The Washington Capitals entered their second game of the season following a loss in their season opener to their divisional rival Pittsburgh Penguins, where they were out-battled and lost the game 4-0. Heading into their second game of the season against the Calgary Flames, they were hoping to move their record to even and did just that with a huge performance in a massive shootout win, taking it 3-2. Even after being outshot and extremely outplayed in the first period, the Capitals were able to bounce back and make the game interesting, ultimately taking the win away from a Flames team that almost couldn’t get anything past goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
With the Capitals missing the playoffs and looking to get back after a few small moves in the offseason, the team looked much better last night than they did in their opener. Hopefully, they can continue this play and carry the momentum into their next game. Looking back at their matchup with the Flames, here are three takeaways from the team’s massive 3-2 win.
Kuemper Looks Like A Vezina Candidate
Kuemper played a phenomenal game after sitting out the season opener for the birth of his first child. In his first hockey game as a father, he was able to stop 38 of 40 shots as well as all three shootout attempts from the Flames. He kept the game close in the first period after the Caps were outshot 18-3 and the Flames were only able to tuck two behind him and couldn’t get anything going for the rest of the night.
With the Caps looking to make it back into the playoff picture, a strong starting goaltender who can single-handedly win them hockey games will be a key for them to not only make it back but make a deep run. Hopefully, Kuemper can continue his strong start and carry his own momentum over to their next game against the Ottawa Senators.
Carbery Gets First Win As New Head Coach
The Capitals fired head coach Peter Laviolette after a lacklustre season that saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The team turned to a much younger alternative for their new head coach in Spencer Carbery, who had been an assistant coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the previous two seasons before being hired by the Capitals. He had also spent time as the head coach of the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League (AHL) for three seasons before joining the Maple Leafs for his first NHL gig.
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This win against the Flames marks Carbery’s first win as the team’s new head coach, and one that likely takes some of the stress off of him and the rest of the staff. With a much better-structured team in the offensive zone and with brand-new systems for the team, this seems to be a step in the right direction for the franchise, and the first of many wins for the new bench boss.
Team Needs to Start Stronger, Can’t Rely On Goaltending
Luckily for the Capitals, Kuemper played really well and helped lead them to a victory. Charlie Lindgren also played pretty well in his start against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the team can’t keep starting games flat and relying on their goaltending to win them games. While both of them seem to be doing quite well this season, they aren’t perfect, and they won’t be able to single-handedly steal wins with stellar performances. Being outshot 18-3 in the first period is unacceptable, and something the team will need to improve on if they’re hoping for long-term success and a spot in the playoffs.
What’s Next for the Capitals?
The Capitals are back in action on Wednesday, Oct. 18 when they face the Senators. Last season, the Capitals and Senators faced off three times, where the Capitals won one game and lost two. In their upcoming matchup, the Capitals will be hoping to bring their overall record in the 2023-24 season to over .500 and carry over the momentum from what was a big first win of the season.
