Fansided

Capitals finish off Lightning in Game 7: 3 takeaways

By Jeremy Lambert

TAMPA, FL - MAY 23: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning gives up a goal Andre Burakovsky #65 of the Washington Capitals during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 23, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - MAY 23: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning gives up a goal Andre Burakovsky #65 of the Washington Capitals during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 23, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – MAY 23: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning gives up a goal Andre Burakovsky #65 of the Washington Capitals during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 23, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – MAY 23: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning gives up a goal Andre Burakovsky #65 of the Washington Capitals during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 23, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images) /

2. Andre Burakovsky plays hero

Without fail, someone you would not expect always steps up in Game 7.

Hockey is a beautiful sport where role players can become heroes due to the nature of how the game is played. Stars aren’t able to control the game and hunt one-on-one matchups throughout. The top player on the ice might get three or four quality chances in the entire 60-minutes to put himself on the scoresheet.

With so many opportunities given to depth players and potential bounces that could in favor of anyone, you never know who is going to be the hero in Game 7.

Andre Burakovsky has seen his ice time decrease as the series has gone on. He had not registered a single point in seven playoff games. He had three shots the entire series. Yet, because hockey is the ultimate abstract painting, his two goals ensured victory for the Capitals.

The first goal was the result of hard work and a fortunate bounce. Dan Giradi played the puck off his body and by the time his stick could catch up, Burakovsky had stripped him and beat Vasilevskiy on the blocker side. The second goal was being on the ice at the right time during a poor line change. He took a stretch pass by John Carlson, walked in on a partial breakaway and sniped it through the Tampa tender.

In a game featuring Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and six other players who scored 50-plus points in the regular season, it was Burakovsky who had the biggest impact on the scoresheet.

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