PRESSURE COOKER
Holtby remains Caps’ starter
Desperate times called for a players-only meeting in the Washington Capitals’ locker-room after they fell behind 2-0 in their second-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 6-2 loss on home ice Saturday.
What was said? Matt Niskanen called it “none of your business,” Alex Ovechkin insisted “it stays between us,” and Justin Williams said, “We’ll keep that between us.”
Suffice it to say, when alternate captain Nicklas Backstrom and other leaders spoke up, it wasn’t a cheery message.
“It was things that people need to say and things that some people need to hear,” winger T.J. Oshie said. “What was said is what needed to be said.”
What’s said matters little if the Capitals don’t get the job done on the ice in Game 3 on Monday night in Pittsburgh. Already, they face long odds, as just 18 of the previous 87 teams to drop the first two games of a best-of-seven series at home have gone on to win the series, and only four in NHL history have come back from a 3-0 deficit.
Head coach Barry Trotz didn’t feel he needed to say Braden Holtby would start Game 3 but did so when asked Sunday during a conference call. Trotz pulled Holtby after three goals on 14 shots in two periods on Saturday and seemed stunned to be asked about his status for Game 3.
“Yes, absolutely. Why would you think otherwise?” Trotz said. “No question, he’s our goaltender. Expect him to start tomorrow.”
Trotz praised Holtby’s mental toughness and body of work, and said the reigning Vezina Trophy winner will “be the difference in this series.” Holtby has responded well in games after being pulled this season, including back-toback shutouts on one occasion and a string of eight consecutive victories on another.
Holtby, who is 4-4 with a 2.62 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in eight games in these playoffs after putting up far better numbers in previous post-seasons, took the blame for not making a save on the Penguins’ third goal in Game 2. But he’s not the only problem for the Capitals, who’ve seen ill-timed turnovers and mistakes lead to odd-man rushes.
“Everybody’s in the same boat,” Williams said. “We’re just not doing quite enough. To beat them, you have to do everything right. We’re not going to shy away from it. We’re going to go there and see what we’re made of. We’re just a hair off. You go to the puck and you’re a hair away. There’s little ticks here and there, little races, little battles throughout the ice and we’re not quite there.”
The Capitals have outshot the Penguins 71-44 through two games but were outscored 9-4. Niskanen said the Capitals “can see our path to success,” and one of Oshie’s key points is that he and his teammates must avoid frustration.
There are some tactical adjustments they must make, especially after Sidney Crosby and Co. blocked 62 shots through two games and turned a few of those into goals.
“We’ve got to get our shots through and around the blocks,” Trotz said. “We’ve got to shoot it quicker before they can get in those lanes.”
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan didn’t have an update Sunday on forwards Patric Hornqvist and Tom Kuhnhackl, who left Game 2. Hornqvist blocked a shot by John Carlson in the first period and never returned, leading to a reunion of the Sid and the Kids line with Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary.
Guentzel, the kid from Omaha, Nebraska, scored twice in Game 2 and has a playoff-best seven goals.
“I’m playing with great players and I’m just trying to be around the net,” Guentzel said.