Washington loses 2-0 in first preseason game BALTIMORE — The stars were out in Baltimore on Tuesday night as the Capitals brought NHL hockey to Charm City for the first time since 1997.
Local hockey fans were excited to catch Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green, Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom in person at First Mariner Arena, but with jobs on the line the real drama in the Baltimore Hockey Classic came lower down the lineup.
Chris Mueller scored at 17 minutes, 31 seconds of the second period and the Nashville Predators eventually spoiled the fun with a 2-0 victory over Washington in its first preseason game. Michal Neuvirth played the entire game in goal for the Caps. Nashville star goalie Pekka Rinne played half the game for the Predators before giving way to Jeremy Smith, who kept the Caps off the board to preserve the shutout. Collin Wilson’s goal at 8:59 of the third period put the contest out of reach.
An announced sellout crowd of 11,082 lent some life to a preseason event that can feel stale at the District’s cavernous Verizon Center. There were, however, some sections in the arena’s upper level with few fans. But while the crowd on hand cheered the Caps’ top players at every opportunity — Ovechkin had a pair of crowd-pleasing hits — this night was about players like Jay Beagle and D.J. King, who are fighting for one of the few open roster spots during training camp. Washington has six preseason games remaining for players on the bubble to make an impression.
Boudreau credited both Beagle and King with strong games. With temperatures in the low 70s most of the day and an older building with limited air conditioning, puddles began to form late in the first period and ice conditions were far from ideal. But for players like Beagle and King that couldn’t matter.
“There’s always pressure in every game and it’s obviously amplified in preseason,” Beagle said. “You work hard all summer to play your best … and try and make an impact on this team. I think our line off the hop had some good scoring opportunities that I couldn’t bury.”
