The Capitals showed why they're a team to be reckoned with last night.
The Capitals showed why they're a team to be reckoned with last night.
If the Washington Capitals' win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday wasn't pretty, then Saturday's victory over the Montreal Canadiens was downright ugly at times — in more ways than one.
But the ugly wins still count in the standings, and there are a lot of positives to take away from the Capitals' 4-2 Caps win over the Habs.
This one didn't start well for the Capitals and had all the makings of a trap game. Washington fell into a 2-0 hole in the first period as the team took a while to find its footing.
But as Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery after the game, this team "...will not go quietly into the night," and won their franchise-best ninth straight road game.
Lots to unpack on this one folks; grab that coffee and let's unpack this before everyone gets into football mode.
Tom Wilson Continues To Cement Himself As A Leader
Over the last few years of his career, Tom Wilson has developed into more than just a complete 200-foot player, putting his reputation behind him to become a bonafide leader of the Capitals.
Saturday's victory emphasized that.
Wilson took a nasty Jakob Chychrun shot off the left side of his face and quickly left the game in the first period. It was one of those moments where Capitals faithful collectively held their breath.
But it wasn't long until Wilson was back on the bench after undergoing tests and returning despite a very swollen cheek. He ended up scoring two goals — including the game-winner — in the third to lead his team to another victory.
Wilson is one of the team's longest-tenured players, and nothing can understate how influential a player like Wilson is on a team like this year's Washington club.
After Alex Ovechkin's broken leg, disappointment and concern set in. The Capitals, who were so hoot to start the year in large thanks to their captain, could have struggled following that injury.
However, players like Wilson are the reason they now sit atop the Eastern Conference and have lost just two games in regulation since losing the Great 8. It's the intangibles and the little things about Wilson that make him a rock in this team's foundation.
Third Period Dominance Continues
We'll take a break from pumping Wilson's tires to focus on the rest of the Capitals team because they too played a big role in Saturday's comeback win.
Entering the third period down 2-1 to the Habs, Washington turned on their third-period jets and scored three unanswered goals to take the win.
Led by the two goals scored by Wilson and his cheek, Washington locked down and took the game over in the third.
Going into the third with a deficit is tough, no matter what that score is. But keep in mind, too, the Capitals are not just dominating third periods in which they are trailing. They're dominating the third period, full stop.
In Montreal, Washington controlled the play for much of the frame, finishing the third with a 74.19 Corsi-for percentage and 18 shots on Sam Montembeault.
It almost feels unfair at this point; nearly every game this season, the third period belongs to the Capitals. Whether needed for a comeback or to hold onto the lead, this team has made it a mission to finish each game strong.
Washington's 17 goals against the third period are the least allowed in the league.
Capitals Built For Resiliency
Before the start of this season, former general manager Brian MacLellan and new GM Chris Patrick made some key acquisitions to retool the Capitals' roster, and each one of these players brought in their own play style and personality to be a crucial piece of this puzzle.
One of the most important characteristics the new additions has added is straight up resiliency in the face of adversity, and this was on full display last night.
Players like Pierre-Luc Dubois came into this season on a mission to make a new name for themselves, and Dubois himself has been a crucial part of the mix.
On Saturday, the Quebec native kicked off the comeback with this laser of a shot, and then added an assist on the game-tying tally.
And you also can't talk resiliency without talking about players like Logan Thompson. Despite being down 2-0 in the first, Thompson buckled down and was a brick wall for the remainder of the contest.
He finished with 22 saves on 24 shots and also stopped four breakaways in the third period alone.
And of course, Wilson exemplifies that resiliency, too, for obvious reasons..
Good teams find ways to win in the face of adversity, and that is exactly what this Capitals team is showing they can do. Whether it's scoring two after an injury, or digging deep to get wins after the captain goes down, this is a team that does not say die.
Yes, this team has that dog in them.
Final Thoughts
The Capitals will get a couple of days off and a chance to practice at home before a visit to Columbus on Thursday. The Blue Jackets are another team in the midst of a rebuild, and Washington will have to continue their excellent play to avoid another trap game. Columbus has also been finding its footing of late.
With the heater that this team has been on, there is zero reason to think they cannot come into this next game against the Blue Jackets and take two points out of it.
Speaking of resiliency, Ovechkin skating just a couple of weeks after breaking his leg in Utah is huge.
I think it's safe to say I would not be out skating less than three weeks removed from a broken leg. So that is some insane resiliency by the Great 8.