Capitals vs. Flames : Full Line Brawl
The Capitals defeated the Calgary Flames 4-3 in Washington on Friday, with the game ending with a bit of an old-school line brawl. As the Flames cleared the goalie to attempt to comeback, all six of their skaters were involved in a post-horn scrum with the Capitals’ five skaters and goalie, Braden Holtby. Brooks Orpik, Matthew Tkachuk, Tom Wilson, Nicklas Backstrom, Johnny Gaudreau and Rasmus Andersson were some of the main combatants. The teams traded several big hits and late slashes after the whistle as tensions escalated throughout the game. Calgary finally lost their cool after Evgeny Kuznetsov scored in the final minute and they were unable to equal it in the final seconds.
“That’s just guys sticking together,” Caps coach Todd Reirden said after the game.
The fight started as pushing in the corner after a late hit by Backstrom at the final horn, but worsened from there.
That's how you end a losing streak 👏 pic.twitter.com/9AfDvtDENg
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) February 2, 2019
Brooks Orpik took on Matthew Tkachuk, who had been a pest all game :
the mood in the building pic.twitter.com/5lQgMQmzQO
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 2, 2019
Tom Wilson took down Rasmus Anderson to end the fracas :
Don't mess with Tom Wilson. pic.twitter.com/13xy1xfTwf
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) February 2, 2019
According to the box score, Backstrom was assessed an interference penalty as time expired. Apparently nothing for this head lock on Johnny “Hockey” Gaudreau :
Backstrom: Fine! I’ll stop choking Gaudreau 🙄 pic.twitter.com/CD3uquWPIG
— HockeyKot (@hockeykot) February 2, 2019
Orpik and Tkachuk each received fighting majors. Only 12 total penalty minutes were awarded for the extra-curriculars.
clean up on aisle 9 pic.twitter.com/JsURzU6thQ
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 2, 2019
Waving goodbye to that losing streak like 👋 pic.twitter.com/pBJQGdSccL
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) February 2, 2019