041518 | RMNB

John Carlson becomes third defenseman in NHL history to record consecutive 3+ assist playoff games

John Carlson’s offensive production has continued from the regular season (68 points in 82 games) into to the playoffs.

Carlson has tallied three points in each of the Capitals’ first two playoff games. His six points leads the Capitals. The Caps defenseman also sits tied with Brad Marchand for third overall in NHL points.

Carlson joined some elite company among defensemen after tallying three or more assists in two consecutive games. Carlson is only the third defenseman in NHL history to achieve the feat, joining Hockey Hall of Famer Al MacInnis (Games 5-6 of 1984 DF) and Gary Suter (Games 1-2 of 1988 DSF).

Carlson is an unrestricted free agent after this season.

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By Donya Abramo 5 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin believes the Caps will tie the series in Columbus and play a Game Five in Washington

In the locker room after Game Two, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin spoke quietly after his team’s second consecutive loss in overtime to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ovechkin seemed unsure how to explain the Caps latest playoff collapse.

“Obviously.. we have opportunity to finish it up and we didn’t,” Ovechkin said after tallying two power-play goals. “Two games in a row. But I think we played a solid game. We just didn’t win.”

The Capitals took an early 2-0 lead for the second consecutive game only to surrender the lead late and fall in overtime.

During that short scrum with the media, Ovechkin eventually found the same dogged perseverance and the I’m not going down like this spirit that has made him one of the NHL’s all-time greatest players.

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By Ian Oland 5 years ago

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In viral video, Brett Connolly tries, tries, and tries again to get warmup puck to this adorable girl

During warmups on Sunday, ahead of Game Two of the Capitals first round matchup against the Blue Jackets, Brett Connolly spotted an enthusiastic — and completely adorable — fan banging on the glass, and decided to make her night extra special.

Though it took a few attempts.

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By Donya Abramo 5 years ago

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Numb: numbers for the morning after

There are only so many words to describe the Caps failing in the postseason and I feel like they’ve all been written before by much more eloquent humans. Due to that, I’ll take a pass on trying my hand at it again and just give you one word and that word is numb.

The Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Washington Capitals 5-4 in OT and take a 2-0 series lead. The two teams are now headed to Columbus for the next two games in the series.

The Capitals outshot the Blue Jackets 58 to 30 and out-attempted them at five-on-five 66 to 39.

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By Chris Cerullo 5 years ago

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Capitals become sixth team in NHL history to lose Games 1 and 2 in overtime at home

Over the last decade, the Washington Capitals have put on a clinic on how to collapse in the postseason and, Sunday night in Game Two, they tied a record for home overtime futility.

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By Ian Oland 5 years ago

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Andre Burakovsky unable to finish Game Two due to upper-body injury

The Washington Capitals lost an important player in their top six Sunday night early in Game Two.

Andre Burakovsky, who missed nearly two months of games during the regular season due to a fractured left thumb, was injured in the first period against the Blue Jackets.

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By Ian Oland 5 years ago

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They blew it: Blue Jackets beat Caps 5-4

In Game Two, the Caps scored first, dominated play during even strength, and got goals from their best player. But they committed bad penalties, they couldn’t beat the opposing goalie, their own backstop was woefully subpar, and they blew multiple leads. It was another classic Washington Capitals playoff game, and it was another excruciating loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Caps took an early lead with a Jay Beagle tip-in goal and then doubled down with Alex Ovechkin recording one on the power play. Cam Atkinson got a jailbreak pass to make it 2-1 heading into the second period, where Alex Ovechkin recorded yet another power-play goal, but hold up right there. The Blue Jackets scored three second-period goals (Anderson, Atkinson, Werenski) to erase the Caps’ lead and take one of their own heading into the third.

Braden Holtby relieved Philipp Grubauer for the final frame of regulation. The Caps put up a mighty and desperate effort to come back, but it took a gift of many late power plays and one nifty shot from TJ Oshie for them to tie it late. The inspirational comeback was all for naught. Matt Calvert won it in overtime.

Blue Jackets beat Caps 5-4. Blue Jackets lead the series 2-0.

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By Peter Hassett 5 years ago

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TJ Oshie’s clutch game-tying goal sends Game Two to overtime

The Washington Capitals absolutely needed to win Game Two to stay competitive in their first-round series with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

With the Capitals trailing 4-3 late in Game Two, TJ Oshie scored one of the biggest goals of his career, one-timing a shot past Sergei Bobrovsky on the power play.

The goal, which came with 3:35 remaining in the third, would send Game Two to overtime.

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By Ian Oland 5 years ago

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