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Can we play every game in Canada? The Washington Capitals won yet another high scoring game North of the US border. The victim this time was the Montreal Canadiens, who recently beat the Caps in DC 5-2. Is there something in the Canadian air that gets Washington going? Whatever it is, keep it coming.
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Things didn't start off the best, as John Erskine's holding penalty led to the first Canadiens' goal via Tomas Plekanec just 2:38 into the first period. Washington's Olie Kolzig was definitely the busier goaltender early on, making some nice saves. The heavy hitting also started early, and this would be a very physical game. The Caps didn't seem to have a problem with that in this game. So, there was some hope. It's when you get a game where they don't get into it, that you have to worry.
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The second period was a more busy one, with Montreal's Andrei Kostitsyn putting the Canadiens ahead by two with a wrist shot at 7:27. But, about a minute later Alexander Ovechkin put the Capitals on the board, with a Power Play goal right off the draw. It's a play the Caps have had some success with a few times. One of my personal favorites. Carey Price was not ready for that one, and neither was the defender that tripped over Viktor Kozlov on his way toward Alex. At the game's midpoint Price wasn't yet totally rattled, and continued looking like a veteran netminder. Well........for a little bit longer anyway. At 11:53, December's Rookie of the Month, Nicklas Backstrom made him look like a rookie goaltender by driving up the middle and unleashing a long range wrister that Price had no chance of stopping. With just over a minute left in the period, Boyd Gordon put the Caps ahead with a slap shot. The boos from the crowd got louder as Montreal's goalie was looking kind of shaky at this point.In the third period Montreal got a bit of luck, not that they need any. Just over two minutes in, the puck took a funny bounce off the wall behind Washington's net and came right to Roman Hamrlick, who immediately put the puck in the wide open net. At 6:38, Alex Ovechkin got the puck right out of the penalty box, and sent a wrist shot between two defenders and past Carey Price. Later on, Alexie Kovalev copies Ovie's play at the other end, tying up the game. Overtime would be necessary to end this game.
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Just 1:27 into OT, the Caps scored. Mike Green sent a smooth wrist shot in off a backdoor pass from Michael Nylander. So, the Capitals hand Price his third straight loss. Final score Capitals 5 - Canadiens 4.
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.This is one of those games where I didn't mind it going into OT one bit. Both teams were playing well. There was a lot of back and forth. But, mostly because the Caps won! Steve Eminger got a chance to play, due to injuries. He did alright in the mere 6:32 he played with an overall minus 1. He was on the ice when Hamrlick got that lucky bounce. Wins are always even nicer coming off a loss. I might even have to watch this one a second time. Roll that tape!
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