Rarified Air: Capitals Clinch Fourth Straight Metro Title, Beat Habs 2-1
With the opportunity to clinch home ice advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Capitals took on a desperate Montreal Canadiens at Capital One Arena Thursday night.
Goals from Lars Eller and Nic Dowd propelled the Capitals. A single goal from Montreal’s Shea Weber was not enough to win this one.
CAPS WIN! Capitals capture their 4th straight Metro division title which interestingly is historic.
1st Period
Pretty rough start from the champs, getting outshot heavily by the Canadiens early. Not unexpected, given that the Canadiens desperately needed to win in order to jump into the 2nd wildcard spot.
With about 2 minutes remaining in the first, Carl Hagelin stole the puck from the Habs defender, moved it to Brett Connolly, who found Eller just chilling right in front of Montreal netminder Carey Price. Eller smoothly placed the puck in the net, giving the Caps the lead.
Next shift, Nick Backstrom takes a high sticking penalty. On the ensuing penalty kill, Shea Weber snuck down from the point, and fired a bolt that beat Braden Holtby short side to tie the game.
John Walton notes during the intermission that Montreal was playing a perfect road game minus their one mistake, the Eller goal, and that the game was still tied. Couldn’t agree more. Montreal was all over Washington until about 8 minutes left in the first, but Holtby remained poised in net.
2nd Period
Caps dominated the second. Controlled shots and the pace of the game.
3 minutes into the period, Andre Burakovsky made a great play, disrupting the Canadiens breakout, and finding Nic Dowd, who beat Price glove-high. The Capitals would not relinquish the lead.
The 3rd period was a bit of a shell game, with the Caps employing their brand of the trap that we saw in last year’s playoffs. Gotta say, I loved it.
Great Eight Thoughts
- Home Ice is huge. Nothing more.
- Braden Holtby was a rock tonight. Absolutely fantastic in net.
- So was Carey Price for that matter. This game is high scoring without these two in net.
- After tonight’s results, the Eastern Conference playoff table is basically set. Pens-Islanders/Boston-Toronto is gonna be fantasic to watch.
- Hurricanes just clinched for the first time in 10 years. Current projections have a Caps-Canes matchup in the first round.
- Big game to watch is tomorrow. Columbus vs. Rangers. Columbus wins and their in, and they are one point back of Carolina. Fingers crossed, hope they lose in OT?
- 3rd line looked fantastic once again. Hagelin must be resigned.
- Next game? Against the Islanders at home on Saturday. GO CAPS
