In their victory in Game One, the Caps came out flat but got better as the game went on. Game Two was a different story as the Caps looked like the much better team in the opening minutes. But the good start wasn’t enough as the Caps fell in double OT and now head to Toronto tied one game apiece.
Regardless of what you think about the Caps’ effort and results in the first two games, it’s impossible to not be impressed by the Leafs. Not given much of a chance by anyone before the playoffs began, the Leafs have proven they are going to make this a series.
Here’s a look at some numbers from Saturday’s loss.
Andre Burakovsky finished second on the team in shots with four and 5-on-5 shot attempt differential at plus-11 (24 four, 13 against). If his line continues to play the way that they have, the goals should come soon.
https://twitter.com/muneebalamcu/status/853456339548372992
I think Muneeb is spot on here. Tactically, the Leafs are doing things to make up for the talent gap between them and the Caps. To me, this has been most obvious on the Caps’ zone exits. The Leafs are creating a lot of pressure behind the net and along the walls in the Caps defensive zone, leading to too many turnovers and sloppy zone exits.
What do you all think about the tactics each team has used in the first two games? What noteworthy things have you noticed, good or bad, from the Caps?
Full Coverage of Caps vs Maple Leafs
Headline image: Rob Carr
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