The Caps were victorious in their first Metro Division game this season, but it would have been a much different game if not for Braden Holtby.
Alex Ovechkin scored his 5th of the season 34 seconds into the game to give the Caps a quick 1-0 lead over the New Jersey Devils.
New Jersey, however, would answer back, outshooting the Caps 14-8 in the first period, but the Caps escaped another sloppy opening period tied 2-2.
It was the play of Holtby and his glove that made the difference tonight for the Caps in that opening frame. Holtby repeatedly turned away Devil chances, including two Mike Cammalleri attempts that resulted in highlight reel glove saves. Holtby, later in the period, would rob Jaromir Jagr by sliding across the crease and blocking the puck with his arm during a Devil power play.
“He was standing on his head,… said Marcus Johansson. “It would have been a different game after the first period if he didn’t do that.…
The Caps turned things around in the second after a goal by Johansson and never looked back.
They scored 4 unanswered goals including a beauty of a goal by rookie Andre Burakovsky late in the third. On the Power Play, Burakovsky played catch with Nicklas Backstrom along the wall, then stepped out to the face-off dot and fired a short-side, top-corner bullet that beat back-up Scott Clemmenson, who came in relief after starter Cory Schneider was chased.
Backstrom scored off a deflection from a Matt Niskanen shot. Niskanen recorded two assists on the night, along with Mike Green, Brooks Orpik and Troy Brouwer.
Chris Brown tallied in the first, and Joel Ward scored the 5 goal of the night, shooting the puck wide only to have the puck pop out in front of the net, hit Cory Schneider and trickle over the goal line.
Braden Holtby ended up with 28 saves a game after being pulled for letting in 3 goals on 7 shots.
"Braden Holtby was really good in the first," Trotz said. "They could've put a couple of goals on us and he made some big saves at key times when the game was 2-2. Up 3-2, he made a big save. That's what good goaltenders do. They give you the timely saves." (NHL.com)
“That game could have looked a lot different after the first period if he doesn’t make a couple of really top-end saves,… said Matt Niskanen, “They had some good looks and he was sliding across with the glove a couple times. He gave us a chance.… (CSN Washington)
This was definitely a team effort, and even though the Caps are only 2-0-2 on the season, the last three games has seen Washington play together as a team. The responsibility of each player on the ice has never been more evident, and Trotz is proving that his defensive know-how can indeed get along with a offensive juggernaut like Ovechkin and co.
It's still early, but this it's safe to say that this Washington Capitals team is good. Very good. However, Saturday against the Panthers should be a good test to see if they can overcome their cockiness and continue to play aggressive without making sloppy mistakes.
More to come...
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