After what interim head coach Derek King said was the best performance of the season on Sunday in a shutout loss to the Sharks -- one without luck around the net offensively -- the Blackhawks continued to build on their defensive fortitude Thursday night against the league's highest-scoring offense coming into the night.
The difference in Washington, though, was that the Blackhawks did find the offense at the other end, scoring a pair of goals at 5-on-5 and a power-play tally to support the shutdown play. Chicago also scored the game's opening goal in a game for the first time in the last four contests.
"That's a good hockey team -- big, fast, skilled. It was a challenge for us," King said after the win. "They pushed the pace, they tilted the ice here and there, but we stuck to our game plan, played as simple as we could. We still made some mistakes, but we stayed in the fight. It was a challenge for us and they rose to the occasion."
The biggest Capitals push on the night came after Connor Murphy was hit up high by Alex Ovechkin seconds into the middle frame with the Blackhawks leading 1-0. Murphy left the game and did not return. Washington then put seven shots on goal in the ensuing 6:30 of game time, including netting a 1-1 equalizer.
Chicago settled, though, and closed out the second period with just three shots allowed the rest of the way -- with a little added help from the posts behind Fleury that were rung on a few occasions. The Capitals found one rebound chance in the crease and later in the third sprung Garnet Hathaway on a break out of the penalty box as the only two defensive lapses from the visitors the rest of the way.
"We always talk about greasy road wins," Jones said. "The crowd's not on our side, we have to create our own energy and you don't do that by turning pucks over and giving them odd-man rushes. I thought we did a great job of taking the crowd out of it in the first, sticking to our game, keeping it low eventful and just giving ourselves a chance. Flower made big saves (too)."