Rise of Vitek Vanacek: Caps beat Sabers 2-1

Rise of Vitek Vanacek: Caps beat Sabers 2-1

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With a slim victory on Friday night, the Capitals beat as winners in the opening series for the rugby season in Buffalo. But it wasn’t quite the striking performance that made the Caps run Thursday night.

The Caps took three penalties in the first period, but skillfully killed them to escape evenly. The second period was blah as well, but Jakub Vrana scored a fairly hasty goal to give the Caps the lead.

The Sabers scored on their first inning in the third period, with one of their many Rasmii lose a pulse from the blue line. Tom Wilson responded with a pulse from the viewpoint on the top shelf to restore Washington’s lead.

Pette won!

Two off.

  • Czech goalkeeper Vitek Vanacek made his NHL debut. After two busy periods (including 12 saves in the second), he concedes his first NHL goal – a deflection from Tom Wilson up front. Overall a very good first appearance.
  • Meanwhile, no one seemed to like this very good video I had toiled for countless minutes to create?
  • Last week, the well-known crook Kevin Klein published a story at Japers Rink about how the Caps’ penalty problems would soon be reversed. The Caps committed five unanswered penalties, three in the first period alone.
  • Great PKs though.
  • Jakub Vrana had two goals in two games, and both were crackerjacks. I predicted a great season for the sob, and again i am right in my analysis.
  • Meanwhile, it Alex Ovechkin was silent again. His line did not dominate nearly as much possession as Thursday, and Ovechkin had precious little appearance.
  • Maybe he’s going to get a better chance now that he’s apparently reunited Tom Wilson, assistant of Vrana’s goal, goal scorer of the match winner, and …
  • Taylor Hall, which I now have to remind again of a Buffalo Saber, took a suit in the face. He returned in the third period with a nasty set of stitches on his lip.

So, what’s good? It’s too early for me to say, except for this game, which was bad. The Caps had nothing of their control as of Thursday night, they asked way too much from their rookie goalkeeper, and they committed a bunch of penalties. But they got another god, and that’s enough.

But I expect some Ovi shots from the Ovi Spot this weekend.

Next: the Caps leave for Pittsburgh for lunch at the Penguins.

RMNB coverage of caps at Sabers

Caption photo: NHL / Wikimedia Commons / Peter’s good artwork

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