Caps Seek to Climb Back into Series

August 16 at New York Islanders at Scotiabank Arena

Time: 12 p.m.

TV: NBCSW, USA

Radio: Capitals Radio 24/7, 94.7 FM The Drive

New York Islanders

Washington Capitals

Game 3, Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series, Islanders lead 2-0

Having dropped each of the first two games of their best-of-seven first-round playoff series with the New York Islanders, the Caps know they need a win desperately in Sunday afternoon's Game 3. Although they've started well in both games and scored the game's first goal in each, they haven't been able to sustain that play over enough of the 60 minutes.

For months now - dating back to the regular season, even - a regular refrain from the Washington room is that the Caps know they have another level or another gear to their game. But in this series so far, that other gear has too frequently been neutral or even reverse.

"I think there just has to be an understanding of what it takes to win, more so at this time of year," says Caps right wing T.J. Oshie. "We talk about it in the regular season, but even more so now. Having been through it, you need a full lineup of guys that are committed and convinced that their style of play and their job on the team is important and it needs to get done and done well.

"There are just times in games where guys get away from that, or maybe they're not doing what they need to do or fulfilling their role or job on the team. And right now, that's what we need most. We need everyone going out there [Sunday] and really just knowing what they have to do, and getting the job done."

Washington has played five of the six periods of this series without star center Nicklas Backstrom, who is in concussion protocol after taking a blindside hit from Islanders captain Anders Lee less than three minutes into Game 1. Backstrom did make an appearance on the ice at the Caps' Saturday practice session in Toronto, but there's no definitive word on his status for Sunday.

"Everyone was on the ice [Saturday], including Nick at the end there, and we'll see how everyone is doing [Sunday] morning," says Caps coach Todd Reirden.

Washington did get Lars Eller back in the lineup for Game 2, but Reirden wouldn't tip his hand as far as any potential Game 3 lineup changes.

"We know it's the most important game of the year for us, obviously," says Reirden. "So we're going to put the 20 best guys on the ice that give us the best chance to have success. We're put a lot of time and thought into that, and we feel like we're going to be able to do that [Sunday]. You'll learn more as we get closer to game time."

The Caps are still scuffling offensively, and that was true before Backstrom's injury. Including last week's trio of round-robin games, Washington has managed only nine goals in its five games in the Toronto bubble. The Caps have scored only six of the nine at even strength, and they have yet to score more than two goals in any game.

Given that output from the League's second highest scoring team during the regular season, it's no surprise that they've won only one of their five games since arriving in Toronto.

"Obviously we were able to score a couple of 5-on-5 goals last game, and we did make a move in the right direction in a few areas offensively, but it's still obviously not where it needs to be and can be, given the group that we have.

"For me, it starts with the importance of puck management and putting the puck behind the opposition's defense for a full game. We start to do it - we've done it in both of the first periods in Game 1 and Game 2 - and we're just not able to do it for 60 minutes. We lose some momentum through penalties and other things, and it's important that we are able to do that for 60 minutes, where we really are able to impose our will on an opposition, and do it shift after shift. That's not something that we've gotten to enough, and if you don't do that, you're going to spend a lot of time on the perimeter.

"For us and how our team is built, that's what we have to get to, putting pucks in places where our team can get in and have an effect on the forecheck. From there, we can be able to break them down because they won't be in structure, and we can get to the interior a little bit more."

Up 2-0, the Islanders are certainly able to sense the Caps' desperation at this juncture of the series. New York authored a stunning first-round sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins last year, and then the Isles were swept aside at the hands of Carolina in their subsequent series in 2019, so they're familiar with both sides of the 2-0/0-2 coin.

"I think every game is desperation, especially when it comes to this time," says Isles defenseman Nick Leddy. "As a team, we know we have to keep raising our level. We know they have a very veteran group over there. I don't know if during their runs if they've been in a situation like this, but I've been on the other side of this - being down 2-0 - and you want to get momentum in being down 2-0. So getting that [first win] would give them confidence. I think we have to just try to keep elevating our game and take that away."

While Washington has dropped four of five since entering the bubble, the Islanders have won five of six, and they're clicking on virtually all cylinders and getting strong contributions throughout their lineup. But they also realize they need two more wins, and their focus is on continuing to frustrate the Capitals.

"Every game in a series, the intensity just gets that much more ramped up," says Lee. "It becomes that much tighter of a game. Each team is either trying to gain momentum or keep it.

"We've put a couple of pretty good games together, but we can't sit back and rest on our laurels against this team. It's an experienced group over there that has been through a lot and overcome a lot, clearly, to have won it a couple of years ago. So we've got to be really primed and ready to go for Game 3. It's not going to get any easier from here on out."