The Washington Capitals wrapped up their rookie tournament going 1-1-1 in the three games.
That doesn’t sound impressive but there were a ton of positives to draw on. Several Washington Capitals prospects put on a show during the three-game prospect showcase/rookie tournament held at the Ford Ice Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
They won the first game lopsided over Chase Priskie and the Carolina Hurricanes 10-3 while dropping a 3-2 decision in overtime against the host Nashville Predators.
In the finale, it was the Tampa Bay Lightning who led the scoring charge in a 7-2 victory.
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After starting Ilya Samsonov in the first game and Logan Thompson on Sunday it was Beck Warm’s turn to get the nod in goal on Tuesday morning.
Warm was an invitee from development camp and plays for the WHL’s Tri-City Americans.
While the game was lopsided as the final it was much closer in the beginning. The Lightning struck first, no pun intended, on a breakaway from Boris Katchouk off a Caps turnover. Washington would redeem themselves however.
Off a great pass from Brian Pinho and speed from 2018 sixth round defenseman Alex Kannock-Leipert to rebound a shot from Connor McMichael, the Caps tied it.
Kannok-Leipert nets it off a McMichael rebound to tie the game 1-1 #ALLCAPS #ProspectShowcase pic.twitter.com/8YKm8bvQqy
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 10, 2019
It was Pinho’s third assist and fifth point of the tournament as he’s continued to have a good preseason. 1-1 was the score after one with the Caps having the edge in shots 18-6.
The Lightning separated themselves quickly in the second period. Goals from Gabriel Fortier and Katchouk on the power play put the Bolts up 3-1 before the Caps got one back.
Connor McMichael, the 2019 Caps top draft pick, got the Caps within one for his first goal of the tournament on a tough drive to the net on the power play.
McMichael scores his first of the tournament on the PP, #Caps down 3-2 #ALLCAPS #ProspectShowcase pic.twitter.com/a3aQNsJDOG
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 10, 2019
The Bolts regained their momentum right back with two unanswered goals to go up 5-2 from Ross Colton and Alex Barre-Boulet. They added two more in the third from Nolan Foote and a Colton power play goal for his second tally of the game. 7-2 would be the final.
The game headed to a shootout round and nobody scored on Washington’s end end. The Caps went with Garrett Pilon, Erik Florchuk, Shane Gersich, Brett Leason, and Beck Malenstyn while Warm stopped two of the five shots that he faced.
Back in Washington the varsity squad as well as other minor league Caps players that didn’t partake in this are working out and gearing up for the season ahead.
Training camp begins this Thursday with the first on-ice workouts starting Friday. Washington will drop the puck on the preseason at Capital One Arena this Monday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.