Dialed-in Kuznetsov giving Caps another reason to believe
Ahead of the Washington Capitals' Stanley Cup playoffs opener, as he answered questions about their matchup with the Presidents' Trophy-winning Florida Panthers, Evgeny Kuznetsov was asked about his approach to the post-season.
Surely, the flashy centre would say something along the lines of how the playoffs are the time for him — and the rest of his teammates — to prove they're still contenders, right?
Instead, he took a different, yet relatable, approach.
“I just want to get out of here because I have allergies,” Kuznetsov said. “I'm excited to start on the road so I can start breathing.”
It was typical Kuznetsov, but don't let the 29-year-old's quip fool you. When Kuznetsov is joking and happy, that's typically when he's in peak form — and he delivered during Washington's 4-2 Game 1 win over the Panthers on Tuesday night. Game 2 is Thursday.
Kuznetsov got the equalizer on a breakaway in the third period, tying the score 2-2 at 8:14 and then busting out his trademark bird celebration. T.J. Oshie followed it up a little over two minutes later with the game-winner.
The Capitals will need Kuznetsov to stay sharp as the Panthers scramble to overcome their subpar start. And he will be even more important if Tom Wilson, who left Game 1 in the first period with a lower body injury, remains sidelined.
The Capitals offered no update on Wilson's status after the game, other than coach Peter Laviolette saying the physical winger was being evaluated. Wilson, who had a breakthrough season offensively, had Washington's first goal Tuesday before leaving the game during his next shift. If he's unable to play Thursday, a rookie — Connor Mcmichael or Axel Jonsson-fjallby — will probably make his Stanley Cup playoffs debut.
“He is just a guy you cannot replace,” Oshie said of Wilson. “Not only that, but his presence in the room is very influential to our team. We are hoping for the best.”
The Capitals can say the same about Kuznetsov. For him to get on the board in Game 1 was an encouraging step following a strong regular season.
He's a distributor first, but there's no questioning his scoring abilities. The more pressing issue is something along these lines: will he put in the effort to be a force on the ice, and can he keep that up for a prolonged stretch?
Kuznetsov finished the regular season with 24 goals and 54 assists for 78 points in 79 games. This series is his next test.
“Kuzy has a skating ability that not a lot of guys in the league have, so when he is going and he is putting the effort forth, when he is on the ice, he can kind of take over,” Oshie said late last month. “To see him grow as a person and as a teammate and as a friend, it's been great to see.”
Since Kuznetsov had a stellar 32-point performance in Washington's run to the Stanley Cup in 2018, he hasn't fared well in the post-season.
Last year, he had no points in three games; a stint in the NHL'S coronavirus protocols forced him to miss the first two matchups of the Capitals' five-game loss to the Boston Bruins.
He vowed to work harder in the off-season, to prove to critics who questioned his commitment and discipline that he could do better. This season, he did just that: he was an anchor for a team that played without fellow centre Nicklas Backstrom until December.
Flashes of that player who dominated the 2018 playoffs were there even during his down years. Now, with the Capitals sitting on an unexpected series lead, Kuznetsov has a chance to break out.
And, in even better news, his allergies have improved now that the team is in Florida.
“It was unbelievable yesterday, actually — I was able to go outside and walk,” Kuznetsov said Tuesday night. “That's a big thing.”