Monday, February 9, 2015

Capitals-Flyers Recap: ???


The Flyers-Capitals game started out as what looked like it would be a close game that would be won (or lost) by one goal or in overtime or shootout. With no scoring in the first period, the Capitals and the Flyers played a very unexciting game.
The scoring began in the second period. Mark Streit put the Flyers up by one point within the first minute of the middle period. Alex Ovechkin tied the game about halfway through the period when he took Evgeny Kuznetsov's brilliant feed and shot a wrister which ended up in the back of the Flyers' net. Both teams went into the intermission without any further scoring.
Less than four minutes into the second period, Wayne Simmonds broke the tie for the Flyers, flipping the puck past Braden Holtby and into the net. The Capitals battled to tie the score for the next fifteen minutes, failing to do so. During the Capitals' empty net, Jakub Voracek made it 3-1, which was the final score.
The Capitals just didn't seem mentally prepared for this game, possibly the worst they've played the entire season, almost breaking their record for fewest shots on net. And Tom Wilson's penalty couldn't have had more horrible timing, when the Capitals were desperate to tie the score. What makes it even worse is that if the Capitals had been able to win this game, they would've tied the Pittsburgh Penguins for first place in standings points in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals should have won this game and given themselves the top spot in their division, but they were just not cut out to play this game.