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After falling behind 3-0 just 14:47 into the game, the Washington Capitals had to play catch-up the rest of the way, eventually coming up short, 4-3.
“Having opponents that force us to play a high level game can only help us,” Caps Head Coach Barry Trotz said to reporters about the tough remaining schedule his team has to face to finish out the regular season.
“We have to really take care of that puck and not give talented teams any freebies. It seems like when we get into trouble, a lot of times, it’s self inflicted,” Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen said in the locker room. “You saw a little bit of that in the first today.”
Washington goaltender Braden Holtby was pulled after giving up three goals on 13 shots.
Just 19 seconds into the second, right winger Troy Brouwer ended a 12-game scoring drought as he watched his shot take a weird path over Nashville Predators’ goaltender Pekke Rinne’s flailing body.
Seven minutes later, Brouwer recorded his second multi-goal game of the season and the 16th of his career when his shot found the back of the net on a short-handed rush. His second goal of the game made him the second Washington Capital to reach 20 goals this season, behind left winger Alex Ovechkin. This is also just the third time Brouwer has reached 20 or more goals in a season.
Nashville pushed their lead back to two goals after former Caps center Mike Ribeiro netted his 15th of the year with 11:56 remaining. The second period ended with the Predators ahead 4-2.
A mere 20 seconds into the third period, defenseman Mike Green scored his seventh goal of the season, and his first career goal against Nashville.
Nashville center Mike Ribeiro and left winger Filip Forsberg accounted for five points against their former club. Ribeiro collected a goal and one assist while Forsberg tallied a goal and two assists.
Today was Forsberg’s third career three-point game for Nashville.
In the second period, Capitals’ captain Alex Ovechkin received an embellishment penalty. This comes just a day after the NHL announced that right winger Tom Wilson was fined $2,000 for his first embellishment fraction. Ovechkin’s infraction could have Trotz also receiving a fine from the NHL.
“I was surprised, but, no comment,” Ovechkin said when asked about the embellishment call.
“We have to let go of today and worry about tomorrow,” Trotz said. “It’s the playoff mentality. You have got to have a short term memory.”
With today’s win over Washington, Nashville has clinched a spot in the Western Conference playoffs and currently leads the race for the Presidents’ Trophy with 102 points.
The Capitals will travel next to Madison Square Garden in New York City. Tomorrow’s game time is 3:00 p.m. against the Eastern Conference leading New York Rangers.
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