At the start, they looked flat and rusty - remember, they hadn't played in five days. At the same time, the Capitals executed well and owned most of the puck possession in the opening period. They cashed in for three goals, putting the Lightning in a big hole.
At points in the second and third periods, the Lightning tried to make a push. But it just wasn't their night. They had to play the final two periods without Victor Hedman, who left after the first with an upper body injury and didn't return. Throughout most of the first two periods, the temperature of the game wasn't nearly as high as it had been in the two recent meetings between the teams - they changed somewhat in the third period, which included some big hits and a fight between Tom Wilson and Erik Cernak. But through it all, it felt as though the Lightning were just off their game.
Obviously, the big takeaway from this game is the status of Hedman. As well, as they head into the final week of the regular season, the Lightning will look to clean up some of the defensive miscues that have crept into their game recently as well as the number of penalties they've taken over the past few contests.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
1. T.J. Oshie - Capitals. Two goals and assist.
2. Nicklas Backstrom - Capitals. Two goals and assist.
3. Alex Ovechkin - Capitals. Two goals, reaching 50 goals for the eighth time in his career.
