Leading the Way

After leading NHL defensemen points during the regular season, John Carlson has continued his scorching scoring pace in the Capitals' first-round playoff series against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Entering Game 5 tomorrow night at Capital One Arena, Carlson is tied for fourth in playoff scoring with seven points (1g, 6a) and has logged 28:19 per game, the fourth-highest rate among postseason skaters.

Even with the added intensity and the increasing importance of each game during the playoffs, Carlson's offensive production and overall play has remained superb.
"Obviously he's been a big part of our team success and through the playoffs, he's been a guy who's stepped his play up," Capitals head coach Barry Trotz said. "Not that he hasn't all year, but in the playoffs you have to maintain an even higher level, and I think he's done that."
Carlson recorded a career-high 68 points (15g, 53a) in 82 regular-season contests and has sustained that efficiency at a pivotal time for the Capitals. Carlson's relentless productivity comes as no surprise to his teammates, who have watched him further elevate his play each spring. Since the 2015-2016 playoffs, Carlson ranks third in playoff points among defensemen with 23 points (8g, 15a) in 28 games, despite playing fewer postseason games than all but two of the top-10 scoring blue liners in that span.

"He always raises his game in playoffs," goaltender Braden Holtby said following Washington's 4-1 win in Game 4. "He always has since I was with him in Hershey. He doesn't shy away from anything, he doesn't get intimidated by anything. Pressure doesn't affect him and that's one of his biggest assets and I think that's why we lean on him so heavy in playoffs."
Carlson has been especially potent on the power play this postseason, registering a league-best six power play points (1g, 5a) and factoring in on six of Washington's seven power play goals against Columbus. With the Capitals' man-advantage units boasting dangerous shooters like Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie, Carlson has embraced the role of playmaker.
"He doesn't get as much credit for that because he has to distribute the puck a lot of times over to a guy like Ovi," Trotz said. "Or he works it back from the half wall, but he's got such good hand-eye coordination, he's got a big-time shot and he gets it through."

After registering six assists in the series' first two games, Carlson called his own number in Game 3 Tuesday, one-timing Nicklas Backstrom's feed past Sergei Bobrovsky during an extended five-on-three advantage. The goal gave the Capitals the lead in an important game and displayed Carlson's keen shot selectiveness that has helped make the Washington power play so effective.
"I think sometimes you can get stuck thinking about the perfect play and tic-tac-toe and this and that," Carlson said. "But when you see Nicky and Kuzy walking up the half wall when they give them space to shoot, that's all part of a playoff series is adjustments. Especially on P.K. and P.P., I think teams adjust all the time, every single game. So, if you're being a little bit selfish and if you're open, you shoot the puck, and that's kind of what we're doing."

With three of the four games against the Blue Jackets requiring overtime, the difference between winning and losing has been razor thin. But the Capitals believe Carlson gives them the edge they'll need.
"He's grown every game I feel like," Backstrom said. "He's so steady, he's playing confident back there. So, it's nice to see him back there making plays, producing a lot. He's been our key player this year and obviously during the playoffs too, so hopefully he can just keep it going."