First Period: No Stuart or Myers. The Thorburns have a new baby, and Matthias is on the IR, so Dano and Copp make their season debuts. Melchiori draws in for his second game. Hutchinson and Holtby are the stoppers. TSN asks that the Jets bring the same energy in their "keys to the game". 8 shots by Ehlers during Tuesday's game. Jets control the play for the first 1:30 as the play is whistled down. Wheeler and Buff have a 2 on 1 but can't convert. Washington's Beagle line is matched up against the Jets' Scheifele line. Cap's Oshie with a slick backcheck on Laine. Jets doing their part to live up to TSN's expectations. Jets' Scheifele with the steal in close but no go. Caps' Orlov with the chance after Ehlers jettisoned his glove and stick and decides his likes soccer instead. Caps' Connolly off for tripping at 11:56. Jets on the PP. Lowry with the front net chance after a Byfuglien slapshot. Laine lazers the puck to Ehlers for the one timer. Perreault gets away with tripping. Penalty over. Hutch coughs up the puck, giving the Caps a chance. Shots are 6-1 for the Jets on 14 shot attempts @ 8:53. Caps' Oshie with the wide open chance, but no dice. The Laine, Lowry and Armia line is a puck possession dream, generating a few chances. Caps' Backstrom left alone after a some hard work by the Copp line. Backstrom scores and the Caps go up 1-0. 9-4 shots for the Jets thus far. Byfuglien appears to be hurt after being dumped by Caps' Ovechkin with 2 mins left. Caps' Orlov gives up the puck after pressure by Copp line. Dano with the chance. Jets overall control the play, but exit the first period down 1-0 as time expires.
Second Period: Byfuglien with the shot and Scheifele with the redirect off the post to start the period. After controlling the puck, the Caps' Oshie left alone in front and scores making it 2-0 Caps. Dano picks up a high sticking penalty (nah, I don't think so.). Hutch ducks after some high heat. Another Caps' Niskanen try, but Hutch is clutch. Jets kill off the penalty. 91% on the PK so far for the season. Ehlers with the nice dish to Postma who has two chances on the Caps' Holtby. Perreault waved out of the face off circle, so Laine takes the draw and loses. Hutchinson takes a heater off the mask and the play is whistled down. Lowry and Perreault have switched lines. The Caps are now dominating the play as they created havoc in the Jets' zone. Caps' Williams walks in and is stoned by Hutchinson. Caps' Ovechkin jumps on the puck and scores, making it 3-0 Caps. Caps are now controlling the play. Jets' Ehlers goes off for hooking with 7:50 left, so back on the PK. Caps with a few chances but the penalty is killed off. Connor with a chance with new linemates in Scheifele and Wheeler. Ehlers is with Lowry and Armia. Scramble in the Jets' crease and the play is whistled down. Armia goes thru 4 Caps to reach the net with the puck. Wow! Jets regain puck control with 1:33 left in the second. Scheifele to Wheeler to Chariot with the scoring chance. Just wondering, do other NHL teams covet players that their fans hate? Hmmm. Ya gotta wonder, as it's announced that Thorburn will join the Jets in Detroit for tomorrow's game against the Red Wings. Second period ends and the Jets are down by three. Capitals have outhit the Jets 23 -14 in the game so far.
Third Period: Caps lead the shots 22-16 to start the third. Caps' Carlson controls the puck behind the Caps' net for a good 15 second and springs Williams who snuck in behind the Jets' D. Ehlers takes a interference penalty on the play, so the Jets go back on the PK. Wheeler with pressure, Enstrom makes the play in the neutral zone, Holtby comes out and is knocked over by Carlson and Enstrom scores on the empty net short handed. 3-1 Caps but still on the PP. Byfuglien steps into the Caps' Sanford and the Jets kill the penalty. Buff with the puck and heads towards the Caps' net, finds Lowry in front who scores! 3-2 Caps. Cue the Jets comeback! Caps' Oshie with the quick shot but gloved by Hutchinson. Jets' Enstrom jumps up into the play again. Armia stays in after being bumped around. Caps' Kuznetsov takes a penalty on Wheeler so the Jets go on the PP. Scheifele appears to be dumped on the blue line by Caps' Orpik, but upon review Scheifele called for diving and Orpik called for, well, nothing as he didn't touch Scheifele. Odd! No shots by the Jets on the PP. Copp, Tanev and Dano do the heavy lifting, and Dano is Johnny on the spot as he ties the game 3-3! Copp and Tanev with the assists, making it Tanev's first NHL point! Jets' Byfuglien off for slashing but the penalty is killed off with strong play by Tanev and Lowry. Perreault and Armia are done for the night with injuries! Uh oh! Jets' Lowry powers thru Caps' Carlson and whacks at the puck as he almost nets it for the game. Laine, Burmi and Ehlers is now a line. Caps' called for icing with 2:01 left. Wheeler with a nifty pass to Connor, and with the game winner on his stick is stopped by Holtby. Huge block by Ehlers with 19 seconds left. That's gotta hurt!. Overtime, here we come!
Overtime: Face off, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, tension builds, back and forth, back and forth, everyone's tired, back and forth and… the play is whistled down, everyone's spent, there's nothing left in the tank, and time out is called. (Anyone got a cigarette? Whew!) Alright, a PoMo described "horsesh*t" too many men call against the Jets, so it's 4 on 3. Caps' Carlson to Ovechkin, who one times it past Hutchinson. Caps win 4-3 in overtime, and Laine is still taking notes on Ovechkin's shot.
