The Caps looked to avenge last week's overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers and they did so. In front of another sellout crowd at Verizon Center, the Capitals got a 1-0 win over their rivals. Braden Holtby made 21 saves while Jason Chimera picked up the goal.
Chimera's goal came at 3:13 of the first period. As Matt Niskanen put up a shot on goal, Chimera came out from behind the goal and deflected the puck in past Flyers goaltender Rob Zepp. In seasons past the Capitals had a hard time winning games in which they scored two goals or fewer. Now they have won two straight games in that fashion and for the fourth time in the past 42 days.
The Caps have always been known for high powered offense but the way Braden Holtby has been playing has been the difference for the Caps. In the second period he got tested four times but he let nothing get past him. "Holtby has been a rock for us back there; he is kind of the backbone of everything we're doing right now," said Brooks Orpik.
In the third frame the Caps weren't able to score and Nicklas Backstrom got called for a hooking penalty. Once the Caps killed the minor, the Flyers were only able to muster three shots on goal in the final 13 minutes of the game. When Philly had an extra attacker in the final minute, they couldn't get a shot off thanks to tremendous defense by the Caps. "I actually thought tonight was the best we've played holding onto a lead in the third period," Holtby said, "we kept pushing and it really frustrated them."
The Caps have now won seven in a row at home. Washington hasn't lost a regulation game in 2015 with a 6-0-1 mark since the new year began. They are now just three points behind the Islanders for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Up next, the Caps travel to Nashville to take on the Predators in coach Barry Trotz's return to his former team. Trotz was the Predators first coach and he coached them for 15 years.
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