After faltering in Game 1 in overtime the Washington Capitals might be playing their most important game of the season tonight in Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Lets look at our top 3 key players to watch.
#3 Matt Roy
Defenseman Matt Roy skated a game high 26:38 in Game 1 and tied team doggy Brandon Duhaime for the team lead in blocked shots with six.
Roy's six blocked blocked shots marked a postseason career high while his 26:38 of ice time was his second highest total in a playoff game in his career. The otehr time was April 24, 2023 with 28:13. Roy also tied for the team lead in shorthanded ice time at 4:30.
The Capitals held Carolina to no power play goals on three opportunities. Through six playoff games, Roy ranks first on the Capitals in ice time per game at 24:39 and blocked shots at 19.
Roy also is tied for first in shorthanded ice time per game with 3:33. His 19 blocked shots rank tied for sixth among all skaters and is also tied for the most among skaters who have played in six games or fewer.
#2 Dylan Strome
Dylan Strome had a five game postseason opening point streak with two goals and seven assists for nine points but that came to an end on Tuesday in Game 1 against Carolina.
Stromer's nine points in five games were tied for the second most by a Capitals player through their first five games of a postseason in franchise history. His nine points also rank tied for 10th among all skaters in the playoffs while his seven assists rank tied for sixth.
Strome recorded the primary assist on Andrew Mangiapane's game winning goal in Game 4 at the Montreal Canadiens and factored on Washingon's first three game winning goals in the First Round with a goal and two assists.
Strome became just the seventh player in franchise history to factor on a game winning goal in three consecutive playoff wins. He began the playoffs with a three assist performance in Game 1 against Montreal and scored the game winning goal in Game 2.
Strome has recorded at least one point in 14 of his last 16 games dating back to March 30 wih eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points.
#1 Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin scored his 76th career playoff goal in Game 5 of the First Round which tied him with Mario Lemieux (76) for the 12th most in NHL history. Ovi has scored a team high four goals through five playoff games.
Ovechkin scored two goals in Game 1 against the Habs including his first career playoff overtime goal to catapult the Capitals to a 3-2 win on April 21.
Per NHL Stats, at 39 years and 216 days old Ovechkin became the fourth oldest player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to score an overtime goal behind Igor Larinov (41 years, 187 days), Ray Whitney (39 years, 355 days) and Steve Thomas (39 years, 322 days).
Ovechkin is playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 16th time in his 20 year career. He is the leading point scorer against the Hurricanes among active players with 52 goals and 55 assists for 107 points in 93 games played.
Ovechkin's 107 points in regular season play against Carolina are the most he has recorded agaisnt a single opponent in his career. During Washington's 2019 First Round series against the Hurricanes, Ovechkin recorded a team high nine points in seven games with four goals and five assists.
Tonight's game starts at 7 p.m. and you can catch it on ESPN. There is also pregame and postgame coverage on Monumental Sports Network.