The Washington Capitals are moving on…to Game Four with a 0-3 series deficit after a 2-1 overtime loss to the New York Islanders. It’s not “over”, over, but it’s over.
The Isles outshot the Caps 34 to 23 and out-attempted them at five-on-five 58 to 43.
By Chris Cerullo 3 years ago
The margin between winning and losing during the NHL postseason is painfully small: a bouncing puck here or a big save there. Sunday, the Capitals got the ultimate dick punch a couple minutes into the first overtime of Game Three.
Islanders forward Mathew Barzal scored the game-winner after sneaking behind the Capitals defense. The breakaway gave the Isles a commanding 3-0 series lead.
By Ian Oland 3 years ago
The Washington Capitals played Sunday’s Game Three against the New York Islanders with desperation, which is not necessarily the same thing as playing well.
Anders Lee got the Islanders on the board first with some tenacity, but the Caps answered in the second period when Kuznetsov loose a snipe from Backstrom’s power-play spot. Braden Holtby turned the lights out to keep the Caps alive into overtime, but Matt Barzal won it in overtime.
Caps lose. Isles lead the series 3-0.
By Peter Hassett 3 years ago
After a brutal first period, the Capitals finally showed signs of life with Evgeny Kuznetsov’s beautiful snipe on the power play.
If a bird celly won’t get this team playing better, nothing will.
Not a huge surprise, but Nicklas Backstrom will not play in Game Three. Backstrom is in the concussion protocol since suffering a hit from Anders Lee in Game One. He participated in some of practice on Saturday.
And now there are some major changes to the lines.
By Peter Hassett 3 years ago
The Capitals are facing off against the New York Islanders for Game Three. Currently the series sits at 0-2 with the New York Islanders on top. This is the biggest game of the year, so to balance out my huge ball of nerves, I’m going to keep positive. Nick Backstrom skated at the end of practice yesterday and Coach Reirden mentioned that they’ll see how everyone is doing this morning to decide lineups. Alex Ovechkin also wants to remind you that they know they’re not playing well and they know what they have to do. The Caps are down, but they are not out.
I might have a quick meditation before this one. Just going to simply manifest into the world that I want to watch a game where the Capitals do not lose a lead or collapse in the third period. I don’t know how meditation works.
The puck drops at 12 PM and you’ll get a glorious recap from Peter Hassett. Let’s go Caps.
By Elyse Bailey 3 years ago
Nicklas Backstrom entered the NHL’s concussion protocol after taking a late hit from New York’s Anders Lee in Game One. Absent from practice and all of Game Two, Backstrom participated in practice on Saturday, according to head coach Todd Reirden.
“Everyone was on the ice today”, Reirden said. “Including [Nicklas Backstrom] at the end there.”
But Reirden was reluctant to commit to Backstrom’s status or the lineup for Sunday, which Reirden repeatedly called “the most important game of the year.”
By Peter Hassett 3 years ago
