Fansided

The Capitals are murdering the Lightning on live television

By Tre LyDay

TAMPA, FL - MAY 11: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning gives up a goal against the Washington Capitals during Game One of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 11, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - MAY 11: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning gives up a goal against the Washington Capitals during Game One of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 11, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Washington Capitals aren’t even a week removed from exorcising their second round demons, and now they’re really handing it to the Lightning on the road.

The Tampa Bay Lightning had four days off between their clincher against the Boston Bruins and Game 1 against the Washington Capitals. Maybe, just maybe, those four days off were a few too many.

The Washington Capitals, on the other hand, really have nothing to lose heading into the Conference Final. I mean, this is their first appearance in 20 years, and boy are they really handing it to the Lightning in their own building.

Things really started going sideways with less than 10 seconds left in the first period. With the score 1-0, Nikita Kucherov managed to slip past everybody and score a tough goal to tie the game. Unfortunately for the Lightning, there was a reason he slipped past everybody. Somebody wasn’t supposed to be on the ice. The too many men penalty resulted in a power play goal by Alex Ovechkin less than five seconds later.

There was a point in this game where the Capitals actually had as many goals as the Lightning had shot. This was halfway through the second period.

https://twitter.com/Ary894/status/995113727174348801

The Caps have dominated in every facet of the game so far tonight, and there seems to be not signs of them letting up. They only needed 43 seconds to convert their first two power plays.

It should be noted that the Lightning won the Eastern Conference, and really they ran away with it during the regular season. The Capitals, while having a great regular season, probably shouldn’t even be here given the constant reminder of their well-noted playoff shortcomings.

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At some point you really have to feel bad for Lightning goalie Andre Vaseleski, because some of these goals are just unfortunate. The first goal he never saw, the second goal Ovechkin shot so you know he had no chance and the third and fourth goals involved bounces that just didn’t go his way.

Either way, someone needs to send the Tampa police down to Amalie Arena, because there is a vicious assault going on.

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