Philipp Grubauer receives congrats from Alex Ovechkin and teammates after making 18 saves in the Caps’ 4-3 win over the Isles in Game 2.
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The Islanders had their chances. They easily could’ve taken a commanding 2-0 series lead on the Capitals with the next two in their barn. Instead, they had to settle for a split in Washington. The Caps rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Islanders 4-3 to take Game 2 Friday night at Verizon Center.

Even with 23-year old Phillip Grubauer recalled as an emergency starter with Braden Holtby unavailable, they were able to respond to square the first round series with a big Game 3 tomorrow afternoon at Nassau Coliseum.

”Stuck with the gameplan,” veteran forward Jason Chimera said after scoring the game-winner with 12:23 left in regulation. ”We wanted to stick with it, no matter what happened.”

That strategy was simple. Get the puck in and attack the Isles’ defense. The Caps out-attempted the Isles 82-51. They also outshot them 35-21. Eventually, their aggressiveness paid off. Forced to play from behind for a second consecutive game, their skill players stepped up. Alex Ovechkin scored his first of the series and Nicklas Backstrom had a big night scoring a highlight reel tying power play goal while setting up two others.

”When we play our game, (when) we stay in their zone, everything can happen,” Ovechkin said.

The Islanders made it difficult early scoring the first goal for the second game in a row. The fourth line continued to excel with Matt Martin setting up Cal Clutterbuck’s first of the series. Despite the Caps firing from everywhere, they were held to just five shots in the first period. They attempted over 30 but many were blocked or missed its target.

”They were shooting from everywhere,” Jaroslav Halak said after finishing with 31 saves.

For a second straight game, Ryan Strome scored. This time, he struck at 3:24 of the second when he one-timed a John Tavares saucer pass past Grubauer to put the Isles ahead by two. Lubomir Visnovsky picked up the other assist.

Not wanting to lose both games on home ice, the Capitals played desperate outshooting the Islanders 18-7 in the second. Once they started dictating play, they got back in the game. Off a sustained forecheck, defenseman Karl Alzner took a Mike Green cross-ice feed and one-timed the puck by Halak through traffic slicing the deficit to 2-1 at 11:26.

Kyle Okposo beats Phillip Grubauer for a goal in the second period with Brooks Orpik down.
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Despite the pressure, the Isles were able to restore a two-goal lead when Kyle Okposo got free in the slot and notched his first from Josh Bailey and Calvin de Haan at 14:09. But before they got comfortable, Ovechkin replied back two minutes later when he buried home a rebound off a Matt Niskanen one-timer set up by Backstrom. That made it 3-2 with a period left.

”Just because it doesn’t work right away, doesn’t mean it’s not working. You’ve just got to keep doing the same things and the right things – and I thought we did,” Washington coach Barry Trotz said. ”You could see it turning.”

There were only two penalties called the entire game. However, Strome picked an inopportune time to take one reacting to Tom Wilson by slashing the Caps’ pest. If there’s one thing you don’t want to do, it’s hand the Caps power plays. All they needed was one to tie the game. Backstrom scored off a beautiful rush surprising the Islander D and Halak by moving in and firing a laser tying it 3-3 with 16:16 left in the third.

”They kind of wanted me to pass, I think,” Backstrom explained after taking a John Carlson pass from his own end and faking out three Isles before scoring. ”I was so far in there, I was like, ‘Might as well give it a try.”’

With all the momentum, the Caps finally took their first lead of the series less than four minutes later thanks to Chimera. A bad giveaway from Nick Leddy led to disaster for the Isles. Niskanen intercepted the pass and Jay Beagle got the puck to Chimera for one shot that was blocked right back to him for a follow up that beat Halak far post.

”We got a little less aggressive,” Tavares said. ”You know, not moving our feet as much.”

They generated a few chances but Grubauer was up to the challenge turning aside all seven Islander shots in the third. The second line of Okposo, Frans Nielsen and Josh Bailey had a couple of strong shifts but weren’t able to beat a goalie who started only once during the regular season.

Isles’ coach Jack Capuano pulled Halak with over a minute left. But despite some good pressure, they never got the shot they wanted. And so, it’s onto Game 3 at what should be a chaotic atmosphere Sunday at 12 PM.

”We’re going to come with some pretty serious intensity in Nassau, so it’ll be up to them to match us,” Clutterbuck said.

Game 2 first star Nicklas Backstrom celebrates his tying goal with teammate Troy Brouwer.
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BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Jason Chimera, WSH (game-winner, 3 SOG, 3 hits, +1 in 21 shifts-14:19)

2nd Star-Matt Niskanen, WSH (2 assists, 3 SOG, 7 attempts, 5 hits, +2 in 28 shifts-21:47)

1st Star-Nicklas Backstrom, WSH (game-tying PPG, 2 assists, 4 SOG, +1 in 27 shifts-18:59)

Notes: Making his first postseason start, Grubauer made 18 saves. There’s no update yet on Holtby with only Trotz remarking that “Maybe a little Long Island air and sunshine will do him some good.” … Faceoffs were in favor of the Caps 28-27 led by Backstrom (14-and-7). Nielsen led the Isles going 8-and-5 while Tavares lost 9-of-16.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot: Kyle Okposo takes a hit from Alex Ovechkin.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

Key Stats

Hits NYI 38 (Martin, Boychuk 6) WSH 59 (Ovechkin 8)

Blocked Shots NYI 27 (Nielsen 5) WSH 11 (Beagle 4)

Giveaways NYI 14 (Halak 3) WSH 10 (Carlson, Fehr 3)