NEW YORK — After dropping the first game of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the New York Rangers, the Washington Capitals head into Game 2 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night seeking a better effort from across the lineup.
Washington
Capitals enter Game 2 against Rangers looking to reset their standard
“Systematically, there’s some small adjustments that I think will help us get a little bit more engaged,” winger T.J. Oshie said Tuesday morning. “But when it comes down to it, I think it’s just man to man, who’s going to step up and who’s going to drive the bus for us.”
Washington failed to convert on any of its four power-play opportunities in Game 1; fixing the power play, particularly the entries into the offensive zone, is a top priority for the Capitals in Game 2. At Tuesday morning’s pregame skate, Washington showed some tweaks to the power play units.
The top unit featured defenseman John Carlson and forwards Alex Ovechkin, Dylan Strome, Hendrix Lapierre and Oshie. After playing on the top unit Sunday, winger Tom Wilson moved to the second unit with defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk and forwards Connor McMichael, Sonny Milano and Ovechkin.
“The two areas that I look at [on entries] is speed across the blue line, especially them playing their 1-3 [forecheck] that sort of turns into a 3-1, where they’re stacked there,” Carbery said Tuesday morning. “We need way more speed coming across that line. And then the execution. Those are our decisions there, whether it’s a pass, chip, a give-and-go, there’s a lot of different options in play on those entries. … That’s where we need to do a better job.”
Defensemen Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen skated in noncontact jerseys again Tuesday but will not play in Game 2. Vincent Iorio, who left Game 1 with an upper-body injury, also will not play; Lucas Johansen draws into the lineup alongside van Riemsdyk in his place.
Johansen, 26, played six games with the Capitals earlier this year, recording one assist and averaging 14:16 on the ice. Johansen helped the Hershey Bears, Washington’s American Hockey League affiliate, win the Calder Cup last summer, but Tuesday will be his first NHL playoff game.
“Just [looking for] reliable minutes,” Carbery said. “He’s done a good job. He’s played for us this year, earlier this year. I’m very familiar with his game … We’ve got a good grasp on his strengths as a player. I think too, for him coming into his first NHL playoff game, he’s played — he’s got a lot of experience. This isn’t just someone that’s being thrown in at 21, 22 years old.”
With Johansen entering the lineup and three injured players on the blue line, Washington recalled Hardy Haman Aktell from Hershey ahead of Tuesday’s game to provide insurance on the back end.
Charlie Lindgren, who made 27 saves on 31 shots in Game 1, is the projected starter for Game 2.