Troy Brouwer. (Photos by Caps Outsider)
There were many dramatic stories unfolding on the ice during Thursday night’s matchup between the Washington Capitals and the New Jersey Devils.
Of course, there was the saga of Ovie and his points. Alexander Ovechkin went into Thursday night’s game with 819 points – just six shy of Peter Bondra‘s all-time team record of 825. He left with 820 points thanks to a stunning goal off of a rebound 30 seconds into the game. Ovie battled the Devils all night long, firing five shots, but never got another through. He did still support his team, making some dynamic plays – including a very impressive diving block.
He was, however, not the highlight of the night.
The game began as any other but progressed into a virtual battle for the net from there. Braden Holtby was a force to be reckoned with, fending off 26 shots, and allowing only two goals in the Caps’ 6-2 slaughter.
He made a few absolutely breathtaking snags, especially against New Jersey’s Severson who had a breakaway in the first period. Holtby made pad saves, kicking his leg out in ways that would make the karate kid proud. He used his stick like a lightsaber, redirecting pucks left and right.
But no, alas, the brave Holtby was not the main attraction.
Was it the Swedish trifecta – Nicklas Backstrom, Andre Burakovsky, and Marcus Johansson – who scored almost back to back? Was it the team’s combined +15 after sixty minutes of play?
No, no none of this. The most intriguing happening on the Caps ice was a strange neon flash zipping back and forth all night.
Troy Brouwer, who racked up two assists, was the only Capital wearing bright pink laces.
When asked about his dazzling ties, Brouwer laughed and responded, “Well, the NFL does it.”
In order to show his support for Breast Cancer Awareness month, Brouwer figured he’d rock the pink while rocking the red.
“I figure anything that I can do to help support the cause; that’s why I have my pink stick as well,” he said. “It’s a little bit of fun…you can have a good time with such a serious situation.”
There you have it. Mystery solved. Good cause. Good hockey. Good night.
