The Washington Capitals will look to extend their two-game winning streak when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
The Capitals got off to a tough start in the 2012-13 season and lost nine of their first 11 games. Fortunately, Washington dominated the Florida Panthers in a two-game on Saturday and Sunday. In the first match, goaltender Braden Holtby made 27 saves for a 5-0 shutout. In the ensuing match, the Panthers posed a great problem and held a 5-4 lead in the final minutes of the game. Fortunately superstar Alex Ovechkin scored at the 17:11 mark to tie the game and give the Capitals one point. Troy Brouwer scored just 32 seconds into overtime to secure a second straight win for Washington.
"Two points is two points," Brouwer said. "We've had a few games we've given away two points, now it's our turn to battle back and get those two very important points. The way we did it is very encouraging, too, because we rely on our skill a lot of the time, but this time it was ugly. It was good bounces, guys going to the net. Those are the ways that you score those goals, and that's how you get back in the games, guys working hard."
Ovechkin has five goals in 12 games and has scored in three straight matches. The Capitals need their captain at the top of his game if they hope to make a run at a playoff spot.
They will take on a Tampa Bay Lightning team that has lost five straight games after a strong start. In their latest defeat, the Lightning came back from a 3-0 deficit in the third and pushed the game all the way to the shootout. Despite earning one point, Martin St. Louis felt that his team was not prepared to win the game.
"You got to earn every night," Martin St. Louis said. "We didn't start earning it until the third and obviously we were able to grind a point out of it, so that's a positive."
This is the second meeting of the season. The Lightning dominated the Capitals on opening night in a 6-3 effort.
Predictions: Tampa Bay breaks its streak against the Capitals with a 4-1 win.
Start Time: 7:30 PM EST
TV: NHLN-US, CSN-DC, SUN
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