Trailing 3-1 in the series, Capitals head coach Barry Trotz opted to make a bold lineup shuffle. He demoted seven-time 50-goal scorer Alex Ovechkin to the third line and promoted Andre Burakovsky, who scored just 12 regular-season goals, to the top line.
This move drew heavy skepticism from the media. However, two games with the new lineup has Trotz looking like an absolute genius.
Here is a look at Burakovsky's playoff stats before and after the switch:
Line
GP
G
A
SOG
3rd line
10
0
2
19
1st line
2
3
1
7
Ovechkin's transformation hasn't been as dramatic. He scored the key fourth goal in a 4-2 win in Game 5, though he was held off the scoresheet in Game 6. He has been getting more scoring chances though.
Ovechkin was getting 1.06 individual scoring chances for per 60 minutes (iSCF60) at 5v5 from Games 1-4, but since being demoted to the third line, he is getting 7.45 iSCF60, according to Corsica.Hockey via Neil Greenberg from The Washington Post
Part of the reason why he's getting more scoring chances, despite playing alongside less talented players, is the fact that he doesn't have to face Pittsburgh's shutdown D pairing of Brian Dumoulin and Ron Hainsey every shift.
Trotz's hope with this move was to "spread out the offense," and so far it has worked brilliantly. His club has scored the same amount of goals in the last two games than they scored in the first four games.
Having a savvy, veteran coach, unafraid to make a bold move, is truly paying dividends for the Capitals.
Two second-round series have already locked down a Game 7, why not make it three?
The New York Rangers hope to do exactly that Tuesday night, as they return to Madison Square Garden seeking to force a seventh and deciding game versus the Ottawa Senators.
While their backs are against the wall, the Rangers won't go out easy, and here are three ways they can live to fight another day:
Home sweet home
New York's home record throughout the regular season was subpar, but the postseason has been a different story.
The Rangers have won four in a row at The World's Most Famous Arena, and are 4-1 overall in the playoffs. They defeated Ottawa by a 4-1 score in Games 3 and 4, and have looked far more comfortable on Broadway.
Hank
(Photo Courtesy: Action Images)
The King won't be knocked off his throne easily.
Although Henrik Lundqvist misplaced his crown in a leaky Game 5 performance, Hank loves to bounce back. This season, Lundqvist managed a 10-3-2 record with a .924 save percentage after losses in which he allowed three or more goals.
What's more, dating back to 2012, Lundqvist is 15-5 in elimination games, posting a 1.74 GAA and .945 save percentage. At The Garden, he's 10-1, posting a 1.05 GAA and .965 save clip with his season on the line.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
If it weren't for 6-on-5, the Rangers could very well be onto the Eastern Conference Final by now.
In Games 2 and 5, New York was stunned in the final minutes as Ottawa converted with an empty net, forcing overtime and eventually winning each time.
Throughout the entire series, the Rangers have only trailed for 13:10, and a one-goal margin has been all that's separated the two teams in New York's losses. The Rangers can't dwell on any bad breaks, but if they stick to what they've been doing, perhaps they'll finally catch one.
With the offseason underway for a number of teams, with the remainder to join them in a few weeks, we're looking at what's in store for each club in the coming months.
2016-17 Grade: F
The Vancouver Canucks finished the year with the second-worst record in the league, and if not for a few stellar individual performances from Bo Horvat and the remarkable ineptitude of the Colorado Avalanche, they could have easily finished dead last.
To say that the Canucks hit some rough stretches last season would be the understatement of the NHL year.
Vancouver managed losing streaks of at least three games a mind-boggling seven times, including eight- and nine-game tailspins.
Daniel Sedin registered his lowest point total in four years, the blue line struggled mightily, and in net? Well, let's just say somewhere Roberto Luongo is smiling.
Despite already owning a handful of exciting young prospects - such as Olli Juolevi, Nikolay Goldobin, and Jake Virtanen - Vancouver still badly needs an injection of talent before it can start calling itself a playoff contender once again.
The above letter grade also corresponds fittingly with the category the Canucks should file their 2016-17 season under: F, for "Forget it ever happened."
Free Agents
Despite the majority of the Canucks' "core" returning next season, general manager Jim Benning still has a busy summer ahead of him with names like Erik Gudbranson, Ryan Miller, and Horvat on his restricted and unrestricted free-agent lists.
Player (Position)
2017-18 Status
Age
2016-17 Cap Hit
'16-17 Points
Bo Horvat (F)
RFA
22
$894167
52
Brenden Gaunce (F)
RFA
23
$863333
5
Anton Rodin (F)
RFA
26
$950000
1
Joseph Cramarossa (F)
RFA
24
$724500
10
Reid Boucher (F)
RFA
23
$715000
10
Drew Shore (F)
RFA
26
$600000
2
Michael Chaput (F)
RFA
25
$600000
9
Jack Skille (F)
UFA
29
$700000
9
Erik Gudbranson (D)
RFA
25
$3.5M
6
Benning has previously made his opinion known that he believes Miller is the No.1 in Van City, and as recently as April, voiced his desire to have the veteran return next season.
Goalie
2017-18 Status
Age
2016-17 Cap Hit
'16-17 SV%
Ryan Miller
UFA
36
$6M
18
2017 Draft Picks
The Canucks have six picks in the upcoming draft, including a fourth-rounder from the San Jose Sharks that was sent Vancouver's way in the Jannik Hansen trade.
Round
Picks
1
1
2
1
3
1
4
2 (Own + Sharks)
5
0
6
0
7
1
Summer Priorities
Ink Bo Horvat long term
Horvat was by far Vancouver's best player last season, and let's be honest, after him, what do the Canucks have up front to rely on moving forward?
I'll wait.
Strike gold at No. 5
If Vancouver didn't have bad luck they wouldn't have any at all.
However, Cale Makar or Owen Tippet are two names that should still be available at No. 5, and both offer skill sets that would slot in nicely on the Canucks' roster.
It will be interesting to see how the club rebounds from falling in the draft lottery for a second straight season.
Stop the bleeding in net
The goalie situation in Vancouver has been unsettled since the Luongo-Eddie Lack fiasco that plagued the club during the 2013-14 campaign, and last season was no different.
Miller and Jacob Markstrom were each given an opportunity to claim the cage for themselves, but both netminders struggled to find consistency and the team as a whole suffered because of it.
If the Canucks want to even start dreaming of the postseason, they will have to find an answer in the blue paint, and fast.
2017-18 Outlook
Despite Vancouver's crop of exciting young talent - both NHL-ready and otherwise - the next few seasons will be painful for Canucks fans.
The team was dealt another raw hand in the draft lottery and will be forced to select outside of the top three once again, further slowing the rebuild of a club in need of help up and down the lineup.
In short, a lot of things need to go right in the next few months for Vancouver to have a successful 2017-18 season.
If the Canucks can manage to draft well with their top pick, make smart moves in free agency, and get some form of consistent goaltending, then they may be able to treat their fans to playoff puck for the first time since 2015.
Gryba, a noted outdoor enthusiast, often fishes, hunts, and cooks. He even has his own hashtag - #grillingwithgryba. This type of dinner menu shouldn't come as a surprise for those who follow him on social media.
The only thing that would have made this more ironic was if Gryba deep fried the duck in oil, rather than barbecuing it with a beer can shoved into its nether regions.
Game 6 was Gryba's first appearance of the series, logging 13:28 with six hits. The hulking D-man should get another chance to feast come Game 7.
The Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins will square off in a winner-take-all Game 7 on Wednesday night in the U.S. Capital. The Caps are surely ecstatic that they have Mr. Game 7 himself, Justin Williams, on their side.
Williams is undefeated in seven Game 7s throughout his 16-year career, tallying an amazing seven goals and seven assists in those contests, per Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.
The veteran winger has been quiet thus far in the series, recording no goals, three assists, a minus-1 rating, and only 10 shots. Clearly, he is just saving all of his bullets for this do-or-die contest.
Williams, of course, is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, winning with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, and the Los Angeles Kings in both 2012 and 2014. He is one of just two Capitals with a Stanley Cup ring (Brooks Orpik being the other) and therefore brings a rare kind of pedigree to a locker room where the majority of players have never played beyond the second round.
Barry Trotz is a man of few words and even fewer compliments.
So when the reigning Jack Adams Award winner pays tribute to his team, people tend to take notice.
Such was the case following Monday's 5-2 Game 6 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. With his Washington Capitals backed into a win-or-go-home scenario, Trotz said his team's veterans stepped up in the clutch.
"That’s good on our leaders, that’s good on our group," Trotz said during his postgame presser. "I thought we’ve had a calmness since probably Game 3.
" ... We're having fun now."
Yeah, winning is usually a lot more fun than losing, but Trotz's assessment is accurate. Washington's go-to guys stepped up when it mattered most.
T.J. Oshie scored his fourth of the playoffs, Nicklas Backstrom netted his sixth, and despite allowing two garbage-time goals, Braden Holtby was solid, saving 16 of 18 shots.
Trotz recognizes that his core group of players are a big reason for the club's turnaround since Game 5.
"It starts with our leadership. Our leadership has (sort of) grabbed hold the last few games and it starts there."
The Capitals will need another strong performance from that same group of leaders Wednesday night in Game 7.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Verizon Center.
Barry Trotz is a man of few words and even fewer compliments.
So when the reigning Jack Adams Award winner pays tribute to his team, people tend to take notice.
Such was the case following Monday's 5-2 Game 6 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. With his Washington Capitals backed into a win-or-go-home scenario, Trotz said his team's veterans stepped up in the clutch.
"That’s good on our leaders, that’s good on our group," Trotz said during his postgame presser. "I thought we’ve had a calmness since probably Game 3.
" ... We're having fun now."
Yeah, winning is usually a lot more fun than losing, but Trotz's assessment is accurate. Washington's go-to guys stepped up when it mattered most.
T.J. Oshie scored his fourth of the playoffs, Nicklas Backstrom netted his sixth, and despite allowing two garbage-time goals, Braden Holtby was solid, saving 16 of 18 shots.
Trotz recognizes that his core group of players are a big reason for the club's turnaround since Game 5.
"It starts with our leadership. Our leadership has (sort of) grabbed hold the last few games and it starts there."
The Capitals will need another strong performance from that same group of leaders Wednesday night in Game 7.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Verizon Center.
The Capitals winger was there again when needed Monday, picking up a goal and an assist in Washington's 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It was a must-win game for the Capitals, who entered the contest down 3-2 in their second-round series.
Oshie opened the scoring for Washington, getting on the board at the 12:41 mark of the first period when he fired home a shot from the slot past Penguins netminder Marc-Andre Fleury.
It marked the 30-year-old's third multi-point game this postseason, with the other two contests coming in Round 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In Game 4 against Toronto, Oshie netted twice, including the game-opener before later sealing the contest with the winning tally in the final frame.
A pending free agent, Oshie is coming off a career-best 33-goal campaign. That performance has now carried over to the postseason, where he has reached a career-high 12 points.
As for the Capitals, the Presidents' Trophy winners have rallied for two straight wins after the Penguins carried a 3-1 series lead into Game 5. It appeared the series would be a repeat of a year ago, when the Penguins knocked out the Capitals through six games in the second round.
But things are seemingly different this spring, with Oshie attributing the team's change in perspective as the biggest difference this time around.
