Bigger Washington can control series up front
Capitals forward Mike Knuble drove his 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame toward the net and crashed into Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price.
It wasn’t the best time for a goaltender interference penalty. Midway through the third period of Monday’s 5-1 victory at Bell Centre, the Caps were ahead by three goals, but still not entirely comfortable.
That one play, however, epitomized how Washington took control of its first-round Stanley Cup playoffs series against the smaller Canadiens. Three of the five Washington goals were scored within two feet of the crease and the second-period tally by Brooks Laich happened thanks to a perfect screen by teammate Eric Fehr.
“It’s not easy. Sometimes you watch [on television] and you go ‘Why doesn’t he go to the net?'” Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Well, you’ve got a 6-foot-4 defensemen ready to hurt you if you go there. And it takes courage to go to the front. So we ask all our players to go to the front and to create traffic. Sometimes they do it; sometimes they don’t.”
They did late in Game 2, rallying from a 4-1 deficit to win in overtime, 6-5. Monday’s game was a clinic. Boyd Gordon — with Knuble riding shotgun — jammed home a shorthanded rebound to open the scoring early in the second period. Montreal wilted. Laich — with help from Fehr’s screen — was next. Minutes later, Fehr drove hard to the net and slammed a rebound past Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak, who was promptly pulled from the game. With 45 seconds left, Matt Bradley took four whacks at a puck just outside Price’s crease before scoring.
The smaller Canadiens just couldn’t handle the bruising Caps and that’s the blueprint for how Washington can wrap up this series quickly. A possible lineup change for Montreal could include adding defenseman Ryan O’Byrne, a rugged 6-foot-6, 230-pounder, to battle Washington up front. But he has yet to appear in a game this series and doesn’t appear to have the confidence of Montreal coach Jacques Martin. In that case, the Caps simply will stick with their strategy.
“I’m comfortable [going to the net],” said Caps forward Alex Ovechkin. “When I watch Knuble or Brooks Laich how they go to the net and sometimes they stay there on the power play when I shoot the puck high. It’s scary moment. But if you want to get some [goals] you have to pay the price.”
