NHL Winter Classic: 5 things we will remember from Capitals' win
There was a lot to love about the 2015 NHL Winter Classic between the Washington Capitals and the Chicago Blackhawks. Here are five things we will remember.
Another Winter Classic is officially in the books, and it's hard to ask for more than what the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks gave hockey fans on Thursday afternoon at Nationals Park.
Thanks to Troy Brouwer's power play goal with just 12 seconds to play in regulation, the Capitals were 3-2 winners and improved to 2-0 in Winter Classic games.
Alex Ovechkin put on a show during the game, scoring a goal and nearly scoring on several other chances including a two-minute stretch where he hit beat Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford two different only to hit the post on each attempt.
In the Capitals' crease, Braden Holtby was outstanding, stopping 33 of the 35 shots he faced and playing a crucial role in the team killing off a minute-and-a-half two-man advantage for the Blackhawks early in the third period that gave his team a chance to win it late.
But those developments were only a small part of the story from Nationals Park. Here are five more things we will remember from the 2015 Winter Classic.
1. It was a really good game
With the increased number of outdoor games over the years there is a feeling out there among some fans (and even some media) that the NHL is oversaturating the market with these games, and that as they continue to do multiple games every year the appeal of outdoor hockey will eventually start to fade (if it already has not). That may be true to a certain point, but let's face it, the games are still a lot of fun and are a great experience for fans that are lucky enough to have tickets and soak in the atmosphere.
The fact every game keeps selling out is a pretty good sign that hockey fans still love it. And they should love it.
The Winter Classic is a great event, and whatever flaws the production might have (potential for weather delays; that floating camera they insist on using during the TV broadcast) it is still the highlight of the NHL's regular season schedule by a significant margin.
But the dirty little secret about these games is that the games themselves -- the actual hockey being played on the ice -- are not always great. The ice conditions are less than ideal. Weather impacts the game. The play itself always seems to take a backseat to the visual elements, the atmosphere, and the overall experience of playing and watching an NHL game in such a different environment.
That wasn't really the case on Thursday in Washington.
The visuals were, as usual, stunning, and even though Nationals Park does not have the history of Wrigley Field or Fenway Park. or the overall size of Michigan Stadium, or the snowglobe effect of Buffalo, it was still a great setting.
But the game itself was also outstanding, something we can't always say about these games.
And that is a credit to the crews responsible for making sure the ice conditions were suitable for quality hockey and a credit to the teams for putting on a great show. There were odd-man rushes, tic-tac-toe passing plays, great scoring chances, some stellar goaltending, a last-minute goal for the win, and even a little bit of nastiness and chipiness between two teams that are not rivals.
It seemed coming in that the hockey was going to take center stage this year, and the hockey certainly did not disappoint.
2. Jonathan Toews' late penalty and Troy Brouwer's game-winning goal
And to follow up on that point, there was also a wild finish that featured a questionable penalty call and a game-winning goal in the final seconds.
With the Blackhawks on a power play in the final two minutes of regulation, captain Jonathan Toews, who had played a really strong overall game until that point, was sent to the penalty box for hooking with just over a minute remaining in the game.
This was the play (via @MyRegularFace):
Call it a makeup call or whatever you want, but that is a tough one and it ended up leading to Troy Brouwer's game-winning goal in the final seconds.
With that goal the Capitals became just the fourth home team to win an outdoor game.
3. Eric Fehr, Patrick Sharp and Jonthan Toews: Outdoor game superstars
Washington's Eric Fehr and Chicago's Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews seem to really enjoy the fresh air when it comes to playing hockey. With his first period goal on Thursday, Sharp scored in his second consecutive outdoor game while Jonathan Toews added an assist to give him more points than any other player in outdoor games (five). Overall, Toews was his usual rock solid self all over the ice while Sharp managed to attempt 15 total shots, including a game-high 10 on net.
But those guys are expected to score, and when they do, whether it's inside or outside, it is not really a surprise.
Eric Fehr on the other hand, well ... that is a little different.
Fehr isn't much of a goal-scorer but with his breakaway goal in the first period on Thursday to open the scoring now has three goals in two career outdoor games, including a two-goal effort in the Capitals 2011 Winter Classic win in Pittsburgh over the Penguins.
4. America!
The NHL and the Capitals did a fantastic job with the pregame festivities, from the players entering the ice through a replica of the Capitol building and making their way to the ice by skating on a reflecting pool instead of simply taking a long walk on a ramp, to the amazing performance of the Star-Spangled Banner.
Just about the only thing that missed the mark was that Lee Greenwood performance after the second period.
5. Karl Alzner's sunglasses
The coolest guy on the ice.
