The Washington Capitals have now lost three games in a row in the Eastern Conference Finals after falling in Game Five to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. One more loss, they go home. That simple.
The Caps out-shot the Lightning 30 to 22 and out-attempted them at five-on-five 51 to 44.
The Capitals first pairing, consisting of Dmitry Orlov and Matt Niskanen, were on the ice for every goal the Lightning scored in Tampa Bay’s 3-2 Game Five victory.
In terms of possession, the pair has been the Caps’ best in the 2018 postseason despite playing against other teams’ best players. Orlov, at five-on-five, owns a 53.1 shot attempts percentage while Niskanen is 51.1 percent. They own an even goals-for percentage (50 percent).
But during the first period, the first pairing was dominated and after the game, Niskanen took the blame.
The Washington Capitals got scored on 19 seconds into Game Five. 8:45 later, Lightning forward Ondrej Palat gave Tampa a two-goal lead, scoring over Braden Holtby’s right shoulder.
But it was what happened several seconds before Palat’s tally, which frustrated several Capitals after the team’s 3-2 loss.
Yeah: The Caps got mudstomped.
It started bad. Cedric Pacqutte scored on the very first shift. It got worse. Ondrej Palat added another nine minutes later, a high-slot wrister. Then it got terribad. Ryan Callahan scored early in the second period. The Caps powered through, cracking the shutout when Evgeny Kuznetsov deflected Matt Niskanen’s shot. With an extra man and 100 seconds left, Alex Ovechkin got a slapshot through to narrow the gap, but it wasn’t enough.
Bolts beat Caps 3-2. Bolts lead the series 3-2.
The Capitals’ terribad start to Game Five has been slightly mitigated by a lovely goal from birthday boy Evgeny Kuznetsov.
(Still a big hole to climb out of)
Evgeny Kuznetsov is tearing it up in the postseason so the Capitals’ Mike Vogel spoke to the Russian pivot after the team’s morning skate Saturday.
I’m sure, like always, there were lots of intelligent things said ahead of a pivotal Game Five, but all I could pay attention to was Tom Wilson’s signing.
Following the Capitals Game Four loss to the Lightning at home, which tied the series 2-2, it felt to some to be an echo of postseasons past. However, the 2017-18 Capitals are a different team.
Evgeny Kuznetsov addressed the media, confident, and positive, that the team could bounce back in Game Five.
The Washington Capitals are back in Florida, having accrued precisely zero wins since they last left that blighted state. That might sound catastrophic, but all it means is that the series is tied 2-2. With the puck dropping at 7:15 PM on NBC, the winner of Game Five will take a crucial series lead. The loser will risk elimination next week at Capital One Arena.
So please win.
Peter here, I’ll be your host tonight. Let’s do the thing.
The Washington Capitals are 3-0 on the road since the team’s captain, Alex Ovechkin, kicked off the team’s morning skate with a hot lap around the ice.
Welp, this morning that tradition, which is now a full-bore superstition, continued.
After being forced out for a month due to an upper-body injury, Andre Burakovsky returned in time for the start of the Eastern Conference Final.
In those four games back, Burakovsky has struggled, collecting only two shots on goal and no points.
Barry Trotz has seen enough. Burakovsky will sit out for Game Five as Alex Chiasson jumps back into the lineup.
