The sweep of the NHL slate from Wednesday takes in two games including the Washington Capitals whitewashing of the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-0, behind a 27-save performance of Braden Holtby.
Alex Ovechkin – file photo by PHN
There’s a lot of positives to take out of that game,” goaltender Holtby said. “That’s something we needed tonight after the last few games. It was a great effort. It’s one of those things, we seem to play really well against the really good teams. Now we have to find a way to make sure we’re playing that way against everyone. There’s a lot of positives and a lot of things we can take out of it to improve our game in the future.”
Alex Ovechkin scored twice in the win and now leads the NHL in scoring with 29 goals.
“Up and down the lineup, I thought we played with a lot of purpose, a lot of order,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. “We had a plan and we worked the plan. That was more of the team that I’m used to seeing.”
The Caps picked up goals from Eric Fehr and Mike Green to support Ovechkin’s efforts.
“It just comes down to focus and preparation,” Green said. “We had the right mindset tonight and we proved it on the ice. That’s one thing is being focused, but going out there and actually executing is the other.”
The Caps had been in a funk of late after tearing up the league in December.
“I thought coming [into] the second period, it played out the same way [as the first period],” Penguins coach Mike Johnston said. “It was hard for us to generate, but it wasn’t like we were giving up a lot. Then that power play goal [by Ovechkin], I thought was a key goal for them. They got some momentum off the two power plays in the second period.”
Washington also recognizes, as all clubs do, the need to get points as the season begins to wind down.
“Second half of the season, every game is getting so important, especially in our own division,” the Caps Nicklas Backstrom said. “We are playing a good team and we also wanted to bounce back after [a 4-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday]. … Right from the start, we came out hard and we worked, [we] worked as a team. We played physical and that paid off. We scored a big goal in the first period and another one in the second. Overall, we played a really good 60-minute game. We didn’t allow them too many chances, I don’t think, and obviously Holtby was great in the net. I think, overall, a really good team effort from everyone.”
In Newark, the Toronto Maple Leafs were looking to come out of their own funk but instead laid another offensive egg as they lost to the Devils, 2-1, in th3e skills competition portion of the game.
James van Riemsdyk scored for the Leafs in the third to give Toronto a rare lead
But Adam Larsson tied it up with less than three minutes left in regulation and the Leafs folded their tents after that.
“I just tried to get it past the first layer of guys,” Larsson said. “There were a lot of guys in front and luckily it went all the way through. I wasn’t aiming, just trying to get it there and it was quicker to use the wrist shot.”
Larsson’s goal capped a personal effort that has seen his play improve in recent weeks.
“[The coaching staff] trusts me and I think that’s all I needed,” Larsson said. “I needed guys that showed they trusted me, and then it’s up to yourself if you want to be out there. It’s nice to play through mistakes, but at the end of the day it’s up to how you play.
“I’m feeling confident and I feel I can make mistakes and play through them.”
Toronto was scoreless in five power play opportunities in the game and their failure with the man advantage might well be pinned on Devils goalie Cory Schneider who made 29 saves on the night for the win.
Jonathan Bernier took the loss making 22 saves and was burned in the shootout by Jacob Josefson and Patrik Elias.
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