This road trip was designated for the mentors trip where the boys Dad’s or father figure joined the team over these next two games and get to experience what their boys go through on a professional hockey daily basis. This must bring them back to when they used to get their skates tied by them when they first touched the ice.
Also, how bout Stromer’s Dad getting the boys fired up for the game
This was no easy walk through the park mentors trip, this trip would see the Caps face the Bruins and the Panthers who they faced off against last night.
The boys started off hot and looked much better than last game right off the first puck drop and that started with an Ovi one timer from his office on the power play to give the boys a 1-0 lead.
This was Ovi’s 833rd career goal and has scored in 3 straight games and 13 points in the last 13 games. Is Ovi catching fire? could be huge. Also, this was the 16th time he has scored on Sergei Bobrovksy.
The Cats evened the score with a lot of traffic in front the puck was tossed on net and deflected by Matthew Tkachuk to beat Kuemper.
Then the Capitals answered the bell and regained the lead back on a nice center ice turnover 3v2 rush with a little tic tac toe passing from Protas to Sgarbossa and Mantha with the nifty back hand finish to make it 2-1 in favor of Washington. Mantha’s trade stock is extremely high right now management nudge nudge.
Then the Caps went back on the penalty kill due to a Wilson “elbowing” call and the Cats notched another power play goal this time by Sam Reinhart via deflection again making the score 2-2 going into the 3rd period.
Kind of bull if you ask me that Wilson was the only one that went to the box should have easily been matching penalties.
It was a lot of back and forth in the 3rd until midway through where the Panthers took over the lead by the hands of Ryan Lomberg who rocketed a snap shot between the circles uncovered to make it 3-2 Cats.
The Cats finished the game off with an empty netter making the final 4-2 in favor of the Panthers.
The Caps taking penalties was the name of the game tonight and ultimately their downfall, committing 6 minors through 2 periods is less than ideal especially when your opponent capitalizes on the penalty.
Kuemper was pretty solid tonight giving up goals via deflection I will never get on a goalie for that’s just the luck of the draw sometimes. People forget when the offense is slacking the goalie play is what most people focus on.
The Caps stay on the road Saturday and face the Bruins next another tall task. Make sure you have two screens going so you can watch the Waste Management People’s Open at the same time Happy Gilmore type atmosphere trust me.
The Morning Skate 