Capitals, Lightning right at home on road entering Game 5

TAMPA -- Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh has a huge black welt under his left eye.

Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz has fatigue-driven bags under each of his.
The physical souvenirs of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are almost anywhere you look during the Eastern Conference Final, which is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 here Saturday (7:15 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVAS).
RELATED: [Complete Lightning vs. Capitals series coverage]
But the toll of lasting deep into the third round can be just as much mental.
After arriving at their Tampa hotel Friday, Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik and forwards Nicklas Backstrom and Lars Eller were asked if they'd ever been part of a series at any level of hockey in which the home team did not win through four games, as is the case in this one. Surprisingly, the three did not remember that scenario played out against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round last month.
Such is the intensity of the playoffs, where players are always focused on the present and future, not the past.
"I don't know what the explanation is," Orpik said. "Over probably the last couple of years, it seems like home-ice advantage is becoming less and less of a factor. But definitely [not] to the extent of this series."
Backstrom, in his 11th NHL season, said he could not remember it happening during his career.
"But I hope the road teams keep winning because Game 7 would be in Tampa and under that logic we'd win it," he said with a chuckle.

Eller recalled the visiting team winning the first four games during the 2011 first round between his Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins.
The Canadiens won the first two games in Boston before losing Games 3 and 4 at Bell Centre. The home team won in the final three games, and the Bruins won the series in seven.
The Capitals lost the first two games against the Blue Jackets at home and won the next two at Columbus. That Orpik, Backstrom and Eller had no recollection of it could have had nothing to do with forgetfulness and everything to do with the weariness and battle scars of a difficult playoff run.
They do know this: The road has been a fun place for Washington, which is 7-1 away from Capital One Arena in the playoffs. That is part of a larger trend; road teams are 40-35 in the postseason.
"Maybe it's just a case of letting loose on the road," Backstrom said with a laugh.

For their part, the Lightning looked loose when they arrived here Friday. They figure to have far more confidence than when they left for Washington.
"I mean, let's be honest," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "Being down 0-2 at home, you're on life support. That's basically what it was. The guys found a way to claw themselves out.
"But it doesn't matter. The series is tied at 2-2, doesn't matter how you got there. It's still 2-2. Pretty sure everybody knows how pivotal Game 5 is. I'm sure it's going to be no different in this series."
Cooper would not go so far as to say the Lightning had the momentum.
"I don't know," he said. "Seems like in this series the pressure shifts on the home team. Clearly home-ice advantage has been a disadvantage in this series.

"Now, in saying that, I'd rather have Game 5 at home. I believe we'll be a different team here than [the one that] showed up in Games 1 and 2."
The Lightning were outscored 10-4 in losing the first two games (4-2, 6-2). They will try to forget that when they play Game 5.
It's possible. After all, the playoffs are a time for short memories. Just ask the Capitals.