Just Kuz; that's why

Friday's Caps/Nucks game was not exactly a model of decorum and tranquility.  Nor a model of a modern major general.  In fact, it really wasn't a terribly good model of much of anything.

I guess it was a pretty close game, for most of its length.  The Caps opened the scoring, with the third line pocketing one thanks to some good, persistent work in front of the net from Wardo.  Fehr did a good job throwing it towards him, and Ward knocked it down then pushed it into the net from between the skates of his defender.

The Caps were a little slow, as it took them three and a half minutes (instead of the usual two and a half) to give up a goal, as Beagle and OV collided in the defensive zone, giving up the puck to the forecheck.  A quick pass found Schroeder uncovered in the slot for a quick wrister past Halak.

The rest of the period was pretty even, but with nobody putting the squat cyclinder in the net.

It took eight and a half minutes (remarkably similar timing to Washington's first goal, now that I think about it), but Washington retook the lead on an OV power play goal from the OV spot (only thing different there was the second assist coming from Kuzya, playing Backstrom's position).

Four minutes later, Kuzya had a really pretty assist to Wilson (who displayed excellent hands to corral the puck quickly and get the shot off).  That finished off the scoring in the second, with Vancouver quickly catching up on shots.

And that's where the third went, too, as Washington had almost no sustained possession against the 'Nuck-leheads, and Halak faced a barrage.  That barrage did net a pair of goals, but Washington (in the form of Game Over Green, from Kuzya) got one back less than three minutes after the second one to provide the final victory margin.

Overall, shots looked horribly unbalanced (41-21 in favor of Vancouver), but most of the difference came with the game not "close".  So the Caps actually looked pretty good, possessionally, up 59-41 in 5v5 close Fenwick.  But I wonder if they should have done better when they were up.  I'm minded to think so, because that's an awfully big full-game gap.

Because of that huge gap, Halak ended up having a very good game.  The first and second goals would have required hella good saves, although I suspect Jaro would've wanted the third one back.  Still, that's a very good game.

The power play was pretty good, with one goal in two chances, and attempting nine shots (five on net) in their three and a half minutes.  Nothing to be disappointed in, there.

The PK was... not as good.  They did keep Vancouver from scoring, but that was allowing eighteen attempts (eight on net) in six minutes.  Those are not good rates.  It worked out, but that was a lot of luck.

Overall, hard to be upset with how things played out (other than, perhaps, bafflement at Beagle and OV being on the same line with any regularity).  Well, it'd be nice if the Caps would stop giving up leads so frequently, but that's really the only major issue.

I'll cover the Sunday Maple Leafs game separately.