Helloooooo. It’s me again, and guess what? We’re gonna get right in to it. Coaches Picks: Caps -1.5 at +175 and yes, we’re riding the puck line again. Why wouldn’t you? Look at yesterdays body of work in the victory, and add in Samsonov to the mix? Come onnnn you know this team is gonna come with some jump today. Plus the fact that the Devils are going to Blackwood AGAIN in a back to back after only stopping 19 of 23 yesterday. I’ll take that all day. And you know what else I’m doing again? Parlaying Caps ML & Ovi over 0.5 Goals because I am gonna be betting on the big man to score until he actually fuckin’ scores. Plus, like I said yesterday, he torches Jersey, and Blackwood in net again all plays into our hands here. Side note, I had a delicious breakfast sandwich from Earl’s in Arlington (right behind the crib) and my god it got me feelin’ some type of way, and that’s a Caps victory Sunday type of way.
Pregame Storylines
This, this right here folks. This is the tweet we’ve be dying to see. We got the news that Sammy was pulled off the taxi squad earlier this morning, and that Anderson would be heading that way. Now, if you put two and two together (before they announced anything) you would have guess that would mean that Sammy is playing today, since they wouldn’t run VV on a back to back. Well look at you, you got something right if you guessed that would be the case! I’m pumped, i’m so ready to have Sammy back to see how he plays. He’s stepping into a team thats 5-1-1 in it’s last seven, which is a perfect time for him to step in, find his stride, and collect a few wins to really get him into mid season form. Getting you goalie back too puts a jump in your team, so I see the Caps raising their level of play in front of Sammy today.
Nicky Backstrom for 700 today? I think so, and to make it even sweeter, I think it’ll happen on an Ovi PPG (i’m just saying this cause holy fuck Ovi needs to score so bad like PLEASE just give us something) regardless if it’s on an Ovi goal or not, I’m thinking Backstrom gets his milestone. He’s been by far our best player this year, and as I’ve been arguing since the first few games of the season, I’m all aboard the train that Backy is gonna have his second best season of his career behind that 101 point season back in 2012, and he’s gonna carry this team.
Happy birthday ya slithery lil snake. Maybe another tuck today? Wouldn’t that be a hell of a gift. If you recall, V got the massive breakaway goal in the third yesterday to make it 4-2 after the Caps had about one SOG in 18 min of play, which was massive to propelling the Caps to the win. Now, we go get the sweep. Let’s ride.
First Period
Everyone talks about it, the rest vs rust, yada yada yada, it happens in every sports. Don’t play in the NHL for awhile? rusty. Don’t fight in the octagon for over a year? Rusty and gonna fget wiped. What ever preconcepted notion you had about rust coming in, it came true on the first goal of the game that would give the Devils a 1-0 lead on a shot by a Maltsev. This too on I believe the second shot of the game, and a game the Caps have been absolutely dominating so far.
What the hell did I say in the intro? SNAKE TUCK on the birthday and you love to see it. The play starts with Dilly in the Caps zone, he SENDSSSSSSSSS ITTTTTT to Tom for a hail mary, he’s laterals to V, and the snake fires a shot off the pads from the top of the circle, and hammers home the juicy rebound to tie the game at 1.
Second Period
Caps would keep buzzin at the start of the second. First was the fourth line with a hell of a shift and cycle for about a buck thirty and then the Backstrom and Wilson duo make em pay. It’s a 2 on 1, give n go, Backy to Willy and back to Backy again for a tic tac tuck and the good guys are up 2-1.
But, it wouldn’t last long on a (i’m not gonna say it) .. yeah i’m gonna say it.. another MUST have save for Sammy as this shot by Sharangovich hits Sammy and trickles through. Two that should have been saved, but who am I to complain. Caps have been outplaying the Devils throughout the game, and after this tuck to tie the game at 2-2 by the Devils, the Caps would get a PP which they would fail to convert on.
And then… it happened…
IT FINALLY HAPPENED as Eller feeds Ovi coming into the zone, feet to stick and top left past Blackwood and Ovi is finally on the board and the Caps have a 3-2 lead. Trust me, go check on Caps Twitter and look at all the hooligans going bananas since we finally got a tuck by the big man himself. That cashes in that part of the bet too thank you.
Third Period
The period was rather steady as she goes with not much action for the better half of it. We saw the Caps overlaid PP fizzle out, and the Devils with an opportunity of their own on a terrible slashing call on Tom Wilson, but puck don’t lie and the Caps would kill it off to remain ahead by one. Caps go basically the entire period without a single shot which you… love to see? No, actually hate that. Devils pull the tendy with 1:36 left but caps couldn’t convert. None the less, it’s a 3-2 win and Sunday sweep for the Caps over the Devils this weekend.
Chirpin' DMV 