The Washington Capitals had a 3-1 series lead slip from their grasp with about two minutes remaining in regulation. Now they’ll need to win a best-of-three against the Panthers if they want to move out of the first round.

That one stings. Like a lot. Ouch.

• The Caps got peppered by Florida shot attempts at five-on-five but still somehow managed to come out on top in high danger chances 8 to 7. This is a game they should have won and I’m worried it will be the turning point in a negative direction. The Panthers really have been the second-best team but they got the bounces in this one to force at least two more games. Shame.
• Ilya Samsonov was fantastic yet again. 29 saves on 32 shots in this one and he looks really comfortable right now. If there’s one guy that’s pumping my “hope” tires the most…it’s him. I never in a million years thought I’d say that this season.
• The penalty kill is still shutting Florida out as they went 4-for-4 on kills in this game. The power play scored on their second chance but outside of that were mind-numbingly bad especially when you consider how they could have put the game to bed.

Ovechkin has recorded 50 points (26g, 24a) in his last 48 playoff games, dating back to the start of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) May 10, 2022

• Justin Schultz is the clear weak link on the Caps backend for me. Trevor van Riemsdyk is a saint for carrying that pairing. The Caps need an upgrade on him this summer but that’s a discussion for another time. He looked scared to have the puck on that weird breakaway chance, made several soft plays on the puck, and was on the ice for four Florida high danger chances at five-on-five to just one for the Caps.
• Not enough from Anthony Mantha this go around for me. The absolute deluge of special teams time didn’t help but he was far less active than he has been in the previous three games. Zero shots on goal and just two total attempts from him. Cant have that with Tom Wilson out.
• 16 shots on goal…just never enough. I get the system they’re playing right now isn’t exactly conducive to a ton of offense but Bobrovsky has clear holes in this series and you cant find those without shooting the puck. No more ninety-five dekes either on breaks…shoot the thing and make him make the save.

Numbers thanks to Hockey-reference.com and NaturalStatTrick.com.