This is your place to check for updates and commentary for the Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers game on February 25, 2023.
The Washington Capitals have just two games left before the March 3 NHL trade deadline. The first of those games will be in Buffalo as the young upstart Sabers host a Caps team that has won just three of its last ten games.
From consecutive net days for the Caps, it will be Darcy Kuemper. Kuemper has allowed three or more goals in five straight starts and in 12 of his last 17 games. He’ll be looking to end that against the Sabers as he comes straight back in net after a win over Rangers on Saturday.
The Sunday morning game is on NBC Sports Washington and the puck drop inside the KeyBank Center is a little after 1 p.m.
Connections
Lines
Lineys!#CapsSabers | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/0ZeKGFtOD2
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 26, 2023
Pre-game shenanigans
it’s early, but it might be the funniest thing you see today pic.twitter.com/lISAylSewS
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 26, 2023
1st period
Milano-Strome-Oshie and Fehervary-Jensen take the start. Darcy Kuemper will face Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in net.
Huge chances for TJ Oshie, Jack Quinn and Alex Ovechkin in the first ninety seconds of the contest. Both goalkeepers make their first big saves.
Luukkonen stops Nicolas Aube-Kubel on a breakaway. Ridiculous pace to start the afternoon.
🚨 1-0 Sabers. Dylan Cozens completes a great rushing chance. So many very quick and very good young players on this Buffalo team.
It’s Cozens who uses his speed again to create a breakaway but this time Kuemper is ready for it.
🚨 Draw 1-1. The puck goes down the other end and Nick Jensen finds Dylan Strome for a quick answer goal.
🚨 2-1 Sabers. Evgeny Kuznetsov turned around and sent a blind backhand pass straight into the slot to Tage Thompson. Thompson won his 40th of the season.
🚨 2-2 tied. They barely dropped the puck for the face-off after Thompson scored and Dylan Strome found TJ Oshie in the side of the net to tie things up. Four goals in his last three games with Osh.
This is how the first period ended. An absolutely crazy back and forth.
2nd period
🚨 3-2 Sabers. Jeff Skinner cleans up some change behind Kuemper.
🚨 4-2 Sabers. Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons make Matt Irwin and Dylan McIlrath look silly and put Buffalo in two.
🚨 5-2 Sabers. Vinnie Hinostroza adds another. The Sabers crossed the Capes as if they didn’t exist. Kuemper slams his stick into the goal frame and Charlie Lindgren will take over for him.
Darcy Kuemper breaking his stick and throwing his mask is every Capitals fan this season
🚨 6-2 Sabers. Dylan Cozens is no nicer to Lindgren than he was to Kuemper. This kid can absolutely fly and has the finish to boot.
🚨 6-3 Sabers. Alex Ovechkin scored his 33rd of the season. Ovi is the first in February after being deprived of it for six games.
Alex Ovechkin looks skyward after scoring his first goal since the death of his father Mikhail
🚨 6-4 Sabers. Sonny Milano finds a breakaway chance and makes no mistake about a back and forth movement past Luukkonen.
Matt Irwin tried to give the Sabers a seventh goal, but Charlie Lindgren was ready to stop Skinner at the buzzer. Six goals in total in this second period. Total chaos.
3rd period
Nick Jensen to box for the hook. Big kill here for the Caps.
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