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Capitals play with bite. Beat Flyers 4-2 in comeback win
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Jose Theodore makes a huge save on Daniel Briere in front of the net. (Associated Press Photo)
Let’s not bury the lead. Jose Theodore was unbelievable tonight, and as the Flyers dive-bombed the net, with big boys like Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnell and Darroll Powe crashing the crease, it was Jose who stood his ground all night long, making 41 saves on the night and guiding the Capitals to an absolutely huge 4-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers.
When Darrel Powe was tripped up on a lead pass for a breakaway by David Steckel Tom Poti, Jose was there to make the save on the penalty shot. When Daniel Briere had all the time in the world to release a high wrister from the slot in front of heavy traffic, Jose was there to make the save, and with Jeff Carter blazing toward the crease it was Theo who in heavy traffic covered the puck like he was protecting a child. It simply can’t be understated, this guy saved the Capitals tonight and without him we probably aren’t looking at a win.
And outside of Theo, all the credit in the world has to go to the Capitals first line juggernaut of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin. Rappers talk all day about dropping figures at the clubs and how big their rims are but how’s this for a line: 13 shots, 9 points and four goals. Not too freakin bad! And with Philly charging to a two goal lead thanks to two opportunistic plays on the power-play, it was this first line that brought Washington right back into the game.
The first Capitals goal came after a 1:41 second 5-3 failure that may have disheartened most “other” teams. The Capitals to their great credit kept on chugging and pressuring the Flyers in their own zone and with Nicklas Backstrom digging the puck out in the right corner, Nicky found Ovechkin who inexplicably was left wide open charging down the middle slot area toward the Flyers net. A flick of the wrist and a wack of the stick were all Ovy needed to loft the puck past Ray Emery and cut the Flyers lead to 2-1 with 3:52 left in the second.
Sometimes all it takes is one. That first summit, that first home run, if it’s with that special someone all it takes sometimes is that first kiss. For the Capitals tonight it was that first goal, as from here the Capitals finally took it to the Flyers.
An aggressive move by Mike Knuble forced Flyers forward Mika Pyorala to hold him and try to force him to the boards. It was about as easy a call as you’re likely to see in the NHL, and with that going for them, the Capitals tied the game as Semin, from just behind the goal line right, fed Backstrom the puck near the right faceoff circle. Backstrom would, with precision fire the puck low and between the pads of Emery to tie the game at 2 with 1:48 left in the period.
But with the game going into the third tied, and with all the momentum going Washington’s way, one would still be sadly mistaken if you thought the Flyers were going to go out quietly.
The third period saw Philadelphia get twenty shots on net, and come precariously close to either taking the lead or tying the game numerous times. It just wasn’t enough though as Mike Green made a simple pass off the boards and past the stick of a Flyer forward that was in charge of making sure Semin wouldn’t receive the pass up the left side of the Flyers zone. He did, and Semin only needed enough time and room to slam the puck high past the pads of Emery to give Washington a 3-2 lead.
Add an empty netter by Ovechkin late and a forward group lead by the unheralded Tyler Sloan, who along with Chris Clark and David Steckel, stayed aggressive, and you have the ingredients for another beautiful victory for the Washington Capitals.
But forget the roses and the awards, the Capitals tonight displayed some real maturity by showing that they just wouldn’t take being down 2-0 anymore. “In the first two periods we were down 2-0. We don’t feel good at all. After that we got angry and a little pissed off. It was good for us,” said Backstrom.
Look at that! Here we have even Nicklas Backstrom going “off the cuff” and showing that emotion! Finesse player my butt, as Backstrom in the course of the interview afterward mentioned being, “pissed off” more than three times. It just makes sense. The Redskins are a bad example but if you play a team from Philly, you gotta fight back with a little bite yourself. That’s exactly what the Capitals did tonight.
Caps Notes: According to workers at Verizon Center, Flyers goalie Ray Emery broke a TV monitor after the game in anger.
It will matter to no one but a few, but being an alumni, I took the time to briefly talk to members of the American Univeristy women's club hockey team who were working the program booth. The uniforms looked sharp and it was nice to hear that the Eagles have started the year with a 2-1 record. Go AU!
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