Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images
While the absence of top-line right wing Tom Wilson certainly played a part in the Washington Capitals’ 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Thursday night’s Game 2, a lot of other things went wrong for the team following a dominant performance in the inaugural game of the best-of-seven first round series.
After playing with the same intensity and control that earned them a 4-2 Game 1 win on Tuesday night, the Capitals lost all control of the game in the second period of Game 2 on Thursday night. As a result, Florida chased goaltender Vitek Vanecek from the crease before the start of the third period and ultimately tied the series at one apiece.
“We knew it was going to be tough, long series,” captain Alex Ovechkin said after the game. “It doesn’t matter the score, 1-0 or 10-0 we still lost. If you compare the two games, they were two different games, bounces, you know, mistakes,” said Ovechkin. “Shit happens. Move on. 1-1. How I said, it is a good scenario for us.”
“We knew it was going to be a tough, long series … Now we go home and play in front of our fans. Nothing we can do right now, but move on and forget about it.”
Alex Ovechkin postgame.#CapsCats pic.twitter.com/lIXclHOxnT
— x – Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 6, 2022
The Capitals know they have proven capable of playing like a team that can compete with the regular season’s best club. In Game 1 they outshot Florida 38-32, allowed the Cats just two power play opportunities (killing both), and gave the puck away just six times to Florida’s 13.
In Game 2, the Capitals were outshot by a 36-27 margin, put the Panthers on four man-advantages (luckily killing all four), and gave the puck away a staggering 21 times to Florida’s six. In addition, the Capitals failed to convert on a four-minute power play.
“I think we all need to realize everything matters in the playoffs,” center Nicklas Backstrom commented after the game. “Obviously the margins are small, but I think after goals like that we have to be a little bit sharper and take care of that puck. Our execution wasn’t there tonight so that’s an area we need to be better at.”
“We have a tight series going back to Washington. Looking forward to playing in front of our fans.”
Nicklas Backstrom postgame.#CapsCats pic.twitter.com/wu8RkYMwk6
— x – Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 6, 2022
With the Capital One Arena crowd set to be fired up on Saturday and the sting of Game 2 still fresh, Ovechkin and his team have every reason to be optimistic about their ability to take a 2-1 series lead.
“Right now we go home, play in our house in front of our fans. So, nothing can do right now, just move on, forget about it.”
By Michael Fleetwood
This team knows what to say and how to produce but I think that sometimes their older bodies do not want to cooperate especailly their legs. Also this team does not ahve a true #1 goalie, like the had when Holtby or Kolzig or even Beaupre were here. They have 2 #2 goalies but put together they are still not a #1. Maybe the beat way to play them is to rotate them everyother night and see what happens as neither seems to play well in consecutive games.