Recap: Washington Falls 2-1 to Colorado at Home

The Washington Capitals returned home Thursday night to take on the Colorado Avalanche for the second time in less than a week. This game would end in favor of Colorado, as the Caps dropped a 2-1 game to the Avs.

The game started out with an inspiring celebration of Hockey Fights Cancer, including a puck drop by Kalen Anderson, accompanied by T.J. Oshie.

The Capitals couldn't find a spark through the game to jump-start the offense, however. Logan Thompson would stop 25 of 27 against Nathan MacKinnon and friends, but it wouldn't be good enough as the Capitals' offense managed only a single goal against Alexandar Georgiev, courtesy of Pierre Luc-Dubois.

Here is a quick recap of the game.

First Period

The first period moved quickly...blink and you might've missed it in fact. The Avs speed and ability to quickly counter attack was on display early. The Capitals defense and Logan Thompson were up to the task, stopping an early 3-on-1 chance. An early Avs powerplay was limited to a single shot, as the Capitals PK unit continued the excellent play they've exhibited so far this season.

Later, the Capitals would get a powerplay of their own, which would get a couple of their own chances, but was ultimately killed off by Colorado. A long stretch of play would go unstopped, with both teams using their speed to counter attack and trade chances. The first stoppage in play in several minutes would come moments after Logan Thompson turned away an excellent chance by Artturi Lehkonen on a feed from MacKinnon. Washington would then turn and capitalize on a dump-in from Pierre-Luc Dubois into the corner, picked up by Tom Wilson and fed in front of the net back to PLD for the tip-in. Dubois would get his second goal of the year, breaking a long draught and making it 1-0 Capitals.

The Caps would have the edge in shots, with a 12-6 shot total, but they also had the better chances through the first period.

Second Period

The second period would continue off from where the first ended, with the Caps having the better play for the start of the period. The Avalanche would get their first quality chance of the game at about the halfway point, when Cale Makar would be left alone in the slot for a quality chance, and Logan Thompson making an excellent save to keep the Capitals on top.

Shortly thereafter though, the Avs would be handed a powerplay on a McMichael hooking penalty, and Mikko Rantanen would tie the game up on a pass that deflected off the skate of Matt Roy and into the net.

The goal by the Avalanche seemed to wake their offense up a bit, forcing Logan Thompson to make a few excellent saves. Washington would get their own chances, with McMichael being denied on two breakaway chances in the same shift (one missed when he went wide on Georgiev, and the other poked away by Georgiev). Colorado would get another excellent chance, forcing Thompson to make a ten-bell save on Lehkonen.

By the end of the second period, the shot totals were 18-5, in favor of Colorado.

Third Period

The third period seemed to belong to Colorado, at least in the early going. Colorado would control the play early in the period, leading to Miles Wood deflecting a Cale Makar shot by Thompson, giving Colorado a lead. Logan wouldn't be done, as he made an excellent save shortly thereafter to keep the Caps within one. The Capitals would respond, with Trevor Van Riemsdyk being stopped on an excellent chance from the slot. The Capitals would then kill off an Alexei Protas penalty, again limiting the Avalanche to low-danger shots from outside the zone. The Caps would get their own power play a bit later, but failed to capitalize, looking fairly disorganized throughout much of it. The rest of the game would see the Caps control the play for the most part, but the Avs would hold on to win 2-1 in the end. The final shot total was 30-27 in favor of Washington, and Colorado would hand Logan Thompson his first regulation loss of the season.

The Capitals are back in action on Saturday against New Jersey.