The Washington Capitals won't be seeing a taltented team like the Winnipeg Jets until June if they're lucky. But after the Caps got wrecked by them on the road trip out west, the tables turned on home ice at Capital One Arena. Especially in that third period.
The first two periods were lacidascial except for the defense and Charlie Lindgren. But the Caps got a power play opportunity to end the second period and begin the third. That came on a slashing call on Mark Scheifele against Nicolas Aube-Kubel.
It came at 19:24 and carried over into the third and as the power play sequence was unfolding John Carlson was wide open up top and called for the puck. Max Pacioretty got it to him and Carlson slapped it from downtown for the games first goal and the Caps never looked back.
It came at 1:21 and T.J. Oshie, the man of the afternoon with the pregame ceremony, had the secondary assist. Alex Ovechkin took care of the rest to bring his goal total up to 26. Many folks thought he'd be lucky to even touch 20 goals earlier in the season.
Ovechkin had eight up to the all star break. Now he has eight in his last five games. He started heating up in early February and he continued the March Madness just eight days after the same building hosted the ACC Tournament.
The Caps get an A for their third period effort and thank goodness the Jets didn't score because they are a team capable of scoring. A bad afternoon if you bet the over but if Lindgren is starting I figure the bettors know better.
Overall it was a good afternoon if you were a Caps fan and they hope to continue the home ice momentum tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings, who now have to chase the Caps after the Caps spent a month chasing them.