Capitals try to stave off elimination by Panthers
The Washington Capitals have not won a playoff series since raising the Stanley Cup in 2018. Tonight, they can only stave off elimination via the hands (or I guess the paws?) of the Florida Panthers and their fourth-straight first-round exit with a big a** W in Game Six.
The Capitals will have to do so without Tom Wilson for the fifth straight game. Tom skated after arriving home on the team flight Thursday, but ultimately could not join the morning skate earlier today.
The Capitals will turn to Ilya Samsonov who will receive his fourth straight start in this series. Sammy will need to be SAMsational against Sergei Bobrovsky.
Tonight’s game is on NBC Sports Washington. John Walton will have the call with Craig Laughlin as Joe Beninati is day-to-day with an illness. Here are today’s Daily deals.
Pregame reading material
Caps lines
8-Ovechkin, 92-Kuznetsov, 73-Sheary
90-Johansson, 19-Backstrom, 77-Oshie
24-McMichael, 20-Eller, 39-Mantha
22-Larsson, 26-Dowd, 21-Hathaway
42-Fehervary, 74-Carlson
9-Orlov, 3-Jensen
57-van Riemsdyk, 2-Schultz
30-Samsonov
Panther’s Lines
Verhaeghe will play. He was a game-time decision.
🔥Verhaeghe🔥 – Barkov – Giroux
Huberdeau-Bennett-Reinhart
Mamin-Lundell-Acciari
Lomberg-Luostarinen-Hornqvist
Chiarot-Ekblad
Forsling-Weegar
Montour—Gudas
Bobrovsky
Oshie kissing the Stanley Cup banner after warmies never gets old.
Alex Ovechkin injured Aaron Ekblad with a big hit.
Ekblad has only 40 seconds of ice time in the first period.
BRING THE BOOM pic.twitter.com/oEjZdOSHUe
— x — Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 14, 2022
The top-pairing defenseman went down the tunnel, came back, went onto the ice, and immediately left it in pain again.
Aaron Ekblad took a twirl during the TV timeout to test whatever is bothering him. pic.twitter.com/rRw5gdDImA
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) May 14, 2022
The Panthers ended the first period with only 4D
No score after 20 minutes in Game 6 for the #Caps. Washington finished with 26 hits in the opening period, and both Aaron Ekblad and Ben Chiarot appeared to suffer injuries, leaving Florida down to 4 d-men to end the period.
— Zack Fish (@zackfisch) May 14, 2022
Comment below! We’ll be updating this live throughout the night.