Capitals bounce back, stave off elimination with Game 4 win over Islanders

Ovechkin's second goal of the night was ultimately the dazzling game-winner in the Capitals' 3-2 win Tuesday in Game 4 of the first-round playoff series, finally giving Washington the spark it had been looking for all postseason. 

The Capitals narrowly avoided a sweep after finding themselves in a 2-0 deficit in the opening 10 minutes and have forced a Game 5 on Thursday. After the Capitals dropped the first three games of the series when strong starts devolved into slow, undisciplined later periods, Washington played its best hockey all postseason Tuesday after digging itself an early hole. 

The win came without Nicklas Backstrom, who missed his third straight game in the NHL's concussion protocol after Anders Lee's late hit in the first period of Game 1. Coach Todd Reirden said Backstrom took part in Tuesday's morning skate, but the center was still unable to suit up and instead watched the game from the stands. 

Without Backstrom in the lineup, the team's other veteran stars filled the void. 

Evgeny Kuznetsov got the Capitals on the board 3:35 into the second period after carrying the puck all the way in from his own zone, and Ovechkin tied the score at 2 with a power-play goal from his office in the left faceoff circle at 5:29. 

The Capitals started to get sustained pressure in the middle period and finally looked like a team that could jolt itself awake. The team did just that, proceeding to have its best period of the series, winning one-on-one battles, making the second effort and finding extended offensive-zone time. And while the Capitals were unable to light the lamp again in the latter half of the second period, Ovechkin made sure to take care of business 3:40 into the third to keep the season alive. 

It all made up for the slow start, during which Jean-Gabriel Pageau tipped a point shot past Braden Holtby 3:50 in the first period. By the 7:20 mark of the opening frame, the Islanders had 16 shot attempts and the Capitals merely one. 

The Islanders weren't done yet. Mathew Barzal scored his second goal in as many games 9:16 into the period to give New York a two-goal advantage. And while the Capitals started to show a little more life toward the end of the period, they still couldn't break through before intermission. 

The Capitals were struggling, and with their season on the line they were showing no real sense of urgency. As both teams went to their locker rooms, there was a sense this Capitals team had no fight left. 

Then, all of a sudden, the Capitals were right back in it. 

Kuznetsov struck during a four-on-four situation to cut the Islanders' lead in half. Finally, there was a glimmer of hope. 

The Russian center skated through the neutral zone, to the outside and cut hard to the net, beating Varlamov for his 27th playoff career playoff goal and his second of the series. His first came in a similar manner in Game 3, when he scored on the power play to tie the score at 1 only four minutes into the second period. The Capitals failed to capitalize on the momentum and ultimately lost. 

It was a different story Tuesday. 

The Capitals struck again with Ovechkin's 69th career postseason goal and his fourth of the series. He moved past Gordie Howe and Sidney Crosby for 18th place on the NHL's all-time postseason scoring list and is one shy of Steve Yzerman for the 17th most in playoff history.

When Ovechkin scored again in the third, it marked his ninth multi-goal postseason game. 

The Capitals held on from there, and Holtby finished with 24 saves to become the 21st goaltender in NHL history to record 50 postseason wins. 

Despite a tense finish, the Capitals finally headed down the tunnel to their room smiling after a game for the first time in a week. While they still face an uphill climb, the Capitals finally have some life in the Toronto bubble.