📸: Jeffrey from #crashers
The Washington Capitals suited up for the first time since the trade deadline for a matinee visit with the Boston Bruins. Both teams were positioning for a playoff spot – or leveraging for a loffs location – and one did it better.
In the second period, Pavel Zacha scored on one of the thirty thousand power plays in the game. Aliaksei Protas responded by tipping in Jakob Chychrun‘s rebound, tying the score after two periods.
In the third, Viktor Arvidsson exploited a turnover by Protas to put the Bruins ahead. Elias Lindholm secured the win with an empty-net goal.
Caps lose.
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- John Carlson and Nic Dowd are no longer Washington Capitals. Both will be remembered fondly and missed dearly. I couldn’t do them justice in a single bullet. I’ll just say their impact on this team – not to mention Ovi’s record – will forever be underappreciated.
- The best two scoring chances of the first period by both teams came shorthanded: Elias Lindholm and Tom Wilson. I think that says a little about the quality of this game and moreover the Washington power play. It has been ages since anyone deigned to vaunt the Caps PP.
- Justin Sourdif had a rough outing, getting pushed around on a line with McMichael and Leonard and committing two penalties.
- But penalties were a problem for everyone. The Caps committed six minors through two periods, doubling up the Bruins, who got away with an uncalled trip late in the second period. The whistles were put away for the third period, lest we spend this whole recap talking about Brian Pochmara and Chris Rooney.
- With Carlson gone, the Caps need Jakob Chychrun to keep producing. So far, so good. This power move left Alex Steeves in the dust.
- Demonstrably, the Bruins wanted this win more. We were eight minutes into the third period, half of them in a tie, before Washington got its first shot on goal. With the loffs on the line, the Caps came up short. That says a lot, so I’ll say a little.
- But I will say that Boston’s third jerseys are the same color as your pee in the bathroom at the laser tag place.
whatever PK is wearing, I’m here for it
— Peter Hassett (@peterhassett.net) 2026-03-07T18:21:19.531Z
The Caps have less than a one-in-four chance of making the playoffs now. It’s still doable, but I’m discouraged after that trade deadline and this game. The signal is clear: the front office doesn’t believe in this team. And judging by their performance today, this team doesn’t believe in this team either. So why should we?
Maybe next game – against the Flames on Monday – will give us an answer.
