Caps Beat Blackhawks in Overtime 4-3

Capitals News

Mar 16

Written By Thom

By Rodger M. Wood Mike Knuble 1ps After last year’s Stanley Cup winners, Chicago Blackhawks, tied the game up at 3-3 on Jonathan Toew’s 6 on 4 power play goal with less than a minute to go in the regulation,Caps rookie center, Marcus Johanssen, doubled up his effort, flew down the ice and set up Mike Knuble’s winning goal in overtime.The win was the Caps eighth in a row, put them one point behind Eastern Conference first place Philadelphia Flyers, and gave them an undertone of confidence for the April playoffs.Both teams played hockey today like it is supposed to be played. The Caps gave 100% effort to get the capacity Verizon Center crowd a win today.Checking line center, Boyd Gordon tied the game up at 1-1 with a shorthanded goal at the 06:11 mark of the first period.With less than a minute to go in the first period, Jason Arnott scored his second goal as a Cap since coming over from New Jersey at the trade deadline and fifteenth of the season, to put the Caps ahead 2-1.On a fluke goal from a bad angle, Blackhawks Tomas Kopecky tied the game up 2-2 of the second period.The game was stalemated until 6:23 of the third period, when Brooks Laich, assisted by Matt Hendricks and Eric Fehr, put the Caps ahead 3-2.In his fourth straight start, rookie Braden Holtby looked sharp, stopping 27 of 30 shots. His only lapse was on Tomas Kopecky fluke goal in the second period.Unsung heroes of the game were Caps rookie defense tandem of John Carlson and Karl Alzner, who stopped Blackhawks young superstars, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, all afternoon, except on Toews power play goal at the end of third period.Carlson did all of the work on Knuble’s overtime goal but got none of the credit.The Caps play last year’s playoff nemesis Montreal Canadiens at Montreal Tuesday.