The stage was set for a Friday night advancement to round two: home ice, a three games to one series lead, and coming off a third period in which the ice was quite nearly vertically tilted in favor of the Caps. That tilt carried over into Game 5, but unfortunately for the home team, so too did Michal Neuvirth’s stellar play, who turned in one of the best goaltending performances in Philadelphia Flyers playoff history, carrying the team in front of him on his back to a 1-0 victory.
Here’s a look at our game breakdowns from Game 1, Game 2, Game 3, and Game 4.
Let’s take a look at what worked and what didn’t in Game 5.
What Worked
Despite spending fewer than half the minutes on the power play that Philadelphia did, the Caps were only outshot 5 to 4, had more shot attempts (10-8), scoring chances (5 to 4), and high-danger scoring chances (3 to 2) on the power play.
And if you’re more of a visual learner, the optics are appropriately stark.
And Muneeb’s possession grid.
What Didn’t Work
- Outputs
This isn’t Halakian…yet.
Here’s Muneeb again, to help keep things in perspective.
*approximate pic.twitter.com/G9AU41l6Q9
— Muneeb Alam (@muneebalamcu) April 23, 2016
In short, Game 5 was a tremendously well-played game by the Capitals, with a frustrating outcome. That particularly cocktail is one for which fans of hockey in the district have a low tolerance. But if you are less inclined to believe the abstract supernatural is a prime player in stymying the Caps’ advancement, you’re likely also able to apply reason and critical examination to arrive at the conclusion that the Washington Capitals are still very much in good shape.