Postgame Recap: Caps 3 Pens 2

 The Caps got off to their normal slow start on Tuesday night as the Penguins scored the first two goals of the game. However, the Caps got stronger as the game when along and were able to score 3 unanswered goals to take down the Pens for win #46.

My Thoughts:

*The Caps defense at times last night was a little suspect, as twice they got so out of position that they left Holtby out to dry. However, I thought they got bette as the game went along.

*The Caps were a different team in the 2nd period, after a bad 1st Trotz must have said something because the effort and intensity was a lot better even though the Pens would get another goal to take a 2-0 lead.

*The game would change as Mike Richards got his 2nd goal of the season as he beat a screened Matthew Murray to cut the lead to 2-1. Nate Schmidt and Jason Chimera got the assists on the goal. Richards looked good again last night as he is coming into his own with this team.

*Later in the period a great effort by Justin Williams set up Evgeny Kuznetsov for his 20th goal of the season to tie the game 2-2. Andre Burakovsky also got a assist on the goal. It was a dirty goal close to the crease. It was that type of play that lead to the comeback.

*The Caps were taking the game over but in the third period the score remained tied until a high sticking penalty on Evgeni Malkin lead to a power play. Instead of force feeding Alex Ovechkin, Matt Niskanen called his own number and ripped a one timer past Matthew Murray to give the Caps a 3-2 lead with 6:22 left in the game.

*Braden Holtby and the Caps defense corp would shut the game down from there and the Caps would get their 46th win of the season. For Holtby he earned win #40, and is the first Caps goalie to reach that mark in consecutive season.

*Mike Weber made his Caps debut, he was a plus 1 in 12:24 of ice time, at times looked a little rusty playing with new teammates but was a physical presence on the blue line.

*Overall this was a good win for the boys to get back up to 16 over the New York Rangers who themselves are hot lately. Beating a rival is alway a big deal no matter how far away they are in the standings. We take every two points we get, now the busy week continues.


What's Next: Tonight Mar. 2nd vs. Toronto 7:00 p.m on CSN