2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Washington Capitals look to start strong against Toronto Maple Leafs
By Subir Nigam
The Washington Capitals begin their quest for the Stanley Cup vs the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 13 at 7:00 pm ET.
It takes 16 total wins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a team to win the championship. The Washington Capitals will attempt to claim one of those wins as they start their playoff campaign with Game 1 against the Maple Leafs.
Thanks to winning their second consecutive President’s Trophy, the Capitals will enjoy home-ice throughout the entirety of their playoff run. This is a big deal when you consider just how dominant the Caps have been at the Verizon Center this season. Game 1 will no doubtingly feature a sell-out crowd ready to “Rock the Red” and “Unleash the Fury!”
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In some ways, this first round matchup feels like the 1980 Winter Olympics game between the USSR and USA. If you can remember this game or have seen the movie Miracle on Ice, you know that a young and inexperienced USA squad defeated the big, bad, Russians who were heavily favored to win the game. Let’s hope that this Round 1 series does not conclude with the same results.
Although it takes four victories to win a seven-game series, losing Game 1 at home would add a lot of pressure to the Capitals who already have the unfortunate label as “playoff chokers”.
How Game 1 Will Be Won
The Capitals will come out victorious on Thursday evening if they keep Toronto to fewer than three goals. Washington’s defense has been great all season. However, there have been instances when Holtby has had to be spectacular in order for the Caps to win. To beat Toronto in Game 1, the Washington Capitals need to score the first goal of the game and keep their foot on the gas.
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Any type of conservative play could end up giving Toronto multiple scoring chances where they may capitalize. This Caps squad can put up offensive numbers. If they can score at least four goals, they should be in good shape.