Caps Conclude Homestand vs. Calgary
Caps host Flames in annual Black Friday home matinee match
Washington concludes a three-game homestand on Friday afternoon when it hosts the Calgary Flames in a local hockey traditional date, a Black Friday matinee. The Caps split the first two games of the homestand, so Friday's game is the rubber match, and it is also the front end of a set of back-to-back games. The Caps open up a six-game, 12-day road trip - tied for their longest continuous journey since Alex Ovechkin's rookie season - on Saturday night in Newark against the Devils.
Following a 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night, the Caps woke up thankful for the return of T.J. Oshie to the lineup after an absence of 11 games, during which Washington forged a 2-6-3 record. Playing for the first time since Oct. 29 in Nashville, Oshie assisted on each of Washington's first two goals, drew the penalty that led to the first goal on the power play, and led the team with seven hits while skating 18:07 on the night. Oshie's presence helped the Caps halt their losing streak at four games (0-3-1).
"Really good" says Caps coach Peter Laviolette of Oshie in his return. "You noticed him everywhere, from his energy in the room, on the bench. You certainly noticed him on the power play and having that shot in there and the plays he is able to make. He was noticeable tonight."
Since opening night of the season on October 12, the Caps have been missing at least three players from their lineup, and this follows a 2021-22 season in which Washington had one or more players unavailable for duty in all 82 games, and in which no Capital suited up for all 82. But since opening night of this season, the list of ailing and unavailable players has been growing rather than contracting; the Caps had seven players unavailable to them when they opened the homestand on Saturday against Colorado.
Getting Oshie back clearly boosted the Caps on Wednesday, helping them to a much-needed victory. After drawing a tripping call on Philly defenseman Justin Braun midway through the first period, Oshie helped set up Marcus Johansson's game-tying goal on the ensuing power play. With the Caps again trailing by a goal late in regulation, Oshie dragged his back foot to stay onside and then help set up Sonny Milano's game-tying strike with 2:58 left. The Caps went on to win in overtime on the 25th career overtime game-winner of Ovechkin's NHL career.
"The game felt pretty good," said Oshie afterwards. "I think we were working pretty hard there most of the game, up and down the lineup; a lot of good o-zone shifts, a lot of posts. All in all, I think that was a pretty good full 60 [minutes]. You can't keep momentum the whole game, but I think most of the game - the majority of the game - it was on our side. And when they pushed, we did a good job of claiming it back and getting some more o-zone shifts. Kind of a gutsy win there out of the boys, glad we were able to do it there in overtime."
Washington had to work hard offensively for its three goals in Wednesday's game, but that's been the story of the season to date. When the Caps score three or more goals, they're 8-1-1 this season. And when they score fewer than three goals, they've yet to win (0-9-2). The problem is they've scored fewer than three in more than half of their games, but getting Oshie back is a step in the right direction, and helps to balance them a bit more up front as well.
"Of all the players we were missing before last game, it was half our team," says Caps center Evgeny Kuznetsov. "And the League that we play in, the competition is so high, and every guy is so important. But for us, we need those guys like Osh, when he is one of the only right-handed forwards we have. When we have him, it's a different game and a different look everywhere."
Calgary endured a seven-game slide (0-5-2) from Oct. 29-Nov. 10, but the Flames have gotten right since, going 4-1-1 in six games since. Currently in the latter stages of a six-game road trip, the Flames are - like many teams in the NHL - starting a set of back-to-backs with their Friday game. Calgary concludes its trip in Carolina on Saturday night against the Hurricanes before returning home for a five-game homestand. The Caps will visit the Flames in the middle match of that homestand next Saturday night.
