They didn't look as bad out of the gate as they did in the prior game against the Lightning but they gave still up the same 4-1 lead before getting down to business thanks to some softies from Neuvirth.
Really liked Jason Chimera's goal - he created an opportunity with speed and sustained it with power - once he broke across the blue line you could see him widen his stance to protect the puck and fend off backcheckers. He may not be a finisher but you'd have to think he's good for 20+ goals in a Boudreau system playing with quality linemates. Oh yeah, he also kicked some butt and notched a Gordie Howe hat trick.
I was surprised to see the slumping Brooks Laich take such an early rotation in the shootout. If it were me, he'd have been somewhere around #11 on the depth chart and *definitely* behind Flash and maybe Chimera. He scored to extend the shootout so Flash could finish the job. That why they pay BB the big bucks.
Theo looked real good in relief but Varlamov can't get back soon enough.
Over at On Frozen Blog they're waiting for a big trade:
You get the feeling, don’t you, that this Capitals’ club isn’t configured as it will be for springtime hockey...There seems still a missing ingredient or three from keeping the Caps from becoming a night-in, night-out force. They’re quite good, quite formidable, but not quite consistently scary good. And we know the team has the salary cap space to address this.
On Mike Green from Japer's Rink:
One night after being on the ice for six of the seven goals the Caps allowed, Mike Green was on the ice for all four goals against. By the time the game ended, Green had been on the ice for 15 goals (for and against) in two nights while skating 53 shifts. In other words, don't blink when 52's on the ice.
Mike Wise is a dick and I'll have more on him later.
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