In a boring game, the Washington Capitals fell to the New York Islanders for the second straight time in under a week. It was a 1-0 final score where the Caps allowed a goal in third period in an otherwise good defensive game by the boys in white.
The Islanders outshot the Caps 12-7 in the first period while the Caps flipped the script and outshot them 12-7 in the second. Both teams had two power play opportunities with each team killing it off. Semyon Varlamov made 29 saves as the Caps couldn’t get anything past him.
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Brock Nelson struck for the Isles at 13:05 for the game’s only goal. The Islanders outshot the Caps 20-10 in the third period and 39-29 overall.
So how did the Caps lose this game? It wasn’t from the Brock Nelson goal. It was the Caps defensive breakdown in the third period that led to the goal. For 40 minutes, the team played tenacious defense. In the last 20 minutes, no scratch that, for the last 18 minutes of the game the Islanders had 13 high danger chances at even strength.
Defenseman Justin Schultz told the media after the game via Andrew Gillis of NBC Sports Washington:
"“I think we gave them some pretty Grade-A chances. Vitek kept us in it there. I think we’re trying to do the right thing, trying to push there at the end especially when we got down one. Still can’t give up those chances, but learn from it, get back to it.”"
Vitek Vanecek kept the Caps in the game with a decent start in net. He made 38 saves for a .974 save percentage. But the Islanders kept the pressure up in the third period and in the end it resulted in the game’s only goal.
Now the Caps return home to host the Boston Bruins on Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the first of a back to back. The second game will be in Buffalo against the Sabres the next night.