Holtby, Caps extend series to Game 7

On Monday night in Washington, Braden Holtby turned on the charm and stopped 24 shots by the Tampa Bay Lighting to earn a 3-0 win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final.

The series now shifts to Tampa for a deciding Game 7 on Wednesday night.

T.J. Oshie struck twice and Devante Smith-Pelly added a single marker in the win.

“We can build some confidence after this win and go down there to win Game 7,” said center Nicklas Backstrom said after the win that saved the Caps’ season for one more game at least.

The Bolts had the opportunity to move on to the Stanley Cup Final to face the Vegas Golden Knights but they had no push back for the Caps’ enthusiasm and the fans’ energy in the arena.

“We were no good,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “We didn’t play with near the desperation they did. Was it a fairly even game? There’s no question. But what were the hits, 39-19? Somebody was engaged and somebody wasn’t. That’s a choice.”

For Holtby, it was his first shut out of the season/

“It’s a perfect time,” Smith-Pelly said. “He’s been great all year. Obviously an up-and-down year for him personally, but the way he’s bounced back, he’s been amazing all throughout the playoffs, and really, really happy for him.”

All the energy on the ice was on the side of the Caps who beat the Lighting to loose pucks and took the body whenever possible.  Desperation is another name for the style of play.

“They played like it was the last game,” the Lightning’s Steven Stamkos said. “We played like it might be our last game. The desperation needs to be higher, and I expect it to be.”

[WATCH: All Lightning vs. Capitals highlights | Complete Lightning vs. Capitals series coverage]

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves in taking the loss.

 “You can sit here and say, ‘Look at Tampa, they were down 0-2 and they pushed it to a Game 7.’ Or you can say, ‘They blew a great opportunity to close this series out.’ In the end, there is a Game 7. And it’s at home,” Cooper said. ” And if you said to me you only have to go 2-2 at home in this series and you’re going to win it, we’ll take that. We took two on the road, and now we have to make sure we go home and take care of business. Shame on us if we don’t.”