NEW YORK – Here we go again.
One year ago, the Capitals rallied from a 3-1 Stanley Cup playoff deficit and forced a decisive Game 7 at Verizon Center. That night ended in sudden heartbreak, an overtime goal leaving players strewn about the ice in dejection.
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Maybe a similar painful fate is in store for the Caps on Tuesday night. But after Sunday’s dominating 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden they could care less. Because at least now they have a chance.
Tom Poti had a goal and three assists against his former team and was one of three different Washington defensemen to score in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal.
The Caps — as they did last season against the Philadelphia Flyers — have fought back from a 3-1 deficit and forced another Game 7 at home. They led 3-1 after the first period and 5-1 after the second on Sunday afternoon, coasting to victory.
“We were in this situation last year. We have a little bit of experience. We know what we have to do here,” Poti said. “But you still have to come out and play a perfect game to win the series.”
Unlike last season’s comeback against the Flyers, Washington has clearly been the better team throughout this series. The Caps have outscored the Rangers 9-3 over the last two games and outshot them a staggering 192-151 through six games. And while New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist was dominant in Games 1, 2 and 4, he has looked human the past two, stopping just 25 of the last 34 shots faced.
“Maybe we have some more confidence now before Game 7,” said Caps forward Nicklas Backstrom. “Same situation as last year — the only difference is we want to win this game.”
The game turned chippy from the start. Donald Brashear’s early elbow on Rangers forward Blair Betts set the tone — but he also had a pregame run-in with New York enforcer Colton Orr, the two making contact and exchanging words as they skated during warm-ups.
Later, Rangers forward Brandon Dubinsky earned a boarding call when he hit Caps defenseman Mike Green from behind in the second period. Roughing and misconduct calls were added during a scrum that coach Jim Schoenfeld claimed ended with Caps defenseman Shaone Morrisonn biting Dubinsky, who allegedly needed a tetanus shot during intermission. But he was the one sent off for the misconduct call — all the while showing the linesman what he said was a bite mark. Morrisonn had already departed by the time Schoenfeld spoke and was not available for comment.
“That was a double whammy for us,” said Schoenfeld, filling in for the suspended John Tortorella. “With [Betts] out, now Dubinsky out. We were a little shy down the middle.”
To a man, the Rangers would not use Tortorella’s absence — a result of throwing a water bottle at a fan during Game 5 at Verizon Center — or the organization’s letter of complaint about security conditions in Washington as an excuse.
“In our room, we were ready,” said Rangers defenseman Marc Staal, who was beaten one-on-one during a second period goal by Viktor Kozlov that made it 4-1 Caps. “I think all those distractions didn’t really factor in. We were focused. We were ready. We just didn’t have the effort we needed.”
