Lightning-Capitals Winners & Losers

No Mike Green?  No problem (relatively speaking) for the Caps.  It’s now 10-in-a-row for Washington who finishes the month of January with a spectacular 12-2 record.  Eleven of those (including today’s 3-2 victory) were games in which the Caps allowed two goals or fewer.  So let’s get to it:

Winners:

Jose Theodore.  On Friday, I was chatting up a gentleman in a Capitals’ shirt at the dining hall after class.  He knew his stuff.  There was just one problem.  He was a hater.  He, and I’m sure there are many others, quickly jump into this argument: “Jose Theodore sucks.  He just sucks.  He shouldn’t be playing.”

It’s hard to argue with guys like these (last season, it was Jeff Schultz’s name in that sentence).  So I just smiled and said something along the lines of: “Huh.  Okay…. We’ll see.”  After witnessing today’s victory, Theo does not suck.  Far from it.  Without a 100% 100 combo (60 and 40), this team will see problems down the stretch and into the playoffs.  Theodore certainly does not suck, but he certainly cannot do it alone.

Oh and one more thing:  With the win today, Jose has made it seven wins in-a-row.  The last time that happened was during this season.

Alex Ovechkin.  Admit it.  Following Steven Stamkos’ game-tying marker with 13+ remaining in the game, you were getting nervous.  The Caps put it on cruise control after going up two, but allowed two goals in under three minutes to give Tampa a chance… for about five minutes.  When a goal is needed, give the puck to 8.  His 35th eventually gave Washington its 37th.

Nicklas Backstrom.  Nicky B. does it all.  Assists (duh), faceoffs (68%, 13/19), and now he’s added Crosby-esque garbage goals to his ever-expanding repertoire.  Might add that he was a victim of a bs penalty call.  Like, seriously.

Brooks Laich.  Come to think of it, Fleischmann probably could have scored.  But he gave up a scoring chance to set up Semin.  After a blocked shot, Laich came streaking in to tap in the loose puck past a sprawling Mike Smith.  Laich now has five goals during the Caps 10-game streak.

Tomas Fleischmann.  Two more assists but just one shot on net.  Tomas, you have the second best shooting percentage in the conference.  Team Czech Republic can not score if you don’t shoot.

Medium:

Jeff Schultz.  Solid play to go along with a +2 rating.  All in a day’s work.

Jason Chimera.  Dude, eff Steve Downie.  Drop that clown next time he does an Avery-like skate through the blue paint after the whistle.

Tyler Sloan.  Good: Pinching in and getting quality scoring opportunities.  Bad: Clearing the freaking puck up the middle of the ice.  Com’on Ty.

Losers:

Jose Theodore’s rebound control.  It’s so bad that it does not need an explanation.

Playing John Erskine on the Penalty Kill.  If you take a look at Stamkos’ power play marker again, you’ll see that a) Stamkos’ shot is a laser beam, and b) the train wreck that is Erskine trying to rotate over to his man (Stamkos).  Sloan and/or Schultz are better options when down a man (Poti was out there with him).

Stat of the game:

Mike Lundin of the Lightning was credited with six blocked shots.  The Caps were credited with a total of five.  In total, the scorekeeper tallied 24 for Tampa, and just five blocked shots for the home team.  I’ll never understand the system.

Tags: lightning, postgame