The Capitals got their first win of the preseason, a 5-3 victory over the Devils.
Though it's still preseason, there was quite a bit at stake for the Washington Capitals coming into Wednesday's tilt with the New Jersey Devils, with head coach Spencer Carbery calling on a handful of players to step up and help D.C. finally get in the win column.
They did just that, and more, as Logan Thompson, Jakub Vrana and more made the most of their ice time while some of Carbery's projected combinations to open the season showed promise in a 5-3 victory.
Here are the takeaways from the win.
Logan Thompson Puts On Show In First Start For Capitals
The Capitals traded for Thompson this offseason with the hopes that he would get back to his All-Star form from 2023 while forming a strong 1A/1B tandem with Charlie Lindgren. And in his first game, he showed promise to do just that, and more.
Thompson was stellar in his first outing for Washington, moving quickly and confidently in the crease, using his size to his advantage and making smart decisions with the puck. His agility, impressive reflexes, lateral movement and quick glove hand — full right — also stood out as he made several ten-bell saves with the glove.
The 27-year-old finished the night with 25 saves on 28 shots, and the only shots to beat him were ones through traffic and screens. Everything he had eyes on was kept out of the net by any means possible.
Jakub Vrana Steps Up To The Plate In Last-Chance Game
All eyes were on Jakub Vrana coming into Wednesday's contest, as Carbery noted that he'd have to do something to stand out as no one has truly set themselves apart in the competition for that extra forward role.
So, from the moment he took the ice at Prudential Center, he was flying. The Czech winger was all over the place, playing well at both ends and standing out with his speed, skating and shot.
Vrana was seeing the ice well and moving the puck efficiently, and he eventually got on the scoresheet as he found John Carlson, who would go on to score on a give-and-go with Alex Limoges. He finished the night with an assist and a plus/minus rating of plus-1 through 15:07 minutes.
It was a promising game for the 28-year-old, who is attending camp on a PTO and is hoping that he can win a roster spot. Certainly, Wednesday was a good starting point, as it was a complete turnaround from a preseason opener that didn't go according to plan.
Ovechkin-Strome-Mangiapane, Duhaime-Dowd-Raddysh Trios Shine
Carbery's combinations for opening night are also starting to come together through this preseason, and on Wednesday, he rolled out the Ovechkin-Strome-Mangiapane and Duhaime-Dowd-Raddysh trios. Both lived up to expectations, and then some.
Strome had two goals while Ovechkin picked up an assist and had some great passes, too. Mangiapane played a gritty game, winning puck battles, playing bigger than his 5-foot-9 frame and moving the puck up ice, which complemented his two linemates well.
The line that truly stole the show, though, was the fourth line of Brandon Duhaime, Nic Dowd and Taylor Raddysh. That combination, which is expected to play heavy minutes for the Capitals this season, was outstanding for Washington in their first game together.
Dowd's line forechecked hard and maintained possession, and also took care of business in their own end while spending the majority of the time in the offensive zone. Eventually, it led to a goal, as Raddysh and Dowd would win a board battle before Dowd found Duhaime crashing the crease.
The fourth line would ultimately close out the win for D.C., as it connected for a tic-tac-toe passing play while Duhaime put the final nail in the coffin with an empty net goal — his second of the night — in the final minutes of regulation.
Jakob Chychrun Shines In Capitals Debut, Trevor van Riemsdyk Strong As John Carlson Strikes
For the Capitals, acquiring Jakob Chychrun to open free agency was the first step in revamping the blue line. And on Wednesday, he showed just what he can bring to the table for D..C, and impressed in his first game.
Chychrun led all skaters with 23:11 minutes, four shots and a plus/minus rating of plus-3. He was generating plenty of offense and also playing a key role in his own end while moving the puck effectively up the ice, and he also played a key role on the penalty kill.
In addition, John Carlson had a strong game with a goal and assist, while Trevor van Riemsdyk also stood out. He was skating well, made some great stretch passes and appeared confident as time went on.
One other takeaway, though, is that perhaps Chychrun-Carlson may work better separately. Time will tell, though.
Top Shelf Takes
- Alex Ovechkin led his team with five hits and did not have a shot on goal. However, he looked solid in his return to game action after opening camp with an injury.
- Raddysh led all forwards with 19:29 minutes of ice time.'
- It was a bit of a rough night for Riley Sutter, Alexander Suzdalev and Bogdan Trineyev's line, as they were a minus-2. Suzdalev also took a tripping penalty and was relatively quiet.
READ MORE ON THE HOCKEY NEWS
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