Washington Capitals: Match ratings from Week One

The NHL season is still early, but it is not too late to assess the results for future use. How did the Washington Capitals fare in their first week?

Hockey can be a frustrating sport. Washington Capitals fans know how a bad call or unlucky bounce can derail a game and ruin a night. There are few things that upset a fan more than a loss that does not feel deserved, or where the team failed to show up.

Despite all the different ways this sport can annoy us, however, we still watch it. This is because hockey is an entertainment product, and it is one of the most entertaining products out there. And as with other such products, including movies, its entertainment value can be rated.

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Of course, sports are also unique in that each individual game can be considered as either isolated or part of an overall story, so to speak. This latter option is most useful when looking back at the end of a season, in order to see where certain patterns came from.

The purpose of this article, the first in a weekly series, is to examine this week’s Washington Capitals games to determine how the team is playing right now and see if any patterns are developing. It is also, as noted, to rate the entertainment value of each game.

The hope is that at the end of the season, a fan interested in coming back to specific games will be able to. Whether they are concerned more with team performance or with the game’s entertainment, this article will analyze both.

While I would like to branch out the scope to more teams, I am unfortunately only able to watch Washington Capitals games, so these articles will only look at those games. Without further ado, let us look back at Week One for Washington!

Game 1: 10/3/18 vs. Boston

The Washington Capitals raised their banner on opening night in the NHL, and they did not let up through the night, obliterating the Boston Bruins 7-0 in front of an extremely happy crowd on home ice.

The Capitals dominated from the get-go on Wednesday, scoring twice in the first two minutes and adding four more in the second en route to the massive victory. Every line played well, as they outshot the Bruins 37-25 and chased Tuukka Rask.

Not much else needs to be said when looking at Washington’s performance in this game. The offense and power-play were clicking great, the defense and penalty-kill severely limited any attack, and Braden Holtby did what he needed to do in net.

On the other hand, while this was certainly an entertaining game and night for Capitals fans, it is not really one can look back on as competitive in any way. The game was almost certainly out of reach before two minutes had passed.

This was a flawless performance by Washington, but only by Washington. Boston failed to show up, and that affects the game’s entertainment.

Performance: 10/10

Entertainment: 6/10

Game 2: 10/4/18 @ Pittsburgh

One night after that incredible performance, the Washington Capitals were noticeably tired on the road against their arch-rival Pittsburgh Penguins. Still, they fought hard en route to a 7-6 OT loss to finish off the week.

This game was absolute madness, with multiple lead changes, constant counter-attacks, and what appeared to be optional defense. Holtby, playing on the second half of a back-to-back, was not nearly as good as the night before, although he was not helped out much, facing 41 shots.

Where the Washington defense failed, however, the offense kept up right where they left off the night before. Every line continued to roll, and although the power-play failed to strike on two opportunities, they still sent 36 shots Matt Murray‘s way.

Unlike the night before, though, this was certainly an entertaining game regardless of which team one cheers for. Personally, however, I am not a fan of these all-offense games. The 1-0 snorers are obviously boring, but there is something to be said about a competitive, low-scoring game.

The Capitals did not play as well in this one, although I will give them the benefit of the doubt due to their playing the night before. This was more entertaining, however, despite its flaws.

Performance: 6/10

Entertainment: 7.5/10

Overall, the Washington Capitals had a solid first week of the season, with two games that were certain to captivate any fan of the team. Their performance offensively was absolutely fantastic, although their defense was less consistent.

Both games were pretty entertaining and fun to watch, although the goals seemed to come a little too easy for Washington. As the struggle increases, so will the fun.

This column will be back next week, with more games to look back on. Until then, enjoy the new season!