The Washington Capitals were able to get out of the round robin series with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday. As the team as able to get a goal from Tom Wilson in the third period of play that helped to propel them to victory.
Washington was able to find the form that made them so successful in past NHL season, having played some great defense and finding some great combinations on the offensive side of the ice as well.
With the victory on Sunday the Capitals have a clearer pitcher on who they will face for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is happening this week. In the first round it will be the Capitals taking on the New York Islanders, while the Boston Bruins will take on the Carolina Hurricanes.
Things will get really interesting now for the Caps, having only played three games and now jumping into what is considered to be meaningful hockey. Not only are they going to be playing meaningful hockey, but doing so against really though and talented teams like the Islanders will make for some nail biting moments over these next few days.
T.J. Oshie recorded the other goal for the Caps, which was a beauty of a shot with 19:14 in the first period of play. On the defensive side keeper Braden Holtby recorded 30 saves in the game.
Now the Caps will take on the Islanders and that series will begin on Wednesday, August 12 at 3 p.m. at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. It will be the eighth time that the Capitals will face the New York Islanders in the playoffs, and the first since the Caps defeated the Isles in seven games in 2015.
Washington was able to finish the 2019-20 season with a record of 41-20-8, claiming the Metropolitan Division for the fifth consecutive season. The Capitals became the eighth franchise in NHL history to win five consecutive division titles and the first since the Anaheim Ducks from 2012-13 to 2016-17. With 90 points in 69 games before the suspension-shortened 2019-20 season, the Capitals were again on pace to reach the 100-point mark.
Here is the full schedule:
Date Time (ET) #3 Washington vs. #6 NY Islanders
Wednesday, Aug. 12 3 p.m. NY Islanders at Washington
Friday, Aug. 14 8 p.m. NY Islanders at Washington
Sunday, Aug. 16 12 p.m. Washington at NY Islanders
Tuesday, Aug. 18 8 p.m. Washington at NY Islanders
*Thursday, Aug. 20 TBD NY Islanders at Washington
*Saturday, Aug. 22 TBD Washington at NY Islanders
*Sunday, Aug. 23 TBD NY Islanders at Washington
It will be interesting to see if the Caps can continue to keep the momentum they had built up against the Bruins as they go into this series against the Islanders. This is a new format everyone is playing under, so has everyone involved gotten adjusted to this new format is the really big questions for all involved.
The quest for the Stanley Cup begins on Wednesday, brace yourself hockey fans cause these next few weeks are going to be fast and furious.
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