The Capitals put together their best, complete five-on-five performance in some time in the loss, finishing with positive differentials in shot attempts, scoring chances, and high-danger chances. However, that good performance resulted in only one even-strength goal, showcasing their ongoing struggle to convert opportunities.
New Jersey's power play is lethal, with 13 of their 33 shots coming while up a man, contributing to two of their goals. The refereeing has been questioned, indicating that not all penalties were warranted, which impacted Washington's game strategy.
The primary factor for the defeat was Jake Allen’s performance, who stopped 24 of 26 shots, exceeding expectations as he saved 0.41 goals above expected, demoralizing the Capitals despite their strong offense.
Ivan Miroshnichenko had a challenging game with only 8:56 of ice time, struggling to adapt to the NHL speed but showing flashes of potential that encouraged the coaching staff.
Collection
[
|
...
]