Capitals' depth forwards to thank for bounce-back wins

Losing is far from ideal in any walk of life. For some reason, however, for the Washington Capitals, playoff losses haven’t been nearly as devastating as they might be.

In a twisted way, losing has been a wonderful thing for the Capitals this postseason. It has become a direct sign that wins are on the way.

The club has posted an impressive 3-1 record after a loss so far in the Stanley Cup playoffs and after those three wins, they’ve gone on to win multiple games in a row. And just like the losing being an unusual sign of good fortune, the reason behind it is also surprising.

No, it is not the big dogs. Although the combination of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alexander Ovechkin have been good all postseason, three members specifically of the Washington Capitals second and third lines have been to thank for their bounce-back victories: Lars Eller, Jakub Vrana, and Brett Connolly.

Not the names you were probably thinking of. That’s because the narrative of ‘Ovechkin’s mission’ has dominated the talk, while these three have gone under the radar. But in big moments of series-altering games, it has been these three who have exceeded expectations.

In the three games the Capitals have won after a loss in the playoffs, the trio has posted an impressive 13 combined points. Not bad considering they have accumulated 11 points in the other 12 games during the team’s playoff run.

What has allowed them to be so effective? Well, it has really changed on a game-to-game basis. They have benefitted both from receiving easier defensive matchups and stepping up when asked.

Washington has not had the cleanest of playoff runs. Injuries to Nicklas Backstrom and Andre Burakovsky coupled with a suspension to Tom Wilson have caused some line shifting. But those three players have shined in their roles when needed most.

In Game 3 against Columbus, the Capitals were without Burakovsky, who had been integral to their second line. Down 2-0 in the series and playing in 2OT, Barry Trotz rolled his third line and was rewarded. Lars Eller scored the game-winning goal after Brett Connolly put a shot towards the net.

Against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a Game 1 loss at home meant that Game 2 was essentially a must-win. In the ever important contest, Eller racked up three assists as the three secondary providers accumulated five points combined in the win.

This was made possible due to the fact that Washington’s talented depth players were highly exposed to Pittsburgh’s weaker defensive pairings. Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin handled Washington’s top line 52.33% of the time they touched the ice, and in turn, allowed the Capitals’ second and third lines to see the Penguins top duo only a fraction of the time.

After a Game 4 loss, it was a different narrative in Game 5. With Wilson out, Vrana was thrust onto the same line as Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. This meant that the right-winger could not get away playing against easier pairings.

The tougher line matches made no difference for Vrana. The former first-round pick earned first-star honours recording a goal and two assists, despite the fact Washington’s top line of offence was pinned against Pittsburgh’s best defenders 76.06% of the time they were on the ice.

The depth lines also rose to the occasion in Game 5. Connolly and Eller each notched a goal in the contest taking advantage of Pittsburgh’s second and third defence pairings.

Although Ovechkin’s quest for the Cup is quite a compelling storyline, what should not get lost is how important Washington’s secondary forwards are. And with Game 4 of their series against Tampa Bay providing another bounce-back game, again emerges the opportunity for their alternate options to shine.