3 takeaways from the Capitals bottling up the Lightning in Game 2

How the Washington Capitals played a balanced game and took a 2-0 series lead over the Washington Capitals in the NHL Eastern Conference Finals.

The Washington Capitals walked into Tampa Bay and punched the Lightning in the mouth, capping off the two-game sweep with a 6-2 victory in Game 2.

It didn’t take long for Washington to get on the board. Tom Wilson deflected a long shot by Evgeny Kuznetsov just 28 seconds into the game to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead. The Lightning responded with back-to-back power play goals by Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos to take a 2-1 lead into the second period.

For the first time all series, the Lightning looked like they had some life following Stamkos’ power play goal.

The Capitals immediately suffocated them in the second, tying things less than three minutes into the second on a goal by Devante Smith-Pelly.

It was the final minute of the first period that changed the complexion of Game 1. It was the final minute of the second that changed Game 2.

Lars Eller tipped a cross-ice feed from Jakub Vrana past Andrei Vasilevskiy with a minute remaining. Kuznetsov added another goal with three seconds remaining in the period to give Washington a 4-2 lead heading into the final frame.

Alex Ovechkin killed any chance of a Tampa Bay rally with a goal three and a half minutes into the third.

The Capitals now lead the series 2-0 and head back to Washington feeling pretty good about things.