The NHL’s first animated hockey game, something we took with a grain of salt at the initial announcement, was actually a pretty big success. It was the perfect combination of drawing new eyes to hockey while keeping fans engaged. The NY Rangers woke up early in the game, but slacked off late and barely held onto their early 4-1 lead, beating the Washington Capitals 5-3.
The Rangers did finally wake up, with the powerplay and all 18 skaters actually looking like they cared. They dominated the Caps early, getting tons of offensive zone time and playing actual defense.