Neuvirth, Backstrom forced to leave early
The starting goalie was knocked from the game after taking a puck off the mask. The No. 1 center left late in the second period with another hand injury and the No. 2 center missed much of the first period.
It just didn’t seem like the Capitals’ night in a Southeast Division showdown at Tampa Bay on Monday. But rookie goalie Braden Holtby made sure the game turned in their favor.
Holtby came on in relief of the injured Michal Neuvirth after the first period, stopping all 21 shots he faced, and Alex Ovechkin recorded the lone goal in the shootout period as Washington beat the Lightning 2-1 at St. Pete Times Forum.
Alexander Semin scored the game-tying goal on a wicked wrist shot with just 5:32 left to play, denying Tampa Bay goalie Dwayne Roloson his third shutout of the Caps since Jan. 4. After a scoreless overtime, Ovechkin tallied on Washington’s first shootout attempt and Holtby did the rest. After he made a pad save on Vincent Lecavalier, the Caps (37-20-10, 84 points) earned the victory and jumped two points ahead of the Lightning (37-21-8, 82 points) in the Southeast Division standings.
| Caps notes |
| » Nicklas Backstrom left the game late in the second period after falling on his left hand, coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters in Tampa. |
| » Sean Bergenheim deflected home a power-play goal in the first period to put Tampa Bay ahead early. |
| » Washington was 0-for-2 on the power play, including a failed 4-on-3 late in the overtime period. |
“For the most part you’re just running on adrenaline,” Holtby told the Versus television network in a postgame interview. “Try to use that as fuel in order to make sure you’re quick enough and ready to go.”
Washington now has won five games in a row and pulled even with both No. 2 seed Boston and No. 4 Pittsburgh in points. The Caps also are now just two points behind No.?1 Philadelphia — though the Flyers and Bruins have played two fewer games. Washington has won eight of its last 10 games with the margin of victory being one goal in all of them.
Semin’s tying goal started with a pass from defenseman Dennis Wideman. The secondary assist went to Ovechkin, who in the shootout made a wonderful move to get Roloson (29 saves) to drop to the ice and then roofed the puck into the net. Semin finished with a game-high six shots on goal.
“These are the games that we live for — when it’s all on the line like this,” said Holtby, who was appearing in just his ninth game with Washington this season. “Hopefully this is how it’s going to be in the playoffs, too.”
