Caps Close Out Preseason with 5-2 Win Over Blues

As September winds down, so too does the Capitals' 2018 training camp. The Caps finished off their seven-game exhibition slate with a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday in the District. The matinee win over the Blues sends the Caps into the regular season with a 2-3-2 preseason mark, a shade better than the 2-5-0 record they cobbled together last September ahead of the first Stanley Cup championship season in franchise history.

After going winless (0-3-1) in their first four preseason games, the Caps won two of their last three (2-0-1), with both victories coming over the Blues. Washington played well over the vast majority of those last three games after looking out of synch in the first four, and that type of progression is what coaches are looking for at this time of year.
Now, the Caps can place their focus squarely on Wednesday's season opener against Boston.

"We didn't have a ton of roster spots available," notes Caps coach Todd Reirden of training camp 2018. "I liked how our players came into camp, particularly our veteran guys, ready to start the season. A lot of times in these situations when you have a short summer and are obviously dealing with the amazing success that we had in winning the Cup last year, you're not sure exactly how players are going to come in.
"But the biggest takeaway [of the preseason] for me was how they all showed up at camp and were in shape and ready to go. I think there were certain areas where our game improved as we moved forward through camp, and I'm excited to get started on the 3rd."

There is, however, an area of concern for the Caps relating to Sunday's game. Washington winger Tom Wilson incurred a five-minute major for a "check to the head" and a match penalty for an open ice hit on Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist early in the second period of Sunday's game. Sundqvist left the game and did not return, and the NHL's Department of Player Safety is certain to take a longer look at the play between now and Wednesday when the Caps start the 2018-19 season.
Washington and St. Louis have played four preseason games against one another over the last two autumns, and a suspension has come out of each of the previous three of those games. Wilson drew suspensions in each of the exhibitions against the Blues last year, and the second of those cost him the first five games of the regular season. Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo was suspended last week for a hit on Michal Kempny in the Sept. 25 game between the Caps and the Blues in St. Louis.
Reirden
and
several of his players
spoke about the hit after the game, but ultimately the only opinion that matters is that of the NHL's DPS, so we'll spare those quotes here. (Clicking the links earlier in the paragraph will take you to video of those postgame interviews.)
For the first time in the preseason, the Caps and their opponent played a scoreless first period in Sunday's game. The Blues struck first on a Rob Thomas goal that came less than a minute before Wilson's hit on Sundqvist, but Brett Connolly got that one back for the Caps late in the middle frame, tying the game at 1-1 seconds after a Washington power play ended.
The Caps took control of the contest early in the third, getting an Alex Ovechkin goal just 38 seconds into the postseason and a T.J. Oshie tally 49 seconds later to take a 3-1 lead.
Jordan Schmaltz's shorthanded breakaway goal cut the Caps' lead to 3-2 just past the midway mark of the third, but Nic Dowd answered back at 12:47, restoring the two-goal lead. Devante Smith-Pelly bagged an empty-netter in the final minute to account for the 5-2 final.
The Caps started Sunday's game with all of their regulars, and they feel ready to take on another 82-game grind.

"For sure," says Connolly. "I think it's more of just getting your legs back and getting mentally ready to battle and compete again. We played a lot of hockey last year, [had a] short summer and came right back in. It was really short here; you're right back here it seems in no time."
Reirden moved Connolly up to Wilson's vacated spot on the top line on Sunday, and he noted after the game that Connolly had a strong training camp.
"I thought the preseason was good," says Connolly. "I thought guys got done what they needed to get done, and it was good for Todd to get in here and get comfortable with the guys and get that feel behind the bench, so I think we're ready to go."
With the preseason in the books, the Caps will take Monday off and will practice on Tuesday in preparation for Wednesday's season opener - and the raising of the Stanley Cup banner - against the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena.