Sunday, April 24, 2016

Metropolitan Division Playoffs: 1) Washington Capitals VS. 4) Philadelphia Flyers

As usual, this post covers the entire series in the first round of this year's NHL playoffs.

Game 1: Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia. In goal: Steve Mason for Philadelphia and Braden Holtby for Washington. Washington got going in the second period with a John Carlson power play goal, powered by Marcus Johansson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on with a Jay Beagle goal, via Johansson. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the three stars given to Holtby (19 save shutout), Johansson, and Carlson. The Capitals begin with a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia. In goal: Steve Mason for Philadelphia and Braden Holtby for Washington. Washington led off in the first period with a John Carlson power play goal, his second of the postseason, powered by Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson. The Capitals added on with a Jason Chimera goal in the second period, assisted by Karl Alzner and Matt Niskanen. Philadelphia got on the board with a Jakub Voracek goal, helped along by Brayden Schenn and Shayne Gostisbehere. Washington replied with an Alex Ovechkin power play goal, fueled by Backstrom and Johansson. The Capitals extended the lead in the third period as Backstrom scored with the help of T.J. Oshie and Carlson. This made it 4-1, the final, with the three stars awarded to Holtby (41 for 42 in saves), Backstrom, and Carlson, while Johansson gets an honorable mention. The Capitals leave home with a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In goal: Braden Holtby for Washington and Steve Mason for Philadelphia. Philadelphia began in the first period with a Michael Raffl goal, guided in by Brandon Manning and Sam Gagner. Washington tied it on a Marcus Johansson power play goal, powered by John Carlson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals took the lead in the second period with Alex Ovechkin's second goal of the postseason, via Backstrom and T.J. Oshie. Washington added on in the third period with an Evgeny Kuznetsov power play goal, assisted by Justin Williams and the goalie Holtby. The Capitals extended the lead as Carlson scored his third of the playoffs on the power play, helped along by Ovechkin and Williams. Washington padded the lead with Ovechkin's second of the game and third of the postseason, a power play goal made possible by Carlson and Oshie. The Capitals kept going with a Jay Beagle power play goal, his second of the playoffs, with helpers from Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Orlov. This made it 6-1, the final, with the three stars handed to Ovechkin, Carlson, and Holtby (31 for 32 in saves), while Backstrom, Oshie, and Williams get the honorable mentions. The Capitals are on the verge of advancing, standing at 3-0 in the series.

Game 4: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In goal: Braden Holtby for Washington and Michal Neuvirth for Philadelphia. Philadelphia started in the first period with a Shayne Gostisbehere power play goal, powered by Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds. The Flyers added on in the second period with an Andrew MacDonald goal, via Simmonds and Brayden Schenn. Washington got on the board in the third period with a T.J. Oshie goal, coming off of Matt Niskanen and Karl Alzner. This only made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars being MacDonald, Gostisbehere, and Neuvirth (31 for 32 in saves). The Capitals missed the chance to sweep, but head home with a 3-1 series lead.

Game 5: Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia. In goal: Michal Neuvirth for Philadelphia and Braden Holtby for Washington. Philadelphia dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Ryan White goal, passed from Sam Gagner and Mark Streit. The Flyers iced it at 2-0 with a Chris VandeVelde empty net goal in the third period, set up by Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. The three stars were Neuvirth (44 save shutout), White, and VandeVelde. The series still favors the Capitals 3-2. 

Game 6: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In goal: Braden Holtby for Washington and Michal Neuvirth for Philadelphia. Washington opened in the second period with a Nicklas Backstrom goal, his second of the playoffs, made possible by Marcus Johansson and Alex Ovechkin. This held up for a 1-0 win, with the three stars being Holtby (26 save shutout), Backstrom, and Neuvirth (28 for 29 in saves). The Capitals take the series 4-2, and will face the Penguins in the fight for the Metropolitan Division. 

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