Anaheim vs Washington

Anaheim vs Washington
11.19.08

Under normal circumstances, teammates cannot rely on a single player to win the game for the team. The Washington Capitals, however, were able to completely give the game over to Alexander Ovechkin and were not dissapointed at the Honda Center.

The Ducks battled back from a four goal deficit midway through the third, closing the gap with two goals but it was a case of too little too late. The Capitals triumphed over the Ducks with a score of 6-4.

The Capitals were able to score three times in the first 7 minutes, prompting the removal of Jonas Hiller from between the posts. Tonight marked the first night he's ever been pulled out of a game.

Bobby Ryan, a rookie brought from the Iowa Chops after Francois Beauchemin was confirmed for a 6 month leave with a busted knee, scored two goals and an assist to help the Ducks fight back, but his efforts weren't enough to bring the momentum back.

The NHL has been altering the rules in hockey for the past few years to make games more offensive, and tonight's game was a testement that their methods are working. 10 goals in one game was once unheard of in professional hockey, but other games in the NHL on the same night had 9, 10, and 11 goal totals.

The Ducks spent 25 minutes in the penalty box, giving the Capitals ample time to score with a man advantage. Penalty minutes continue to plague the Ducks as an Achilles heel. They might win a few games if they could just stay out of the sin bin.