Capitals vs Avalanche: How the Game Was Lost

"Monday afternoon's game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Washington Capitals looked every bit like a contest between a team ripping through the league at a historic rate versus one whose chances of making the playoffs are a coin flip. Colorado, as they have to everyone they've played this year, dominated possession. Washington had several stretches where they found themselves hemmed in the Avs zone, needing timely saves from backup goaltender Charlie Lindgren to keep things within reach - and eventually, the dam broke."

"Nathan MacKinnon would find the equally superhuman Cale Makar across the ice to bury a goal that would serve as the dagger to the Caps' hopes: The celebration would become subdued by a lengthy pause after Spencer Carbery took a timeout. Coaches' challenges, whether they be initiated by the Capitals or their opponent, haven't favored DC at all this season. The streak would break as a closer look gave them the lifeline they needed to keep the deficit at one:"

"A Ball Arena crowd that had already celebrated three goals earlier was as loud as they'd been all day, hurling their displeasure at the officials. Washington seemed to be back in it, still one bounce away from evening things up. A window of opportunity had opened after it appeared to have just been slammed shut. The Capitals had life. And then it got ripped away less than a minute later:"

Colorado dominated possession and controlled much of the game, repeatedly hemming Washington in the offensive zone. Backup goaltender Charlie Lindgren made timely saves that kept the score manageable until Nathan MacKinnon fed Cale Makar for a dagger goal. A coaches' challenge briefly reduced the deficit to one, and a raucous Ball Arena crowd signaled a potential Capitals comeback. Less than a minute later Colorado reasserted control and ripped away any momentum. The Avalanche outshot Washington 17-3 in the third period, showcasing depth and top-end talent. Washington continues to suffer from a lack of elite scorers while missing Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson.

Read at Japers' Rink