The 2010 Calder Cup championship team seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. Three representatives of the 2009-2010 Hershey Bears scored tonight in the Capitals’ 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils: Andrew Gordon, Jay Beagle, and John Carlson (in that order). At a time when the teams’ top players are dry on offense, it was a boost the Caps needed.
The youthful injection was visible from the start. The Caps’ younger Gordon scored at 16:41 into the game, a game that had little momentum or intensity until that moment. It was his first career NHL goal in his fifth career NHL game.
“It’s a weight lifted off my shoulders,” Gordon said, “I came here wanting to contribute and show I could do it up here. I’ve had a couple of opportunities the last few games but finally got a nice one to squeak through on a great pass.” Gordon later added an assist on Jason Chimera’s goal, recording the first multi-point NHL game of his career. Chimera reached a milestone on the play too, notching his 200th career point.
Beagle would be the next Bear to contribute. His goal came almost halfway through the game, at the 10:01 mark of the second period. It also felt good for Beagle to get a goal against Martin Brodeur, a player he grew up watching. “Marty, you know, he’s an intimidating guy,” Beagle said, “I saw him in warm-up, and grew up watching him, and to score on him was obviously a great thing.”
