The Washington Capitals were in New York City on Monday night with a pretty good chance to put a strangle hold on their series against the Rangers. And for 59 minutes and 50 seconds, it looked like they were going to do just that. But an incredibly poorly timed Joel Ward penalty gave the Rangers a chance to score with 6.6 seconds left to send the game into OT, and then again on the same Power Play just minutes into the extra frame. Suffice it to say, our Capitals blog Japers' Rink is disappointed.
6.6 seconds. That's all that remained in regulation, all that separated the Caps from a 3-2 series lead heading back to DC. And despite their penchant for "blowing" one-goal leads during the postseason, they've managed to hang on to them late when it's really counted. It's how they've gotten to this point in the first place. But a lot can happen in 6.6 seconds, and with the Caps shorthanded the Rangers decided to finally find a way to make their power play work. 6.6 seconds, a scramble in the crease, a bad play by Holtby and the game was tied.
This series is not over. The Capitals play well enough at home to think that they can win there in Game 6, and we all saw what they did in a road Game 7 against the Bruins in Round 1. But to ask them to win two games in a row against the top seed in the Eastern Conference might be a pretty tall order.
Stay tuned to this StoryStream for updates throughout the Capitals and Rangers Eastern Conference semifinal series. For more news and analysis on the Caps, visit Japers' Rink. For news and info from a Rangers perspective during the series, visit Blueshirt Banter. And for all your news on the NHL Playoffs, check out SB Nation's NHL hub.