The New York Rangers jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Caps scored three in the second period to put themselves back in it and went on to earn the 5-3 victory in the Big Apple on Saturday. The win extends Washington’s current streak to five-straight, their longest win streak of the season.
The second period
The Caps entered Saturday’s game with 32 goals in the second period, tied for the most in the league. After going down 2-0, Washington woke up in the second period with three straight goals. The Caps also entered Friday’s game down 1-0 and tied it at 1.
Saturday’s game looked like it was headed for a sleepy loss and gave themselves a one-goal lead to work with heading into the third period.
Net-front presence
With as much skill as the Caps boast, sometimes they struggle to get the dirty goals. That was not the case on Saturday as two of their three second period goals came because of their net-front presence. Dowd got the Caps on the board with a deflection of a shot from John Carlson to beat Alexander Georgiev. Washington would go on to take their first lead of the game later in the second when Ovechkin got a tip-in goal from in close.
Vrana’s speed
With the Caps trailing 2-1, Jakub Vrana turned on the jets to turn a harmless looking play into a breakaway.
Brett Howden couldn’t keep the puck in the Caps’ defensive zone and had to go back and chase it. He was then caught in a footrace with Vrana who managed to catch and pass Howden, turning the play into a breakaway. He used the quick stick work to beat Alexander Georgiev.
John Carlson
Carlson was the best player on the ice for the Caps Saturday as he recorded three primary assists. He fired a shot that was deflected by Dowd for the first goal, he delivered the pass for the tip-in to Alex Ovechkin and he set up Brett Connolly with a cross-ice pass for what would be the game-winning goal.
MORE CAPS NEWS:
- 11 years for #19: Backy's birthday win celebration
- Grading the Champs: How have they fared early in the season?
- WATCH: Tom Wilson's fate-sealing empty netter