The Vancouver Canucks host the Boston Bruins in game one of the Stanley Cup Finals tomorrow night (8 p.m., NBC). The Canucks, winners of the Presidents' Trophy (becoming only the third Canadian team to accomplish that feat and the first since the late 1980s when the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers won the first four), have been the league's best team offensively and defensively all season and throughout the playoffs.
The Canucks needed seven games to eliminate the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round (after holding a 3-0 lead), but eliminated the Nashville Predators in six games and the San Jose Sharks in five on the way to the finals. They're getting stronger in each round and certainly enter this series as the favorite to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup (in its 40th anniversary season).
The Bruins, meanwhile, also needed seven games in the first round (against the rival Montreal Canadiens) before sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers. Their seven-game Eastern Conference Finals victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning was extremely even and showed that the Bruins, when operating on all cylinders, can play with anybody.
If the Bruins hope to capture their first Cup since 1972, they must hope their defense can slow down the powerful Canucks' attack, their offense can remain steady and dangerous, and Tim Thomas plays the series of his life. That's a tall order and one, ultimately, that will fall short.
Prediction: Canucks in six.
May 31, 2011
May 22, 2011
Evaluating the Caps' Roster
Part two of my off-season look at the Washington Capitals.
There has been plenty of time to reflect on the Caps' elimination, and there's even more time before free agency begins in July. Regardless of whether Bruce Boudreau remains coach, it's imperative that the Caps' roster must adhere to a smart playing style -- and whether GM George McPhee can squeeze everybody under the salary cap.
This off-season most definitely include a significant roster turnover and it'll be up to McPhee to turn the Caps into a team that will reverse course and excel in the playoffs.
Must Keep: Alex Ovechkin (signed until 2020-21), Nicklas Backstrom (signed until 2020), Brooks Laich (UFA now), Marcus Johansson (RFA after 2012-13), Mike Green (RFA after next season), John Carlson (RFA after next season), Karl Alzner (RFA now), and Michal Neuvirth (RFA after 2012-13).
Ovechkin, Backstrom and Green took a lot of heat during the loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the fact is that they're too good at what they do and too young to give up on now. Yes, Green's name has come up in trade rumors, but to send away a defenseman who won't even turn 30 until October 2015 is rediculous. He's still an elite player and should be treated as such. Carlson and Alzner have cemented themselves as the top defensive pairing on the team and Neuvirth has done the same between the pies. Johansson grew a lot during the season and is getting close to being a second-line center. Laich is too versatile, too good in the locker room and too entrenched with the coaching staff to go anywhere.
Positives Outweigh Negatives: Mike Knuble (UFA after next season), Eric Fehr (RFA after next season). Jason Chimera (UFA after next season), Matt Hendricks (UFA after 2012-13), Matt Bradley (UFA now), Boyd Gordon (UFA now), Dennis Wideman (UFA after next season), and John Erskine (UFA after 2012-13).
The harsh reality is that all of these players won't be back, with a near-guarantee that Gordon and Bradley both won't return. As for the others, Knuble continues to defy his age with a strong power game, and Chimera had his moments using his speed as a major weapon. Hendricks earned himself a one-way contract for the first time ever and Erskine had his positive moments. If Wideman can stay healthy, he'll be a top-four defenseman who will most definitely help the Caps next season.
Hasta La Vista: Alex Semin (UFA after next season), Jason Arnott (UFA now), Marco Sturm (UFA now), Tyler Sloan (UFA after next season), Scott Hannan (UFA now), D.J. King (UFA after next season), and Jeff Schultz (UFA after 2013-14).
I've made no secret about Semin's future in D.C. He's too inconsistent, nonchalant and expensive to fit on this team, and his disappearance against the Lightning only illustrated that fact. If the playoff opponent isn't the New York Rangers, Semin is invisible and you can't have somebody making $6.7 million doing that. As for the others, Arnott had his moments but seemed to wear down against the Lightning. Ditto Hannan and Schultz. Sturm just didn't seem to gel most of the season and Sloan's contract extension still befuddles me. King is a waste of cap space.
The Big Question Marks: Braden Holtby (RFA after 2011-12), Semyon Varlamov (RFA now), Tom Poti (UFA until 2012-13),
Holtby might be the best goalie in the organization, but he hasn't had enough time to prove it. Varlamov and Poti just can't stay healthy.
There has been plenty of time to reflect on the Caps' elimination, and there's even more time before free agency begins in July. Regardless of whether Bruce Boudreau remains coach, it's imperative that the Caps' roster must adhere to a smart playing style -- and whether GM George McPhee can squeeze everybody under the salary cap.
This off-season most definitely include a significant roster turnover and it'll be up to McPhee to turn the Caps into a team that will reverse course and excel in the playoffs.
Must Keep: Alex Ovechkin (signed until 2020-21), Nicklas Backstrom (signed until 2020), Brooks Laich (UFA now), Marcus Johansson (RFA after 2012-13), Mike Green (RFA after next season), John Carlson (RFA after next season), Karl Alzner (RFA now), and Michal Neuvirth (RFA after 2012-13).
Ovechkin, Backstrom and Green took a lot of heat during the loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the fact is that they're too good at what they do and too young to give up on now. Yes, Green's name has come up in trade rumors, but to send away a defenseman who won't even turn 30 until October 2015 is rediculous. He's still an elite player and should be treated as such. Carlson and Alzner have cemented themselves as the top defensive pairing on the team and Neuvirth has done the same between the pies. Johansson grew a lot during the season and is getting close to being a second-line center. Laich is too versatile, too good in the locker room and too entrenched with the coaching staff to go anywhere.
Positives Outweigh Negatives: Mike Knuble (UFA after next season), Eric Fehr (RFA after next season). Jason Chimera (UFA after next season), Matt Hendricks (UFA after 2012-13), Matt Bradley (UFA now), Boyd Gordon (UFA now), Dennis Wideman (UFA after next season), and John Erskine (UFA after 2012-13).
The harsh reality is that all of these players won't be back, with a near-guarantee that Gordon and Bradley both won't return. As for the others, Knuble continues to defy his age with a strong power game, and Chimera had his moments using his speed as a major weapon. Hendricks earned himself a one-way contract for the first time ever and Erskine had his positive moments. If Wideman can stay healthy, he'll be a top-four defenseman who will most definitely help the Caps next season.
Hasta La Vista: Alex Semin (UFA after next season), Jason Arnott (UFA now), Marco Sturm (UFA now), Tyler Sloan (UFA after next season), Scott Hannan (UFA now), D.J. King (UFA after next season), and Jeff Schultz (UFA after 2013-14).
I've made no secret about Semin's future in D.C. He's too inconsistent, nonchalant and expensive to fit on this team, and his disappearance against the Lightning only illustrated that fact. If the playoff opponent isn't the New York Rangers, Semin is invisible and you can't have somebody making $6.7 million doing that. As for the others, Arnott had his moments but seemed to wear down against the Lightning. Ditto Hannan and Schultz. Sturm just didn't seem to gel most of the season and Sloan's contract extension still befuddles me. King is a waste of cap space.
The Big Question Marks: Braden Holtby (RFA after 2011-12), Semyon Varlamov (RFA now), Tom Poti (UFA until 2012-13),
Holtby might be the best goalie in the organization, but he hasn't had enough time to prove it. Varlamov and Poti just can't stay healthy.
May 13, 2011
Quick Conference Finals Picks
The San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins will eliminate the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning, respectively, in seven games.
May 8, 2011
Fanspeak Column: Offseason Questions
This post originally appeared on fanspeak.com, where I pen a (mostly) weekly column. It's also part one of my offseason look at the Washington Capitals.
The last postseason meeting between the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning (in 2003) caused owner Ted Leonsis to launch The Plan -- the one that saw he and GM George McPhee tear down the team, draft much of the team's current roster (starting with Alex Ovechkin) and turn the franchise into what it is today.
But this year's loss to the Lightning is yet another "aha" moment: one that shows that the current team isn't built to win a Stanley Cup, the same assessment doled upon the squad eight years ago. They've had a ton of regular-season success and Coach Bruce Boudreau has shown that he's a brilliant tactician. But when it comes to the playoffs, he's a pedestrian 17-20 -- and eight of those wins have come against the New York Rangers.
The team still doesn't compete for 60 minutes every night, and the phrase "taking the foot off the gas" has been mentioned way too frequently. Championship teams do not stop playing or rest on their laurels with a third-period lead. Look at the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, and other recent champions and perennial contenders. They fight tooth and nail no matter what.
It was no coincidence that the Pens earned the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference despite playing without Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby for half of the season. That attitude comes from head coach Dan Bylsma, whose all-business approach is reflected in the players that take the ice every night (and was shown vividly on HBO's "24/7" series).
Against the Lightning, who have become a serious contender for this year's Cup, the Caps had too many sloppy line changes and didn't crash the net enough. You make your own luck in the playoffs by constantly being in the right place at the right time. (This blog isn't named Storming the Crease by accident.) The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and the best way to score in any sport is by being close to the goal (or basket or end zone).
Many Caps simply are unwilling to make the right sacrifices to accomplish this mission on a nightly basis. The problem is that those same Caps are the ones that are the most talented. The poster boy for this argument is Alex Semin, who continually gets salary increases despite repeated playoff disappearances (against everybody except the Rangers, against whom he's scored eight of his 12 career playoff goals). The term "passenger" has been thrown his way on numerous occasions.
The team's power play is an utter mess and it's cost them dearly in the playoffs over the last two years. Against the Canadiens last year and the Lightning this time around, the Caps scored a total of three power play goals (in 52 chances), a 5.7 percent success rate.
The blame for all of this falls on Boudreau and McPhee, who, since joining the franchise in 1997, has seen the Caps win five playoff series -- three during the run to the Stanley Cup finals in 1998 (his first season as GM) and two against the Rangers in 2009 and this year). In other series, he's lost eight times.
The ball is back in Leonsis' court. He can choose to fire both McPhee and Boudreau -- and strongly urge their replacements to rid the roster of certain players (starting with Semin). He can task McPhee to pick a new coach, who can hopefully get the team to play to its insanely high talent level. Or he can keep both in town, and ask them to bring in players who will do anything to win the Cup (and not just say they will).
If the Caps need any inspiration for a smart way to tweak a roster, all they need to do is look at the Lightning. Last summer, the franchise's ownership hired GM Steve Yzerman and Coach Guy Boucher. The duo promptly traded for or signed players who dedicated themselves to a very selfless approach -- and got the team's top three players (Vincent Lacavalier, Martin St. Louis, and Steven Stamkos) to go full-throttle towards that plan, which includes the 1-3-1 trap that stifled the Caps and Penguins so far this postseason.
Captain Ovechkin is most definitely a team-first guy and there are plenty of others on the roster -- including Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, Marcus Johannson, Karl Alzner, Brooks Laich, and Mike Green -- who will be back next season and will lead the charge. Semin is signed for next season, but must be moved as he's become the epitome of what's ailing the Caps. Others should be on that train out of town, too.
Who is here for the beginning of training camp in September will go a long way towards determining whether the Caps will be in a better position at this time next year. And, if Leonsis heeds the call, then a brighter recap of the 2012 postseason will follow.
The last postseason meeting between the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning (in 2003) caused owner Ted Leonsis to launch The Plan -- the one that saw he and GM George McPhee tear down the team, draft much of the team's current roster (starting with Alex Ovechkin) and turn the franchise into what it is today.
But this year's loss to the Lightning is yet another "aha" moment: one that shows that the current team isn't built to win a Stanley Cup, the same assessment doled upon the squad eight years ago. They've had a ton of regular-season success and Coach Bruce Boudreau has shown that he's a brilliant tactician. But when it comes to the playoffs, he's a pedestrian 17-20 -- and eight of those wins have come against the New York Rangers.
The team still doesn't compete for 60 minutes every night, and the phrase "taking the foot off the gas" has been mentioned way too frequently. Championship teams do not stop playing or rest on their laurels with a third-period lead. Look at the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, and other recent champions and perennial contenders. They fight tooth and nail no matter what.
It was no coincidence that the Pens earned the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference despite playing without Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby for half of the season. That attitude comes from head coach Dan Bylsma, whose all-business approach is reflected in the players that take the ice every night (and was shown vividly on HBO's "24/7" series).
Against the Lightning, who have become a serious contender for this year's Cup, the Caps had too many sloppy line changes and didn't crash the net enough. You make your own luck in the playoffs by constantly being in the right place at the right time. (This blog isn't named Storming the Crease by accident.) The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and the best way to score in any sport is by being close to the goal (or basket or end zone).
Many Caps simply are unwilling to make the right sacrifices to accomplish this mission on a nightly basis. The problem is that those same Caps are the ones that are the most talented. The poster boy for this argument is Alex Semin, who continually gets salary increases despite repeated playoff disappearances (against everybody except the Rangers, against whom he's scored eight of his 12 career playoff goals). The term "passenger" has been thrown his way on numerous occasions.
The team's power play is an utter mess and it's cost them dearly in the playoffs over the last two years. Against the Canadiens last year and the Lightning this time around, the Caps scored a total of three power play goals (in 52 chances), a 5.7 percent success rate.
The blame for all of this falls on Boudreau and McPhee, who, since joining the franchise in 1997, has seen the Caps win five playoff series -- three during the run to the Stanley Cup finals in 1998 (his first season as GM) and two against the Rangers in 2009 and this year). In other series, he's lost eight times.
The ball is back in Leonsis' court. He can choose to fire both McPhee and Boudreau -- and strongly urge their replacements to rid the roster of certain players (starting with Semin). He can task McPhee to pick a new coach, who can hopefully get the team to play to its insanely high talent level. Or he can keep both in town, and ask them to bring in players who will do anything to win the Cup (and not just say they will).
If the Caps need any inspiration for a smart way to tweak a roster, all they need to do is look at the Lightning. Last summer, the franchise's ownership hired GM Steve Yzerman and Coach Guy Boucher. The duo promptly traded for or signed players who dedicated themselves to a very selfless approach -- and got the team's top three players (Vincent Lacavalier, Martin St. Louis, and Steven Stamkos) to go full-throttle towards that plan, which includes the 1-3-1 trap that stifled the Caps and Penguins so far this postseason.
Captain Ovechkin is most definitely a team-first guy and there are plenty of others on the roster -- including Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, Marcus Johannson, Karl Alzner, Brooks Laich, and Mike Green -- who will be back next season and will lead the charge. Semin is signed for next season, but must be moved as he's become the epitome of what's ailing the Caps. Others should be on that train out of town, too.
Who is here for the beginning of training camp in September will go a long way towards determining whether the Caps will be in a better position at this time next year. And, if Leonsis heeds the call, then a brighter recap of the 2012 postseason will follow.
May 4, 2011
The End: Lightning 5, Caps 3
Tonight's 5-3 game four loss by the Washington Capitals to the Tampa Bay Lightning put the end to a tumultuous season -- one that started with bright hopes and included an eight-game losing streak and a call for major changes, and a strong run to conclude the regular season. The Caps defeated the New York Rangers in five games in the first round and got nearly a week off before facing the rival Lightning.
But, after getting swept by the East's No. 5 seed, more questions than ever surround the red, white and blue -- starting with the future of their head coach and many players.
To get to this point, the Caps put forth another sub-par effort against a team that simply wanted it more and outworked them at every juncture. The Lightning got two goals from Sean Bergenheim (both in the second period), power play tallies from Marc-Andre Bergeron and Ryan Malone, and a strike by Martin St Louis at 16:52 of the third that put the finishing touches on the game and the series. (John Erksine, John Carlson and Marco Sturm scored for the Caps.)
While the Caps worked harder tonight (in stretches, especially in the third) than they had all series, the Lightning had more depth, better goaltending, superior defense, and the edge pretty much everywhere else.
It was an ugly end to a nasty series that should significantly alter the franchise's future. While there will be plenty of time for that discussion, the Caps are left shaking their heads after another disappointing postseason -- and premature exit.
But, after getting swept by the East's No. 5 seed, more questions than ever surround the red, white and blue -- starting with the future of their head coach and many players.
To get to this point, the Caps put forth another sub-par effort against a team that simply wanted it more and outworked them at every juncture. The Lightning got two goals from Sean Bergenheim (both in the second period), power play tallies from Marc-Andre Bergeron and Ryan Malone, and a strike by Martin St Louis at 16:52 of the third that put the finishing touches on the game and the series. (John Erksine, John Carlson and Marco Sturm scored for the Caps.)
While the Caps worked harder tonight (in stretches, especially in the third) than they had all series, the Lightning had more depth, better goaltending, superior defense, and the edge pretty much everywhere else.
It was an ugly end to a nasty series that should significantly alter the franchise's future. While there will be plenty of time for that discussion, the Caps are left shaking their heads after another disappointing postseason -- and premature exit.
May 3, 2011
Crash Landing: Lightning 4, Caps 3
For a team that faced a must-win game, and one that needed to show desperation for 60 minutes to accomplish that mission, the Washington Capitals failed on both accounts. Leading 3-2 after the second period of game three at St. Pete Times Forum, the Caps fell flat in the third and dropped a 4-3 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning that left them in a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 hole in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The bottom line is that you make your own luck in the playoffs and the Lightning are getting all the bounces. The game-winning goal came off some body part belonging to Ryan Malone, who followed Tampa's game plan and stormed the crease at every opportunity. Malone was met by John Carlson, but the puck found its way past Michal Neuvirth at 5:47 of the third.
Just 24 seconds earlier, Steven Stamkos showed why he's one of the league's elite goal scorers by unleashing a rocket past Neuvirth, who had no chance of stopping it. Those two goals undid any good accomplished by the Caps in the middle frame, when they scored three times.
Those tallies by (in order) Mike Knuble, John Carlson and Alex Ovechkin (on a five-on-three power play) were sandwiched around a tally by Vincent Lecavalier. The Caps' power play, despite Ovechkin's goal, still looked out-of-sync and helpless.
The team's best player tonight was Neuvirth, who made 13 saves in the third period and singlehandedly gave the Caps a chance to win in the final minutes. It might be hard to believe that a goalie that gave up four markers was the team's best player, but the Caps didn't stick with the game plan (again), and played selfishly and recklessly.
All in all, it was a disappointing effort and one that appeared to seal the fate on the season. Yes, the Lightning still has one more game to win, but based on the style of play on the ice, the series result appears inevitable.
Many have argued that Ovechkin's teammates haven't shown up in the playoffs and there's a strong argument for that. For example, Alex Semin has 12 playoff goals -- and eight have come against the New York Rangers. But the Caps captain tried to win the game himself tonight, and that's not a style that helps the team. The Lightning knew what was coming and had two defensemen waiting for the Great Eight to try to enter the offensive zone.
The change that happened mid-season -- which led to a strong finish, the team's fourth consecutive division championship and the top seed in the Eastern Conference -- is looking more like a mirage every day. Maybe more than last season's loss to the Montreal Canadiens, this team's elimination -- which could come as early as tomorrow night (7 p.m., CSN-HD) -- is a bigger blow to Coach Bruce Boudreau's tenure and that of several players, Semin included. (The Caps under Boudreau in the postseason are 8-4 against the Rangers and 9-15 vs. everybody else.)
The Caps' immediate future includes game four. Anything beyond that is extremely cloudy.
The bottom line is that you make your own luck in the playoffs and the Lightning are getting all the bounces. The game-winning goal came off some body part belonging to Ryan Malone, who followed Tampa's game plan and stormed the crease at every opportunity. Malone was met by John Carlson, but the puck found its way past Michal Neuvirth at 5:47 of the third.
Just 24 seconds earlier, Steven Stamkos showed why he's one of the league's elite goal scorers by unleashing a rocket past Neuvirth, who had no chance of stopping it. Those two goals undid any good accomplished by the Caps in the middle frame, when they scored three times.
Those tallies by (in order) Mike Knuble, John Carlson and Alex Ovechkin (on a five-on-three power play) were sandwiched around a tally by Vincent Lecavalier. The Caps' power play, despite Ovechkin's goal, still looked out-of-sync and helpless.
The team's best player tonight was Neuvirth, who made 13 saves in the third period and singlehandedly gave the Caps a chance to win in the final minutes. It might be hard to believe that a goalie that gave up four markers was the team's best player, but the Caps didn't stick with the game plan (again), and played selfishly and recklessly.
All in all, it was a disappointing effort and one that appeared to seal the fate on the season. Yes, the Lightning still has one more game to win, but based on the style of play on the ice, the series result appears inevitable.
Many have argued that Ovechkin's teammates haven't shown up in the playoffs and there's a strong argument for that. For example, Alex Semin has 12 playoff goals -- and eight have come against the New York Rangers. But the Caps captain tried to win the game himself tonight, and that's not a style that helps the team. The Lightning knew what was coming and had two defensemen waiting for the Great Eight to try to enter the offensive zone.
The change that happened mid-season -- which led to a strong finish, the team's fourth consecutive division championship and the top seed in the Eastern Conference -- is looking more like a mirage every day. Maybe more than last season's loss to the Montreal Canadiens, this team's elimination -- which could come as early as tomorrow night (7 p.m., CSN-HD) -- is a bigger blow to Coach Bruce Boudreau's tenure and that of several players, Semin included. (The Caps under Boudreau in the postseason are 8-4 against the Rangers and 9-15 vs. everybody else.)
The Caps' immediate future includes game four. Anything beyond that is extremely cloudy.
May 1, 2011
Lightning Crashes Verizon Center, Takes First Two Games
During the Versus telecast of tonight's game two between the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning, there was a commercial that said something to the effect of "winning the Stanley Cup takes a lifetime, and for some, that's not even long enough."
For the Caps, winning the series has gone from somewhat likely to extremely difficult after losing game two, 3-2, in overtime. Tampa's winning goal came off the stick of captain Vincent Lacavalier, who converted a two-on-one at 6:19 of overtime with a flick of the puck past a helpless Michal Neuvirth. It was the Lightning captain's second goal of the night, the first coming with less than a minute left in the first period on a wicked slapshot from the point on the power play. He capped the game-winner with a Alex Ovechkin-esque jump into the glass.
In fact, it could be argued that many of the 14 goals that have beaten Neuvirth this playoff year have been the result of a defensive breakdown or deflection off his own player. The latter was true tonight, when Martin St. Louis got credited with a third-period goal after the puck carromed off Mike Green's stick and past Neuvirth at 7:35.
The Caps, therefore, were forced to come back twice. Their first goal came off the stick of Brooks Laich at 14:52 of the second, when the crease crasher scored from in close, leaving the dominant Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson helpless. And at 18:52 of the third, with Neuvirth pulled for an extra attacker, Ovechkin poked the puck into the net with most of his team storming the crease.
The Caps' power play was inept once again, going 0-for-6 tonight after going 0-for-5 in game one. The Lightning boast a tremendous penalty kill, and the Caps' PK has been pretty solid too. But Tampa has two power play goals in this series, and the Caps haven't gotten close to scoring once in that situation.
The Lightning won this game, and put themselves into a grand position to advance to the conference finals, though, because they dominated the third period just as they did in game one. They were outshot, and at times outplayed, but Roloson's saves and a superior game plan outdid the home team. Tampa has looked like a team that seems destined for greatness, going undefeated since falling behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-1, in the first round.
The win was Tampa's fifth straight away from the St. Pete Times Forum, where the series resumes on Tuesday night (6:30 p.m., CSN-HD). In order for the Caps to return to Verizon Center and play game five, they must make take a page out of Tampa's playbook and dominate play. They must shoot more from the so-called "high-traffic areas" near the net and start to put more pressure on Roloson.
It's not a coincidence that so many goals have beaten Neuvirth from in close and somehow found a way to the back of the net. The Caps aren't working hard enough to make those breaks for themselves, and the Lightning are finding ways to score and win games.
Tonight, as they did in game one, the Caps dominated for long stretches but couldn't score. And as the game progressed, they got further and further away from their game plan -- instead of using their momentum to keep up the pressure and try to seize victory. This trend must reverse, or the Caps will bow out of the playoffs prematurely yet again.
For the Caps, winning the series has gone from somewhat likely to extremely difficult after losing game two, 3-2, in overtime. Tampa's winning goal came off the stick of captain Vincent Lacavalier, who converted a two-on-one at 6:19 of overtime with a flick of the puck past a helpless Michal Neuvirth. It was the Lightning captain's second goal of the night, the first coming with less than a minute left in the first period on a wicked slapshot from the point on the power play. He capped the game-winner with a Alex Ovechkin-esque jump into the glass.
In fact, it could be argued that many of the 14 goals that have beaten Neuvirth this playoff year have been the result of a defensive breakdown or deflection off his own player. The latter was true tonight, when Martin St. Louis got credited with a third-period goal after the puck carromed off Mike Green's stick and past Neuvirth at 7:35.
The Caps, therefore, were forced to come back twice. Their first goal came off the stick of Brooks Laich at 14:52 of the second, when the crease crasher scored from in close, leaving the dominant Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson helpless. And at 18:52 of the third, with Neuvirth pulled for an extra attacker, Ovechkin poked the puck into the net with most of his team storming the crease.
The Caps' power play was inept once again, going 0-for-6 tonight after going 0-for-5 in game one. The Lightning boast a tremendous penalty kill, and the Caps' PK has been pretty solid too. But Tampa has two power play goals in this series, and the Caps haven't gotten close to scoring once in that situation.
The Lightning won this game, and put themselves into a grand position to advance to the conference finals, though, because they dominated the third period just as they did in game one. They were outshot, and at times outplayed, but Roloson's saves and a superior game plan outdid the home team. Tampa has looked like a team that seems destined for greatness, going undefeated since falling behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-1, in the first round.
The win was Tampa's fifth straight away from the St. Pete Times Forum, where the series resumes on Tuesday night (6:30 p.m., CSN-HD). In order for the Caps to return to Verizon Center and play game five, they must make take a page out of Tampa's playbook and dominate play. They must shoot more from the so-called "high-traffic areas" near the net and start to put more pressure on Roloson.
It's not a coincidence that so many goals have beaten Neuvirth from in close and somehow found a way to the back of the net. The Caps aren't working hard enough to make those breaks for themselves, and the Lightning are finding ways to score and win games.
Tonight, as they did in game one, the Caps dominated for long stretches but couldn't score. And as the game progressed, they got further and further away from their game plan -- instead of using their momentum to keep up the pressure and try to seize victory. This trend must reverse, or the Caps will bow out of the playoffs prematurely yet again.
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