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Tag: Tom Wilson

  • Game Recap – 12/2/2018 – Anaheim Ducks v. Washington Capitals

    Game Recap – 12/2/2018 – Anaheim Ducks v. Washington Capitals

     

    Anaheim Ducks (13-10-5 31pts) v. Washington Capitals (15-7-3 33pts)

     

    Game Recap:

    The Washington Capitals blow a 5-1 lead with poor second half play and bad penalties while they give up 5 consecutive goals as the Anaheim Ducks halt the Capitals 7 game winning streak with their 4 straight win.

     

    Lineups:

    Anaheim Ducks:

    Rickard Rakell — Ryan Getzlaf — Jakob Silfverberg

    Nick Ritchie — Adam Henrique — Ondrej Kase

    Andrew Cogliano — Ryan Kesler — Kiefer Sherwood

    Brian Gibbons — Carter Rowney — Pontus Aberg

    Hampus Lindholm — Brandon Montour

    Jacob Larsson — Josh Manson

    Marcus Pettersson — Jake Dotchin

    John Gibson

    Ryan Miller

    Scratched: Andy Welinski, Ben Street, Josh Mahura

    Injured: Corey Perry (knee surgery), Cam Fowler (facial fractures), Patrick Eaves (back spasms)

    https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1069320167392342016

     

    Washington Capitals:

    Alex Ovechkin — Nicklas Backstrom — Tom Wilson

    Jakub Vrana — Evgeny Kuznetsov — Brett Connolly

    Andre Burakovsky — Lars Eller — Devante Smith-Pelly

    Chandler Stephenson — Nic Dowd — Dmitrij Jaskin

    Michal Kempny — John Carlson

    Dmitry Orlov — Matt Niskanen

    Christian Djoos — Madison Bowey

    Braden Holtby

    Pheonix Copley

    Scratched: Jonas Siegenthaler, Travis Boyd

    Injured: T.J. Oshie (concussion), Brooks Orpik (knee surgery)

     

    First Period:

    Capitals Goal – :41 – Nicklas Backstrom (10) from Alex Ovechkin (13) and John Carlson (23)

    Capitals Goal – 6:08 – Chandler Stephenson (2) from Nic Dowd (3) and Dmitrij Jaskin (4)

    Ducks Goal – 9:24 – Ryan Getzlaf (8) from Rickard Rakell (15) and Pontus Aberg (5)

    https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1069327784835575808

    Ducks Penalty – 13:06 – Rickard Rakell 2 minutes for Boarding

    Capitals PPG -13:19 – Tom Wilson (8) from John Carlson (24) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (17)

    Ducks Penalty – 16:41 – Ryan Getzlaf 2 minutes for Goalie Interference

     

    End of 1st – ANA – 1       WAS- 3

    Shots              09                11

    Faceoffs         09                11

    Hits               09                  04

    PP                 0/0                 1/2

     

    Analysis:

    This was a very good period for the Capitals. They got an early jump on the Ducks on the score board, and took a 2-0 lead. When Ryan Getzlaf scored to get the Ducks back into the game, the Capitals responded very well by drawing a penalty and scoring on the subsequent powerplay.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to continue playing the way they are and keep the pace to their liking. The Ducks will look to use their size and power to wear down the Capitals, but the Capitals need to continue to use their speed and create more scoring opportunities for themselves.

     

    Second Period:

    Capitals Goal – 4:59 – Evgeny Kuznetsov (7) from Brett Connolly (10)

    Ducks Penalty – 4:59 – Bench (Aberg) 2 minutes for Delay of Game (Offsides Challenge Failed)

    Capitals Goal – 13:30 – Nic Dowd (4) from Chandler Stephenson (4) and Dmitrij Jaskin (5)

    Ducks Goal – 14:31 – Andrew Cogliano (2) from Jacob Larsson (2) and Ryan Getzlaf (13)

    https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1069349429910499328

    Ducks Goal – 15:26 – Rickard Rakell (5) from Adam Henrique (10)

    https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1069350683386667008

     

    End of 2nd – ANA – 3        WAS – 5

    Shots               18                 19

    Faceoffs          19                 24

    Hits                 15                  05

    PP                   0/0                  1/3

     

    Analysis:

    For the first 14 minutes of the second period the Capitals were very dominate, but after Nic Dowd scored to make it 5-1 the Ducks dominated the final 6 minutes of the 2nd period and cutting the Capitals lead from 4 to 2.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to play a full 20 minutes and force the play in the Ducks’ zone. The Capitals cannot play “not to lose” hockey and turtle into their own zone. The Capitals need to keep their feet moving and force the Ducks to make mistakes and make them into opportunities for themselves.

     

    Third Period:

    Capitals Penalty – 1:56 – Evgeny Kuznetsov 2 minutes for Slashing

    Ducks Penalty – 3:41 – Nick Ritchie 2 minutes for Tripping

    Capitals Penalty – 6:25 – Dmitry Orlov 2 minutes for Boarding

    Ducks PPG – 7:16 – Pontus Aberg (8) from Hampus Lindholm (10) and Ondrej Kase (3)

    https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1069356089471262721

    Capitals Penalty – 8:10 – Dmitry Orlov 2 minutes for Boarding

    Ducks PPG – 9:01 – Hampus Lindholm (3) from Ryan Kesler (2) and Ondrej Kase (4)

    https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1069357589585002496

    Ducks Penalty – 12:48 – Kiefer Sherwood 2 minutes for Boarding

    Ducks Goal – 14:55 – Pontus Aberg (9) from Ryan Getzlaf (14) and Kiefer Sherwood (4)

    https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1069361224817664002

     

    End of 3rd – ANA – 6         WAS – 5

    Shots              25                   32

    Faceoffs        27                    35

    Hits               19                     09

    PP                 2/3                    1/5

     

    Analysis:

    The Capitals blew this one big time. All they had to do was play a full 20 minutes and keep the play in the Ducks zone, but instead they took bad penalties and allowed the Ducks back into this one and walk out of Washington with a 6-5 victory.

     

    Next Up:

    Washington (15-8-3 33pts) @ Vegas (14-13-1 29pts)

    Anaheim (14-10-5 33pts) v. Chicago (9-13-5 23pts)

  • Game Recap – 11/30/2018 – New Jersey Devils v. Washington Capitals

    Game Recap – 11/30/2018 – New Jersey Devils v. Washington Capitals

    New Jersey Devils (9-10-4 22pts) v. Washington Capitals (14-7-3 31pts)

     

    Preview:

    The Washington Capitals enter their weekend homestand on a 6 game winning streak as they take on the New Jersey Devils, who last time these two teams met whitewashed the Capitals 6-0. However, in their past six games the Devils have only won one game (1-2-3), and are looking to turn things around for them.

     

    For the Capitals, they have been 7-1-0 since the return of Tom Wilson from suspension, and without key players TJ Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov who are both out due to concussions, but with the promising prospect of gaining Kuznetsov back, that could add a kick to the Capitals powerplay that has struggled during these winning times.

     

    Lineups:

    New Jersey Devils:

    Taylor Hall — Nico Hischier — Jesper Bratt

    Marcus Johansson — Pavel Zacha — Kyle Palmieri

    Brett Seney — Travis Zajac — Blake Coleman

    Brian Boyle — Michael McLeod — Miles Wood

    Andy Greene — Damon Severson

    Mirco Mueller — Sami Vatanen

    Will Butcher — Ben Lovejoy

    Keith Kinkaid

    Cory Schneider

    Scratched: Drew Stafford, Stefan Noesen, Egor Yakovlev

    Injured: Steven Santini (broken jaw), Joey Anderson (lower body)

     

    Washington Capitals:

    Alex Ovechkin — Nicklas Backstrom — Tom Wilson

    Jakub Vrana — Evgeny Kuznetsov — Brett Connolly

    Andre Burakovsky — Lars Eller — Devante Smith-Pelly

    Chandler Stephenson — Nic Dowd — Dmitrij Jaskin

    Michal Kempny — John Carlson

    Dmitry Orlov — Matt Niskanen

    Christian Djoos — Madison Bowey

    Braden Holtby

    Pheonix Copley

    Scratched: Jonas Siegenthaler, Travis Boyd

    Injured: T.J. Oshie (concussion), Brooks Orpik (knee surgery)

     

    First Period:

    Capitals Goal – 3:51 – Nicklas Backstrom (7) from Alex Ovechkin (11) and Michal Kempny (5)

    Capitals Penalty – 6:02 – Lars Eller 2 minutes for Cross Checking

    Capitals Penalty – 18:38 – Devante Smith-Pelly 2 minutes for Interference

     

    End of 1st – NJ – 0       WAS- 1

    Shots              09                08

    Faceoffs         12                07

    Hits               07                  03

    PP                 0/1*               0/0     *2nd in Progress

     

    Analysis:

    This was an ok period for the Capitals. The scored early on a great play by Alex Ovechkin to Nicklas Backstrom. However, the Devils did a good job of attacking the Capitals and making it difficult to leave their own zone. Plus on the Devils powerplays so far they have exposed the Capitals at certain times because of the Capitals being extra aggressive on the penalty kill.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to do a better job of getting out of the zone cleaner, also the Capitals need to ease up on the aggression on their penalty kill a bit as mentioned above, the Devils have found an opening and is exposing it to their advantage. Lastly, the Capitals need to keep the feet moving and draw some penalties to get their powerplay on the ice.

     

    Second Period:

    Capitals SHG – :08 – Tom Wilson (7) from Matt Niskanen (8)

    Capitals Penalty – 1:05 – Madison Bowey 2 minutes for High Sticking

    Devils Penalty – 7:29 – Taylor Hall 2 minutes for Tripping

    Devils SHG – 9:23 – Travis Zajac (8) from Blake Coleman (7)

    https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1068677276697587714

    Capitals Penalty – 17:39 – Tom Wilson 5 minute major for Illegal Check to the Head

     

    End of 2nd – NJ – 1        WAS – 2

    Shots               26                 18

    Faceoffs          21                 12

    Hits                 09                  04

    PP                   0/3*               0/1     *4th in progress

     

    Analysis:

    This was a rough period for the Capitals. It started off well from when Tom Wilson scored 8 seconds into the period but after that the Devils out hustled and out worked the Capitals in many facets of the game. The Devils were also the more physical. Braden Holtby has been spectacular in this game and is a huge reason this game is still 2-1 Capitals.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to kill off the last 2:39 seconds of Tom Wilson’s Match penalty, which was an overblown call as he never made head contact, and once they do they need to pick up the pace and take it to the Devils. Also the Capitals are getting killed in the faceoff circle and needs to do a better job in the 3rd period.

     

    Third Period:

    Capitals Goal – 5:45 – Andre Burakovsky (4) from Michal Kempny (6) and Nicklas Backstrom (23)

    Devils Penalty – 8:26 – Miles Wood 4 minutes for Butt-Ending

    Devils Penalty – 10:17 – Sami Vatanen 2 minutes for Hooking

    Capitals PPG – 10:57 – Nicklas Backstrom (8) from Evgeny Kuznetsov (16) and John Carlson (22)

    Devils Goal – 12:35 – Nico Hischier (5) from unassisted

    Devils Goal – 18:10 – Marcus Johansson (4) from Nico Hischier (10) and Taylor Hall (18)

    Capitals ENG – 18:30 – Alex Ovechkin (19) from unassisted

    Capitals ENG – 19:37 – Nicklas Backstrom (9) from Alex Ovechkin (12)

    Capitals Penalty – 19:56 – Madison Bowey 2 minutes for Delay of Game

     

    End of 3rd – NJ – 3         WAS – 6

    Shots              36                   31

    Faceoffs        30                    27

    Hits               12                     06

    PP                 0/5                    1/4

     

    Analysis:

    In what was a very hard fought battle for the Capitals as they had to endure against a faster Devils team, as well as the loss of Tom Wilson to a very questionable Match penalty for an “illegal hit to the head” when replays clearly showed he hit the shoulder while trying to get out of the way of Brett Seney while Seney was backing up. However, the Capitals persevered and won their seventh straight game. The Devils made it difficult for the Capitals, but they found a way.

     

    Also after celebrating surpassing Peter Bondra to become 2nd Franchise history in Points, Nicklas Backstrom would record a hat trick (3 goals) and an assist to continue where he left off against the New York Islanders.

     

    Next Up:

    Washington (15-7-3 33pts) v. Anaheim (13-10-5 31pts)

    New Jersey (9-11-4 22pts) v. Winnipeg (14-8-2 30pts)

  • Gameday Preview – 11/30/2018 – New Jersey Devils v. Washington Capitals

    Gameday Preview – 11/30/2018 – New Jersey Devils v. Washington Capitals

     

    New Jersey Devils (9-10-4 22pts) v. Washington Capitals (14-7-3 31pts)

     

    Time: 7p EST

    Station: NBC Sports Washington+, MSG+, and NHL Network

     

    Preview:

    The Washington Capitals enter their weekend homestand on a 6 game winning streak as they take on the New Jersey Devils, who last time these two teams met whitewashed the Capitals 6-0. However, in their past six games the Devils have only won one game (1-2-3), and are looking to turn things around for them.

     

    For the Capitals, they have been 7-1-0 since the return of Tom Wilson from suspension, and without key players TJ Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov who are both out due to concussions, but with the promising prospect of gaining Kuznetsov back, that could add a kick to the Capitals powerplay that has struggled during these winning times.

     

     

    New Jersey Devils:

    Projected Lineup:

     

    Keys to the Game:

    1. Need to play with urgency

    When the Devils first played the Capitals, they played a very strong game that showed the team’s urgency to win battles and create scoring opportunities. They will need to find that urgency if they hope to replicate their previous victory as they are facing a more focused Capitals team.

     

    Washington Capitals:

    Projected Lineup:

     

    Capitals Notes:

     

    Keys to the Game:

    1. Get a good start

    I feel like we have to say this all the time now being how the Capitals keep starting slow and then getting better as the game goes on. This is a trend that needs to bucked by the Capitals and start stronger than they have.

     

    2. Get the powerplay rolling

    Lately the powerplay has not been a strong suit for the Capitals, and while many will blame the lack of players like TJ Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov, even before they were injured the powerplay was starting to get faulty. They have been having difficulty entering the zone and they have been over passing as well, and they just need to get the puck in the zone and just simplify everything.

  • November 27th, 2018 — News and Notes

    Today is  Tuesday, November 27th, 2018, and these are your news and notes.

     

    Yesterday there were five games that took place.

     

    -TORONTO 4, Boston 2

    Boston Bruins David Pastrnak would score the only two goals in the Bruins 4-2 loss at the Toronto Maple Leafs last night.

     

    TXHT’s Toronto Maple Leafs contributor Steve Gardiner has your recap of the Maple Leafs versus the Boston Bruins at the following page.

     

    Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs – 11/26/2018 – Game Recap

     

    -FLORIDA 4, New Jersey 3 (OT)

    With the Florida Panthers win, they are 6-0-0 against the New Jersey Devils in their last six home contests dating back to April 11, 2015.

     

    -Washington 4, NY ISLANDERS 1

     

    The Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin would score his 625th career goal last night, placing him into a tie with Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic for 15th place on the all-time list.

    Capitals F Tom Wilson would also score two goals in the contest to give Washington the 4-1 lead over the New York Islanders at Barclays Center last night.

     

    TXHT has your recap of the Washington Capitals at the New York Islanders at the following page.

    Game Recap – 11/26/2018 – Washington Capitals v. New York Islanders

     

    -NY RANGERS 4, Ottawa 2

     

     

    Columbus 7, DETROIT 5

    For the third time this season, the Columbus Blue Jackets would score at least seven goals in a contest.  They are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the highest such amount on the season.

     

     

     

     

     

    There are 10 games on the NHL schedule tonight.

    Image credit goes to NHL Public Relations and NHL

    For more news, notes, info, and stats…

     

     

     

    In NHL news today…

     

    Elliotte Friedman released his weekly “31 Thoughts” blog post.  You can check that post out here.

    https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1067498467394613248

     

    Last night, Toronto Maple Leafs Patrick Marleau would play in his 1,600th NHL contest.

     

    You can watch TXHT Live tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET on Facebook Live.

  • Game Recap – 11/26/2018 – Washington Capitals v. New York Islanders

    Game Recap – 11/26/2018 – Washington Capitals v. New York Islanders

    Washington Capitals (13-7-3 29pts) v. New York Islanders (12-8-2 24pts)

     

    Preview:

    The Washington Capitals continue their Mentors Trip with a visit to the New York Islanders as they look to win their sixth game in a row when they take on their former bench boss Barry Trotz. Meanwhile the Islanders will be looking to continue building off of their win Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes, where they are also 9-1-0 this season against Metropolitan Division rivals.

     

    Key players to watch will be Islanders forward Anthony Beauvillier who has five goals and two assists in his past five games. While for the Capitals, Tom Wilson has been a key catalyst for the team since returning from suspension.

     

    Lineups:

    Washington Capitals:

    Alex Ovechkin — Nicklas Backstrom — Tom Wilson

    Jakub Vrana — Lars Eller — Brett Connolly

    Andre Burakovsky — Travis Boyd — Devante Smith-Pelly

    Dmitrij Jaskin — Nic Dowd — Chandler Stephenson

    Dmitry Orlov — Matt Niskanen

    Michal Kempny — John Carlson

    Christian Djoos – Madison Bowey

    Braden Holtby

    Pheonix Copley

    Scratched: Jonas Siegenthaler

    Injured: Evgeny Kuznetsov (upper body), T.J. Oshie (concussion), Brooks Orpik (knee surgery)

     

    New York Islanders:

    Anders Lee — Brock Nelson — Jordan Eberle

    Anthony Beauvillier — Mathew Barzal — Josh Bailey

    Tom Kuhnhackl — Valtteri Filppula — Leo Komarov

    Matt Martin — Tanner Fritz — Cal Clutterbuck

    Nick Leddy — Johnny Boychuk

    Thomas Hickey — Ryan Pulock

    Adam Pelech — Scott Mayfield

    Thomas Greiss

    Robin Lehner

    Scratched: Luca Sbisa, Stephen Gionta, Ross Johnston

    Injured: Casey Cizikas (lower body), Andrew Ladd (lower body)

     

    First Period:

    Islanders Goal – :36 – Valtteri Filppula (7) from Ryan Pulock (6) and Leo Komarov (8)

    Capitals Goal – 2:50 – Tom Wilson (5) from Nicklas Backstrom (20) and Madison Bowey (4)

     

    End of 1st – WAS – 1       NYI – 1

    Shots              12                08

    Faceoffs         05                07

    Hits               07                  12

    PP                 0/0                 0/0

     

    Analysis:

    Not the greatest start for the Capitals as they were scored on quickly, but how they responded was spectacular. Tom Wilson would score not much later and after that it would be all Capitals as they controlled most of the tempo of the game. Also a very fast period with very few whistles and more exciting to watch despite a few obvious penalties not being called on both teams.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to keep up with this pace of game and continue to push the play in the Islanders zone. Also the Capitals need to continue to play disciplined, and keep their feet moving and draw some penalties against the Islanders.

     

    Second Period:

    Capitals Penalty – :20 – Alex Ovechkin 2 minutes for Cross Checking

    Capitals Penalty – 4:22 – Bench (Vrana) 2 minutes for Too Many Men

    Capitals Goal – 7:58 – Nic Dowd (3) from Dmitrij Jaskin (3) and John Carlson (21)

    Capitals Penalty – 13:32 – Dmitry Orlov 2 minutes for Tripping

     

    End of 2nd – WAS – 2        NYI – 1

    Shots               15                 18

    Faceoffs          09                 19

    Hits                 13                  17

    PP                   0/0                  0/3

     

    Analysis:

    This was not a good period for the Capitals. They were out shot 10-3, they were killed in the faceoff circle, and most importantly, they were not very well disciplined. Even though they scored the lone goal of the period, this was not an ideal period.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to come out with fire lit under them and ready to play a full 20 minutes. The Capitals also need to play a more disciplined game and force the Islanders to take a few penalties so the Capitals can get their powerplay unit on the ice.

     

    Third Period:

    Capitals Penalty – 4:05 – Tom Wilson 2 minutes for Interference

    Islanders Penalty – 12:04 – Tanner Fritz 2 minutes for Hooking

    Islanders Penalty – 12:34 – Thomas Hickey 2 minutes for Tripping

    Capitals PPG – 14:21 – Tom Wilson (6) from Nicklas Backstrom (21) and John Carlson (22)

    Capitals Goal – 19:38 – Alex Ovechkin (18) from Tom Wilson (6) and Nicklas Backstrom (22)

     

    End of 3rd – WAS – 4         NYI – 1

    Shots              24                   33

    Faceoffs        20                    27

    Hits               19                     30

    PP                 1/2                    0/4

     

    Analysis:

    Not the greatest third period, but the Capitals were able to find a way to steal this game from the Islanders. Once again they were dominated in the shot department but was able to make their shots count, plus Braden Holtby played a stellar game to give the Capitals the victory. Definitely a great game for Tom Wilson who registered 2 goals and an assist.

     

    Next Up:

    Washington (14-7-3 31pts) v. New Jersey (9-10-4 22pts)

    NY Islanders (12-9-2 26pts) @ Boston (13-6-4 30pts)

     

    You can watch TXHT Live tomorrow at 8p EST on Facebook Live.

  • Game Recap – 11/24/2018 – Washington Capitals v. New York Rangers

    Washington Capitals (12-7-3 27pts) v. New York Rangers (12-9-2 26pts)

     

    Preview:

    The Washington Capitals are going to try to extend their season-long winning streak to five games when they play the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden today. Meanwhile, the Rangers have won seven in a row at home, and will be looking to extend that streak to eight games.

     

    The Capitals will be without forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie for a fifth consecutive game due to upper body and concussion injuries respectively. In that time Tom Wilson has stepped up since returning from suspension as he has eight points (3 goals and 5 assists) in 6 games.

     

     

    Lineups:

    Washington Capitals:

    Alex Ovechkin — Nicklas Backstrom — Tom Wilson

    Jakub Vrana — Lars Eller — Brett Connolly

    Andre Burakovsky — Travis Boyd — Devante Smith-Pelly

    Dmitrij Jaskin — Nic Dowd — Chandler Stephenson

    Dmitry Orlov — Matt Niskanen

    Michal Kempny — John Carlson

    Christian Djoos — Jonas Siegenthaler

    Pheonix Copley

    Braden Holtby

    Scratched: Madison Bowey

    Injured: Evgeny Kuznetsov (upper body), T.J. Oshie (Concussion), Brooks Orpik (Knee Surgery)

     

    Capitals Notes:

     

    New York Rangers:

    Vladislav Namestnikov — Mika Zibanejad — Jesper Fast

    Chris Kreider — Kevin Hayes — Filip Chytil

    Jimmy Vesey — Brett Howden — Ryan Strome

    Tim Gettinger — Lias Andersson — Steven Fogarty

    Marc Staal — Neal Pionk

    Fredrik Claesson– Kevin Shattenkirk

    Brady Skjei — Brendan Smith

    Alexandar Georgiev

    Henrik Lundqvist

    Scratched: Tony DeAngelo

    Injured: Adam McQuaid (lower body), Pavel Buchnevich (broken thumb), Cody McLeod (fractured left hand), Mats Zuccarello (groin)

     

    Rangers Notes:

     

    First Period:

    Rangers Penalty – :25 – Jesper Fast 2 minutes for Tripping

    Rangers Penalty – 6:59 – Jimmy Vesey 2 minutes for High Sticking

    Rangers Goal – 9:12 – Jimmy Vesey (8) from Jesper Fast (7) and Kevin Hayes (10)

    Capitals Penalty – 17:27 – Tom Wilson 2 minutes for Interference

     

    End of 1st – WAS – 0       NYR – 1

    Shots              06                12

    Faceoffs         02                13

    Hits               09                  14

    PP                 0/2                 0/1

     

    Analysis:

    Capitals (Michael) – This was a very horrible period for the Capitals. They were out shot 12-6, and were decimated in the faceoff circle winning only 2 faceoffs the entire period. Their powerplay was sloppy and they had 10 giveaways in the first period. Not good at all.

     

    Rangers (Russell) – The Rangers came out a bit flat like they did against the Flyers but the goal by Jimmy Vesey sparked them and led to a pretty solid back end of the 1st period. They looked like the 9-1-1 team in the last 10 minutes but it’s clear they cant give the Capitals any space.

     

    Need to Do:

    Capitals (Michael) – The Capitals need to show up and clean their game completely. They need to do a better job in the faceoff circle, doing zone entries, and they need to be much smarter with the puck and cut down on their turnovers. Also the Capitals need to do a better job of establishing a presence in the Rangers zone generate some scoring chances.

     

    Rangers (Russell) – The Rangers need to keep the game simple, get pucks deep and Pheonix Copley can be beat. It seems Copley goes down quick so shoot high!

     

    Second Period:

    Capitals Penalty – :59 – Lars Eller 2 minutes for Hooking

    Rangers Goal – 9:39 – Brady Skjei (2) from Brendan Smith (4) and Kevin Hayes (11)

    Capitals Goal – 10:10 – Nic Dowd (2) from John Carlson (18) and Brett Connolly (9)

    Capitals Goal – 16:27 – Jakub Vrana (6) from unassisted

    Capitals Goal – 19:30 – Alex Ovechkin (17) from John Carlson (19) and Dmitry Orlov (7)

     

    End of 2nd – WAS – 3        NYR – 2

    Shots               21                 21

    Faceoffs          10                 23

    Hits                 24                  30

    PP                   0/2                  0/2

     

    Analysis:

    Capitals (Michael) – The first half of the 2nd period was not very good, but after the Rangers took a 2-0 lead the Capitals woke up and started scoring. However, the Capitals were out shooting the Rangers 9-0 when the Rangers scored their lone goal of the period, but the Capitals didn’t back down and got two goals that were tipped in due to presence in front of the net, and one goal from Jakub Vrana out hustling the Rangers defense to win the puck and the opportunity to score.

     

    Rangers (Russell) – Rangers had a great first half that led to a nice goal by Brady Skjei. Alexandar Georgiev looked very sharp early on but the Caps would storm back taking advantage of some costly defensive mistakes. The Rangers defense really needs to tighten up and protect the net front area as well. Georgiev looks a bit rattled especially after that Ovechkin goal so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Lundqvist for the third.

     

    Need to Do:

    Capitals (Michael) – The Capitals still need to do a much better job in the face off circle as they have won only 10 faceoffs this game and winning faceoffs is key to creating puck possession. Also the Capitals need to cut down on their turnovers and clean their game up some more. The final 20 minutes are going to be crucial.

     

    Rangers (Russell) – The Rangers need to tighten up defensively and just get traffic in front of Copley. Get everything on net. Put Chris Kreider, Filip Chytil, and Mika Zibanejad out to start and see if they can get an early goal.

    Third Period:

    Rangers Goal – 5:30 – Ryan Strome (2) from Brett Howden (9) and Neal Pionk (11)

    Capitals Goal – 13:36 – Brett Connolly (4) from John Carlson (20) and Jakub Vrana (8)

    Capitals ENG – 18:52 – Tom Wilson (4) from Michal Kempny (4)

     

    End of 3rd – WAS – 5         NYR – 3

    Shots              28                   30

    Faceoffs        15                    27

    Hits               33                     42

    PP                 0/2                    0/2

     

    Analysis:

    Capitals (Michael) – Despite this game being more of a sloppy one in regards to puck possession, The Capitals were able to overcome and secure their 5th straight victory. John Carlson was pivotal as he had 3 assists to help lead the Capitals to a 5-3 victory over the Rangers. However, the Capitals need to clean up elements of their game going into Monday night’s contest against former head coach Barry Trotz and the New York Islanders. Also this was a great game for Dmitrij Jaskin. He played very solid hockey and had several quality scoring chances today.

     

    Rangers (Russell) – The Rangers came out swinging in this period and were rewarded with a great play by Brett Howden and Ryan Strome’s first as a Ranger. From there though, another defensive lapse would cost them as Brett Connolly would strike for the Caps 4th goal of the game. The Rangers would lose 5-3. Now as far as games go, it was a better effort than yesterday’s fumble against the Flyers. The team had some good jump and they capitalized on some good chances. But as was the case earlier in the season, defensively this team still has a long way to go to figure things out. Coach Quinn needs to make sure everyone knows their assignments and that the front of the net is always cleared. Never let too much traffic build up in front of the goaltender. Another solid game from Brett Howden and Jimmy Vesey was a bright spot of today’s game. Brady Skjei getting on the board was also great since he had been healthy scratched for a bit and needed a confidence booster. In a season of rebuilding/retooling, the Rangers showed spirit against the defending Stanley Cup champs.

     

    Next Up:

    Washington (13-7-3 29pts) @ NY Islanders (1-8-2 24pts)

    NY Rangers (12-10-2 26pts) v. Ottawa (9-11-3 21pts)

     

    You can watch TXHT Live next Wednesday at 8p EST on Facebook Live.

  • Game Recap – 11/23/2018 – Detroit Red Wings v. Washington Capitals

    Game Recap – 11/23/2018 – Detroit Red Wings v. Washington Capitals

    Detroit Red Wings (10-9-2 22pts) v. Washington Capitals (11-7-3 25pts)

     

    Preview:

    The Washington Capitals go for their fourth straight victory and their longest winning streak this season when they host the Detroit Red Wings at Capital One Arena on Black Friday. Meanwhile the red hot Red Wings are 8-2-0 in their past 10 games and are looking for their seventh win in eight games.

     

    Lineups:

    Detroit Red Wings:

    Justin Abdelkader — Dylan Larkin — Anthony Mantha

    Gustav Nyquist — Frans Nielsen — Andreas Athanasiou

    Tyler Bertuzzi — Luke Glendening — Michael Rasmussen

    Christoffer Ehn — Jacob de la Rose — Thomas Vanek

    Trevor Daley — Mike Green

    Niklas Kronwall — Dennis Cholowski

    Danny DeKeyser — Nick Jensen

    Jonathan Bernier

    Jimmy Howard

    Scratched: Luke Witkowski, Martin Frk

    Injured: Evgeny Svechnikov (knee surgery), Jonathan Ericsson (undisclosed), Darren Helm (upper body)

     

    Washington Capitals:

    Alex Ovechkin — Nicklas Backstrom — Tom Wilson

    Jakub Vrana — Lars Eller — Brett Connolly

    Andre Burakovsky — Travis Boyd — Devante Smith-Pelly

    Dmitrij Jaskin — Nic Dowd — Chandler Stephenson

    Dmitry Orlov — Matt Niskanen

    Michal Kempny — John Carlson

    Christian Djoos — Madison Bowey

    Braden Holtby

    Pheonix Copley

    Scratched: Jonas Siegenthaler

    Injured: Evgeny Kuznetsov (upper body), T.J. Oshie (Concussion), Brooks Orpik (Knee Surgery)

     

    First Period:

    Capitals Penalty – 6:38 – Madison Bowey 2 minutes for Tripping

    Red Wings Goal – 8:46 – Andreas Athanasiou (10) from Thomas Vanek (4) and Danny DeKeyser (4)

     

    End of 1st – DET – 1       WAS – 0

    Shots              14                05

    Faceoffs         08                13

    Hits               05                  09

    PP                 0/1                 0/0

     

    Analysis:

    This was not a very good period for the Capitals. They were out played and out hustled for the majority of the period, plus the Red Wings out shot the Capitals 14-5 which is not acceptable. One bright spot is the fact that the Capitals are doing a good job in the faceoff circle winning 62% in the first period. The score could be worse, but Braden Holtby is playing extremely well, and keeping them in the game.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to get their forecheck going and force the play in the Red Wings’ zone and generate scoring chances. Late in the first period the Capitals started doing that, and they need to continue that and kick it up a notch and force the play against the Red Wings. Also the Capitals need to keep their feet moving and force the Red Wings to take some penalties.

     

    Second Period:

    Capitals Penalty – :42 – Michal Kempny 2 minutes for Holding

    Red Wings Penalty – 3:14 – Nick Jensen 2 minutes for Hooking

    Red Wings Penalty – 5:57 – Bench (Thomas Vanek) 2 minutes for Too Many Men

    Capitals Goal – 12:13 – Tom Wilson (3) from Nicklas Backstrom (19) and Alex Ovechkin (10)

     

    End of 2nd – DET – 1        WAS – 1

    Shots               18                 13

    Faceoffs          15                 24

    Hits                 08                  20

    PP                   0/2                  0/2

     

    Analysis:

    This was a better period for the Capitals that saw them hold the Red wings to 4 shots the entire period, and the Capitals had 8 shots on the period themselves. They did a good job of drawing a couple penalties this period, but did not convert on either opportunity. The controlled the tempo a bit better, but can do a better job in the third period.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to kick it up a notch and really force the play in the Red Wings zone. The Capitals also need to play a full 20 minutes to help potentially close out the Red Wings in regulation. The Capitals also need to do a better job with their powerplay opportunities.

     

    Third Period:

    Capitals Penalty – :20 – Alex Ovechkin 2 minutes for High Sticking

    Capitals Goal – 6:38 – Michal Kempny (2) from Travis Boyd (5) and Andre Burakovsky (3)

    Capitals Goal – 8:34 – Alex Ovechkin (16) from Nic Dowd (2) and Tom Wilson (5)

    Red Wings Penalty – 11:12 – Mike Green 2 minutes for Hooking

     

    End of 3rd – DET – 1         WAS – 3

    Shots              32                   20

    Faceoffs        25                    34

    Hits               12                     23

    PP                 0/3                    0/3

    https://twitter.com/Capitals/status/1066117163180851201

     

    Analysis:

    This was a solid game defensively for the Capitals, but their overall game could have been better. In the third period the Capitals were out shot once again by the Red Wings 14-7, and Braden Holtby were relied on heavily to keep the Capitals in the game. The powerplay was a bit sloppy and there were too many passes, and that will need to get cleaned up going into tomorrow’s matinee visiting the New York Rangers as well.

     

    Next Up:

    Washington (12-7-3 27pts) @ NY Rangers (12-9-2 26pts)

    Detroit (10-10-2 22pts) v. Buffalo (15-6-2 32pts)

     

    You can watch TXHT Live next Wednesday at 8p EST on Facebook Live.

  • Gameday Preview – 11/23/2018 – Detroit Red Wings v. Washington Capitals

    Gameday Preview – 11/23/2018 – Detroit Red Wings v. Washington Capitals

     

    Detroit Red Wings (10-9-2 22pts) v. Washington Capitals (11-7-3 25pts)

     

    Date: Friday November 23rd, 2018

    Time: 4p EST

    Station: NBC Sports Washington and Fox Sports Detroit

     

    Preview:

    The Washington Capitals go into the Black Friday Frenzy with a matinee against the visiting Detroit Red Wings, who are coming off of an overtime victory over the Boston Bruins. The Capitals will be looking to win their fourth game in a row, and have been playing much better since the return of Tom Wilson to their lineup. At the same time the Red Wings will be looking for their third straight victory, and are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games.

     

    The Capitals will still be without the services of forwards TJ Oshie (Concussion) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (Upper Body) for a fourth consecutive game.

     

    Detroit Red Wings:

    Projected Lineup:

    Anthony Mantha — Dylan Larkin — Gustav Nyquist

    Thomas Vanek — Frans Nielsen — Andreas Athanasiou

    Tyler Bertuzzi — Luke Glendening — Justin Abdelkader

    Michael Rasmussen — Jacob de la Rose — Martin Frk

    Dennis Cholowski — Mike Green

    Danny DeKeyser — Trevor Daley

    Niklas Kronwall — Nick Jensen

    Jimmy Howard

    Jonathan Bernier

    Scratched: Luke Witkowski

    Injured: Evgeny Svechnikov (knee surgery), Jonathan Ericsson (undisclosed), Darren Helm (upper body)

    *  No reports of any line changes from their last game have been reported. If any changes are made they will be reflected in our Game Recap.

     

    Keys to the Game:

    1. Get a good start

    The Red Wings did not start well against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night, but were able to turn it around and force overtime, and get the eventual winner. However, the Capitals have been known to start games really hot, or really cold and if the Red Wings can start the game strong they can push the Capitals into a position to where the Red Wings are controlling the tempo.

     

    Washington Capitals:

    Projected Lineup:

     

    Injury Notes:

     

    Keys to the Game:

    1. Need to play a full 60 minutes

    The Capitals started their game Wednesday night on fire by scoring two quick goals but then cooled themselves off by easing off and allowing the Chicago Blackhawks back into the game by giving them chances around the net. The Capitals will need to prevent this against the surging Red Wings, and play a complete 60 minutes.

     

    2. Stay out of the penalty box

    I don’t know what it is, but this season the Capitals have taken a lot of really bad penalties so far this season (whether warranted or not), and their Penalty Kill has not been the best so far this season having a 74.4% effective rate which ranks 28th in the League. The Capitals were a perfect 3 for 3 against Chicago, and will need to continue with that strong type of penalty killing to improve their effectiveness on the penalty kill.

     

    You can watch TXHT Live next Wednesday at 8p EST on Facebook Live.

  • Game Recap – 11/21/2018 – Chicago Blackhawks v. Washington Capitals

    Game Recap – 11/21/2018 – Chicago Blackhawks v. Washington Capitals

     

    Chicago Blackhawks (8-8-5 21pts) v. Washington Capitals (10-7-3 23pts)

     

    Preview:

    The Washington Capitals return home from a four game road trip that saw them go 3-1-0, and are undefeated in their past two games looking to extend that to three games. Meanwhile the Chicago Blackhawks are fresh off of a shocking coaching change and are beginning a three game road trip while being 2-01 in their past three games after going through an eight game losing streak. Both teams will be looking to continue their winning ways.

     

    For the Capitals, Braden Holtby will be making his first start in goal since going down with an upper body injury before the 4 game road trip. Also the Capitals will still be without TJ Oshie (Concussion) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (Upper Body) for the third straight game.

     

    For the Blackhawks, Corey Crawford will be starting in goal, and veterans Chris Kunitz and Brandon Manning are both healthy scratches tonight.

     

    Lineups:

    Chicago Blackhawks:

    Brandon Saad — Jonathan Toews — Patrick Kane

    Nick Schmaltz — Artem Anisimov — Alex DeBrincat

    Alexandre Fortin – David Kampf — Dominik Kahun

    John Hayden — Marcus Kruger – Andreas Martinsen

    Duncan Keith — Brent Seabrook

    Erik Gustafsson — Henri Jokiharju

    Gustav Forsling — Jan Rutta

    Corey Crawford

    Cam Ward

    Scratched: Chris Kunitz, Luke Johnson, Brandon Manning

    Injured: None

     

    Washington Capitals:

    Alex Ovechkin — Nicklas Backstrom — Tom Wilson

    Jakub Vrana — Lars Eller — Brett Connolly

    Andre Burakovsky — Travis Boyd — Devante Smith-Pelly

    Dmitrij Jaskin — Nic Dowd — Chandler Stephenson

    Dmitry Orlov — Matt Niskanen

    Michal Kempny — John Carlson

    Christian Djoos — Madison Bowey

    Braden Holtby

    Pheonix Copley

    Scratched: Jonas Siegenthaler

    Injured: Evgeny Kuznetsov (upper body), T.J. Oshie (Concussion), Brooks Orpik (Knee Surgery)

     

    First Period:

    Capitals Goal – :54 – Tom Wilson (2) from Alex Ovechkin (9) and Nicklas Backstrom (18)

    Capitals Penalty – 2:10 – Travis Boyd 2 minutes for Tripping

    Blackhawks Penalty – 4:37 – Gustav Forsling 2 minutes for Tripping

    Capitals PPG – 6:36 – Andre Burakovsky (3) from Jakub Vrana (6) and Matt Niskanen (7)

    Capitals Penalty – 7:10 – Nic Dowd 2 minutes for Hooking

    Blackhawks Penalty – 19:14 – Brandon Saad 2 minutes for Elbowing

     

    End of 1st – CHI – 0       WAS – 2

    Shots              14                12

    Faceoffs         09                07

    Hits               02                  04

    PP                 0/2                 1/1   *2nd in progress

     

    Analysis:

    The Capitals had a great start to the game but they cooled off a little bit after their second goal. The Capitals are doing a good job with zone possession, but took a couple of bad penalties that have let the Blackhawks get a groove into this game. The Capitals are creating some really good chances, and need to keep plugging away.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to play more disciplined, and stay out of the penalty box. Also the Capitals need to play with a bit more structure in their own zone and limit the Blackhawks scoring chances.

     

    Second Period:

    Blackhawks Penalty – 3:02 – Martinsen 2 minutes for High Sticking

    Capitals Penalty – 3:14 – Alex Ovechkin 2 minutes for Slashing

    Capitals Goal – 9:28 – Michal Kempny (1) from Jakub Vrana (7) and Lars Eller (8)

    Blackhawks Goal – 11:37 – Brandon Saad (7) from Jonathan Toews (9) and Patrick Kane (8)

     

    End of 2nd – CHI – 1        WAS – 3

    Shots               24                 21

    Faceoffs          17                 18

    Hits                 04                  06

    PP                   0/3                  1/3

     

    Analysis:

    This was a solid period for the Capitals, as they were able to play an overall good period and they limited the scoring chances by the Blackhawks. The Capitals also utilized the powerplay very well and having Tom Wilson and Lars Eller on that first unit really has changed the dynamic and feels more opened up.

     

    Need to Do:

    The Capitals need to go for the jugular and choke out the Blackhawks in the third period. This also needs to be the best period for the Capitals too as we know how the Capitals have been with their turtling play to “not lose” and they can’t do that against a hungry Blackhawks team.

     

    Third Period:

    Blackhawks Goal – 5:23 – Erik Gustafsson (2) from Artem Anisimov (8) and Nick Schmaltz (7)

    Capitals Goal – 7:12 – Devante Smith-Pelly (4) from Travis Boyd (4) and John Carlson (17)

     

    End of 3rd – CHI – 2         WAS – 4

    Shots              39                   27

    Faceoffs        28                    27

    Hits               06                     08

    PP                 0/3                    1/3

     

    Analysis:

    An overall solid effort by the Capitals in this win over the Blackhawks. The Caps struck early and when the Blackhawks responded with a goal of their own, the Capitals would score to regain their two goal advantage. The Capitals also played a solid defensive game, but still made some mistakes in the third period that could have proved costly, but Braden Holtby was at the top of his game, and kept the Capitals in the game when they needed him to.

     

    Next Up:

    Washington (11-7-3 25pts) v. Detroit (9-9-2 20pts)

    Chicago (8-9-5 21pts) @ Tampa Bay (14-6-1 29pts)

     

    You can watch TXHT Live next Wednesday at 8p EST on Facebook Live.

  • November 14th, 2018 — News and Notes

    November 14th, 2018 — News and Notes

     

     

    Today is Wednesday, November 14th, 2018, and these are your news and notes…

     

    There were nine contests in action last night…

     

    NEW JERSEY 4, Pittsburgh 2

    New Jersey’s Taylor Hall recorded his eighth career four-point performance in the Devils 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

     

    NY ISLANDERS 5, Vancouver 2

     

    Mathew Barzal of the NY Islanders would register his 100th career point in his 101st game, becoming the sixth player to reach the 100 point mark among active NHL players.

     

     

    The Islanders would go on to rout the Vancouver Canucks 5-2

     

    Florida 2, PHILADELPHIA 1

    Florida’s Mike Hoffman would score to extend his point-scoring streak to an NHL-high 13 games on the season in the Florida Panthers one-goal win over the Philadelphia Flyers last night.

    Also in this contest, Panthers G Roberto Luongo became the fourth goaltender in League history to win four contests to be at the age of 39 or older.

    BUFFALO 2, Tampa Bay 1

    Buffalo has now won three in a row and seven out of their last 11 in the big win over the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Buffalo last night.

     

    DETROIT 6, Arizona 1

     

    Before the contest, the Detroit Red Wings held their pre-game skate in the Hockey Fights Cancer practice jerseys.

     

    https://twitter.com/DetroitRedWings/status/1062505290602631168

     

    Washington 5, MINNESOTA 2

    Tom Wilson would return to action, by registering his first goal of the season, and helped the defending champions take down the Minnesota Wild with a 5-2 win.

    Full Gameday Preview and Coverage – 11/13/18 – Washington Capitals v. Minnesota Wild

     

    EDMONTON 6, Montreal 2

    Edmonton’s Connor McDavid would have his 31st three-point contest, all assists, in Edmonton’s big win over the Canadiens.  Evgeny Malkin and Patrick Kane are the two players behind McDavid with 28 and 27, respectively.  This mark dates back to the 2015-16 NHL season.

    Despite Montreal Canadiens Max Domi registering a goal in the first six minutes in the contest to tie the game 1-1, it would not be enough as the Edmonton Oilers would go on to defeat Montreal 6-2.

    Domi’s goal would be his 10th of the season and the most of his career since the 2015-16 season.

     

    Toronto 5, LOS ANGELES 1

    The Toronto Maple Leafs began their West Coast trip with a big win over the Los Angeles Kings 5-1.

    TXHT’s Toronto Maple Leafs contributor, Steve Gardiner has your recap of that contest at the following link.

    Toronto @ Los Angeles – 14/11/2018 – Game Day Preview and Recap

     

    SAN JOSE 5, Nashville 4

    San Jose Sharks Erik Karlsson would become the fifth player to record 400 career assists and achieved this mark in 646 games with the Sharks defeating the Nashville Predators 5-4.

    Joe Thornton of the Sharks would reach the 400 career goal mark and became the 11th player to have at least 400 goals and 1,000 assists in their careers.

    Today, there are four games on the schedule:

     

    For more news, notes, info, and stats:

     

    In NHL news…

    -Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada’s Elliotte Friedman released a new episode of the “31 Thoughts” podcast today.

    https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1062805606145286144

     

    -The Los Angeles Kings traded F Tanner Pearson for Pittsburgh Penguins F Carl Hagelin earlier today.

     

    You can watch TXHT Live tonight at 7p EST on both Twitch and Facebook Live.