Tampa Bay catching up to Washington in Southeast Division
For much of the winter it was an odd sight. If you pulled up the NHL standings, the spot that seemed reserved for the Capitals — first place, Southeast Division — instead had a new name at the top: the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Washington had won three division crowns in a row, the last two with almost laughable ease. But it wasn’t that way in 2010-11. Instead, the Lightning pushed back, led the Southeast for 66 days and forced the Caps to realize the division title and a guarantee of at least the No. 3 seed in the Stanley Cup playoffs weren’t to be taken for granted anymore.
“They was in first place in our division … so we knew if we want to be first we have to beat them,” Washington forward Alex Ovechkin said. “So every game was a big battle for everybody. But it was regular season. Right now it’s different.”
| UP NEXT |
| Lightning at Capitals, Game 1 |
| When » Friday, 7 p.m. |
| Where » Verizon Center |
| TV » Versus/TSN/RDS |
| Radio » 1500 AM |
| Get the latest updates on our Loose Pucks blog. |
| Notes |
| » It is the second time Washington and Tampa Bay have met in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Lightning won in six games in 2004 — the clincher in triple overtime at Verizon Center — en route to the Stanley Cup. |
| » Caps right wing Mike Knuble (undisclosed injury) did not take part in the team’s main practice at Kettler Iceplex on Thursday and seems unlikely to play in Game 1 against the Lighting. Knuble skated with other reserve players at the facility’s second rink. UPDATED! |
| » Tampa Bay center Martin St. Louis (31 goals, 68 assists) was named one of three finalists Thursday for the Hart Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s MVP. |
That’s because the two teams will meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals starting Friday night at Verizon Center. And while the Caps managed a 4-1-1 record against Tampa Bay this season, there was a huge difference between the two blowout victories in November and the four tight games they played after New Year’s Day. Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson — acquired in a trade with the New York Islanders on Jan. 1 — twice earned shutouts over Washington in January and gave up a single goal in a shootout loss March 7.
“Up until three quarters of the season, we were chasing them,” forward Matt Bradley said. “The one game I remember [was] in Tampa [on Feb. 4] where for us it was one of those … that you really want to win because it’s either we close the gap or they almost make it too big to come back. Every game has been tight. We know they’re a great team, and we know it will be a great series.”
That 5-2 victory at Tampa Bay on Feb. 4 came with Washington behind by five points in the division race. A three-game losing streak the following week halted the Caps’ momentum. But Washington recovered to go 19-5-1 over its final 25 games. The Lightning, meanwhile, limped to a 12-8-6 finish, dropping out of first place for good on March 6.
Tampa Bay didn’t look much better at the start of the postseason, falling behind 3-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. But an explosive 8-2 road win at Consol Energy Center in Game 5 on Saturday sparked a comeback. The Lightning became just the 24th NHL team to overcome that deficit with a 1-0 win in Game 7 on Wednesday. They enter Friday’s Game 1 on less than 48 hours’ rest. The Caps haven’t played since wrapping up their first-round series against the New York Rangers on Saturday.
“Sometimes maybe too much rest can not be good,” defenseman Mike Green said. “But we’ve tried to stay focused and prepared here, and hopefully, maybe, they’re a little emotionally drained from the battle they’ve been through. But we don’t expect anything less from them. They’re pretty fired up.”
