The Washington Capitals look to bust the Lightning's winning streak (and start to salvage the series) in front of the Tampa Bay faithful in Game 3. Tampa has been able to do what the New York Rangers couldnt; stifle the Capitals and Ovechkin.
Tampa Bay may well be drunk on their own success but with them leading the Stanley Cup Semi-finals against the Washington Capitals 2-0, ahead of two home games, who can blame them. The Capitals look to spoil the party, but more importantly need to get their Stanley Cup pretentions back on track or face a 0-3 hill to climb, if they don't.
It's worth noting that the Bolts haven't lost a game since 20th of April (a double OT 3-2 loss to the Penguins), and even the goalscorer who won that game for Pittsburgh (James Neal) put it down to a large slice of good fortune, "I got a shot off the draw and just wanted to shoot. I didn't have the angle, but it managed to find its way in. I was lucky," he said. The shot from the right boards near the hash marks also took a deflection off Dwayne Roloson's catching glove on it's way to lighting the lamp.
Success begets success
Before the playoffs Tampa Bay Lightning had won seven of their last eight games, and since the wobbles that saw them look likely to bow out to the Penguins (being 3-1 down) Tampa Bay have rolled over everything thrown in front of them. In the five game streak the Lightning have scored 20 goals and let in just eight, plus all but one of their games have been settled in regulation.
Any reason to start betting on the Capitals?
Well the last game was a close affair (ending 3-2 in overtime), and there's a fine line between being 2-0 down and tying the series 1-1. On Sunday night the fine line was the Lightning's captain Vincent Lecavalier, who scored two goals in the game, the second being 6:19 into overtime, the goal gave the Bolts the game at 3-2 and a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. “It’s tough to come here and win twice, and it didn’t make it any easier because they played hard.” Lecavalier said.
A 2-0 lead, achieved on enemy ice is as good as it could get for the Lightning but it's not as if the Capitals have failed to turn up for two matches, and Tampa Bay know it, "We got two lucky wins there. We have to focus on our next game. They’re too hard of a team to keep away and they generate a lot of offense and are hard to contain. They just keep coming at us.” Said Tampa Bay's hardworking goalie Dwayne Roloson, ahead of Game 3.
Before the Playoffs, Washington took the first two meetings between these sides in the regular season, scoring six goals in each, and then won both of the final two meetings, (with Tampa bay winning the middle two) so Washington can beat Tampa Bay, they just need to remember how. Tuesday night would be the perfect time to re-discover their skills, and the path to victory.
Worth fighting for
2-0 certainly isn't game over, and while Tampa Bay can shut the series out on home ice, the Capitals also know how to bounce back. Last year Washington blew games against Montreal, and that series did go the distance (although it was the Canadiens who ended up taking the series 4-3).
Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals is scheduled to start at 6:30pm ET at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, get on the SBR forum before then to get the best and the latest NHL odds on the match between Washington and Tampa Bay.
Ahead of tonight's match I'm backing the Capitals, because against the form and against the home advantage Washington will win, simply because they have to. On top of necessity being the mother of invention, winning streaks don't last forever and the Tampa Bay batteries must be running low by now as Tuesday's Game 3 will be their sixth match in 11 days. It'll be the fourth game in the same spell for the Capitals. That could well have greater significance as the next two games will be played on consecutive nights.
Prediction: Capitals to start clawing the series back, with a 4-2 win.