Getty Images/ Elsa
The hockey fans in Washington D.C. can finally catch their breathe. The Washington Capitals shook off the past and ended a playoff series in under seven games. Nicklas Backstrom slid one past Michal Neuvirth in the second period of Game 6 to push the Capitals into the second round of the playoffs. His goal helped to put to rest critics of the Capitals team that has in the past surged to series leads only to watch those leads slip away. Not this time. The Capitals finished business, though later then expected, and can now strive for the larger goals.
The Philadelphia Flyers certainly made things interesting. After going up 3-0 in the series, the Flyers managed to take Game 4 and 5 behind the efforts of Neuvirth in goal. After the first three games, The Flyers looked to mix things up after Steve Mason got shelled in Game 3, when the Flyers seemed to fall apart and the Flyer fan base turned on their team. Neuvirth was the spark they needed. Neuvirth shutout the Presidents Trophy winner for a mind blowing 106 minutes and stopped 72 straight shots. Alex Ovechkin and the rest of the Capitals didnt take it easy on their old teammate and Neuvirth was up to the task.
The Flyers undoing was taking to many bad penalties. Early in the series, the Flyers tried to dominate the physical side of the series and the Captials were ready for the task playing disciplined hockey and it showed. In the first three games of the series, the Capitals were and amazing 11-17 on the power play and their penalty kill was a perfect 13-13. John Carlson and Matt Niskinan anchored the PK on defense and they were a tough pairing to crack. The Capitals defense as a whole also shut down the scoring options for the Flyers. Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmons were held without a goal for the whole series. The Flyers were already short on offense, so without any production from the top line, they were going no where fast. This was a result of what seemed to be a well executed plan on the Capitals part to make someone else beat them. Going into the second round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, this will need to remain the strength for the Capitals.
Photo: Maddie Meyer
Outside of the Capitals power play offense, the team seemed to struggle in 5-on-5 play until late in Game 5 and all of Game 6. Justin Williams at times in this series seemed to be the difference maker, flying to pucks and giving a physical presence to the 2nd line. As the series drug on though, Williams took some bad penalties in Game 5 which put the Capitals at a terrible disadvantage. Yes, the penalty kill was good, but it was an unneeded stress on the team to survive with just four men on the ice for so long. Marcus Johansson on the other hand had a fantastic series. Johansson had 6 points ( 1 goal, 5 assists) and played his way up to the 2nd line and gave them life during Game 6 Sunday afternoon. Johansson going forward could be that extra man that can change a series when you are looking for that next level of scoring behind your top line.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Braden Holtby continues to be fantastic during the playoffs, allowing 5 goals in 6 games. When the team needed him, he stood on his head. During the final push from the Flyers in Game 6, Holtby made save after save keeping his team alive to advance to the next round. His .968 save percentage is the best among goalies still in the playoffs and that will be put to the test against the Penguins. The Penguins found their stride at the end of the series and Evgeni Malkin is back on the ice, giving Pittsburgh another weapon. Holtby will face a much stiffer challenge when Sidney Crosby and company arrive in D.C. to drop the puck on round 2 of the playoffs.
