Graphic: X/@Capitals
With about 2:30 to go in the third period, the Washington Capitals were on their way to getting swept in their four-game road trip before hitting the all-star break. The Dallas Stars had a 4-2 lead over Washington and on the cusp of handing the Capitals their fifth road loss in a row. However, two quick strikes from Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome, forced the game to overtime and the Caps got a much-needed point heading into the extra session.
Despite the Stars ultimately earning two points, thanks to Thomas Harley’s second goal of the game just 3:27 into overtime, it was a valiant comeback effort against one of the best teams in the league.
“We didn’t lay down in a really difficult game. That’s a really good hockey team and [they] cause a lot of different issues for teams in general. So I credit our guys for not laying down and finding a way to get that game to overtime,” Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said after the loss. “I told them that that point could be very, very important down the road. We know we’ve got a long way to go and a lot of work to do to be able to hang in these games against these types of teams in the league.”
The Caps head into the break sitting seventh in the Metropolitan Division with 51 points, which is six points back of a playoff spot.
Here is what stood out in Saturday’s loss.
Failing To Protect The Middle and Box Out
Carbery talked in his post-practice media availability on Friday that the Stars are excellent at attacking the middle of the ice and finding the trailer up the ice. That was on full display and that is how the Stars earned two quick strikes in the first period.
Wyatt Johnston’s opening tally was because he was the third-man high up the rush, and the Caps weren’t able to get to him in time, and Harley’s first goal of the game was through a plethora of bodies in front of Charlie Lindgren.
Things started to open up even more in the second period. The Stars got on their second power play of the game and once again continued to get bodies in front of the net. Mason Marchment gave Dallas the lead on a tic-tac-toe sequence in front of the net.
Trevor van Riemsdyk did not do a good job taking away Marchment’s body and clearing him out of the crease area. His reaction after the goal was pretty evident.
Perfectly placed pic.twitter.com/89ZypBLcZD
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 27, 2024
Dallas had six high-danger chances alone in the second period and 11 total at five-on-five.
After 40 minutes, DAL leads the #ALLCAPS 26-13 in shots on net. Per @Sportlogiq, DAL also leads 12-2 in slot shots on net and 9-0 in high danger scoring chances. Stars up 3-2. Big 20 minutes ahead for WSH.
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) January 27, 2024
Rasmus Sandin Breaks Through
Rasmus Sandin was one of the most snakebitten players on the Capitals’ roster this season. The Swedish defenseman had yet to score a goal this season and he had a prime opportunity to change that narrative against the Colorado Avalanche, when he had a glorious chance in front of the net but couldn’t bury it.
“I always wanted to score for sure but we didn’t get the ending that we wanted,” Sandin said following the loss. “So it doesn’t seem as good now after, but it’s obviously nice to get the first one out of the way.”
Once Sandin got that goal, he was a totally different player on both ends of the puck. One of his best plays on the defensive side came in overtime, where he broke up an odd-man rush in front of the net with his stick.
Untimely Penalties; PK Struggles Continue
The penalties that the Capitals have been taking as of late have been a key factor in why this team is struggling. Against Dallas, the Caps were 1-for-2 on the penalty kill and on both of those, they were without two important pieces to the PK unit.
Connor McMichael and Beck Malenstyn have played critical roles to Scott Allen’s short-handed unit. Malenstyn in particular has been an essential piece when it comes to blocking shots at the point.
However, he was not able to help fend off the Dallas power play because he was in the sin bin himself after being nicked for a tripping minor, and the Stars eventually capitalized. The penalty kill was 6-for-9 during the four-game slate.
McMichael is currently in a three-way tie, with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nic Dowd, for the third-most penalty minutes on the team (24). The 23-year-old center took a hooking infraction, but the Caps were able to kill it off. McMichael now has four penalty minutes in his last four contests.
Notable Numbers and Observations
- Alex Ovechkin ended an eight-game goal drought with his ninth of the season. He had a team-leading four shots on goal
- Connor McMichael has not been the same player. Has taken a lot of penalties and has not been as productive as he was at the start of the campaign
- The Stars outshot the Caps 35-28
- The Caps struggled in the faceoff dot operating at 37.7%
- Ovechkin, Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome were each a minus-2
- Washington blocked 20 shots and dolled out 20 hits
Washington will be back in action on Feb. 6 to take on the Montreal Canadiens at Capital One Arena.
By Jacob Cheris
