Round 3: Eastern Conference Finals- Game 2
Capitals Lead Series 1-0
Sunday May 13 Washington Capitals @ Tampa Bay Lightning
Place: Amalie Arena
Time: 8:00 p.m.
TV: NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, Capitals Radio 24/7
NHL.COM for Live Box Score
Last Game: May 11 Capitals Beat Lightning 4-2 in regulation
8-Ovechkin 92-Kuznetsov 43-Wilson
13-Vrana 20-Eller 77-Oshie
65-Burakovsky 18-Stephenson 10-Connolly
25-Smith-Pelly 83-Beagle 39-Chiasson
9-Orlov 2-Niskanen
6-Kempny 74-Carlson
44-Orpik 29-Djoos
70-Holtby (starter)
31-Grubauer
-- SCRATCH --
19-Bäckström ("upper-body")
79-Walker
72-Boyd
63-Gersich
64-Pinho
28-Jerabek
22-Bowey
1-Copley
-- 1st Powerplay Unit --
77-Oshie 20-Eller 92-Kuznetsov
8-Ovechkin 74-Carlson
-- 2nd Powerplay Unit --
13-Vrana 10-Connolly 65-Burakovsky
2-Niskanen 9-Orlov
Referees: Dan O’Halloran (#13), Brad Meier (#34)
Linesmen: Ryan Gibbons (#58), Greg Devorski (#54)
Tampa Bay's Projected Lineup ForwardsJ.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 — Mikhail Sergachev
Goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy
Louis Domingue
1st Period00:28 GOAL 43-Wilson, assists 2-Niskanen & 92-Kuznetsov 1-0 WSH
07:08 Bolts PP GOAL Point, assists Stamkos& Hedman 1-1 TIE
10:22 Bolts PP GOAL Stamkos, assists Kucherov & Point 2-1 TBL
2nd Period02:50 GOAL 25-Smith-Pelly, assists 39-Chiasson & 74-Carlson 2-2 TIE
18:58 GOAL 20-Eller, assist 13-Vrana 3-2 WSH
19:57 PP GOAL 92-Kuznetsov, assists 8-Ovechkin & 20-Eller 4-2 WSH
3rd Period03:34 GOAL 8-Ovechkin, assists 92-Kuznetsov & 43-Wilson 5-2 WSH
12:57 GOAL 10-Connolly, assists 20-Eller & 74-Carlson 6-2 WSH
FINAL: 6-2 WSHSpreading the LOVE!
- 6 different forwards scored a goal this game
- 9 Caps Forwards scored at least one point this game
- 2 Defensemen scored at least one point this game
by Isabelle Khurshudyan, Samantha Pell, Scott Allen and Neil Greenberg May 13 at 1:48 PM
Capitals-Lightning Game 2: Nicklas Backstrom expected to miss third straight game
Braden Holtby didn’t see much work early in Game 1. (Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)
Eastern Conference Finals: Game 2
Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Series: Capitals lead 1-0
Sunday May 13, 8:00 p.m. ET, Amalie Arena
TV: NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS
Remaining schedule
Game 3: at Washington, 8 p.m. Tuesday May 15
Game 4: at Washington, 8 p.m. Thursday May 17
Game 5 (if necessary): at Tampa Bay, 7:15 p.m. Saturday May 19
Game 6 (if necessary): at Washington, 8 p.m. Monday May 21
Game 7 (if necessary): at Tampa Bay, 8:00 p.m. Wednesday May 23
- Center Nicklas Backstrom is expected to miss a third straight playoff game for the Capitals. (Read more)
- Tampa Bay Coach Jon Cooper defended his goaltender after he was yanked two periods into Game 1. Washington’s Braden Holtby had an easier night than Andrei Vasilevskiy, and he’s late-season struggles seem a distant memory now. (Read more)
- With Backstrom injured, center Lars Eller has thrived with more responsibility. (Read more)
Top story lines
Backstrom: The Capitals have won the past two games without their top center, but there’s some concern that success won’t be sustainable over a seven-game series. Backstrom injured his right hand blocking a shot in Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and though he skated on Sunday morning with some light shooting and stickhandling, he didn’t take line rushes, an indication he’s out for Game 2. Coach Barry Trotz said he’s “optimistic” Backstrom will play in this Eastern Conference final, and though Trotz officially deemed Backstrom a “game-time decision,” it’s unlikely he’ll play in Game 2. A return for Game 3 seems possible.
“He’s our key player,” captain Alex Ovechkin said. “We’ll see what’s going to happen, if he’s going to play tonight or not, but obviously everyone knows what he means to this organization and this club. If he’s going to be in, it will be nice.”
• Burakovsky: Though Backstrom remains out, left wing Andre Burakovsky was back in the lineup for Game 1 after missing 10 games for an undisclosed “upper-body” injury that required surgery. His return gives Washington more depth lower in the lineup, and he skated 14:02, slotting in beside center Chandler Stephenson and winger Brett Connolly on the third line. Though rust was expected, Trotz was happy with what he saw from his speedy, 23-year-old Swede.
“I thought he did really well,” Trotz said. “I knew that the pace, in terms of speed and skating and that type of thing, would be easy for Andre. Andre is very gifted in terms of quickness and that. I thought maybe a little of just the feel for the details that come in playing a systematic game, especially in the playoffs with a lot of pressure and a lot of pace, that you sort of end up drifting or losing some of your details, and I was actually quite impressed with his detail in his game and his ability to make plays off the wall — those type of things that you can’t really replicate in practice. He did a really good job in that situation to execute his plays, and [that line] created a lot of chances. I thought they were really good.”
• Special teams: Tampa Bay’s penalty kill percentage (71.4) is the worst of teams left in the playoffs, and Washington’s hot power play took advantage with two goals on the first two man-advantage opportunities of the game. The team has at least one power play goal in all but two games this postseason. But while the Capitals can capitalize when the Lightning play undisciplined, Washington has to be wary of not doing the same. Tampa Bay’s power play is scoring on 26.8 percent of its chances, including a third-period goal in Friday’s Game 1.
Players to watch
Braden Holtby: With the Lightning putting just 10 shots on net through two periods, Holtby wasn’t tested much in Game 1, but the performance continued a strong playoff run for him. It’s hard to remember a time when he wasn’t backstopping Washington, on the bench for the first two postseason games because Philipp Grubauer beat him out for the starting job. Since Holtby got the net back, he’s posted a .925 save percentage with a 2.04 goals against average.
Andrei Vasilevskiy: Tampa Bay replaced its goaltender after he allowed four goals on 25 shots in Game 1. Cooper didn’t fault Vasilevskiy’s performance, placing more blame on the play in front of him, and the 23-year-old will be back in net on Sunday night. He’s a Vezina Trophy finalist after he played 65 games this season, winning 44 of them with a 2.60 goals against average and a .920 save percentage.
“Superman has Kryptonite, too,” Cooper said. “We can’t depend on [Vasilevskiy] to stop the barrage of chances he was getting.”
Pregame reading
Immerse yourself in the Capitals’ postseason with The Post’s coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs:
Lars Eller steps out of injured Nicklas Backstrom’s shadow and into the spotlightCapitals must take what they need from Game 1 vs. Lightning and throw away the restLightning 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 TampaLightning’s ineffective penalty kill proves a major problem against the CapitalsCapitals-Lightning Game 1: Washington strikes first, takes 1-0 series lead over TampaSuddenly, 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 TampaBarry Trotz lacks a contract extension, but has perspective as Capitals pursue Stanley CupCapitals 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 disputesLightning ticket restrictions could block the red for visiting Caps fansFor Washington sports teams and fans, a breakthrough, and maybe a new eraThe Capitals could exploit the Lightning’s biggest statistical weaknessThere’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 agoLightning presents Capitals with a foe even more daunting than the PenguinsOn one play, Alex Ovechkin and the Caps exorcise decades of D.C. demonsCapitals’ win puts a dagger in the D.C. sports ‘curse’This Capitals team could be different, because its path to get here was harderHow the Capitals improved their defensive play in time for the postseason
