Capitals calling on resilience to bounce back in Game 2 at Rangers

NEWARK, N.J. -- The Washington Capitals wouldn't be in the Stanley Cup Playoffs without being resilient.

They'll need to rely on that trait again in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, ESPN, MSG, SNW, SNO, SNE, TVAS) after losing 4-1 in Game 1 of the best-of-7 series Sunday. 

"I think guys are excited to get back out there and have another crack at it," Capitals forward Tom Wilson said after an optional practice at Prudential Center on Monday. "Good energy today, guys get what they need, and I think the feeling after the game was we're ready to go again."

The Capitals rebounded from poor games and tough situations numerous times to make the playoffs. That included going 0-4-2 from March 28-April 7 that dropped them out of a playoff spot before they responded by winning four of their final five games to clinch the second wild card from the Eastern Conference. 

The margin for error is much slimmer in the postseason, particularly against the Rangers, who won the Presidents' Trophy by leading the NHL with team records of 55 wins and 114 points. The Capitals can't afford to take two or three games to find their footing in a short series.

"I think we lean on our veteran guys in these situations," Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. "Playoffs is a short-term memory. It's momentum swings, emotional highs, emotional lows. Whether you win 6-0 or you lose 2-1 in overtime, you've got to find a way to reset and get back to even keel and that's what we'll do for tomorrow. Today was a good day to refocus, get what you need physically, talked about some things and now it's just one game. 

"One game tomorrow night is all we're concerned with."

The Capitals understand they'll have to play much better than in Game 1. The Rangers scored three times during a span of 2:06 in the second period to break open a 0-0 game, but the Capitals' issues went beyond that brief outburst.

Washington struggled to produce offensive zone possession and scoring chances and managed only 21 shots on goal. The power play also generated little, going 0-for-4 with three shots on goal.

None of the shots on goal came from left wing Alex Ovechkin. The 38-year-old had seven shot attempts, including five that were blocked, but was held without a shot on goal for just the fourth time in 148 NHL playoff games.

Washington will need more in Game 2 from Ovechkin, whose 72 playoff goals are second among active NHL players, one behind Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski.  

Carbery pointed to Rangers coach Peter Laviolette utilizing home-ice advantage to play his best line of Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafrenière against whatever line Ovechkin was on, so he'll have to play through that matchup Tuesday.

"That's the matchup that 'Lavi's' looking for, so those are tough minutes," Carbery said. "You're playing against one of the top 5-on-5 lines in the National Hockey League. So, we've got to do a job of finding ways to counterpunch that with them being able to play in the offensive zone and create some opportunities for themselves, which they can do a better job of."

According to NHL EDGE, the Capitals were in the offensive zone 38.8 percent of the even-strength playing time and the defensive zone 42.2 percent. Of their 21 shots on goal, only five were from high-danger areas.

"I think just spending more time on their half of the ice, establishing a little bit more of a forecheck, being able to possess the puck in the offensive zone (would help)," forward Beck Malenstyn said. "When we're at our best, we're kind of consistently doing that throughout the game. So, if we can do that a little bit more consistently during Game 2, I think we'll be all right." 

Malenstyn was among six Capitals players to play his first NHL playoff game Sunday, with goalie Charlie Lindgren, defensemen Alexander Alexeyev and Vincent Iorio, and forwards Hendrix Lapierre and Aliaksei Protas. But Carbery didn't think the problems were limited to their inexperienced players.  

"I'm going to put our entire group in (being) just not at the level we need to be at, and I believe we're capable of," Carbery said. "So, reset, now get back to it tomorrow night and get up to our standard."

The veteran players know a playoff series can swing back and forth from game to game, so moving past a loss quickly and fixing what went wrong is paramount. 

"We'll just get back at it and the next game in the playoffs is always the biggest game," Wilson said. "It's a big Game 2 and, obviously, the guys with experience have to lead the way and everybody else be ready to go."