Down Goes Thomas!

This was a very weird game. Through two periods, the caps were absolutely kicking butt. They were up by three, and were completely stifling the Bruins. They even got Lemaire to pull Thomas, getting those three goals on twenty-five shots.

And, like the Leafs game, it fell apart early in the third. Two quick penalties leading to two quick goals left the Caps reeling a bit. A third goal five minutes later tied things up. At that point, Boudreau decided to pull Neuvirth for Holtby (the three goals came on only five shots).

The Caps finally settled things down, and started playing better again. Three and a half minutes later, John Carlson scored with a slap shot from the point to restore the Caps lead. And OV added an empty netter with a minute left to close out the scoring.

What stood out for me?

This might well be the first game I've ever seen where both starting goaltenders were pulled. That part was just plain weird. Congrats to Holtby for getting his first career win (and appearance, and saves, for that matter).

Carlson had a very nice game for himself, looking solid throughout, and getting the goal.

The Caps first goal was by Sloan, off a clean face-off win by Flash. Knuble provided some screenage by charging the net immediately, and the puck slipped through. I'm going to nominate this goal as the flukiest one of the season (it's definitely the flukiest to this point, but I think the odds are good that it will remain the flukiest for the entire year). Sloan also had a very nice stick-handling move a minute or so after scoring to avoid a hit.

Semin was exceptionally motivated in this one. His goal was a very nice one where he created a short-handed 3-on-1, and Green gave it back to him on a give-and-go. He also had a nice play coming back on what could have been a Bruins 2-on-1, where he not only hustled to get back, but managed to push his guy over the blue line for an offsides when they got there. In addition, he had some nice steals. A very good game all around for him.

OV had a good game, too, with a goal and an assist, as did his normal partner-in-crime, Backstrom, with a pair of assists of his own (the second of which, on OV's empty-netter, was really sweet, passing it backwards between his legs).

Otherwise, the scoring was very balanced, with ten different people notching a goal or an assist.

I'm not sure what to make of the game as a whole. The first two periods were among the best the Caps have played all season, but that seven minute lapse in the third was very disturbing. It was especially so, coming after the similar loss of concentration against the Leafs. I hope the Caps come back very motivated from this, and just spank the Flyers. Time will tell.