Capitals’ power line sets the tone in Game 7 against Lightning ... While Washington’s big boys excelled, Tampa Bay’s disappeared ... Bolts goalie Vasilevskiy just not good enough in series finale
All of the elements that make the Washington Capitals first line so good came into play Wednesday night in Tampa.
Starting with the all-important ice-breaking goal of the deciding game in the Eastern Conference final. You had big, bruising Tom
Wilson knocking down Chris Kunitz for the neutral zone turnover. The vision of Evgeny Kuznetsov, spotting and feeding his triggerman. And that sniper, Alex Ovechkin, blasting a shot through Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.
To say an Ovechkin shot should have been stopped maybe unfair, because he hits the damn puck so hard, the Bolts needed their goalie to make a save there.
But he didn’t, and 62 seconds into Game 7, the visitors were in control.
There has been some outstanding performances from lines in these playoffs. The Bruins’ Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak were on fire in Round 1.
Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler drove the Jets to the Western Conference final. Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith powered the Vegas Golden Knights to a
12-3 record, with maybe a little help from their goalie.
But Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson has been as good as any of them. Hockey Night in Canada’s
graphic at the first intermission showed how strong the line has been in the final. Through six games and one period, Ovechkin had four goals and three assists, Kuznetsov had four goals and six assists, and Wilson one goal and three assists.
Just as impressive: through the 19 periods, Wilson and Ovechkin had combined for 50 hits.
Teams feel fortunate to have one solid power forward.
The Capitals have a power forward line.
STARTS AND STOPS
With 20 minutes to go, the Lightning were still looking for their first goal since the 33-second mark of the second period in Game 5. That night they scored three, including a pair from fourth-liners Cedric
Paquette and Ryan Callahan and one from Ondrej Palat. In other words, while the Capitals big boys excelled, Tampa’s disappeared .... It seemed like Ovechkin wanted to throw himself into the glass to celebrate the goal, then realized where he was ... The camera went to Steven Stamkos on the Lightning bench after the Ovechkin goal. He looked stunned.
BETWEEN PERIODS
Enjoyed Ron MacLean’s talk-singing of the Eagles’
Take it To The Limit in the moments leading up to Game 7. But Ron, get the words right. It’s “so put me on a highway, and show me a sign” not “show me a map.” You were as bad as me around a campfire on a Saturday night ... As good as he was during in parts of the final, Vasilevskiy had a bad night. He should have had both Andre Burakovsky shots that turned into goals ... Earlier in the series we heard of how Burakovsky, who has been scratched a few times in these playoffs, is very hard on himself when things aren’t going well. Connor McDavid’s junior linemate would have received a big boost of confidence in this one.
CHANGING LINES
Good idea by Jon Cooper to promote Alex Killorn, who has one Game 7 OT winner on his resume. As the third for Stamkos and Kucherov, he was the Lightning’s most dangerous player ... The Capitals blocked eight shots in the first period and two of them were especially painful.
Devante Smith-Pelly ,a Game 6 hero, took a Ryan
McDonagh slap shot on the back of the neck, which is one of the only places on a hockey player that isn’t protected, and still managed to return from the dressing
room. Blocking two shots was T.J. Oshie, who had two goals in Game 6, and the one off the left foot put him in a lot of pain .... Tampa had three blocked shots in the opening 20 minutes.
BACK TO THE POINT
Brooks Orpik brought the physical and effective presence he had in Game 6. The old warhorse led all players with four first period hits ... Orpik took a big second period check from J.T. Miller, who is forging a reputation as a very hard hitter, then was gutlessly run from behind by Paquette ... It was like Victor
Hedman heard Garry Galley, who was saying the big Bolts blue liner was going to play 30 minutes and the team’s fate would depend largely on how he played them. Shortly after that, Hedman took a big shot that went through Holtby’s legs and hit the post, then a few seconds later deked Holtby but just couldn’t stuff the puck into the empty cage.
BUTT ENDS
Not sure incensed Wilson more, whether it was Braydon Coburn taking a shot at Ovechkin in the scrum or him pulling Kuznetsov’s sweater over his head. But boy, he was pissed. The fight those two had when they stepped out of the box was an emotion charged beauty ... See how badly Wilson’s knuckles were cut up? Another reason players should be made to take off their helmets if they’re going to fight, just like the olds days in the QMJHL ... Hedman brought back memories of a Stanley Cup final 11 years ago when he fired the puck out of anger/frustration at the end of the second period. Fellow Swede Daniel
Alfredsson did the same against the Ducks in 2007, hitting Scott Niedermayer.
Hedman wasn’t as accurate. He hit a teammate ... Cooper had thought the Lightning might have “exhaled” while blowing Game 6 after storming back from a 2-0 series deficit. They didn’t have much in Game 7. Holtby made some big stops, but he only had to face 15 shots through two periods. That’s not nearly enough from a home team needing one win to earn a spot in the final.