A Caps fan watches supporting Alex Ovechkin in Section 419.
Copyright Derek Felix

Rick Nash continued to stay hot. So did the Rangers. Nash’s two goals lifted them to a 4-1 win over the Caps at The Garden. It was a fun game to be at. Our section 419 had a few Caps’ fans which made for entertaining banter. During play, they took on a couple of our loud fans with “Let’s Go Caps” chants to our “Let’s Go Rangers.” It was very entertaining. Especially when you have one guy screaming at the top of his lungs at them which energized the entire section. Honestly, the sideshow made for some good videos. I recorded a few.

On top of the playful back and forth chants, you had our team’s latest assault. A week ago, they victimized the visiting Flyers. This time, the Caps were on the receiving end of a three-goal first period outburst. Playing with so much more confidence, Nash took full advantage of a hard Chris Kreider forecheck that forced a turnover inside the Washington zone. A complete breakdown allowed a flying Nash to cut in and beat Philipp Grubauer with a backhand top shelf just 70 seconds in. The quick start sent our section into madness. We were just getting warmed up.

”It was a tough back-to-back for us,” Nash said referencing a weekend sweep after being named the game’s First Star. ”Traveling (Saturday) and coming home to a team that is right on our heels … it’s a huge four points.”

Henrik Lundqvist was also sharp from the outset stopping 10 Capital shots in the first. I never really felt they were going to score. A strong penalty kill of a Derick Brassard minor combined with some undisciplined play from Washington led to the next two goals. Following a Martin Erat minor, Karl Alzner hooked down Mats Zuccarello to hand us a two-man advantage. The seventh ranked power play cashed in twice. First, Nash took a Brad Richards feed and snuck one through Grubauer for his seventh goal in the last eight. Richards and Ryan McDonagh drew assists. As Alzner’s penalty expired, Derek Stepan scored for a second consecutive game shooting a wrister thru a Kreider screen. That chased Grubauer (3 GA on 8 shots). Mike Del Zotto and Dan Girardi added helpers.

Photo taken by Derek Felix

Pandemonium in the stands following those two goals. Plenty of sarcastic commentary to a friendly Caps’ contingent. You had to respect them because they never let up. It really was comedy. When you have an entire section involved, it definitely makes it more fun to be a part of. With it being my sixth game, I really enjoyed myself. It was also nice to reach .500. I’m now 3-3. Doubly important, the last two have been great wins over division rivals. It’s always nice when you win those. Especially in a crowded Metro where almost every team is bunched up.

The Caps did get on the board early in the second thanks to their own 5-on-3. Alex Ovechkin scored his league-leading 35th at 59 seconds to cut the deficit to 3-1. Moments earlier, he drew a slash on Carl Hagelin with a bit of embellishment. A good sell job from the Great Eight. You had to figure he’d find a way to get one. Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom set him up for one of those patented lasers. When it became a two-goal contest, our Capital friends had their fun. My favorite part was when one in a red Caps’ jersey said, “We got our one.”

While that was true, suddenly it was a game. The Rangers really needed the penalty kill to come through on the back end. Not only did they deliver but Ryan Callahan scored a back breaking shorthanded goal at 2:25 to restore order. Dominic Moore took a Girardi outlet and came in on a two on two. He wisely fired a low shot on Caps’ reliever Braden Holtby, who fumbled the puck. With Callahan wisely tracking the puck, he steered home the rebound for his ninth.

”You’re not going out on the PK and thinking, ‘I want to score a goal by any means,”’ Callahan said after earning Second Star. ”I feel like with the guys we have killing, and the speed we have on our killers, if the opportunity presents itself, we are going to go for it.”

They could’ve had more. So much more in sync offensively are they that you no longer feel offense is impossible. That has been erased. With Lundqvist shutting the door en route to the game’s Third Star and 24 saves, it was his fifth win in six. He returned following Cam Talbot’s latest victory.

”Starts are important,” Lundqvist said. ”If you can jump out and start the right way and then get the momentum, then I think you set the tone for the rest of the game and you gain confidence right away.”

The game got chippie with Tom Wilson and Dan Carcillo exchanging matching roughs during a scrum. John Erskine also was involved with Brian Boyle, who of course did nothing. He wouldn’t have thrown down anyway. After that, the game settled down. The only other storyline was Erat’s stupidity. Having already taken a pair of minors, he made it a hat trick with a foolish chop on a fallen Boyle. He lost his footing and the puck was underneath him when Erat got nabbed for slashing. I don’t know how the Caps could’ve dealt away top prospect Filip Forsberg for him. What a disaster. It’s a trade that should come back to haunt them.

An uneventful third saw the Rangers defend well only allowing seven shots. The best part from my perspective is I can’t think of one player on our side who played badly. It was a total team effort. They’re up to 57 points and sit second behind the Pens. Having played two more than the idle Flyers, that could change. As long as they take care of what’s in front of them, it doesn’t matter. There’ll be some good tests this week with the Islanders visiting Tuesday and then one of the league’s best in St. Louis Thursday. That preempts the highly anticipated first game of the Stadium Series next Sunday at Yankee Stadium versus the Devils. They then conclude it with the Islanders Jan. 29 before finishing the season series with a home date Jan. 31. We’ll learn more about where they’re headed.