Blue Jackets at Capitals
The Washington Capitals have insisted that they have less pressure this postseason than in years past, a lighter weight perhaps as a result of failing to win the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in three years. After winning 12 of 15 heading into the playoffs, the Capitals look to avoid dropping back-to-back tilts on their home ice on Sunday when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Defenseman John Carlson had three assists in the series opener, but Washington let an early two-goal lead evaporate and a third-period advantage go by the boards in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to Columbus. "It's not ideal, but we've been through a lot of different situations here. The most important one is the next one, and we've got to play a lot more detailed and better throughout the game," the 28-year-old Carlson said. Former Calder Trophy winner Artemi Panarin (franchise-record 82 points) scored 6:02 into overtime to cap his three-point performance for Columbus, which doesn't intend to rest of its laurels despite posting a gaudy 14-2-2 in its last 18 contests. "Just because you win one doesn't make it good enough," Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said. "You need four in a series. We have a great opportunity in front of us against a team that's going to come out just as hungry and hard, and it's going to be an even harder game than it was in Game 1."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Sportsnet360, TVAS2, FS Ohio (Columbus), NBCS Washington
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS: Foligno will join Boone Jenner and Thomas Vanek on the second line in place of Alexander Wennberg, who has been ruled out of Game 2 after sustaining an undisclosed injury on a hit from Washington's Tom Wilson during the series opener. "It's a big loss up the middle, especially for our line," Vanek said. "I think we were going pretty well and I thought his game was going well too. ... You're going to lose guys. Some other guys have to step up." Former first-round pick Sonny Milano is expected to be inserted into the lineup and skate on the third line with Brandon Dubinsky and Josh Anderson.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS: Former Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby will remain on the proverbial sideline as Philipp Grubauer has been confirmed to start in Game 2. "There was nothing in (Thursday's) game that you'd say, 'Why didn't you make a change?'" Capitals coach Barry Trotz said of Grubauer, who has posted a 2.06 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in his last 31 games. "Philipp's been really good, and I thought in that game, we had the game and we kept letting them off the floor." While Grubauer will remain in the lineup, fourth-line center Jay Beagle (upper body) is expected to draw in for the first time since April 1.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky, who is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, is 11-1-1 in his last 13 starts.
2. Washington F T.J. Oshie missed practice with a maintenance day on Saturday while D Michal Kempny expects to play on Sunday after sustaining an upper-body injury during the first period of Game 1.
3. The Blue Jackets' 25th-ranked power play scored twice in Game 1 to increase its total to nine in its last six contests.