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Steven Stamkos celebrates a Tampa goal. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)
Eastern Conference finals: Game 3
Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Washington Capitals 2
Series: Capitals lead 2-1
Next game: Thursday, Capital One Arena, 8 p.m. ET | TV: NBCSN
• Put down the brooms: Tampa is on the board after power play punctures Washington’s perfect series. (Read more)
• Top takeaways: Special teams helped Tampa jump out to a lead and stay there, giving it a much-needed win in Game 3. (Read more)
• Highlights: The Lightning got two power-play goals, one from Steven Stamkos and another from Nikita Kucherov, and another at even strength from Victor Hedman to build a 3-0 lead and led throughout. (Read more)
• Postgame reading: Center Jay Beagle is “probably the most respected guy” in the Capitals’ locker room, and this could be a last run with Washington for the pending unrestricted free agent. (Read more)
Bolts’ strong start puts Caps’ brooms back in the closet
by Isabelle Khurshudyan
There was a broom at the Washington Capitals’ practice facility Tuesday morning. A group of overeager fans asked injured center Nicklas Backstrom to sign it, hopeful for a sweep in the Eastern Conference finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Though Washington remains in control of the series, the Capitals’ 4-2 loss to the Lightning in Game 3 ensured this won’t be a sweep, not that the team ever really expected the matchup to be easy. Players anticipated a desperate Tampa Bay team on Tuesday night at Capital One Arena after the Lightning dropped the first two games of the series in its home arena. Costly penalties and a leaky penalty kill just made it a little easier for Tampa Bay to take the third game and cut Washington’s lead in this best-of-seven series to 2-1.
“No one expected 4-0, right?” Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov said. “We all know it’s going to be a tough series. We just have to relax a little bit and stay positive. It’s still fun.”
[Svrluga: It’s too early for the Caps to panic, but not too soon to stay out of penalty box]
Though teams have a 21-0 series record when they have won the first two games on the road in the final two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Capitals know how quickly things can change. They fell into a two-games-to-none hole after losing both games in Washington in the first round against Columbus, but then reeled off four straight wins. The Capitals expected a Lightning squad that won the most games in the NHL during the regular season to respond in Game 3, and for the first time in the series, Tampa Bay scored the first goal.
Goaltender Braden Holtby was called for tripping Tampa Bay forward Yanni Gourde, and after defenseman Brooks Orpik whiffed on his attempt to clear the puck out of the Washington zone, the puck made its way to center Steven Stamkos in the left faceoff circle. His one-timer was a laser, a shot Holtby had no chance of stopping.
On Tuesday morning, Tampa Bay Coach Jon Cooper lamented how little his team had played with the lead through the first two games. Washington had been starting strong throughout the playoffs, scoring first in all but three of its postseason games entering Game 3.
“You have to make them play catch-up because when they do have the lead, they sit back,” Cooper said before the game. “You have to go through four guys. They all can skate, they’re all angling, they’re all in lanes, and it just makes it tougher. When they don’t have the lead, they’re a little bit more loose in the way they play. They don’t sit back as much. They’re not waiting for you to make a mistake because they’re trying to create offense themselves. If you want to have a chance to open things up for yourself, make sure you get the lead.”
[Capitals’ Tom Wilson takes exception to Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman’s hit]
The Lightning was able to do just that thanks to its power play. Less than two minutes into the second period, Capitals center Lars Eller was called for closing his hand on the puck, and it was a one-timer from the opposite circle that got past Holtby this time. Defenseman Victor Hedman set up a Nikita Kucherov one-timer to lift Tampa Bay to a 2-0 lead, the Lightning’s first edge of more than one goal in the series.
“It’s kind of like we have [Alex Ovechkin] on that one side, and they kind of have it on both sides” with Stamkos and Kucherov, Orpik said. “You take one guy away, and it leaves the other guy open.”
For Washington, Eller’s infraction marked a 60th minor penalty in these playoffs, which is a postseason high. Because the puck movement on the Lightning’s power play has given the Capitals fits, discipline becomes even more important. Though Tampa Bay’s power play had been overshadowed by Washington’s in the first two games, the Lightning scored three goals on seven opportunities. It was 2 for 5 on Tuesday night, which meant it got too many looks in Coach Barry Trotz’s opinion.
“To get back in a game, it took a lot of flow out of our game,” Trotz said.
Less than two minutes after Kucherov’s power-play goal, Hedman made it a three-goal deficit for Washington with just the second even-strength goal Tampa Bay has scored in the series. A home arena that had been anxious for its first conference final game in 20 years deflated.
[Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy settles in, helps Tampa Bay get on board]
Meanwhile, the Capitals’ power play, hot all postseason with a goal in all but two games entering Game 3, couldn’t convert. Brett Connolly narrowed the deficit with his wrister midway through the second period, and that seemed to shift momentum in Washington’s favor. The Capitals got a power play less than three minutes later, but Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped all three shots he faced during it. Brayden Point’s shot through Chandler Stephenson’s legs then made it a 4-1 game before second intermission.
“I don’t think they were more desperate,” Ovechkin said. “They just scored power-play goals, and we didn’t.”
The pushback from Tampa Bay was expected, and though Washington couldn’t match on Tuesday night, the margin for error will be slimmer in Thursday’s Game 4, when the Capitals would prefer to push the Lightning to the brink of elimination rather than return to Tampa Bay with the series tied.
“Nobody said it was going to be easy,” Ovechkin said. “We was ready for it, and nobody going to give up.”
Top takeaways
by Scott Allen
It’s a series: For the first time in three games, the Lightning looked a little something like the team that led the Eastern Conference with 113 points during the regular season and stormed through the first two rounds of the playoffs against the Devils and Bruins. Tampa Bay scored first for the first time in the series and took a 3-0 lead with a pair of goals less than two minutes apart early in the second period. The Capitals have never swept a best-of-seven series and they’ll have to wait until at least the next round — whether that’s this season or next — to change that. The Lightning’s dominating win also ensures that the Eastern Conference finals will return to Tampa Bay for at least one more game. Game 4 is Thursday in Chinatown.
Special teams disparity: The Lightning and Capitals entered Game 3 with similarly well-performing power plays, and while Tampa Bay stayed hot with the man advantage, Washington fizzled. Steven Stamkos opened the scoring with his third power play goal of the series in the first period, while Nikita Kucherov added to the Lightning’s lead with a power-play strike early in the second. Tampa Bay, which benefited from six Capitals penalties and went 2-for-5 on the power play, also scored two goals at even strength, more than it had in the first two games combined. The Capitals went 0-for-3 with the man advantage.
Andrei Vasilevskiy rebounds: Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who was pulled during the second intermission of Game 1 and looked shaky while allowing six goals on Sunday, returned to the form that made him a Vezina Trophy finalist this season. The 23-year-old Russian stopped all 14 Capitals shots in the first period and 36 of 38 shots in the game. Washington’s first goal, a Brett Connolly tally midway through the second period, came after officials missed what should have been an icing call.
Home-ice advantage?: With the Capitals playing at home for the first time in 10 days and hosting an Eastern Conference finals game for the first time since June 2, 1998, Capital One Center was rocking for Game 3. Most of the sellout crowd went home disappointed after Washington fell to 3-4 in their home rink this postseason. Home teams are now 33-39 in the playoffs this year, which would rank as the second-worst winning percentage since 1968 according to ESPN Stats and Information. What’s more, the Capitals remained winless and have been outscored 20-11 in six playoff home games against the Lightning all-time.
In-game analysis
Final: Lightning 4, Capitals 2
The Caps injected a glimmer of hope with a late goal by Evgeny Kuznetsov, but it was an overall uninspired effort after Tampa built a 3-0 lead and captured a much-needed win to keep the series in striking distance. The next game is Thursday at Washington’s Capital One Arena.
Some hope: With Braden Holtby on the bench and an extra skater on the ice with a little more than three minutes remaining and the Capitals trailing by three, Evgeny Kuznetsov buried a shot from a ridiculous angle into the top of the net past Andrei Vasilevskiy to keep things somewhat interesting.
Penalties galore: It’s hard to mount a comeback when you’re constantly killing penalties, but that’s been the story for the Capitals for much of the night. After killing off Evgeny Kuznetsov’s penalty for high-sticking, Washington has six minutes to make it a game.
Tick, tock: The Capitals killed off Tampa Bay’s most recent power play, but with 8:50 remaining, they’ll need to spend less time in the penalty box and more time in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy if they’re to cut into the Lightning’s 4-1 lead. Washington continues to have an advantage in shots, 29-21.
Four-on-three: Steven Stamkos returned to the ice shortly after taking a slap shot off his leg, but he’ll get a two-minute breather in the penalty box along with Lars Eller after they were issued coincidental minors for roughing with 12:59 to play in the game. Only 16 seconds later, Michal Kempny joined Eller in the box for cross-checking Tyler Johnson, giving Tampa Bay yet another power play chance.
An opportunity for the Caps: With four minutes gone by in the third period, NBC Sports Network’s Pierre McGuire reported that Lighting center Steven Stamkos headed to the locker room after taking a slapshot off his leg. Seconds later, an Alex Killorn penalty for interference gave the Capitals their third power play of the game. It didn’t help. Washington managed a single shot over the next two minutes and is now 0-for-3 with the man advantage in Game 3.
NBC analysts lay into Caps: NBC Sports Network analyst Jeremy Roenick had a lot to say about the Capitals during the second intermission, none of it positive.
“I can go on for more than just the five minutes that we have,” Roenick said. “This is a team that we talk about that shows up and just thinks that they can step on the ice because they’re talented and win. It’s the same team we’ve talked about not taking advantage of a situation to bury a team.”
Roenick went on to criticize Dmitry Orlov for his defensive play and sloppiness with the puck, and the Capitals’ efforts on faceoffs.
“It’s too nonchalant,” Roenick said. “This team is not prepared to work and now they’re down 4-1 in a crucial game, and you’re giving a team that’s very talented something to get excited about. We’ve seen it before. They’re going to look back at this game and say, ‘Oh no.’”
A silver lining for the team in red: Want a bright spot for Washington? How about the play of Christian Djoos. The young blueliner was dangling the puck like a pro early in the game and has created three scoring chances of his own. Plus, Djoos has been on the ice for a 6 to 1 shot advantage and 5 to 0 scoring-chance advantage at even strength.
End Period 3: Lightning 4, Capitals 1
After falling behind 3-0 on a pair of Lightning goals scored less than two minutes apart, the Capitals’ appeared to have regained some momentum on Brett Connolly’s one-timer midway through the period. Instead, Tampa Bay will take a 4-1 lead into the second intermission, thanks to Brayden Point’s shot that traveled between Chandler Stephenson’s legs en route to the back of the net. The Lightning only had eight shots in the second period, but it scored on three of them.
Through the legs: Off a faceoff in the Capitals’ zone that led to a scrum to Braden Holtby’s right, Brayden Point whipped a shot between Chandler Stephenson’s legs and past the Capitals’ goalie for a 4-1 Lightning lead with less than four minutes to play in the second.
Caps to the power play, but again come up empty: Lightning Coach Jon Cooper lamented all of the odd-man rushes his team allowed in the first two games of the series. While Tampa Bay did a better job taking care of the puck and denying such opportunities in the first period of Game 3, the Capitals had a golden opportunity on a three-on-one more than halfway through the second period. Alex Ovechkin found Christian Djoos in front of the net, but Andrei Vasilevskiy made the save. The saving grace for Washington was that the opportunity came during a delayed roughing penalty on Ryan Callahan, resulting in the Capitals’ second power play of the game. They did not, however, convert.
Washington gets one back: Perhaps fueled by its first successful penalty kill of the night, Washington cut the Tampa Bay lead to 3-1 and got the crowd back into it with Brett Connolly’s one-timer off a pass by Chandler Stephenson. Connolly’s fourth goal of the postseason, which came with 9:29 remaining in the period, was made possible by Matt Niskanen’s keep-in at the blue line on an attempted clearing attempt by the Lightning. It was appreciated by the crowd, even if NBC labeled the goal-scorer as “Tim” Connolly.
Caps finally get a kill: The “Let’s go Caps!” chants inside Capital One Arena switched to a smattering of boos after Lars Eller was whistled for slashing 6:44 into the second period. Eller knows better than anyone that giving the Lightning a power play is playing with fire, as Tampa Bay scored its second goal of the game on his delay of game penalty five minutes earlier. This time, the Capitals’ penalty-kill unit bailed out Eller to keep the Capitals’ deficit at three.
Capitals’ top line MIA: Alex Ovechkin’s line had tilted the ice in their favor for the first two games, but the Caps top line is struggling right now. Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson have been on the ice for seven shot attempts, five of those scoring chances, and now a goal against. They only have five shot attempts and two scoring chances of their own.
Make it three: It didn’t take long for Tampa Bay to strike again, this time for its second even strength goal of the series and a 3-0 lead. One minute and 40 seconds after Nikita Kucherov scored on the power play, the Lightning winger set up defenseman Victor Hedman’s one-timer into a wide-open net.
Caps penalty leads to another goal: Less than two minutes into the second period, Lars Eller received a two-minute minor for delay of game for closing his hand around the puck in the Capitals’ zone. Sixteen seconds into the ensuing power play, Nikita Kucherov blasted a shot past Brooks Orpik and between Braden Holtby and the right post to give Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead. The Lightning is now a sizzling 5-for-9 with the man advantage in the series.
Tampa turning the tide?: After dominating play at even strength for the first two games, Washington was outplayed by Tampa Bay in the first period of Game 3. The Lightning held a 8 to 7 edge in scoring chances, with three of those originating in the slot and the crease, plus had four odd-man rushes, double what they had in the first two games of the series combined.
Give some credit to Lightning Coach Jon Cooper, who shuffled his forward lines in an effort to spark the team. So far it’s working. His second line of Tyler Johnson, Brayden Point and Yanni Gourde outshot the Capitals 4-0 with a 2-0 advantage in high-danger chances.
End Period 1: Lightning 1, Capitals 0
At the first intermission, the Capitals find themselves in a rare position of late: trailing. Tampa Bay led for fewer than 12 minutes over the first two games after they took a 2-1 lead in the first period of Game 2. Once again, the Capitals were burned by Tampa Bay’s power play. While Washington has outscored Tampa Bay 7-1 at five-on-five in the series, the Lightning improved to 4 for 8 with the man advantage on Steven Stamkos’ sixth playoff goal.
Andrei Vasilevskiy made 14 saves for Tampa Bay, with one of the best coming in the final minute on a shot from just outside the crease by Alex Ovechkin. Meanwhile, Braden Holtby stopped nine of 10 Tampa Bay shots. NBC Sports Network analyst Eddie Olczyk noted that Tampa Bay had four odd-man rushes in the period, double the total they had in the first two games combined.
A new, but familiar, script: For the first time this series, Tampa Bay scored first, but they did it in familiar fashion. With 6:07 remaining in the first, Steven Stamkos beat Braden Holtby with the man advantage for a third consecutive game and his league-leading fifth power play goal of the playoffs. The Lightning was 6-1 when scoring first in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Big kill for the Bolts: Washington peppered Andrei Vasilevskiy throughout the man advantage, but the Lightning’s goalie and Tampa Bay’s struggling penalty-kill unit in front of him managed to keep the game tied.
Braden Holtby, two minutes for tripping: The Capitals’ goalie has stopped all six shots he’s faced in Game 3, but his first penalty of the postseason with 7:03 remaining in the period gave Tampa Bay’s power play unit its first opportunity of the night. The Lightning is 3 for 7 with the man advantage in the series and has scored at least one power play goal in seven consecutive games.
First power play to the Caps: Anton Stralman crunched Tom Wilson into the boards with 11:02 remaining in the first period, perhaps as payback for Wilson’s big hit on Tyler Johnson a few minutes earlier. Stralman was whistled for boarding on the play, giving the Capitals’ power play (3 for 7 in the series) its first chance of Game 3.
A chance, at last, for Tampa Bay: The Lightning have struggled to generate much of anything offensively at full strength every bit as much as they did in Games 1 and 2. Tampa Bay’s first shot of the game came nearly seven minutes into the period by Tyler Johnson, who was subsequently crushed with a (legal) hit by Tom Wilson for his troubles. Seconds later, Capitals goalie Braden Holtby, who faced 35 shots on Sunday, gloved Tampa Bay’s second chance of the night.
Alex Ovechkin blocks the first shot and Tom Wilson does the rest.
Stream #CapsBolts live: https://t.co/MhN0Pq5ics pic.twitter.com/Fk90nx0OYq — NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) May 16, 2018
Caps applying the pressure: The first sustained offensive zone time of Game 3 belonged to the Capitals, who registered the night’s first shot on goal on a wrister by Dmitry Orlov that caught Andrei Vasilevskiy square in the chest. Less than two minutes later, the Lightning’s goalie gloved a slapper by Evgeny Kuznetsov. Five minutes into the first period, the Capitals had a 4-0 advantage in shots on home ice.
Alex Ovechkin is getting dirty (sort of): Ovechkin is known for his one-timers on or near the left-hand face off dot on the power play, but in Game 2 against Tampa Bay he was making sure his shot attempts were from the “dirty” parts of the ice at even strength. Ovechkin not only scored his lone 5-on-5 goal from the slot (off the rush), he also had two quality chances in the crease, two shots blocked in the slot and one more missed attempt in the high slot. His teammate, Brett Connolly added five more shot attempts in the slot with one, the team’s sixth goal of the night, getting past Andrei Vasilevskiy midway through the third period.
Lars Eller looms large: If you are seeking an X-factor in this series, look no further than Washington Capitals center Lars Eller. Eller, a bottom-six skater filling in on the second line for an injured Nicklas Backstrom, is tied with Alex Ovechkin for the team lead in goals scored (two) and total points (four) in addition to creating more high-danger chances overall. He’s also one of three Washington skaters that has drawn two penalties over the last two games.
He and his linemates, Jakub Vrana and T.J. Oshie, have also outscored Tampa Bay 1-0 at even strength, but that total should be higher considering Washington’s trio also has the edge in scoring chances (17 to 5) and shot attempts in the slot or crease (6 to 0) during the Eastern Conference finals. The Capitals’ top line of Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson, by comparison, have a much stronger advantage in even-strength goals (3 to 1) but nowhere near as dominant a showing in scoring chances (14 to 11) or high-danger shot attempts (3 to 4).
Postgame reading
Immerse yourself in the Capitals’ postseason with The Post’s coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs:
In what could be his last run with Capitals, relentless Jay Beagle refuses to yield
Tony Kornheiser on the Capitals: ‘They’re going to win the Stanley Cup’
Between cancer treatments at the Mayo Clinic, Caps fan flies home to attend Game 3
Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny fined for cross-checking Tampa Bay’s Cedric Paquette
Caps fan’s viral selfie with Evgeny Kuznetsov was even more charming than it seemed
Caps are finally lucky and good in the playoffs
The Caps and Nats are rolling, and Barry Trotz and Dave Martinez can’t stop texting each other
What even is going on with the Washington Capitals?
Metro will stay open later for Caps-Lightning Game 3
The Lightning anticipated a better showing in Game 2. It got one from the Capitals.
These Stanley Cup playoffs have given the Capitals all they can handle. And they’ve handled it just fine.
Capitals-Lightning Game 2: Washington crushes Tampa, takes 2-0 series lead back to D.C.
Lars Eller steps out of injured Nicklas Backstrom’s shadow and into the spotlight
Capitals must take what they need from Game 1 vs. Lightning and throw away the rest
Lightning defenseman tried to copy Alex Ovechkin’s moves. Now he’s trying to stop them.
Barry Trotz is ‘optimistic’ Nicklas Backstrom will play in series vs. Lightning
‘D.C. needs this bad’: Pair of ex-Redskins attended Caps’ Game 1 win in Tampa
Lightning’s ineffective penalty kill proves a major problem against the Capitals
Capitals-Lightning Game 1: Washington strikes first, takes 1-0 series lead over Tampa
Suddenly, the Capitals are on the right side of a series of fortunate events
‘We are all about the Rangers South’: Capitals face familiar playoff foes in Tampa
Barry Trotz lacks a contract extension, but has perspective as Capitals pursue Stanley Cup
Capitals aren’t expected to beat the Lightning. That might be just what they need.
Michael Wilbon calls D.C. a ‘minor league sports town’ after Caps celebration. Deep sigh.
Do the Capitals look like a true Stanley Cup contender? (No.)
Brett Connolly missed a Stanley Cup run with Lightning. Now on Caps, he has his chance.
Capitals’ Tom Wilson tries to adapt his tactics after a suspension he still disputes
Lightning ticket restrictions could block the red for visiting Caps fans
For Washington sports teams and fans, a breakthrough, and maybe a new era
The Capitals could exploit the Lightning’s biggest statistical weakness
There’s a cursed Capitals puck buried beneath the Penguins’ arena. (Its powers are suspect.)
The Capitals finally beat the Penguins. They don’t want to stop there.
Evgeny Kuznetsov’s overtime goal was eerily similar to Dale Hunter’s 30 years ago
Lightning presents Capitals with a foe even more daunting than the Penguins
On one play, Alex Ovechkin and the Caps exorcise decades of D.C. demons
Capitals’ win puts a dagger in the D.C. sports ‘curse’
This Capitals team could be different, because its path to get here was harder
How the Capitals improved their defensive play in time for the postseason
Washington’s expected lineup
Forwards
Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Tom Wilson
Jakub Vrana-Lars Eller-T.J. Oshie
Andre Burakovsky-Chandler Stephenson-Brett Connolly
Devante Smith-Pelly-Jay Beagle-Alex Chiasson
Defensemen
Michal Kempny-John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov-Matt Niskanen
Brooks Orpik-Christian Djoos
Goaltenders
Braden Holtby (starter)
Philipp Grubauer
Tampa Bay’s expected lineup
Forwards
J.T. Miller-Steven Stamkos-Nikita Kucherov
Ondrej Palat-Brayden Point-Tyler Johnson
Alex Killorn-Anthony Cirelli-Yanni Gourde
Chris Kunitz-Cedric Paquette-Ryan Callahan
Defensemen
Victor Hedman-Dan Girardi
Ryan McDonagh-Anton Stralman
Braydon Coburn-Mikahil Sergachev
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy (starter)
Louis Domingue
It was catharsis personified, a sight at once fleeting and everlasting. Neck craned back, palms open wide, eyes shut tight, Alex Ovechkin looked as if he had just banished decades of demons with one full-bodied exhale. Some images inspire a thousand words. Only seven letters were necessary here: f-i-n-a-l-l-y.
Finally, the Capitals had eliminated their longtime tormentors after falling to Pittsburgh in each of the past two postseasons, both times watching as the Penguins won the Stanley Cup. Finally, a major pro sports team in Washington had reached the conference finals, breaking a 20-year streak of citywide failure, the longest such stretch in the country. Finally, all manner of historical heartache faded on May 7 when Ovechkin nudged the puck ahead to Evgeny Kuznetsov, who tore past the Penguins’ blue line in overtime and bore down on goalie Matt Murray.
Forehand. Five-hole. Finally.
As his captain and countryman fell into a trance on the ice at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena, Kuznetsov started flapping like a bird. The 26-year-old Russian center borrowed this goal celebration from the FIFA video game series, a fitting choice given that his dazzling skill set is often better suited for a remote controller. Yoked on coach Barry Trotz’s top line for much of the 2017–18 season, he and Ovechkin pummeled the Penguins with six combined goals and seven assists over the six-game, second-round series.
After opening the Stanley Cup playoffs with consecutive home losses to the Blue Jackets, the Capitals have taken flight. They looked unburdened and unleashed through the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals, sapping the electricity from an ordinarily crackling Lightning crowd with 4–2 and 6–2 victories at Amalie Arena. “That pressure of being the No. 1 seed the last couple of years, I think, weighed on us a little bit,” defenseman Matt Niskanen says. “I don’t know if outside expectations being lower helped us or not. But, man, the group found a lot of energy when we’ve needed it so far.”
No doubt that exuberance derives from Ovechkin, the gray-haired howitzer whose new playoff tradition involves a full-speed solo lap around the rink at the start of every road practice while teammates watch and cheer. Now 32, he is a leading Conn Smythe candidate with 10 playoff goals through May 13, second to the Jets’ Mark Scheifele. But Washington has received equally rousing boosts from an inexperienced supporting cast. With Nicklas Backstrom (right hand), Tom Wilson (suspension) and Andre Burakovsky (“minor upper-body” surgery) all sidelined for Game 6 against Pittsburgh, Trotz boldly dressed five rookies, two of whom were making their playoff debuts: center Travis Boyd and winger Nathan Walker, the NHL’s first native Australian, who recorded an assist and then hopped like a kangaroo in the visiting dressing room.
“This is a good example of what a real team can do,” Trotz told his players then.
See, the vibe is loose in typically tense D.C. “It just feels like it’s a totally different team,” says professional development coach Olaf Kolzig, goalie for the last conference finals–bound Capitals team, in 1997–98. “They never seem nervous. They never seem like they’re squeezing their sticks, even when we get behind.” To wit: Asked whether he had scouted Tampa Bay by watching its tidy five-game series win over the Bruins in the second round, Niskanen replied that he was too busy waging war against center Jay Beagle on Mario Kart 64. “Both series, we were able to block out any negative stuff and just play,” Niskanen says. “You’re competitive as heck, but you’re also free.”
Even behind the bench Trotz looked unencumbered as he leaped and wrapped longtime assistant Lane Lambert in a bear hug after Kuznetsov’s breakaway. Like Ovechkin, the 55-year-old Trotz had carved an impressive career résumé—fifth all time in games and wins—despite never taking a team past the second round. His wounds were further salted when the Predators, the team he steered from 1998–99 to 2013–14, reached their first Stanley Cup final last spring. But after what he called an “enlightening” summer—featuring plenty of cabin relaxation and a lengthy meeting with Ovechkin in Russia, where Trotz’s son Tyson teaches English—the coach has made all the right personnel moves while adopting a more hands-off approach. “I just look at everything way different than I ever have,” he says. “In the past [I was] probably a little more wound up.”
That is the sound of six million heads nodding in agreement. Over the past 20 years Washington-area fans have endured overtime disasters and ninth-inning collapses, Robert Griffin III’s blown-out right knee and Stephen Strasburg’s shut-down right arm. On May 6, the afternoon before the series clincher against the Penguins, the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame honored its class of 2018 with a ceremony at Nationals Park. Mingling among fellow inductees, former Capitals winger Peter Bondra found himself discussing the same topic over and over.
“Everybody was asking about the Capitals,” says Bondra, now director of alumni affairs. “You look at other cities like Philadelphia or Boston, how they celebrate. I think Washington needs something good to happen in sports.”
The billboards loom large over Interstate 95, greeting both north- and southbound travelers between D.C. and Baltimore. Emblazoned with a team picture of the Caps, the signs declare, we believe.
Still, plenty did not. “None of these people saw this coming, and neither did I,” NBC Sports analyst Mike Milbury said after Washington thrashed Tampa Bay in Game 2. “These are not the Capitals of past years.” This statement applies on several levels. While hardly the loaded juggernaut that earned Presidents’ Trophies in 2016 and ’17—salary-cap constraints forced an exodus of talent last summer—this season’s group is unquestionably more cohesive and resilient on the ice, evidenced by its seven playoff road wins, matching a franchise record set in 1998. “Just getting over that mental baggage and scar tissue we’ve had against Pittsburgh,” Kolzig says, “it really eased our psyche and gave us an extra boost of confidence.”
Just look at Kolzig’s modern-day counterpart. When the playoffs began, goalie Braden Holtby was wearing a baseball cap and backing up Philipp Grubauer, relegated to the bench after a mid-February slump. Upon reclaiming his role early in the Columbus series, the ultra-mellow 28-year-old—known for strumming his acoustic guitar at the practice facility before starts and solving crossword puzzles with teammates each morning—has gone 10–3 with a .926 save percentage and a 2.04 goals-against average. “He obviously had a chip on his shoulder and wanted to prove to people that the Braden Holtby they saw in the second half of the year was not the real Braden Holtby,” says Kolzig. “And he has.”
The Capitals have plenty of those types on their roster. Fourth-line wingers Alex Chiasson and Devante Smith-Pelly joined the team this season on a training camp tryout and a two-way contract, respectively. Lars Eller was acquired as a frustrated castoff from Montreal; now he is admirably replacing Backstrom as the No. 2 center. While hardly the Golden Knights’ scrap heap of misfits—expansion Las Vegas is currently battling Winnipeg in the Western finals—Washington has unlocked a blue-collar ethos noticeably absent from past runs.
As Eller said after his three-point performance against Tampa Bay in Game 2, “Guys who aren’t always expected to score—you need that kind of contribution up and down the lineup in the playoffs if you want to win.”
Deploying this generation’s deadliest offensive weapon certainly helps too. With 7.1 seconds left in the first period of the series opener and Lightning winger Chris Kunitz serving a too-many-men minor penalty, Ovechkin released a 48-foot slapper from the deep slot that opened the floodgates for the rout. Two nights later, upon punching Kuznetsov’s slick feed past goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy for a 5–2 lead, the Great Eight flashed his gap-toothed smile and gave a subtle flick of the wrist, as if he were Steph Curry swishing a backbreaking three.
Of course there are no guarantees in the NHL playoffs; just ask the 2003 Capitals, who took a 2–0 lead over Tampa Bay in the first round and then lost in six. Still, Ovechkin has already produced an indelible image for a purified fan base. And even if he struggled to recall what happened moments after Kuznetsov clinched the Pittsburgh series—which he did recently, speaking on CNN—the rest of Washington won’t soon forget the arms, the exhale, the finally.
“I don’t know if there is a group that knows better how hard it is to get to this point,” Niskanen says. “So don’t waste the opportunity. I think we’ve got to be greedy. We’ve got to want more.”
WASHINGTON — Victor Hedman figured all the Tampa Bay Lightning needed to get back on track was a shift in momentum.
The big defenceman took it upon himself to provide it.
Hedman scored his first goal of the playoffs and added two assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 36 of 38 shots to help the Lightning beat the Washington Capitals 4-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final Tuesday night and cut their series deficit to 2-1. Hedman had the primary assist on power-play goals by Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov and was a key part of three big penalty kills for Tampa Bay.
"I’m put in a position to produce, and I put that pressure on myself to do it," said Hedman, who has a goal and 10 assists during an eight-game point streak. "For me, it’s about being effective at all ends of the ice and trying to be a difference-maker every time I step on it."
Hedman was dominant all over the ice as Tampa Bay looked like an entirely different team than the one that lost the first two games of the series at home and now has a chance to tie it in Game 4 on Thursday. The Norris Trophy finalist who played a team-high 25:08 was most proud of successful penalty kills.
"He’s a perennial Norris guy," Stamkos said of Hedman. "We can’t describe how good he is out there. We rely on him a ton, he’s a horse and most nights if he’s going well, we’re going well as a team. Another big effort for him tonight, and you could see we all followed suit."
It wasn’t perfect, but it was a more complete effort from Tampa Bay, which jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Brett Connolly answered for Washington in the second. Brayden Point’s goal less than five minutes later allowed the Atlantic Division champions to play with a comfortable lead that survived Evgeny Kuznetsov’s 6-on-5 goal with 3:02 remaining.
Vasilevskiy was a big part of holding on to the lead as he made seven saves on the penalty kill as part of a bounce-back performance after being criticized for his play earlier in the series. It wasn’t perfect, but the Lightning began to make it up to Vasilevskiy for hanging him out to dry on so many odd-man rushes in Games 1 and 2 by improving their defensive-zone play.
"We always feel like we owe him," defenceman Anton Stralman said. "He’s our best player. He’s always there, he’s always there for us and tonight we did a good job in front of him. I think that gives him some confidence, too, that he knows we’re on and that’s the way it should be."
The Capitals outshot the Lightning 38-23 but didn’t help goaltender Braden Holtby with six minor penalties. Holtby allowed four goals but was helpless on the one-timers on the power play by Stamkos and Kucherov — the 10th and 11th Tampa Bay power-play goals over a streak of seven games with at least one.
"We know both teams have pretty good special teams, and if we’re going to play like that, they’re going to use it," said Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who combined with Kuznetsov to put 21 shots on net. "Obviously, you can see we didn’t score, they scored."
Tampa Bay got two injury scares in the third period when Stamkos hobbled off after taking a slap shot from teammate Braydon Coburn in the right knee and Tyler Johnson was cross-checked by Michal Kempny. Each returned minutes later.
Sporting an ice pack on his right knee, Stamkos said it was just a stinger and that he was fine. He wants the Lightning to be feeling better but not too good still down 2-1.
"We haven’t done anything yet," Stamkos said. "The goal is to win a championship, but you can’t look too far ahead. We’ve made it a series."
NOTES: C Lars Eller took three of Washington’s six penalties. … With his 10th career power-play goal, Stamkos tied Martin St. Louis for Tampa Bay’s playoff record. … Injured C Nicklas Backstrom (right hand) took part in the Capitals’ morning skate but missed his fourth consecutive game. Coach Barry Trotz continues to call Backstrom day-to-day. … Trotz set a franchise record by coaching his 54th playoff game with Washington.
