Capitals vs Islanders, the second of eight matchups
On Thursday, the Capitals and the Islanders face off for the second time. The Capitals were able to win the the last 30 seconds of the third period on Tuesday. This is the 4th game with Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Ilya Samsonov, and Dmitri Orlov being on the covid restriction list. The team has not lost in regulation yet this season. They have gotten 11 out of a possible 14 points so far this season. This is also a growing rivalry because Barry Trotz who used to coach the Capitals when they won the Stanley Cup, left and went to coach the Islanders the following season. Let’s take a look at some keys to winning the game.
On Tuesday, Nicklas Backstrom, Lars Eller, and Tom Wilson either did not play or suffered an injury in the game. The team which was already down four players due to the covid protocol and to have these other players either hurt so they can’t play or sustain an injury will leave the team depleted on Thursday. Wilson is day to day with a lower body injury but there is no timetable on his return. He is seeing how he feels after skating. The other two do not have an update as of this writing.
The team had an abysmal 2nd period. Normally, the 2nd period has been a weak spot for the Capitals, and getting alot of careless penalties didn’t help make the 2nd any better. The team needs to play better and smarter defensively in the 2nd, would help improve the numbers.
In the first matchup on Tuesday, it was the players that were brought in during the off season and the call ups from Hershey that made a difference. Going forward, this will help get scoring from all 4 lines going.
Finally, during the power play, the team was able to utilize set pieces, make good crisp passes, and set up screens. This allowed the team to really catch the Islanders out of place and put a lot of pressure on their goaltender.
If the team can do all of these things, look for them to continue their winning ways.
The game can be seen on NBC Sports Washington or you can listen on 106.7 fm. The game starts at 7:00
