This one had bad news written all over it from the moment Theodore misplayed a casual dump-in right into his own net. Surely this signaled the end of Theo's current string of solid and stellar performances. I half expected BB to pull him on the spot. I was certain that another weak goal at any point in the next 10 minutes would have done the trick.
But the weak goal never seemed to faze Theo or the rest of the squad. Instead, Jose came up with some big saves in the ensuing minutes and the Caps rolled all four lines with effectiveness. OV made the game-tying play when he undressed LeTang with a reverse outside puck-through-his-own legs move that caught LeTang fishing. After Alex drove the net Knuble crashed the crease and banged it home. Knuble is officially hot lately.
The Penguins second goal by Nick Johnson (NHL first) couldn't have been much easier as Sloan looked the other way while he cruised up the middle of the slot and dunked a rebound past Theo who got himself out of position next to the net. The Pens third goal went down as even strength but it was purely the result of the preceding power play where the Caps never got the puck out of the zone. The Caps power play has been gradually improving lately but there's no reason it can't be better - particularly since they still take more penalties than their opponents.
Speaking of, they didn't get their first power play until after the game's mid-point but converted when OV buried a wrist shot from straight up the middle. Backstrom converted on the only other PP opportunity of the game when he rolled out from behind the net and Brent Johnson - who had been tight to the post - inexplicably leaned away. Backs knows a gift when he sees one and promptly buried it high short side. That was the second short side mistake Johnson made in the game as he bit on an Eric Fehr fake early in the second period and cheated to the middle as Fehr barreled out from the corner. I know it was "only" Eric Fehr, but you might wanna put a body on guys coming out of the corner right to your net.
With a three-all game entering the third period Semin made the highlight play of the night (if you exclude bloopers *cough-Theo-cough*) when he took an outlet pass right in front of the bench at then end of his shift. Why start skating at that point? You're just gonna have to come to the bench anyway. Instead, he saw Flash streaking up the left side and saucered a forty foot pass right through a defenseman onto Flash's stick then watched the ensuing breakaway and goal much in the manner of a golfer who has just nutted an approach shot from 150. Backstrom's PP goal came a minute later and it was all over but for OV's empty-netter with seconds to go.
This was another good win in an impressive streak of games - this one in particular had a playoff buzz since it was the first re-match since the Caps game seven exit last Spring. The Caps were strong throughout the lineup despite missing three of their starting six defenseman including Mike Green.
After three big wins in a week the inevitable question with the Caps is will there be a letdown when the Coyotes roll into town?
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