Game 55 - Lightning 2 Caps 3

Well if there was any doubt about this being Alex Ovechkin’s team there shouldn’t be anymore.

With the team playing less than inspired hockey on a crappy sheet of ice and tied up late in the third period with an historic ten game winning streak on the line, Alex took charge. Rallied by the unleash the fury TV break, and the emergence of the bobblehead talisman, OV sprang off the bench like the force of nature that he is, dominating play for the duration of his shift until he took a corner feed from Backstrom and buried a wrister from straight up the middle.

Rely on a shootout to tie the franchise record for consecutive wins? Not on OV’s watch.

Since being named captain OV has elevated every aspect of his game and the team has floated along with the rising tide. Every day the Red Army is treated to more amazing statistical goodness from Alex and the crew.

· OV hasn’t been on the ice for a goal against in forever and is running away with the league plus/minus lead at +35. Number 2? Sarge at +30. (Crosby and Malkin aren’t even in the top 40 of that list).
· They are outscoring opposition 2-1 during the streak.
· OV is Player of the Month in the NHL.
· Winning 14 of 15 games.
· Everybody is scoring – every top six forward is on fire.
· The goaltending is excellent.

The only discouraging thing about the streak is that after ten straight wins they are still not at the top of the league in points. That’s a little scary – you’d think at leat one of the two Western division powerhouses would blow a wheel somewhere along the way.

The third period was more than a bit lackluster – in atypical fashion for January, they let the Bolts hang around until a deflection found its way into the net.

Then minutes later, Flash had a mental lapse killing a penalty – hesitating briefly when he gained possession just inside the blue line, he had his pocket picked and the puck never left the zone, he took a penalty and the Lightning scored on the ensuing 5 on 3. For whatever reason, the Caps are not a shorthanded counterpunch team and when Flash grabbed the puck with a winger in motion you could see him look up for an opportunity to exploit. Bad idea. Players that are a shorthanded threat do not hesitate in that situation – they either fire the puck down the ice or instinctively lay the puck out to where a linemate has anticipated the play.

Sorry – but failing to clear the zone on the PK when presented with an opportunity is one of the cardinal sins in hockey and an absolute killer in a playoff environment.

On to Boston who, regrettably, is in a long slump (six straight L’s at home, and 1-7 overall) and in no mood to lose another game. The only up side to that is that maybe a quick goal or two gets them out of the game. But I’m not betting on it.