Mike Green played a lot in the Washington Capitals’ Game 2 victory over the Boston Bruins. Sure it was double overtime, but a team-high 33:28 was impressive to see.
And the defenseman said it didn’t feel like that much.
“I felt great. Even going into that second overtime I still felt like I had a lot of energy, which is nice,” he said. “Usually it’s either you feel good or you feel absolutely awful.”
Green’s not just feeling good. Despite not scoring a goal in 24 games since returning from sports hernia surgery in February, the 26-year-old is feeling “great.”
“A lot of energy,” he said. “Probably the best I’ve felt in two years.”
Two years ago Green was a Norris Trophy finalist after putting up 76 points in the regular season. He hasn’t scored since Oct. 22 and has just one secondary assist in these 24 games.
But he’s moving the puck well and thriving in a different kind of role under coach Dale Hunter.
“I think one of the things, too, is there’s not that pressure that you have to score and that’s the bottom line,” Green said. “I think that it’s about playing solid and playing your position and Dale enforces that. That just brings the whole team around the same stand of mind and then we all feel confident and we play better.”
Read more about Green and his burgeoning confidence in Tuesday’s Washington Times.
