Stanley Cup Playoffs first round: Game #4
Series: Capitals 2, Montreal Canadiens 1
Where: Bell Centre, Montreal
When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
TV: Comcast SportsNet / Radio: 106.7 FM
The Caps have a chance to put Montreal in a serious hole when they play Game 4 at 7 tonight at Bell Centre. Pretty much following the plan from Monday’s 5-1 victory would work. Washington made the first half of the first period a choppy, whistle-happy affair. It withstood a rush from the Canadiens and endured the unholy din that Bell Centre’s sellout crowd creates. Rookie goalie Semyon Varlamov made a handful of first-rate saves on quality chances. Caps coach Bruce Boudreau admitted to reporters at Wednesday’s practice that he hadn’t realized — until watching the game tape — how tricky a few of those chances were. Then the Caps scored shorthanded — thanks, Boyd Gordon — and took control.
Washington has been much better than Montreal in the faceoff circle (59.8 percent). It has crashed the net hard and made life difficult for goalies Jaroslav Halak and Carey Price. About the only thing the Caps haven’t done is score on the power play (0-for-14). Credit the Canadiens, who have a solid group on the penalty kill. But that’s a difficult streak to keep up, especially as Washington probes for weaknesses over the course of several games. But put up yet another bagel with the man-advantage and Montreal has a great shot at tying the series tonight.
Canadiens coach Jacques Martin named Price the starter following the morning skate. Price came on in the second period for Halak on Wednesday and played 31 minutes. Defenseman Jaroslav Spacek missed the morning skate and yesterday’s practice so he is questionable for tonight, at best. Spacek has had a solid series and seen a good amount of ice time against Alex Ovechin so that would be a serious loss for the Canadiens’ blueline. Big 6-foot-6, 228-pound defenseman Ryan O’Byrne will play whether Spacek can go or not. He could help Montreal deal with a Caps team that has taken some liberties around the goal crease. Mike Knuble is a one-man wrecking crew near the blue paint, but Eric Fehr, Brooks Laich, Matt Bradley, Jason Chimera and Gordon have all done their part in this series.
“Yeah, it’s never easy being in the stands whatsoever, especially seeing goalies getting bumped around,” O’Byrne told reporters at Wednesday’s morning skate. “Part of my job is clearing the front of the net and making sure the goalie is seeing pucks.”
Price gives the Caps a different look in goal. At 6-3, 219, he’s bigger than Halak (5-11, 182). Washington is also more familiar with Price, having seen him in all four games during the regular season against Montreal and for 31 minutes on Monday night. In six career games against the Caps, Price is 2-1-3 with a 3.53 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage.
“For us, I think, it doesn’t matter whose going to be in the net, Price or Halak,” Ovechkin told reporters. “They’re both good goalies and they know what they have to do. For us I think the key is to play our game, a simple game, shoot the puck, go to the front of the net and get rebounds in traffic.”
Washington has its own lineup issues. While Varlamov is a lock to start tonight in goal after his fine performance on Monday, defensemen Joe Corvo and Shaone Morrisonn are fighting injuries so both Tyler Sloan and John Erskine may be pressed into service. For what it’s worth — Corvo tells CSN’s Corey Masisak that he’s playing for sure. Erskine appeared in just nine games after the Olympic break ended March 3, last playing April 6 against Pittsburgh. Sloan played in seven games after the break — the last one April 9 against Atlanta. The forward lineups should remain the same with Scott Walker, Quintin Laing and David Steckel the scratches.
