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Lightning vs. Capitals: Game 2 Prediction

By Griffin Youngs

TAMPA, FL - MAY 11: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals avoids a check from Victor Hedman #77 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 11, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - MAY 11: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals avoids a check from Victor Hedman #77 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 11, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) /
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The Capitals got the Lightning’s attention with a impressive Game 1 win, but can they take control of the series in Game 2 before heading home?

The Washington Capitals surprised the rest of the league with a solid performance in Game 1, jumping all over the seemingly complacent Lightning early on to jump out to a 4-0 lead, and held off a storm back from the Lightning in the third period to take a 1-0 series lead and take home ice advantage away from Tampa.

As impressive as Game 1 was for the Capitals, this series is a long way from being over, and both teams still have plenty to prove heading into Game 2 in Tampa Bay.

For the Lightning, that was without a doubt the worst game they played this postseason. Even when the Bruins thrashed them in Game 1, the Lightning were able to keep pace until a third period explosion from the Bruins. In the first 40 minutes of Game 1 however, the Lightning just seemed unprepared and the Capitals made them pay. They managed just two shots in the first period, and eight more by the end of the second. Finally in the third they were able to put it together once the Capitals let off the gas, allowing Steven Stamkos and Ondrej Palat to make it respectable.

They’re going to need a full 60 minutes to take momentum back heading to Washington for Game 3. They simply were not good enough and Nikita Kucherov said it best, they owe their fans a much better performance.

The Capitals put together a perfect game plan in Game 1 for shutting down the skill of the Lightning and taking control of the game. There was no hangover from advancing past the second round to for the first time in 20 years, and they carried every ounce of momentum into Tampa for a great performance. They didn’t allow shots to get through to Braden Holtby, and controlled play in their own zone to tire the Lightning out.

Alex Ovechkin came through once again for the Capitals by registering the momentum swinging 2-0 goal just seconds after Nikita Kucherov’s tying goal was disallowed and an assist later on. Washington cannot be satisfied with the win however. When you have the chance to step on the neck of your opponent and take a 2-0 series lead in their building, you cannot pass that up.

If the Capitals can get Nicklas Backstrom back, and if Andre Burakovsky can shake off his rust, the Capitals can find themselves in a better position then perhaps they themselves never expected going into Game 3.

Tampa Bay has showed they are capable of more and they will perform much better in Game 2. They cannot fall behind 2-0 in this series going to Washington if they want a chance, and their first period in Game 2 will be the determining factor. If the Capitals can weather the storm and get the crowd out of it again, they will be in great position to take another game.

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This is a tough one to call, and I’m not confident in going with either team. This game goes to overtime after a hard fought back and forth affair, and it will more than just twenty minutes of extra time to decide it. When it gets this late, nothing but a lucky break matters. TJ Oshie scores the winning goal off a lucky bounce, and the Capitals go home up 2-0.

Game 2 Prediction: Capitals defeat Lightning 4-3 in Double Overtime

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