Fansided

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

By Jeremy Lambert

TAMPA, FL - MAY 13: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 13, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - MAY 13: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 13, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – MAY 13: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning gives up a goal against Lars Eller #20 of the Washington Capitals during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 13, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – MAY 13: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning gives up a goal against Lars Eller #20 of the Washington Capitals during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 13, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The final minute

Giving a goal in the final minute is an absolute backbreaker for a team. Technically, Tampa Bay has only given up one goal in the final minute of a period in Game 2. But the goal by Lars Eller came with 1:02 remaining and was just as deflating had it happened two seconds later. Evgeny Kuznetsov’s tally was just icing on the cake for Washington.

The Lightning has given up two goals in the final 10 seconds of a period in the first two games. Both goals gave Washington a two-goal lead heading into intermission.

It’s inexcusable for Tampa Bay to fall asleep for three goals at crucial points of the game. Everyone in the world knew Washington was setting up Alex Ovechkin with a quick shot in the dying second of the first period in Game 1. Yet no Tampa player challenged quick enough or sacrificed their body to block it.

The two goals in Game 2 were in a similar manner. Washington has got bodies around the crease all series. Lightning defensemen have failed time and time again to clear them out of the way. Eller was able to get his stick on a centering pass for the third Washington goal. He would have had an easy tap in on the fourth, but Andrei Vasilevskiy tried to block the pass. Instead of blocking it, he deflected the puck into his own net.

Washington has gotten some very fortunate bounces in the first two games around the net. But those bounces were the result of hard work and lazy defense by Tampa Bay.

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