Jose Theodore lasted just 7:58 in the first period tonight against the Canadiens, after allowing two goals on the first two shots he faced. Bruce Boudreau, seeing his team outplaying the Habs but facing an early 2-0 deficit, turned to backup Semyon Varlamov to stop the bleeding. This was reminiscent of last season’s first round series against the Rangers, when Theodore never even made it to the second game of the series.
There is some good news for the Capitals, as Alex Ovechkin exploded out of the gates early and showed that he certainly has the ability to ‘turn it on’, with an incredible opening shift. Unfortunately, his great start was nullified by a soft goal by Theodore, but with Ovechkin getting two shots on goal and seven hits (SEVEN!!) in the first period it’s safe to say that he could be back on his game.
Overall, the Capitals played a better opening period than the Canadiens yet once again some brilliance by Jaroslav Halak in net has kept the Habs’ heads above water. How both teams respond in the 2nd period will be the key, as this was nearly the same story last game. Yet the Canadiens played stronger as the game progressed; can the Capitals keep this pressure going for 60 minutes?