Lightning look to finish Capitals on home ice

TAMPA, FLA – Trailing 3-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in round 1, it seemed that Tampa Bay’s 2011 post season run would come to an abrupt end after little over a week. Instead they now find themselves holding the advantage over Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals in round 2 as this Eastern conference showdown heads to Florida.
 
After a blow out win in Pittsburgh in game 5, the Lightning have gone from strength to strength since. They knocked the Pens out with a 1-0 win in game 7 and stung the Caps not once, but twice in Washington to take a series lead and give themselves a chance to finish the job on home ice.
 
Heading in to game 3, the Bolts faithful have much cause to be optimistic as the team enjoys its first play-off berth since 2007. Martin St Louis and Vincent LeCavalier have rolled back the years, notching up 10 points a piece in the Lightnings first nine games this spring, stirring up memories of the franchise solitary Stanley Cup win in 2004 along the way.
 
Whilst team captain LeCavalier’s contribution includes three game winners, the two veteran stars have also seen strong support from the rest of the Tampa roster as well with Eric Brewer, acquired from St Louis at the trade deadline, averaging 25 minutes per game and Teddy Purcell in particular finding some form at the right time for the Lightning against one of the leagues most high powered offensive units.
 
And on paper the series suggested it might be a goal fest, with Ovechkin and former 50 goal scorer Steven Stamkos featuring, but instead it has been more of a battle of the team’s respective netminders through the first two encounters.
 
Washington’s Michal Neuvirth was impressive as the Caps dispensed with the New York Rangers in round 1, and despite losing both of the opening games in this series the young Czech still has a GAA well below 2 and a save percentage at an impressive .928 – in previous years goaltending has been a question mark for the Caps, but the problem for Washington this year has not been the play of the calm 23 year old in their net, but of the 41-year old veteran in the Tampa Bay net.
 
Dwayne Roloson has done his own share of turning back the clock so far, shutting out the Penguins in the decisive seventh game of the first round and ensuring his side have not faltered in the US capital through games 1 and 2.
 
Acquired from the New York Islanders on January 1^st, Roloson took the #1 job after both Mike Smith and Dan Ellis had struggled in between the pipes for Tampa. It may have been Lightning GM Steve Yzerman’s smartest move to date as the Ontario stopper now proudly sits atop a .947 save percentage at the business end of the season!
 
With games 3 and 4 on consecutive nights at the St. Pete’s Times forum tonight and tomorrow, Capitals Head Coach Bruce Bodreau needs to find a way to top opposite number Guy Boucher if men in red are to avoid another early exit from the play-offs.
 
Contact the author: rob.mcgregor@prohockeynews.com