For the third straight round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Washington Capitals are tied with their opponents through four games.
They came back from an 0-2 hole to tie the Columbus Blue Jackets. They traded wins and losses with the Pittsburgh Penguins. In those series, Washington won in six games. But now, the Capitals lost a 2-0 series lead to the Tampa Bay Lightning to reach the 2-2 mark moving to a pivotal Game 5 in Florida.
Here’s what you need to know, and read, before Game 5.
Opponent: Tampa Bay Lightning (series tied 2-2)
Location: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
Date and Time: Saturday, May 19, 7:15 p.m.
Television: NBC
Radio: FAN 106.7
Pre-game reading:
Lightning edge out Capitals in Game 4 to even series, by Adam Zielonka
Capitals waste Backstrom’s ’hell of a game’ return, by Matthew Paras
The move that saved the Capitals defense wasn’t a flashy one, by Matthew Paras
What to watch for: Nicklas Backstrom did not make it onto the score sheet in Game 4, his return from a hand injury suffered during the Penguins series. He skated on the third line with Chandler Stephenson and Brett Connolly so the second line of Jakub Vrana, Lars Eller and T.J. Oshie could stay intact … Eller has taken five penalties in the last two games, but he also went 9-for-13 on faceoffs in Game 4.
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