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SPORTS Friday 1 June 2018
Knights outworked by Capitals in Game 2

By W.G. RAMIREZ you really have got to see
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Golden where your game is at. If
Knights coach Gerard you look at it as a whole,
Gallant for months talked we played really well for
about his team's hard work, parts of the first period
ability to battle and their and we got caught up in
devotion to playing a full the transition game in the
"200 feet of hockey." second period — and that's
In pockets of Game 2 not the game we want to
in the Stanley Cup Final play." Instead, Washington
on Wednesday night, fed off the momentum and
the Golden Knights were dictated the tempo, and a
surprisingly outworked, little less than four minutes
outbattled and outhustled after Ovechkin scored,
in losing 3-2 to the Brooks Orpik broke a 220-
Washington Capitals. game goal drought with
Game 3 is Saturday night the eventual game winner.
in Washington and Vegas It was his first goal since
is going to need to up the Feb. 26, 2016.
energy level even further in "I haven't yelled that loud
a frantic series with scoring for someone to score a goal
chances galore. since Ovi scored one of his
Vegas outshot the Capitals milestones," Washington
39-26, but the hustle forward T.J. Oshie said.
stats in Game 2 went to Though the Golden Knights
Washington, which handed outshot Washington 15-6 in
the expansion club just its the third period, the Capitals
second home loss of the skated faster, competed
postseason. Washington Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, right, is scored on by Washington Capitals better, worked harder and
defenseman Brooks Orpik as right wing Brett Connolly, second from left, helps on defense during
had 18 blocked shots to the second period in Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, played smarter to steal
eight for Vegas, helping in Las Vegas. home-ice advantage with
goaltender Braden Holtby Associated Press their first-ever Final win. The
turn things around. He Capitals return to Capital
allowed five goals in the Washington coach Golden Knights also had foot a few times with some One Arena, where they
opener but was sublime Barry Trotz didn't provide 12 turnovers compared to turnovers," Golden Knights have just a 4-5 record in the
in Game 2 as he made 37 an update on his star Washington's four. defenseman Nate Schmidt postseason. Vegas is 6-2 on
saves — none bigger than afterward, but said it was "We shot ourselves in the said. "At the end of the day the road in the playoffs.q
stopping Alex Tuch with the key moment in the
the paddle of his stick in a game for his team.
sprawling move with just "It galvanized us as a group,
1:59 left. I think it might be a turning
Washington also showed its point for us," Trotz said.
mettle on the penalty kill, With Kuznetsov out, Trotz
limiting the Golden Knights added Nicklas Backstrom
to a single goal in four to his top line with Alex
attempts — including a Ovechkin and Tom Wilson.
5-on-3 on the third period. And 5:38 into the second
"You've got to try and period, with the game tied
capitalize on those," Vegas at 1-all and the Capitals on
defenseman Luca Sbisa a power play, Ovechkin
said. "It's just one of those scored his first career
games, even at the end, Stanley Cup Final goal to
with Tuchy having that give the Capitals the lead.
chance. Most of times it "I think they got energy
goes in. It's just one of those from that, I think they were
games." pissed off, that's how sports
And while Washington go," Vegas forward Erik
outhit the Golden Knights, Haula said. "You see one of
46-39, it was some of Vegas' your best players go down
bigger hits that ignited and you're pissed off, that's
the Capitals in the second part of it. It's no excuse for
period. us. Bottom line is we were
Vegas defenseman right in that game I think,
Brayden McNabb it was right there for us to
hammered Washington's grab, we just came short."
first-line forward Evgeny Vegas unraveled and gave
Kuznetsov, sending him to up more uncharacteristic
the dressing room with a chances in front of Marc-
little more than five minutes Andre Fleury, who has
left in the first period. He yet to lose consecutive
didn't return. games this postseason. The