losses thing so there was an expectation that they would show up to play on home ice. And they pretty much did, but couldn't overcome a solid lunchpail effort by the Caps.
The first period was a bit of a chess match as Tampa clamped down defensively and the Caps were not particularly inclined to get the puck either on, or behind, the net. Something about having OV back in the lineup makes these guys go to their finesse game and it was not a productive effort for the first 20.
All the goal scoring happened in the second period and all were a result of guys going to the net. Even the first goal (the only one close to a finesse move) came off a Semin pick-off just outside the blue line and a dash-and-dish to OV flying up the middle towards the net. At that point I was almost surprised OV didn't pull up and look for trailer to dish to.
Eric Fehr is continued his hot streak later on with an Eric Fehr goal - lingering about the crease, he waited for a Fleischmann shot/pass to tumble his way and calmly collected the puck and stuffed it by Smith. The one area the Caps have absolutely improved in this year is this is the ability to collect garbage around the net. One might have expected that with the addition of Knuble but Fehr and Laich have elevated that portion of their games and, come playoff time, they'll have three guys who will have scored 50-60 goals of the type that win playoff games.
Even OV got in on the act late in the second period - tapping in some loose change that goaltender Smith lost track of. That play showed Alex Semin at this best. A little frustrated that they had lost zone possession on the PP, Semin relentlessly backchecked Jeff Halpren who was doing everything short of a flat out dive to draw a penalty as he lagged the puck into the Caps zone. Unlike the Semin of a month ago, this version stayed strong on the body, kept his stick on the ice, skated a 360 around Halpren and stole the puck clean before turning it up ice - all at the end of a shift. Pass to Flash, shot on goal, OV cleaned up.
Unlike in many prior games, the Caps kept the pressure on throughout the full sixty minutes and even killed a good number of penalties and probably should have had a shorties or two but couldn't resist the opportunity to overpass the puck on a number of occasions, including twice on the same PK.
As good as Theo is playing I don't think there's any doubt that Vary is now the starting goaltender - hopefully he plays another thirty games before the season ends.
Oh yeah, welcome back Alex.
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