Silbsy's Corner: Strome's Unforgettable Night & The Caps 'Brotherhood,' Ovechkin's Resurgence, Wilson's Olympic Hopes & The Trade Market
Here's everything to know as the Capitals get a day off, from Dylan Strome's unforgettable night in Montreal to Alex Ovechkin's scoring surge.
It was a wild Thursday night for the Washington Capitals in Montreal.
Before taking the ice for warmups against the Canadiens, Dylan Strome got the call that his wife, Tayler, was in the hospital and in labor. He wasn’t going to make it back in time for the birth of his third daughter, even if he’d left right that second.
So Jakob Chychrun helped him say a prayer for Tayler before the game, and he took the ice with a heavy heart. His daughter, Sutton Kimberley Strome, was born in the first period.
Strome had trouble holding back tears postgame, emphasizing how proud he was of Tayler, who he called a “warrior.”
“It’s tough. You obviously want to be there for the birth of your children, and I didn’t know it was coming this soon,” Strome said postgame, adding, “There was nothing I could do to get there.”
As he navigated multiple emotions, Strome played his heart out for the Capitals, picking up three assists and setting up an Alex Ovechkin hat trick en route to an 8-4 victory over the Habs.
After the game, Strome was embraced and celebrated by his teammates (chanting “Zini,” the nickname given to him by Alex Ovechkin), who he said helped make the night a bit more easy to navigate.
“It’s a brotherhood we have in here. Everyone was making sure I was okay and good to go,” Strome said. “We’re a really close team and you know it’s something that I don’t think I’ll ever experience again. Hopefully no one does, just feeling helpless. Luckily, I have the guys.”
Washington had the day off on Friday, so Strome was able to get to the hospital and meet and hold his daughter for the first time.
Meanwhile, Ovechkin’s hat trick was the 33rd of his career, tying him with Brett Hull for the fourth-most in NHL history. His three-goal, one-assist night also helped him pass Joe Sakic for the 10th-most points all-time, and he’s now up to 10 goals on the season and 907 in his career while being on pace to finish with 41.
All at the age of 40.
Still, he gave most of the credit to Strome, while adding that he’s been feeling more in the rhythm of late. He has goals in four straight games and five of his last six.
“Sometimes there’s gonna be ups and downs, sometimes you have to find a way to put the puck in the net and it kind of give you more relief,” Ovechkin said, adding, “I just try to do my job and try to enjoy the moment and enjoy the time. You don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Here are some other Capitals news and notes to look out for:
Tom Wilson’s Olympic hopes remain alive. Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong has been at a number of Capitals games, including Wednesday’s win over the Edmonton Oilers where Wilson’s lockdown defensive play in the final minutes resulted in two empty-net goals. Against the Canadiens, a big hit on Jake Evans — a clean hit that received no call or supplemental discipline — turned the tide and helped set up Jakob Chychrun in the second. Not the first time one of his hits have turned the tide in a game at Bell Centre…
It’s that grit, physicality, defensive responsibility and versatility, capped off by his production, that makes him the kind of player that would fit well in a fourth-line role on the world’s biggest stage.
Logan Thompson is also another hopeful for a roster spot as the goaltending competition for the Canadians remains wide-open going into December.
Ethen Frank and Sonny Milano both struck twice in the win over Montreal, but it was more than the goals that stood out; they showcased their speed, something that, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, D.C. is monitoring the trade market for.
It’s no secret that the Capitals could stand to get faster as they start to find their scoring touch, though it’s good to see that their depth pieces are able to bring that when they do draw into the lineup.
Speaking of Frank, he’s at the 10-game mark and now will require waivers if he does get sent back down. I don’t see that happening.
Jakob Chychrun’s on a six-game point streak, and the biggest thing that has stood out is his wicked shot. He’s worked a lot on his wrists and upper-body over the course of his career, and it shows in how he’s able to absolutely rocket shots from the point. Thursday’s goal was 96.2 miles per hour.
Re: the Zini nickname: I wrote about it last year, but Ovechkin called Strome “Stromezini” because of how he’s a wizard with the puck. Shortened it to Zini, and it stuck.