WASHINGTON — They were supposed to be vulnerable: young, green, entering this crazy arena where roughly 95 percent of the people in the stands were wearing red Capitals sweaters. It looked like a Nebraska football game inside Verizon Center, and for much of the night it sounded like the inside of Metallica’s amplifiers.
And then, it didn’t.
Then there was a puck speeding the length of the ice, bouncing off the boards just to the left of an empty net, and here was Brock Nelson, all alone, all by himself, cashing in the easiest goal he’s ever going to get, maybe 2 ½ hours after scoring the most important one.