The Washington Capitals (21-15-6) went toe-to-toe with the Chicago Blackhawks (16-18-7) on Saturday night. The game required a really long shootout, but Chicago ended up leaving Capital One Arena with a 3-2 victory.
However, the bigger story is Tom Wilson going down with a lower-body injury and not returning. It also didn’t help that Aliaksei Protas was ruled out before the game with a lower-body ailment.
The Capitals just didn’t look the same without Wilson or Protas on the ice, as inconsistent play resulted in the Blackhawks taking a 2-1 lead in the second period.
Thankfully, Ryan Leonard did his best to keep the Capitals in the game as he tied the game up at 2-2 in the third.
The game required OT, followed by a shootout which went six rounds. The Capitals haven’t fared well in the skills competition this year, as their woes continued and resulted in a loss.
Next up, the Capitals will enter their second game of the homestand on Monday night as they host Anaheim.
Capitals Analysis
After giving up a Chicago goal early, Dylan Strome answered back to tie the game up at 1-1 in the opening frame. This appeared to set the tone for the rest of the night.
However, things went south for the Capitals when Wilson was skating behind the net in the offensive zone and collided with Chicago’s Connor Murphy. He landed awkwardly on his right leg and was in visible pain, as he limped over to the bench and had to be helped by trainers.
Wilson was ruled questionable entering the second period, but did not return to the game. Bad timing for the 31-year-old as he was just named to Team Canada’s Olympic roster.
Thankfully, head coach Spencer Carbery said postgame that Wilson’s injury isn’t anything serious. The team will get more results on Sunday.
As for the game itself, the Capitals started to lose momentum as they were missing both Wilson and Protas on the ice. The penalty kill really stalled as they let Chicago take a 2-1 lead in the second period.
However, Leonard came through in the third period to the the game up at 2-2. The rookie got to the front as Matt Roy’s shot went off him and in for his eighth tally of the season.
Saturday’s game went to overtime, followed by a six-round shootout, as the Capitals’ woes in the skills competition continue. Strome and Sonny Milano both scored, but Nick Foligno recorded the game-winner for Chicago at the end.
Capitals Report Card
Team: C+
The Capitals got off to a solid start until Wilson went down, which resulted in inconsistent play. The team is also now 0-5 in shootouts this season.
Ryan Leonard: B
Leonard took advantage of a tough situation to tie the game up at 2-2 in the third. The rookie now has five points in his last last six games and is one a three-game point streak.
Capitals Special Teams: D
Without Wilson, the Capitals weren’t able to do much on special teams. The penalty kill gave up a go-ahead goal in the middle frame, while the lone power play opportunity didn’t result in much.
Logan Thompson: B
Thompson did all he could to keep the Capitals in the game, as he stopped 31 of 33 shots on the night.
