‘Green Gets Powed #1’
courtesy of ‘clydeorama’

For only the second time this season, the Capitals lost their second straight game with a 5-4 shootout loss to the visiting Philadelphia Flyers. The loss was a tough one, though the Caps fought hard in the third to send the game into overtime.

Rookie Marcus Johnasson opened the scoring in the first period, notching his second of the season. The goal came after the Caps had put their first three shots off the crossbar and goal posts. The theme of the first half of the game was missed chances by the Caps, including a couple of failed breakaways by Alexander Ovechkin. “I thought all game we had good chances,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “I was worried after the first period when it was only 1-0 because we didn’t get rewarded for having three 2-on-1s, two breakaways – those are the kind of times that you put teams away and when you let them hang around something usually happens.”

The Flyers came back with three unanswered goals before the Caps power play slipped into gear. Both Nicklas Backstrom and Jason Chimera jammed home a goal less than thirty seconds apart in the third. The Flyers went ahead again on an Andreas Nodl backhand but Eric Fehr scored another power play goal with less than a minute remaining to send the game into overtime.

Flyers goalie Brian Boucher stoned Backstrom and Ovechkin in the shootout and Danny Briere slipped one past Michal Neuvirth to give the Flyers the win.

“You get a point. It is not death…it is our worst week of the season and it is .500,” said Boudreau. “[Two] regulation [losses] in the last 12 — let’s not sing ‘Taps’ on us yet. I thought we fought hard right to the end.” The Caps still lead the Eastern conference with 30 points.

The Caps head to New Jersey on Monday to face the struggling Devils and then to Carolina on Wednesday.

Ben H. Rome

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.