Linus Ullmark had a pretty good game against the hottest team in the league on Monday night.
Unfortunately, Braden Holtby had a better one.
Ullmark stopped 24 of 26 shots as the Buffalo Sabres fell to the Washington Capitals 2-0. Braden Holtby recorded his second shut-out of the year stopping all 31 shots faced, including a miraculous save in the waning seconds of the third period in which he split across the ice and robbed Evander Kane.
Alex Ovechkin scored the 493rd goal of his career which ended up as the game winner for Washington. Jay Beagle also scored off a bizarre bounce that left Ullmark vulnerable. Beagle was able to put the puck in the relatively empty net for his 6th of the year.
Washington won their 8th straight game and are now within 1 point of the league leading Dallas Stars with 56 points.
Braden Holtby was spectacular tonight, helping his team earn the momentum after Ovechkin's goal.
The Caps defense was without John Carlson, who was a game time decision with a lower-body injury sustained in practice on Sunday. Carlson was the team leader in consecutive games with 412, second only to American Bobby Carpenter with 422 on the Caps all-time list.
The Caps are now 15-1-1 in their last 17 games.
What do you think about the Caps first half of the season? Are they a true contender? Can Holtby continue this type of play into the spring?
More to come...