The Washington Capitals only allowed 20 shots to get to young goaltender Braden Holtby. The rest were fended off by their defensemen, deflecting the other 26 shots the New York Rangers sent towards the net.
It’s a little easier to win that way. The Capitals frustrated the Rangers all night Saturday, evening the series at 2-apiece with a 3-2 win. The series shifts back to New York Monday where the Rangers are favored by 1 1/2 goals to rebound, according to Bovada with a -155 moneyline.
To do so, the Rangers will need to shake off the difficult night offensively.
”It’s hard to play against a team like that,” Rangers captain Ryan Callahan told the Associated Press. ”They’re really good in their defensive zone and they are similar to us in our style, the way we block shots.
”The big thing is frustration. We can’t let that creep in. We need to just keep banging away, we’ve got to keep playing. We’re not frustrated in here. We realize what we have to do. We just have to go out there and do it.”
It’s not an unfamiliar position for the Rangers. They were knotted 2-2 with the Ottawa Senators in the first round and managed to win Game 5. That led to a win in Game 7 and confidence in themselves with their backs against the wall.
”We have to win it,” Callahan told the AP. ”It’s a big game, especially coming back home. We have to make sure we concentrate on our start, take the crowd’s energy and make sure that our first 10 minutes are there.”
Former MVP Alex Ovechkin scored a goal, but was the center of suspension talk after he left his skates in the third period for a hit on Dan Girardi. He was penalized for charging but likely won’t be suspended.
”They collided with each other,” head coach Dale Hunter told the AP.
The Capitals are showing a willingness to be physical in all aspects of the game, diving in front of pucks to deflect them and keep Holtby from being pounded.
”I get sick of hearing people say, ‘Oh, are you taking a page from the Bruins?”’ Capitals forward Brooks Laich told the AP. ”In round one, well, we did more things right. We blocked more shots, we played tighter defensive hockey than supposedly one of the best defensive teams in the league.
”In this round, too, we’ve played great. Everybody talks about the Rangers, how that’s their identity. We’re only giving up 15, 18 shots a game, and nobody’s talking about our team, our identity. You guys can say what you want. I think sometimes you mis-stereotype or misplace the stereotype on some teams. Sometimes I think our defensive efforts around here are overlooked.”
That’s what’s kept Washington in games. In fact, ten of its 11 postseason games so far have been decided by one goal.