NHL Playoffs 2016: Latest Stanley Cup TV Schedule, Game Times and More
Of the eight NHL teams left standing, only the Pittsburgh Penguins have hoisted the Stanley Cup during the last decade. The most recent champion still competing is one victory away from ousting this year's premier contender.
Handily capturing the Presidents' Trophy, the Washington Capitals tallied an NHL-best 120 points, 11 more than the runner-up Dallas Stars. Yet squandering stellar regular-season success is nothing new for Washington, a team that hasn't advanced past the second round since 1998 despite earning the Eastern Conference's best record eight times.
While both Western Conference matchups will break 2-2 stalemates on Saturday, the Capitals face a win-or-go-home scenario against the red-hot Penguins. Their fight to stay alive headlines the NHL's weekend action.
| Game | Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| 5 | May 7 | Penguins at Capitals | 7:15 p.m. | NBC |
| 6* | May 10 | Capitals at Penguins | 8 p.m. | NBCSN |
| 7* | May 12 | Penguins at Capitals | TBD | TBD |
| Game | Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| 5 | May 8 | Islanders at Lightning | 3 p.m. | NBC |
| 6* | May 10 | Lightning at Islanders | 7:30 p.m. | TBD |
| 7* | May 12 | Islanders at Lightning | TBD | TBD |
| Game | Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| 5 | May 7 | Blues at Stars | 1 p.m. | NBC |
| 6 | May 9 | Stars at Blues | 8 p.m. | NBCSN |
| 7* | May 11 | Blues at Stars | 8 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Game | Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| 5 | May 7 | Predators at Sharks | 10 p.m. | NBC Sports |
| 6 | May 9 | Sharks at Predators | 9 p.m. | CNBC |
| 7* | May 12 | Predators at Sharks | TBD | TBD |
Washington Capitals Facing Elimination
After going 27-6-8 in one-goal games during the season, the Capitals have dropped three straight contests by a single goal. Their latest shortcoming came in overtime on Wednesday night against a depleted Penguins squad.
Among the Pittsburgh absentees was star defenseman Kris Letang, who has registered seven points and a plus-five rating in eight postseason games, leading the team with an average 29:13 minutes of ice time. Letang, who was suspended for a high hit in Game 3, will return on Saturday.
Per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Seth Rorabaugh, teammate Ben Lovejoy joked about the workhorse making up for lost time:
For the second straight game, Washington attempted more shots despite succumbing to a 3-2 defeat. The Capitals controlled the puck in Game 3's loss, firing 49 shots to the Penguins' 23 while compiling 58 hits to the Pittsburgh's 25.
It hasn't mattered, as the Capitals have failed to capitalize. They couldn't beat the Penguins without Letang and Olli Maatta, who was a limited participant in Friday's team practice, per the team's Twitter account:
According to the Washington Post's Dan Steinberg, NHL teams finish the job 90 percent of the time when afforded a 3-1 postseason lead. Yet the Capitals have firsthand experience of the other 10 percent, squandering said advantage to the New York Rangers during the second round last year.
Per ESPN.com's Scott Burnside, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin hopes last season's regrettable exit will help them reverse the roles.
"I think this team has lots of character," Ovechkin said. "Last year, we were winning 3-1, and we lost the series, so we have to take that experience and turn it around our way. I think it sucks. We wanted to tie the game and tie the series, but overall, I think we have to play our game."
Capitals coach Barry Trotz will try to ignite his offense with line rearrangements. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post relayed the plans to bump Evgeny Kuznetsov into the top line alongside Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie.
While the group played well together early in the season, Kuznetsov is laboring through a rough patch. The 23-year-old has scored once over his last 30 games, a power-play goal in Game 3's first-round victory against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Per Khurshudyan, Trotz described the decision as something "just to shake things up," adding that the Capitals "don’t have anything to lose right now."
On the contrary—they have everything to lose. One more hiccup ends another promising season prematurely.
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