The Chicago Blackhawks had one of the best games of the season against the New York Islanders on Dec. 15 in a 5-3 win, where everything was clicking for them, and it was a complete effort. But as always, sustaining these efforts from game to game has been problematic for them.
They had a big test against the Washington Capitals, who are the second-best team in the NHL, but the Blackhawks have proven they could beat top teams in the NHL despite their last-place status. However, the Capitals were coming off a bad 3-1 loss to the Dallas Stars the night before (Dec. 16) and were looking to get back in the win column. However, the Blackhawks came out with a statement 3-2 win.
Capitals Break Blackhawks Fast Start Streak
The Blackhawks have been on a roll lately with scoring the game’s first goal. They had scored the first goal in 13 of their last 14 games, but they were not able to score first against the Capitals.
Pierre-Luc Dubois scored first after beating defenseman Louis Crevier, that just barely crossed the line five minutes into the game. Then, with seven minutes left in the period, Andrew Magiapane beat T.J. Brodie to the net and scored to put the Capitals up 2-0 early in the first period.
Blackhawks Fail to Convert on Power Play Opportunities
When it came to the second period, the Capitals tried their darndest to give the game to the Blackhawks. Dylan Strome took a too many men on the ice penalty eight minutes into the period. When that penalty expired, the Caps took another too many men penalty, which I don’t think I have seen before. A few minutes after the second penalty expired, Trevor van Riemsdyk took a tripping penalty. So, the Blackhawks got three power plays in six minutes. They failed to convert on them.
The Blackhawks’ power play has been very good this season, as they are ranked seventh in the NHL. The power play came up for them against the Islanders on Dec. 15, but that was the story of the second period. The Blackhawks needed to get at least one power-play goal, especially against one of the best teams in the league. Their power play did look threatening, however. Connor Murphy had a chance, Tyler Bertuzzi had a chance, and even Nazar looked good on the man advantage with some great passes. At one point, he had a pass that landed right on Connor Bedard’s stick, but it unfortunately didn’t pan out.
It wasn’t the best period by the Capitals, and it wasn’t a bad period by the Blackhawks, but no one got on the scoresheet in the second frame.
Ilya Mikheyev Has Answer For Blackhawks
The Capitals started the period on the power play due to a Nazar hooking penalty at the end of the second period. But if there was ever a time for the Blackhawks to score their first short-handed goal of the season, it was then. Ilya Mikheyev got the Blackhawks on the board 2-1.
Furthermore, the Blackhawks killed 27 straight penalties, including three of the Capitals’ power plays, making that short-handed goal a bigger statement.
Short-handed goals always tend to be a back-breaker for the team that gives them up, and that is what happened for Washington. Defenseman T.J. Brodie tied the game 2-2 with five minutes left in the third after a great cycle shift by the Teuvo Teravainen, Mikheyev, and Jason Dickinson line.
Then, Ryan Donato scored to make it 3-2, who made the whole play happen himself as he brought the puck to the net and made it work.
Both goalies in Logan Thompson and Arvid Soderblom, played well in the game, but Mikheyev’s two-point night and Teravainen’s three-point night were tough to overcome for Washington.
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The Capitals looked slow tonight and couldn’t get much offense generated. It was the Blackhawks’ night all around.
Now, the Capitals are on a two-game losing streak, and the Blackhawks are on a two-game winning streak. Chicago will look to extend the streak to three games against the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 19.
