Playoff Round 2 Game #4 Preview: Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning

Where: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL

When:  May 4, 2011, 7:00 PM

History:           

All-Time Playoff Series Record vs. TAM: 0-1

All-Time Playoff Game Record vs. TAM: 2-7

Last Meeting: 2003, WAS 2 TAM 4

This Year:

WAS Record: 48-22-11

Standings Points: 107

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 1st

TAM Record: 46-25-11

Standings Points: 103

Division Rank: 2nd

Conference Rank: 5th    

2010-2011 Regular Season Series: 4-1-1

Nov. 11, 2010 WAS 6 TAM 3

Nov. 26, 2010 WAS 6 TAM 0

Jan. 4, 2011 WAS 0 TAM 1 (OT)

Jan. 12, 2011 WAS 0 TAM 3

Feb. 4, 2011 WAS 5 TAM 2

Mar. 7, 2011 WAS 2 TAM 1 (OT-SO)

Playoff Series Schedule and Results:

Apr. 29, 2011 WAS 2 TAM 4

May 01, 2011 WAS 2 TAM 3 (OT)

May 03, 2011 WAS 3 TAM 4

May 04, 2011 at Tampa

May 07, 2011 at Washington*

May 09, 2011 at Tampa*

May 11, 2011 at Washington*

*If required

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 22 KNUBLE

Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 44 ARNOTT, 28 SEMIN

Forward Line 3: 25 CHIMERA, 90 JOHANSSON, 16 FEHR

Forward Line 4: 18 STURM, 15 GORDON, 10 BRADLEY

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 52 GREEN

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 4 ERSKINE, 23 HANNAN

Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Back-up Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

Tampa

Forward Line 1: 6 MALONE, 91 STAMKOS, 9 DOWNIE

Forward Line 2: 16 PURCELL, 4 LECAVALIER, 26 ST. LOUIS

Forward Line 3: 49 B. JONES, 19 MOORE, 10 BERGENHEIM

Forward Line 4: 18 HALL, 44 THOMPSON

Defense Pair 1: 2 BREWER, 5 OHLUND

Defense Pair 2: 7 CLARK, 39 LUNDIN

Defense Pair 3: 8 R. JONES, 77 HEDMAN

Defense Pair 4: 47 BERGERON

Goalie: 35 ROLOSON

Back-up Goalie: 41 SMITH

Injuries:

Washington – 3 POTI (upper body) IR, 6 WIDEMAN (lower body) DTD

TAM – 12 GAGNE (undisclosed) DTD, 13 KUBINA (undisclosed) DTD

Preview:

Its do or die time for the Capitals. They are in a 0-3 hole and must win the next 4 games to advance to the next round. It’s a daunting task but if it’s going to happen it starts tonight. The Capitals need to tighten up on their systems and play with what Tampa is giving them. They had a tremendous second period last night but followed it with a terrible third. Look for the Capitals to come out strong in the first period tonight and play an aggressive forecheck and funnel everything to the net. I expect a more even effort and the Caps will need contributions from its third and fourth lines. Alex Ovechkin has been good in this series but he is going to have to take his play to another level. It all starts here in Game 4. The Caps need a win and I think they get it.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 4 TAM 1

Official Preview