|
Caps Lose in Sin City - Update - No Supplementary Discipline for Reaves |
|
|
|
|
|
* Ryan Reaves will not face any further discipline for his hit last night vs Tom Wilson in the second period when he was ejected as reported by TSN’s Bob McKenzie. I agree with this decision in light of the fact it wasn’t a clear head shot though some would argue Wilson’s head hitting the ice as a result of the hit is punishable. The ejection, much like Wilson’s last game was sufficient. I would make a point the difference was that Brett Seney returned to the game and Wilson did not.
The Vegas Golden Knights and Nate Schmidt exacted some revenge on the Washington Capitals last night as they took the two points in a 5-3 win in a game where special teams would play a role in a battle of the 2018 Stanley Cup won by Washington in Vegas. Ryan Reaves exacted some revenge on Tom Wilson and left the game. It’s now the second loss in a row for the Capitals after winning seven straight.
It was a physical affair with some of the feelings from last spring still boiling over as the teams battled and there was plenty of extra-curricular activity going on as the teams combined for 81 hits with 14 penalties including a major to Ryan Reaves for his late hit on Tom Wilson. Ovechkin had the hit of the night.
Nicklas Backstrom had 6 hits himself as the generally reserved center was engaging and the Caps top line combined for 16 hits between Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin, and Tom Wilson. In fact, only Andre Burakovsky, Brett Connolly and John Carlson failed to register a hit in the game.
The Caps had gotten off to quick starts the last couple of games but it would be Vegas who jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 2:30 on a Ryan Reaves power-play goal. The burly forward buried his 6th past Braden Holtby off a nice feed through the crease by former Capitals draft pick Cody Eakin. John Carlson and Michal Kempny both got caught way too far up the ice for some reason.
Before the end of the frame, the Caps would start to apply pressure with their speed game and at 15:33 Jakub Vrana tied the game 1-1 when Brett Connolly broke down the right side off a broken play by Vegas and fed the speeding Vrana who was gunning for the net and he beat Caps nemesis Marc-Andre Fleury far side on a one-time redeflection.
The second period had Alex Ovechkin score his 20th of the year at 11:42 to put Washington up 2-1. Ovechkin had camped out off the right post and banged in a backhand off a Madison Bowey shot that came off the boards. He has now scored at least 20 goals in every year of his career with 627 and has a 9 game scoring streak in which he’s totaled 8 goals and 13 points.
Evgeny Kuznestov took a penalty you don’t see every night when he inadvertently took another player's stick. The slick Russian realized it after seeing the blade was not the right one but it was too late. The Caps weren’t scored against in a humorous moment.
Tom Wilson would leave the game at 15:42 after being hit by Ryan Reaves who was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct that ended his night. The hit, while not to the head, was clearly late and from the blindside. I’d expect more discipline from the NHL on this one regardless of who the victim was, who in this case who has been on the other end of some questionable hits. Wilson was evaluated during the intermission but did not return. Coach Todd Reirden confirmed that his head had hit the ice on the hit and said Reaves had targeted Wilson all game.
Another angle…
The third period featured five goals as the teams began to trade more chances. After the Caps had not been able to score off the major penalty to Reaves the Knights tied the game 2-2 on Pierre-Edouard Bellemare’s 4th as he scored off a deflection at 2:33 and just 16 seconds later they took the 3-2 lead when Eakin scored his 11th off a rebound when Holtby let Oscar Lindbergh’s shot bounce back out in front of him.
Vrana would score his second of the game at 11:40 to again knot the game at 3-3 when he fired a gorgeous one-timer from high in the slot past Fleury. It was a great set-up by Evgeny Kuznetsov who now has a goal and three assists since returning to the lineup 3 games ago.
The Capitals penalty killing unit had been playing well until last games devastating loss to Anaheim giving up 2 PPG’s in the third period and again tonight the dagger would come on a power-play goal. It was former Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt who would finally put out the game-winning goal with just under two minutes remaining. The shifty Schmidt beat Holtby to the glove side on a fairly easy shot that the goaltender would say after the game he misread the shot and it’s one he’d certainly like back making it a 4-3 hockey game. It was his first goal of the year and he would add an empty netter to seal the game at 5-3.
The Capitals are off to Arizona for a date with the Desert Dogs on Thursday night at 9 PM EST.
Washington Capitals Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»