It's one of the most talked about storylines in hockey, and yet it still seems surprising.
Stop us if you've heard this before: Alex Ovechkin has never advanced past the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his 13-year NHL career.
We can debate the reasons why until the cows come home, but the fact remains that despite producing at nearly a point-per-game clip in the postseason, the superstar's Washington Capitals teams haven't ever gone on a deep run.
Standing in his - and their - way yet again are the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have knocked Ovechkin's squad out of the second round in both of the two previous campaigns. The Penguins have actually done it three times in the last nine years, and in every case, went on to win the Stanley Cup (2009, 2016, and 2017).
In these playoffs, Ovechkin willed his club to a six-game first-round win over the Columbus Blue Jackets after the Capitals fell into a 2-0 series deficit in their own building. He guaranteed they'd return to Washington tied after four games (which they ultimately did), and helped Washington become the first team ever to win a series after dropping the first two at home in overtime.
Is this the year he finally gets into the third round?
Doctors determined that the 19-year-old will not require surgery, but he does need to immobilize the affected area for three-to-four weeks.
Despite the injury, Hischier still played all 82 regular-season games - tallying 20 goals and 52 points - and all five playoff games, in which he scored one goal.
In other injury news, the team also announced that forward Pavel Zacha suffered a ligament injury in his right hand toward the end of the season. Like Hischier, Zacha doesn't need surgery, but does require two-to-four weeks of immobilization.
The injuries mean neither player will be available for the upcoming World Championship.
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 players. The second edition focuses on Filip Zadina.
The Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL have an excellent track record when it comes to producing top-quality NHL prospects. Filip Zadina is the latest in a line that includes 2017 first overall pick and current New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier, and Colorado Avalanche star, 2013 No. 1 pick, and potential Hart Trophy nominee Nathan MacKinnon.
To most draft pundits, Zadina is a solid No. 3 behind Rasmus Dahlin and Andrei Svechnikov (though a few rank Boston University’s Brady Tkachuk ahead of him). Yet, no matter his ranking, or where he goes in June, his performance across this season shows he will be a valuable addition to any team’s prospect pool and will make an impact in the NHL sooner rather than later.
Year in review
Taken 11th overall in the 2017 CHL Import Draft out of the senior Czech league where he played with HC Dynamo Pardubice, Zadina made an immediate impact with the Mooseheads. His 82 points in 57 games, including 44 goals, were the most of all QMJHL rookies, and he was named to the league’s All-Rookie Team and First All-Star Team.
It was the 2018 World Junior Championships, however, that served as his breakthrough. With seven goals in seven games and a spot on the tournament All-Star Team, he had scouts raving and moved up from seventh among North American prospects on NHL Central Scouting’s list at midterms to second on their final list.
It’s not usually a good idea to fully form an opinion of a player based on one tournament. In this case, though, Zadina was able to use the WJC to showcase how he’s grown as a player and his offensive prowess, holding his own against not only his peers but players one and two years out from their own NHL drafts.
Areas of strength
Zadina drives play when he’s on the ice. He averaged 1.12 primary points per game (goals and primary assists) and isn’t padding that total with power-play points as much as you might expect - his even-strength points per game total is 0.82. He’s a dangerous goal-scorer with a full arsenal of shots, able to beat the opposing goaltender from seemingly anywhere on the ice. You name it, and he can probably score it.
He’s a good, but not amazing, skater with good straight-line speed and strong lateral movement and agility. While his top-end speed isn’t elite, he can evade defenders well. He’s probably the best stick-handler in this year’s draft and a strong playmaker. What's more, he’s sneaky and smart - that playmaking is driven by high-end hockey sense.
Zadina protects the puck well, sometimes holding his stick with one hand and using his body to shield the puck from opponents. He’s also a tireless worker, which is a good thing given he does have a few aspects of his game to improve at the next level.
Areas of improvement
Zadina has seen time on the Mooseheads’ penalty kill this season and is effective in breaking up shooting lanes, but his defensive positioning could use refining. The only real red flag when it comes to his play is his decision-making.
While he is an incredibly skilled puck-handler, Zadina sometimes holds onto the puck for too long, which can lead to him missing a good scoring opportunity, or can allow his opponent to force a turnover. He’ll need to improve his decision-making, rather than hemming and hawing, in order to be successful in the NHL.
Scouting reports
“The power winger has been destroying CHL competition and saved his best performances for the Czech national team this holiday season. He uses his size and strength to create space and then delivers electric moves and finishing ability. Can beat you from anywhere on the ice. A tireless worker.” -Cam Robinson, DobberProspects.com
“Rangy skilled winger with soft sands who mixes his game-breaking skills with a tremendous appetite for success. Zadina arguably is the best forward prospect to come out of the Czech Republic in the last few seasons, and since he was (a) 16-year-old has been hand-picked to lead his country at the biggest international tournaments. He has exceptional vision and hockey sense that makes every teammate a threat to score when he is on the ice.” - Steve Kournianos, TheDraftAnalyst.com
Did you know?
Zadina won this year’s QMJHL award for Best Professional Prospect, also known as the Mike Bossy Trophy.
He was on the Czech team that won a Hlinka Tournament gold medal during the 2016-17 season.
He fired 234 shots on goal this season, averaging more than four per game.
Wayne Gretzky has reclaimed the 12,000-square-foot Thousand Oaks home he sold to former New York Mets star Lenny Dykstra over a decade ago.
"The Great One" recently bought back the property for a cool $13.5 million - $5 million less than Dysktra paid for it in 2007, according to Jack Flemming of the Los Angeles Times. Dykstra lost the house to foreclosure after declaring bankruptcy.
The property boasts six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a theater room, gym, fenced tennis court, two guest houses, and views of the Santa Monica Mountains.
ARLINGTON, Va. - For the third year in a row, the Washington Capitals' path to the Eastern Conference final goes through Pittsburgh. And they can only hope their third attempt goes better than the first two.
The Capitals have fallen short in back-to-back second-round series against the Penguins, who went on to win the Stanley Cup both times. It’s the 11th occasion on which the franchises have met in the postseason; Pittsburgh has won nine of 10, only losing in the first round in 1993-94.
Both have taken turns dominating their division in recent years. Under the current playoff format, that means plenty of second-round encounters, and their third straight conference semifinal bout kicks off Thursday night at Capital One Arena.
"The way the playoff system is set up, it's going to be that way until it changes,” Capitals goalie Braden Holtby said. “That's just the way it is. I don't think it's a surprise to any of us that this would be another matchup that could come. But we didn't think too much about it.”
Washington hopes this time will be different. Both series felt more like an Eastern Conference final than a second-round meeting and, while the Capitals were game opponents, the Penguins prevailed in six in 2016 and escaped with a seven-game triumph in 2017.
Capitals players are well aware Pittsburgh has won nine consecutive playoff series dating back to 2016.
“Nobody’s been able to beat them,” defenseman Matt Niskanen said. “They have a lot of experience, they’re talented. It’s quite the challenge. I think we’re excited for that challenge. Somebody’s going to beat them eventually, so let’s get excited about our opportunity that maybe we’re the team to do it.”
The Capitals haven’t made the Eastern Conference final since 1998; they reached the Stanley Cup Final that season but were swept by the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings. Washington hasn't made it out of the second round during captain Alex Ovechkin’s career, despite making the playoffs in all but three of his 13 NHL seasons.
“One day, it (has) to happen,” Ovechkin said. “If we want to get success, we have to beat Pittsburgh and move forward. They (are the) most experienced team right now in the league. Lots of great players over there, and it's a huge challenge."
The Capitals won the Metropolitan Division despite starting the season 10-9-1, and the Penguins certainly won't be taking them lightly.
“You have to face everybody,” Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang said. “You have to face the best team going forward, so if you want to win it all, you have to face those big teams, and the Capitals are the next team that we have on our path. So we have to bring our 'A' game, they're a good team."
One other way this series differs from the others is that the Penguins are facing major adversity heading into Game 1. Injured forwards Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin will not play in the opener, though Malkin, who had 98 points in the regular season, made the trip to Washington; both were hurt during the Penguins' first-round triumph over the rival Philadelphia Flyers.
Regardless of who shuffles in and out of the respective lineups, these are two top NHL teams painfully familiar with one another, and that should make for some great hockey.
“We faced each other for a lot of games and we should know each other right now inside out,” Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom said. “That's just how it is. It's usually (a) tight series and one-goal games.
With only eight teams remaining, the NHL unveiled the complete schedule for the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which kicks off Thursday night in Washington.
Eastern Conference
Tampa Bay Lightning (A1) vs. Boston Bruins (A2)
Game
Date
Time (ET)
Home
TV
1
Saturday April 28
3 p.m.
Lightning
NBC / SN/ TVA
2
Monday April 30
7 p.m.
Lightning
NBCSN / CBC / TVA
3
Wednesday May 2
7 p.m.
Bruins
NBCSN / CBC/ TVA
4
Friday May 4
7 p.m.
Bruins
NBCSN / CBC /TVA
*5
Sunday May 6
TBD
Lightning
TBD
*6
Tuesday May 8
TBD
Bruins
TBD
*7
Thursday May 10
TBD
Lightning
TBD
Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (M2)
Game
Date
Time (ET)
Home
TV
1
Thursday April 26
7 p.m.
Capitals
NBCSN / CBC / SN / TVA
2
Sunday April 29
3 p.m.
Capitals
NBC / CBC / TVA
3
Tuesday May 1
7:30 p.m.
Penguins
NBCSN / SN / TVA 2
4
Thursday May 3
7 p.m.
Penguins
NBCSN / SN / TVA
*5
Saturday May 5
TBD
Capitals
TBD
*6
Monday May 7
TBD
Penguins
TBD
*7
Wednesday May 9
TBD
Capitals
TBD
Western Conference
Nashville Predators (C1) vs. Winnipeg Jets (C2)
Game
Date
Time (ET)
Home
TV
1
Friday April 27
8 p.m.
Predators
NBCSN / CBC / SN360 / TVA
2
Sunday April 29
7 p.m.
Predators
NBCSN / CBC / TVA
3
Tuesday May 1
8 p.m.
Jets
CBC / TVA / CNBC
4
Thursday May 3
9:30 p.m.
Jets
CBC / TVA / NBCSN
*5
Saturday May 5
TBD
Predators
TBD
*6
Monday May 7
TBD
Jets
TBD
*7
Thursday May 10
TBD
Predators
TBD
Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. San Jose Sharks (P3)
The Maple Leafs defenseman saw a team-high 24:01 of ice time in the series decider, recording one assist and a minus-five rating on the night. While the perception of the latter stat has changed in recent years, being on the ice for five even-strength goals did not sit well with Gardiner, to say the least.
"Personally, I've got to be better," he said after the loss, per TSN's Mark Masters. "A lot of this game is on me and it's just not good enough, especially in a game like this. It was the most important game of the season and I didn't show up so not much I can say, really.
"There's no real explanation," he continued. "I felt fine. It just seemed like everything I was doing ended up in the back of the net and ... yeah."
Gardiner was left to defend Boston's Jake DeBrusk and was burned on the eventual game-winning goal, and broke the play down as such:
Jake Gardiner on DeBrusk's GWG goal: "I saw that he had a lot of speed & didn't think I could keep him in front of me so I turned, skated with him & he made a good play. But I got to get a stick on it."
The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs may have only provided one Game 7, but it sure was entertaining.
The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs combined for a high-octane, drama-filled deciding contest with the Bruins ultimately coming out on top, 7-4, after erasing three separate Toronto leads.
Suffice it to say, Wednesday's game was full of memorable moments. Here are five of the best.
After Toronto jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, Boston came storming back to tie it shortly after. Not before Frederik Andersen and Tomas Plekanec pulled off this magic act, though.
Pasta's tasty dish
And it's a tie hockey game once again thanks to @JDebrusk.
The Leafs' hopes were at their highest after Kasperi Kapanen put forth this remarkable shorthanded effort, burning Brad Marchand and Tuukka Rask for a phenomenal goal.
One doesn't often link Kevan Miller to brilliant offensive plays, but this bank pass to set up Patrice Bergeron's goal at the conclusion of the first was incredible.
DeBrusk takes over
The entire city of Boston is off their feet courtesy of @JDebrusk.
If you were unaware of the rookie season Jake DeBrusk had, now's a good time to remember the name, as his fifth goal of the series (and the game-winner) was a showstopper.
The eyes of the hockey world are focused solely on the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins on Wednesday night, as Game 7 of their first-round series is the only game on the NHL slate.
Through the opening 20 minutes, the contest didn't disappoint as the two sides poured in a combined five goals, with Boston taking a 3-2 lead as time expired.
The action was fast and furious, as Patrick Marleau put the Leafs ahead with a power-play marker two minutes into the game.
Marleau fired home his second of the frame to restore the Maple Leafs' lead, which hardly lasted, as Danton Heinen's first of the playoffs tied it up again.
