Washington Capitals Lose Game 1 of the Stanley Cup
The Washington Capitals lost game one of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight 6-4. Even though the Capitals lost tonight they still played a great game.
The Capitals beat themselves tonight committing bad turnover, a bad penalty and falling under pressure to a Vegas crowd that has been crazy all playoffs. The Golden Knights have only lost three games all year, and the Capitals have been the first team all playoffs to have a lead in Vegas in the playoffs.
The referees missed a lot of calls that could’ve benefited the Capitals like the cross-checks to TJ Oshie all game and the cross-check on John Carlson from Ryan Reeves that gave Vegas the go a head goal for the win in the third period, but the Capitals also missed out on a lot of opportunities themselves.
Braden Holtby let in five goals tonight, but still played a great game. The first goal would be his fault looking the opposite way around Carlson who was screening him when Colin Miller let go a rocket of a shot for the first goal of the game. Still bad defense and bad bounces not going to the Capitals favor with awful officiating cost the Capitals game one tonight. Holtby stopped 28 shots out of 33 and came up big when needed.
The first line was quite all night except for the Tom Wilson goal in the third period that gave the Capitals a brief lead. Ovechkin only registered two shots on net all year against a goalie who Ovechkin has scored on the most in his career. Give Vegas credit they did a great job covering Ovechkin on the power-play and during the last 1:30 of the game when the Capitals pulled Holtby.
The second line players Backstrom and Oshie where the best players on the ice tonight. The each had two points tonight and where clutch when needed. Oshie made an amazing blind pass to John Carlson to tie the game 3-3 in the second period.
The third line also played great Brett Connolly scored maybe one of his best goals of his career tipping the puck in between his legs from a shot from Micheal Kempny that tied the game 1-1 during the first period. Moments later Nick Backstrom scored 45 seconds later scoring a beautiful goal from a pass from TJ Oshie.
The Capitals couldn’t hold a lead all game and blew the game. After the Wilson goal they allowed two more goals including an empty net goal. End of the story it’s only game one the Capitals are still in this series.
The Capitals have Vegas the toughest game they played in Vegas during the playoffs, but I think they will respond well. The Capitals have been in this situation losing two straight in the first round against the Blue Jackets. If they remain calm and play there game the Capitals should be fine. Let’s be excited that we are finally back in the finals for the first time in 20 years.
