Postgame Recap: Caps 3 Wild 2

 The Caps got off to yet another slow start on Friday night, going into the third period trailing 2-1. However, they played a solid third and were able to score two goals on Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper to get back in the win column.

My Thoughts:

*Brooks Orpik is all of a sudden a goal scorer as he scored his 3rd of the season. Nick Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin got the assists. This would tie the game at one in the 2nd.

*In the third period the Caps woke up and started playing better, then a delay of game penalty for pushing the net by Kuemper lead to the Caps first power play of the night. Then they finally broke through as Alex Ovechkin fired the puck in the net for goal #40 on the season. Matt Niskanen and Nick Backstrom had the assist.

*Then later Andre Burakovsky fed Dmitry Orlov who would score from a bad angle to give the Caps a 3-2 lead with 5:04 left to go in the game. Evgeny Kuznetsov would also pick up a assist on the goal.

*John Carlson was out last night with an apparent lower body injury. Later Barry Trotz said that it is indeed the same thing that has bothered Carlson for the last month or so that kept him out of games. Hopefully it is not to serious but with the way the standings are they need to take care of this.

*The Caps have still not lost back to back regulation games this season, and even though they may not be playing their best they are still winning. With the win the Caps remain 18 points up on the Rangers with a game in hand, as well as 21 points up on the third place Islanders.

*Overall the only issue again that I am having with the team is that they are slow starters, it won't affect them now but it may come postseason time and that's when it counts. With 22 games left though the Caps have plenty of time to continue to work to strengthen themselves for the playoffs.


What's Next: Sun. Feb. 28th at. Chicago 12:30 p.m on NBC