When you put together a streak of nine consecutive wins - remarkably, all in regulation - it usually involves taking games in multiple ways.
The Washington Capitals have enjoyed some absolutely stellar work from Braden Holtby during this stretch, but their 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres had a different feel to it.
For one thing, it was a brutally physical affair at times.
Beyond that, the Capitals found themselves heading into the third period fighting a deficit thanks to Buffalo’s 2-1 lead.
That clearly didn’t matter much, as Alex Ovechkin and especially Evgeny Kuznetsov could not be contained in the final frame, leading the charge back to a 5-2 win with plays like these:
Evgeny Kuznetsov when I asked him how he knew Ovi was behind him: 'I smell him.' #CapitalsTalk
— Chuck Gormley (@CharlesAGormley) December 31, 2015
( ... Hey, whatever works, right?)
With this latest victory, the Capitals stand atop not just the East standings - where they hold healthy margins - but also the NHL.
The Caps (28-6-2) have won 9 straight – all of them in regulation -- and are alone atop NHL standings with 58 points, 1 more than Dallas
— Chuck Gormley (@CharlesAGormley) December 31, 2015
They’ve managed to outpace the Stars in more ways than one, as Washington has played two fewer games so far this season.
Will the Capitals remain the cream of the crop when it matters the most? That remains to be seen, but just about every sign points to this team being the NHL’s best heading into 2016.
The @washcaps scored 4 unanswered goals in the third to extend their overall & home win streaks to 9 games apiece. pic.twitter.com/TzGhwKoeHm
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 31, 2015
The @washcaps' 9-game overall win streak matches their longest since Feb 26–March 16, 2011 & is tied for the longest in the NHL this season.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 31, 2015