The Capitals would get the first goal of the game on the dying seconds of their power play.
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It was the seventh consecutive playoff overtime loss for Florida, a streak beginning with the final game of the 1996 Stanley Cup final against Colorado.
After the handshakes ended, the Flyers lingered on the ice and stared at the scoreboard, realizing they passed up an all-time performance from their goaltender.
The Philadelphia Flyers had the flawless situation in the second period of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Washington Capitals at Wells Fargo Center on Sunday. Either one of these teams could contend for the Stanley Cup this season and the entire hockey world is foaming at the mouth to watch Ovechkin and Crosby go head-to-head. But Backstrom finally broke through just moments after a Capitals’ power play expired in the second period.
After the team relented power play goal after power play goal, they tightened their PK up in recent games, boasting a necessary and impressive kill to gain some much-needed momentum in the second.
This Game 6 on Sunday in Philadelphia proved no different. “We are trying to write our own history”. Philadelphia’s average length for shots on goal was more than 40 feet in Game 6, with a staggering six shots traveling more than 50 feet to get to Holtby.
The Capitals put on a shooting gallery against Neuvirth nearly all game, hemming the Flyers in their zone and forcing him to be sharp. Devan Dubnyk didn’t appear to see it, and after Charlie Coyle tried to keep it away from the line, the puck glanced off Dubnyk and went in for a 5-3 lead with 9:32 left. The Flyers missed both shots with a two-man advantage.
“How they got here, it wasn’t honestly a disappointment”. Once again, replays show Niskanen’s stick was on top, not under, the stick of Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds. “I think our odds are pretty good”.
“If we play a game like we did last game, I don’t think we’re going to have the same outcome, ” Giroux said. “He’s made a lot of big, timely saves for us and kept us alive”.
“Good pass, unbelievable shot”, Neuvirth said.
Prior to Game 4, Michal Neuvirth hadn’t started in the postseason in five years. Even the thought of a Game 6 earlier in the week would have been unfathomable, but thanks to Neuvirth it’s a reality.
Neuvirth set team records for saves in a playoff shutout and saves in a regulation playoff win, Elias Sports said.
The Presidents’ Trophy winners held a three-game lead and were in position to close out its first sweep of an opponent in a best-of-seven series in franchise history on Monday.
Giroux (67 points in the regular season) had one assist in the series.
“They pressured us at every point”, Simmonds said. We just couldn’t create enough.
“We expected to win the series”, he said”.
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He was asked after Friday night’s game if the look in the eyes of the players in this current locker room resembles that of the players six years ago. Capitals D Brooks Orpik sat out with an undisclosed injury. Holtby earned his 20th career playoff win, tying Olie Kolzig for first on Washington’s postseason list.
