Not yet. Caps in six.
The New York Rangers have forced game six with some late-game drama. Caps in six.
No one scored in the first. No one scored in the second. No one scored until nine minutes left in the third, when Matt Niskanen set Curtis freaking Glencross loose in the offensive zone to score all alone. With 101 seconds left in #rego, goalie-hurter Chris Kreider converted on the rush to force overtime. Your playoff hero wore blue. It was Ryan McDonagh.
Rangers beat Caps 2-1 in overtime. The Caps lead the series 3-2. Caps in six.
- Once again, the New York Rangers were focused in the first period, taking Holtby out of the oven at regular intervals and generously basting him with a fresh later of shots. Holtby was superior. Caps in six.
- The Capitals’ first penalty kill was a fiasco. They allowed five shots on goal (Holtby superior) in those twi minutes, but after that, Washington started getting it together…
- ….Especially the top line, who were dominating the Rags checking line and shutdown defense but couldn’t hit the back of the net, because…
- …Braden Holtby and Henrik Lundqvist are two world-class goaltenders. They’re pretty much the best this sport has to offer, and it’s weird only one of them will win this series. They’re both amazing. Caps in six.
- Matt Niskanen scored on a nisk-cannon late in the second period, but Joel Ward‘s incidental contact with Henrik Lundqvist nullified it. Then again, Lundqvist was well outside the crease, Ward was knocked into him by Stepan, and that would be a goal in the regular season, so… shrug. I thought it was the ghost of 2010, until….
- Tom Wilson got a stick on Japers Rinks’ Kevin Klein to loosen the puck. Niskanen chipped it to Curtis Glencross, who I forgot was even on this team. Straight to the net he soared, set aside by Hank on the first attempt and then victorious on the follow through. Curtis Glencross is somehow part of Capitals lore forever now. Like I said: life is weird. Caps in six.
- Chris Kreider has a long reputation for running and otherwise hurting goalies, but tonight he hurt my feelings and that is even worse. It deflected off poor Brooks Orpik’s heel, and that’s the only reason it beat Braden Holtby. Caps in six.
- McDonagh blah blah blah don’t care caps in six
You right now. (GIF courtesy of you, Caps in six)
We’ll be alright. The Caps are coming home, where victory is sweeter and no one wanted to watch Game of Thrones anyway. They’ll get a better 5v5 game going, and Braden Holtby will continue playing world-class hockey and Alex Ovechkin will reassert his dominance by peeing on your comforter while you’re at Whole Foods.
Caps in six.
