Caps play well overall but can’t convert on numerous chances to salvage a point
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The Capitals got off to a rough start to the game but slowly found their game, which is common for them when they play an afternoon game. They ended up playing a pretty darn good game but couldn’t come up with the win.
Minus: The biggest issue last game for the Caps against the Rangers was unable to score on their scoring chances. They had that issue today as well. Both Igor Sheshterkin and Carter Hart played well but the Capitals definitely had opportunities to bury a handful of chances and didn’t.
Plus: The Capitals had another strong penalty kill game. They came up huge with a 5-on-3 kill an didn’t allow any shots. They were strong last game against the Rangers as well. Hopefully that’s a sign of the penalty kill turning it around.
A few more notes on the game:
- Ilya Samsonov left the warm ups early mysteriously. It was unknown why he did but he did eventually come back in to start the game. It’s concerning because that last two times they started Samsonov when he was injured early he got lit up.
- And he got lit up to start, just 11 seconds in when Claude Giroux sniped one by Samsonov to give the Flyers a 0-1 lead. Martin Fehervary lost the puck in his feet and the puck found Giroux alone in the slot.
- The Caps got a chance to quickly to tie it up with a powerplay but were unable to score, though Carlson did ring one off the post.
- Towards the end of the first period the Capitals had a power play and did nothing with it. The Flyers got a 3-on-1 with a man coming out of the box and got an extremely lucky bounce where Conor Sheary basically passed it right to a Flyer who roofed the puck. Caps haven’t been able to catch a break for awhile.
- Capitals came out strong in the second period with a great shift from the fourth line, but Garnett Hathaway shot a puck high on a great chance. That was the issue last game with the Capitals against the Rangers were Capitals squandered a lot of their scoring chances. They need to start converting.
- The Flyers turned it on after that. Had a couple great shifts but Samsonov came up big with a huge push and glove save.
- The Capitals probably should have been called for interference but weren’t then they went down TJ Oshie drew a penalty. That’s a bit of luck. Oshie is the one who eventually scored on the power play goal in Oshie fashion. We wound up in the slot and sniped it top corner to cut the Flyers lead to 1-2.
- The Capitals turned it on after that. Making a handful of great chances. None greater than Joe Snively who went backhand in front of the net and Carter Hart came up with a beautiful glove save.
- The Caps killed off two huge penalties that overlapped, giving the Flyers almost a minute of 5-on-3 time as well. The Flyers didn’t even get a shot.
- Capitals had a great third period, the Flyers didn’t have a shot until the 7 minute mark. And when they did get a shot it was two back to back glorious chances but Samsonov came up big.
- With the goalie pulled the Capitals came very close to tying it but Kuznetsov missed an open net. Just been that way for the Caps recently.
Things don’t get any easier for the Caps going forward, as they host the high-octane offense of Toronto Monday night back in DC.