After leading through most of three periods, the Caps couldn’t contain some of Toronto’s younger talent. Nikolai Kulemin and Matt Frattin scored just over two minutes apart in the middle of the third, giving the Leafs the lead and eventually, a 3-2 win.
Michal Neuvirth earned the night’s third star for his 37 save effort but it wasn’t enough to keep Washington from its fifth loss of the season. The Caps are now 1-5-1 and off to a dreadful start of this shortened campaign.
Upsides are a little hard to find. The Caps did stymie seven of eight Leaf power plays on the night, though it also means the Caps took too many penalties in the game. Alex Ovechkin scored his second goal of the season. And Neuvirth was a solid presence in the net.
“It’s a very disappointing loss obviously, we were up 2-1 after the second like in Ottawa,” a dejected Neuvirth told NHL.com. “Maybe we are missing a little bit of luck and we definitely have to stay out of the box.”
The Caps are at home tonight and face a stuttering Philadelphia Flyers team. Puck drops at 7 pm.
Having lived in the DC area for ten years, Ben still loves to wander the city with his wife, shooting lots of photos and exploring all the latest exhibits and galleries. A certified hockey fanatic, he spends some time debating the Washington Capitals club with friends – but everyone knows of his three decade love affair with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
A professional writer, gamer, photographer, and Lego enthusiast, Ben remains captivated by DC and doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon.
