Results don’t matter at this point so we might as well look for the good from Tuesday’s 2-0 preseason loss to the Nashville Predators at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore. Though, by all means check out our game story which focuses on some of the bubble players fighting for a roster spot
Mentioned in an earlier post that forward Jay Beagle – one of those strong candidates – had a solid game. He played center on a line with enforcer D.J. King and rookie Garret Mitchell. And while that group was technically the fourth line they saw a lot of ice time and made something of it by providing some needed energy. Not a perfect night, of course. Beagle took a penalty in the first period, faltered on a quality scoring chance – no shame considering the ice conditions – and was on the ice for Nashville’s second goal when he couldn’t knock down a centering pass and it bounced right back to Predators forward Collin Wilson, who scored.
“Guys that are fighting for jobs – [Jay] Beagle working real hard out there as he always does,” Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Those were guys that shined brightest, I think.”
Boudreau thought King had a nice night, too. He helped cycle the puck down long and maintain possession on several shifts. Will have more on King later in the week as he tries to not only make the roster, but if he does then figure out a way to get in the lineup more than the 16 times he did last season. And Mitchell also produced a nice scoring chance early – though his, too, went awry.
One thing for Mitchell, a 5-11 winger who just turned 20: Like most young players adjusting to a higher level he needs to figure out how to get off the ice at the proper time. Several times on Tuesday he waited until he was actually tired to go for a line change and instead game circumstances would force him to stay on the ice a few seconds longer. Nothing but trouble when that goes down – and, let’s be honest, even Washington’s star players are guilty of that a time or 10 during the season. Mitchell, a 2009 sixth-round draft pick, will gain that experience at AHL Hershey this season.
And then there was Stanislav Galiev, the 19-year-old Russian coming off a monster juniors season at Saint John of the QMJHL. He’s likely headed back there for another year. But the Caps have wanted the 6-1, 188-pounder to gain strength in his lower body. He needs to be able to hold off opposing defenders and keep control of the puck and that was a weakness in his two development camps with Washington. Galiev is improving in that area. Alex Ovechkin even liked what Galiev’s third line, centered by Cody Eakin and with Chris Bourque on the right wing, managed to do late with the Caps lagging.
“I think we didn’t play hard first two periods,” Ovechkin said. “We just try to play fancy hockey and after that in third period when [Nashville] score second goal I think Eakin line set the tone with a couple of good shifts and we have opportunity to score goals again.”
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