The Washington Capitals took a trip to Sin City to see if they could win game lucky number seven out of their last eight. Standing in their way was a desperate Vegas Golden Knights team that needs points in a hurry if they want to play in the postseason.
Evgeny Kuznetsov jammed home an Alex Ovechkin blast to give the Caps an early lead. Alec Martinez snuck a shot through Ilya Samsonov to tie the game back up. Ovechkin got his own at the start of the second period off a one-time feed from Kuznetsov. Evgenii Dadonov scored early in the third and Chandler Stephenson would follow that up with his own to give Vegas their first lead.
Alex Ovechkin’s 50th goal of the season tied it back up. Shea Theodore with a beautiful overtime tally.
Golden Knights beat Capitals 4-3.
- That first period was actually a lot of fun to watch. I thought the Caps definitely had the better of the overall chances after the first handful of minutes and probably deserved to leave the period with a lead. An offside challenge, the most exciting play in hockey, was the only thing that stood in their way of doing so.
- Ovi declined a power play that he was about to earn for the Caps because he thought the call was incorrect. You don’t see that often.
- He’s gotta do what he’s gotta do but that’s the second goal this season Evgeny Kuznetsov has straight robbed from Alex Ovechkin. Kuzy didn’t even get to finish his bird celly because Jonathan Marchessault was being his typical salty self behind the Vegas net. Ovi recorded his 40th assist of the season on the play, the first time he’s hit that 40 mark since 2010-11.
Trying to get oriented in T-Mobile. I think this corner is where Andre Burakovsky saw boobs for the first time in his entire life. pic.twitter.com/AYWXnf276T
— Sick, Unbelievable (@sickunbelievabl) April 21, 2022
- The second period was on the other end of the spectrum in terms of fun to watch. The Caps really made a mess of the neutral zone for Vegas so a large portion of the frame involved long dump-ins and passes to no one. That’s definitely fine by the Caps who held a road lead.
- Alex Ovechkin scored his 49th and 50th goal of the season and the 779th and 780th of his career. Those 50 goals are the most ever scored by a player aged 36 or older in a season. Nine times The Great Eight has hit 50 in a season, tied for the most in NHL history with Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky.
- How did everyone do on their Wordle?
- Did y’all know that Chandler Stephenson is just one point shy now of 60 points this season? Forsberg, Vrana, Burakovsky, Stephenson. Just handing out a few nightmares right there.
My dearest Abigail,
Though the great mountain giant fell hard, we must fight harder westward. We ready now to storm the castle under cover of night. A strategy we hope shall prove victorious. If you must fall to sleep, do so praying.General Johansson #ALLCAPS #WSHvsVGK pic.twitter.com/NL3QKBjGK4
— CapitalsCat (@CapitalsCat) April 21, 2022
- That third period was absolutely insane. Just back and forth shinny hockey.
- Ilya Samsonov cannot let that second goal in. Just horrible. Then he threw his stick away right before the third and without it couldn’t make the stop on Stephenson. Games like this are way too common with him. I’m more than over it.
- Nic Dowd takes way too many penalties.
#JoeBSuitOfTheNight #CapsKnights Post-Easter purple! pic.twitter.com/yhd3zcDD5i
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) April 21, 2022
The Caps wrap their road trip up in Arizona next where they’ll be playing NHL hockey in like a high school gym next season because Gary Bettman is incapable of shame.
Headline photo via @jack_wagman
