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Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

Five reasons Capitals advanced to second round

Tuesday, 04.28.2015 / 12:04 PM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

Katie Brown - NHL.com Correspondent

The Washington Capitals' ability to rebound from losses during the regular season served them well in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Capitals won every game following a loss during their best-of-7 series against the New York Islanders, which Washington won in seven games.

And for the first time since 2012, the Capitals advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they'll play the President's Trophy-winning New York Rangers.

Here are five reasons the Capitals advanced:

Five reasons Islanders were eliminated from playoffs

Tuesday, 04.28.2015 / 9:30 AM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

David Satriano - NHL.com Staff Writer

The New York Islanders started the 2014-15 season as one of the hottest teams in the NHL, but their struggles down the stretch cost them home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference First Round against the Washington Capitals, and Washington won 2-1 in Game 7 at Verizon Center on Monday to eliminate New York.

It was the eighth straight playoff series loss by the Islanders, who last won a series in the Patrick Division Final in 1993, when they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.

The loss Monday ended the Islanders' 43-year run at Nassau Coliseum. They will play their home games at Barclays Center in Brooklyn beginning next season.

A successful regular season when they had 101 points, their most since 104 in 1983-84, again ended in a first-round loss.

Here are five reasons the Islanders were eliminated:

Ward scores another clutch goal for Capitals

Tuesday, 04.28.2015 / 12:55 AM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

Katie Brown - NHL.com Correspondent

WASHINGTONWashington Capitals forward Joel Ward has a way of stepping up when it really matters. He did it again Monday in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the New York Islanders.

He can’t explain why. He just knows it’s a lot of fun. 

"You want to be in that moment," Ward said. "You want to make plays and you want to be that guy. I just happened to get a few bounces and get to put it in."

Three years ago, Ward scored the deciding goal in overtime of Game 7 against the Boston Bruins in the first round to help the Capitals advance.

"We just wanted to play hard and put everything aside and play for each other," Ward said. "We worked hard this year as a group and we came together, we just wanted to execute the best we could."

Islanders lament failure to extend Coliseum's life

Tuesday, 04.28.2015 / 12:35 AM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

Brian Compton - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

WASHINGTON -- You could hear a pin drop in the New York Islanders dressing room Monday night, minutes after their season ended in a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference First Round series at Verizon Center.

A season that began with so much promise, one the Islanders hoped would provide Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum with a proper sendoff before play begins at Barclays Center in Brooklyn this fall, instead ended the same way it has each year since 1993: without a series victory in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Things were supposed to be different this season, starting with the acquisition of goalie Jaroslav Halak from, ironically, the Capitals. The Islanders signed forwards Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolay Kulemin during unrestricted free agency, then landed defensemen Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk in trades one week before the season got underway.

"It's a tough feeling," said captain John Tavares, the face of the franchise who didn't have a shot on goal in Game 7. "It's hard to believe it's over. You fight so hard, you put so much into the season, you put so much into the series. You're so close. Game 7, you lose by a goal.

"We're disappointed for [the fans]. I don't think we talked about it a whole lot, but we know what this season meant at the Coliseum and how they responded for us was absolutely tremendous. We couldn't have asked for anything better."


Capitals end Game 7 slump with win vs. Islanders

Tuesday, 04.28.2015 / 12:26 AM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

Katie Brown - NHL.com Correspondent

WASHINGTON – For the fourth time in the Washington Capitals' past four Stanley Cup Playoff appearances, they were playing in a Game 7. All they had to do was win.

The Capitals defeated the New York Islanders 2-1 at Verizon Center to advance to the Eastern Conference Second Round and will play a familiar foe, the New York Rangers.

The previous two times Washington had to play seven games in a playoff series, they came home empty-handed. Washington is 4-9 in Game 7s since 1987.

The Capitals defeated the defending-champion Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the 2012 playoffs, but then lost in seven to the Rangers in the second round.

The Rangers eliminated the Capitals again in seven games in the first round in 2013.

Goaltender Braden Holtby has been in net for the Capitals in 27 of the 28 games played in those four seven-game series -- he sat out Game 2 against the Islanders last week when he became ill.

"It was a different game in the past, that’s for sure," Holtby said. "It’s not exactly what I was expecting, but I think the experience paid off for a lot of our guys that realized what it takes in a Game 7. Realistically the effort we put forward, we might not even had to put 60 [minutes], but we just couldn’t get a couple bounces to go our way and we just kept pushing."

Capitals, Islanders meet in first Game 7 of 2015

Sunday, 04.26.2015 / 5:26 PM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

NHL Public Relations

NEW YORK -- The Washington Capitals play host to the New York Islanders in the first Game 7 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday, April 27 (7:30 p.m., ET, NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA2). The Capitals and Islanders will meet in a Game 7 for the first time since their thriller dubbed the 'Easter Epic' on April 18, 1987. The Islanders captured that Patrick Division Semifinal series when Pat LaFontaine scored 8:47 into the fourth overtime period to decide the longest Game 7 in NHL history.

The winner of Monday's game will face the Metropolitan Division champion New York Rangers in the Second Round.

Islanders' persistence created Game 6-winning goal

Saturday, 04.25.2015 / 8:51 PM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

David Satriano - NHL.com Staff Writer

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Coaches always tell their team to play to the whistle, and there was a prime example why in the New York Islanders' 3-1, Game 6 win against the Washington Capitals at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday.

John Tavares found Nikolay Kulemin for the game-winning goal in the third period with several Capitals perhaps backing off thinking there would be a whistle.

The result tied the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First round series 3-3, causing the need for Game 7 at Verizon Center on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports 2, MSG+, CSN-DC).

With less than 10 minutes remaining in the third period, Capitals forward Joel Ward and Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk were tied up near the benches, and Alex Ovechkin and Brock Nelson also were jousting. But there wasn't a whistle, and Tavares skated into the Capitals zone and took a shot on goal that was saved by Braden Holtby.

Ovechkin checked Tavares behind the net, with Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner nearby, and the puck went to Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy along the boards. He passed to Nikolay Kulemin wide open in the slot, where he scored the goal that made it 2-1 with 9:27 remaining.

"It was a war zone in front of the bench there, and I just realized I had a lot of room and there was a lot more ice because of what was going on," Tavares said. "I tried to get to the net, I got hit there, the puck kind of popped out. Two guys were on me, so I think [Leddy] had time and fed Kulemin, and Kulemin made a nice move."

Capitals facing poor Game 7 history at home

Saturday, 04.25.2015 / 8:06 PM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

David Satriano - NHL.com Staff Writer

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The Washington Capitals couldn't end their Eastern Conference First Round series against the New York Islanders, losing 3-1 at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday. The best-of-7 series is tied 3-3, and Washington will host Game 7 on Monday at Verizon Center, but that might not be a good thing.

Washington is 3-9 in Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including 2-7 at home. Since 2008, they are 1-4 on home ice.

"Winning is hard," Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin said. "It's not going to be easy. It's going to be a seventh game Monday and it's going to be fun. I think our fans are going to give us very good confidence."

Braden Holtby, who made 35 saves Saturday, was in goal for Game 7 when the Capitals lost to the New York Rangers 5-0 at home in the first round of the 2013 playoffs, the last time they played a Game 7.

"We have a different team now," Holtby said.

Kuznetsov proves to be worth wait for Capitals

Friday, 04.24.2015 / 12:50 AM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

Corey Masisak - NHL.com Staff Writer

WASHINGTON -- So this is why the Washington Capitals spent so much time eagerly awaiting the arrival of Evgeny Kuznetsov.

The 22-year-old center dazzled Thursday, scoring twice, helping set up another goal and displaying a variety of skills that have made him one of the best players in the world in his age group in a 5-1 victory against the New York Islanders in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round series at Verizon Center.

Washington leads the best-of-7 series 3-2, and New York will need to find some answers after a line of Kuznetsov, Marcus Johansson and Jason Chimera shredded the Islanders for much of the final two periods.

"[Kuznetsov] is growing," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "He's gotten used to the League. The first 40 games, it was a little bit of a mishmash of up, down and not knowing the League quite as well. Maybe not as comfortable in his role. Then you sort of get through there, and there's always a glass ceiling for young players [to break through]. I think he got through that, and you're seeing what he's capable of. He's a terrific player."


More settled at home, Capitals' Holtby thriving in net

Wednesday, 04.22.2015 / 5:06 PM / Capitals vs Islanders - 2015 SCP First Round

Corey Masisak - NHL.com Staff Writer

WASHINGTON -- Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby is 25 years old but he's becoming quite familiar with how to work through drama at home during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Holtby missed Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the New York Islanders because a virus swept through his house. Not only was he trying to fight off the illness, he and his wife, Brandi, were trying to shepherd their two young children through it as well.

Holtby is recovered now and will be in goal when the series resumes with Game 5 on Thursday at Verizon Center in Washington (7 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN, TVA Sports 2, MSG+, CSN-DC). The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2.

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