Penguins-Capitals Slugfest a Throwback to 1980s-Style Hockey

It wasn't one of the NHL's bajillion outdoor games slated for 2017, but Monday's heavyweight slugfest between the Capitals and Penguins, two of the NHL's best, was pond hockey at its finest.

With 15 total goals, including nine in the second period alone, the game was a throwback to the 1980s when NHL goal scoring reached its peak, goaltenders were basically awful, and skilled players were allowed to operate on the ice free of obstruction and unhindered by the restrictive, defensive systems that became so prominent in the 2000s. For some, last night's 8-7 overtime thriller was a dose of nostalgia, bringing them back to when entertainment value in the game was at its peak—if you're into that kind of thing.

For those in the middle of the craziness, the game was a tough one to describe. Evgeni Malkin, who scored a hat trick, called it a "crazy game," while Sidney Crosby, who put up four points of his own, called it a "whacky one."

"All around, it was like a 1988 Smythe Division game out there, I think," Capitals forward Justin Williams said.

It had its share of swings, that's for sure. Washington was up 3-0, then it was 3-3. Pittsburgh was up 5-3, and then it was 5-5. Pittsburgh then went up 7-5 to lead by two again, and then, of course, it was 7-7—before Conor Sheary promptly ended the game at the start of overtime.

As any classic typically goes, the ending wasn't without some controversy. This debatable trip by Crosby on Alex Ovechkin in overtime went uncalled, and Crosby would remain on the ice to help Sheary bang in the overtime winner seconds later.

this gif is 8.7 seconds long — GIF Grand Maester (@myregularface)January 17, 2017

The game offered a time machine-like glance into the 1980s-style NHL as both teams completely neglected the most basic defensive fundamentals. Incredibly entertaining with no enlarged nets or shrunken goalie equipment required—just the best offensive players in the world doing their thing.

It was only the third NHL game since 1996-97 in which each team scored at least seven goals, according to Elias. The only other such games in the last 20 seasons were both home losses by the Flyers: to Tampa Bay in 2010, and Winnipeg in 2011. Offensive explosions like this were commonplace in the NHL not too long ago, specifically the mid 70s to mid 90s. There were 91 NHL games in which each team scored at least seven times during the 20 seasons from 1976–77 through 1995–96, even though over 6,000 fewer games were played than in the 20 seasons since then.

As goaltenders improved mightily and defensive-focused systems gained prominence through coaching circles at all levels, goal scoring (with a few exceptions mixed in throughout the years) has declined quite steadily across the league over the past 30 years or so. In 1985-86, teams averaged 3.97 goals per game, while the average team save percentage came in at a measly .874. Last season, when just one player in the league cracked the 100-point mark, the goals per game average for teams was down huge to just 2.7, while save percentages have ballooned to an average of .915.

For those who miss the old run-and-gun NHL, throwback Thursday came a little early this week.