The Washington Capitals might find themselves buried in a menacing 2-0 hole against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Alexander Ovechkin isn't sweating it.
In fact, on Tuesday, Ovi reiterated that he expects to head back to D.C. for Game 5 with the series all square - a bold statement given the tough task currently in front of his Capitals.
Alex Ovechkin repeats what he said the other night: Caps are going back to Washington for Game 5, and the series will be tied.
Sure, Games 1 and 2 were settled in overtime and realistically could have gone either way. But there is no sugarcoating how tough it is for a team to rebound from back-to-back losses on home ice - especially given Washington's history of losing when it matters most.
However, if there's one player on the Capitals' roster who's earned the right to make a bold statement or two, it's Ovechkin, as he's the most likely to put his money where his mouth is once the puck is dropped.
Head coach Barry Trotz decided to go with his - supposed - backup Philipp Grubauer in Games 1 and 2. But after Grubauer allowed eight goals on 49 shots through five playoff periods, Trotz made the switch back to his longtime starter.
Holtby replaced Grubauer in Game 2 after the second period and stopped seven of eight shots. The Capitals still lost - going down 2-0 in the series - but that was apparently enough for Trotz to start Holtby for the crucial Game 3 showdown in Columbus on Tuesday night.
Despite never getting past the second round, Holtby is a proven playoff performer, registering a 2.00 goals-against average, a sparkling .932 save percentage, and four shutouts across 60 career games.
Washington will certainly need more of that from its goaltender to claw its way back into the series and get its first win of the 2018 postseason.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena.
In the weeks leading up to the 2018 NHL Draft, theScore NHL prospect writer Hannah Stuart breaks down 10 of the most notable draft-eligible prospects. The first edition focuses on Rasmus Dahlin.
Between finding success against much older competition in the Swedish Hockey League, winning a Champions Hockey League championship, and playing for Sweden at the Olympics, Rasmus Dahlin has already had an illustrious hockey career - and he didn't turn 18 until April 13.
Drawing comparisons to players like Victor Hedman and garnering labels like "franchise-defining," Dahlin has been the consensus top pick for this year’s draft since before the 2017 edition ended. Elite prospects Andrei Svechnikov and Filip Zadina, who would likely be a formidable one-two combo in a Dahlin-free draft year, are distant runners-up.
Only one question remains: What team will be lucky enough to win the lottery and select him first overall?
Year in review
Dahlin's performance at the 2018 World Junior Championship in Buffalo affirmed his position as the consensus top prospect. In addition to winning a silver medal with Sweden, Dahlin went home with six assists in seven games, the award for best defenseman, and a spot on the tournament All-Star Team. While a single international tournament shouldn't make or break a prospect’s position, it can show how they compare to their peers - and Dahlin is light years ahead.
Dahlin also made the Swedish Olympic roster, and was the youngest player on the team at 17 (the next youngest player was 24). Though he only appeared in two games, the fact that Sweden's management group didn’t feel they could leave him at home indicates they think highly of him. You don't take an under-18 defenseman to arguably the biggest hockey tournament in the world unless you're confident he can handle the competition.
When he wasn’t playing in international tournaments, Dahlin was on the ice for Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League. In 41 SHL games, where he plays against grown men (some with NHL experience), Dahlin had 20 points, including seven goals. He also had two goals in the seven Champions Hockey League games he appeared in with Frolunda, and was named the Swedish Junior Hockey Player of the Year.
One tournament Dahlin won't appear in is this year's U18 World Championship. He's had a full season and, with the draft combine and draft coming up, he's taking a well-deserved break.
Areas of strength
High-level hockey sense and excellent skating are the hallmarks of today's elite defenseman. Dahlin has both these qualities in spades. He's almost unbelievably dynamic, dominating both ends of the ice through a combination of impeccable defensive positioning and outstanding offensive creativity. He's got top-notch speed and acceleration and he's also agile, with excellent edge work.
His production so far is quite promising. If you want a glimpse of his potential future (bear in mind that many variables play into development, and this is only a best-case scenario), look no further than Erik Karlsson. In his 17-year-old J20 SuperElit season, Karlsson scored 0.97 points per game. In his age-16 season in the same league, Dahlin scored 0.92 points per game, and his goals-per-game rate was slightly higher than Karlsson's - 0.38 compared to 0.34.
Areas of improvement
Looking for flaws in Dahlin's game turns up the scouting equivalent of a 404 file-not-found page - not surprising for a generational talent. At only 183 pounds, it’s likely Dahlin will put on muscle, making him even more difficult to move off the puck and allowing him to throw harder hits. However, his game isn’t particularly lacking in these areas at the moment.
Scouting reports
"A smart two-way defenseman with the skating, puck-handling, vision and intelligence required to play in the NHL as early as next season." - Mike Morreale, NHL.com
"Exceptional two-way defenseman with a well-documented resume who has been succeeding as a teenager playing against much older competition. Dahlin is an explosive, dynamic puck wizard who thinks the game at an elite level." - Steve Kournianos, TheDraftAnalyst.com
Did you know?
In the 2016-17 season, Dahlin was the most penalized player in the J20 SuperElit league with 56 penalty minutes.
With an April 2000 birthday, Dahlin is one of the younger players in the 2018 draft. For comparison, fellow defensive prospect Evan Bouchard (ranked in the top 10 by many scouting services) has an October 1999 birthday. Due to player aging curves, research shows that drafting younger when possible is the right choice - even when the younger prospect doesn’t dramatically outpace the elder one in skill.
Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson lasted just two periods into Game 3 against the San Jose Sharks on Monday, getting the hook after allowing five goals on 24 shots.
Ducks coach Randy Carlyle turned to backup Ryan Miller to start the third period.
The Sharks carried a 5-1 lead into the final frame, and added three more on Miller to take the contest 8-1 and extend their series lead to a commanding three games to none.
The Nashville Predators netminder was pulled less than five minutes into the second period of Game 3 versus the Colorado Avalanche after allowing four goals on just 15 shots.
Rinne is considered a favorite for the Vezina Trophy after he finished the regular season with 42 wins in 59 games, alongside a .927 save percentage and 2.31 GAA.
Everybody knew Taylor Hall was chomping at the bit for his first taste of playoff hockey, and he sure is making the most of it.
Hall notched two points in his playoff debut in Game 1 last week, and facing a must-win situation Monday night versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Hart Trophy candidate delivered yet another huge performance.
In over 22 minutes of action, Hall collected three points. He scored the Devils' first goal of the game, got the primary assist on the power play to tie things at 2-2 in the third period, and added another primary helper on the eventual game-winner as New Jersey came away with a 5-2 victory.
The Devils now trail 2-1 in the series.
Hall made a big-time statement in the regular season by netting a career-high 93 points in 76 games, and based on his postseason showing so far, he doesn't appear ready to slow down.
