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 Center Brock Nelson scored the first two playoff goals of his career
and right winger Ryan Strome and left winger Josh Bailey also netted
their first playoff goals to lead the Islanders to a series-opening
victory.
"Sometimes you feel a little bit of pressure as a young guy, coming
into a building like this and playing against some veterans like
they have in their lineup," said Islanders coach Jack Capuano. "I
liked their composure. They came up big for us tonight.""
Goaltender Jaroslav Halak stopped 24 of 25 shots for the Islanders,
who are looking for their first playoff series victory since 1993.
Left winger Marcus Johansson scored the lone goal for the Capitals,
who, like the Islanders, are returning to the playoffs after a
one-year absence.
"We weren't as sharp as we needed to be," Capitals coach Barry Trotz
said. "From our top players to our role players, we weren't very
sharp. The Islanders forced us to chase it all night. I was
disappointed in a lot of guys, personally."
The Islanders' speed was evident throughout the game and their
precise passing did not allow the NHL's biggest team to get its
forechecking game untracked.
"We knew coming in here we had to play a good, hard road game," said
Islanders captain John Tavares, who picked up one assist. "We know
it's going to be a tough series, so any time you're able to take the
first one you want to build on it."
The Islanders held left winger Alex Ovechkin and the NHL's
top-ranked power play off the scoreboard, thwarting a pair of
Capitals man advantages despite eight shots on goal by Ovechkin. No
one else on the Capitals had more than two shots.
"Washington got one on us and they could have had a couple more,"
Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk said, "but (Halak) played well
and we just have to continue to do the things we did."
Game 2 of the series will take place on Friday night at the Verizon
Center in Washington.
The Islanders didn't take long to take the first lead of the series,
converting a Capitals neutral zone turnover into Nelson's first
playoff goal 6:06 into the game. Johansson turned the puck over when
a pass from right winger Troy Brouwer went off his skate and caromed
to Boychuk. Boychuk quickly sent the puck up to left winger Josh
Bailey, who fed Nelson in full stride. Nelson whipped a snap shot
that beat Washington goaltender Braden Holtby past his catching
glove on the Islanders' third shot.
The Capitals responded in the closing minute of the opening period
when left winger Brooks Laich stripped Halak of the puck behind the
net and fed Johansson, whose wrister beat Halak past his blocker
with 56 seconds remaining.
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The Islanders outshot the Capitals 11-7 in the opening period and
took control in the second period on goals by Strome and Bailey.
Strome, playing in his first career playoff game, gave the Islanders
a 2-1 lead 3:50 into the period when Tavares beat Capitals rookie
Michael Latta on an offensive zone faceoff. Strome's quick release
beat Holtby through a screen.
The Islanders made it 3-1 midway through the second period when
Bailey jammed his own rebound off Holtby, off the post and over the
goal line. Right winger Kyle Okposo fed Bailey with a nice pass
through the crease to pick up the assist. Nelson completed the
scoring with an empty-netter with 1:19 remaining in regulation.
"It's just one game," Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "We
know we can play a lot better than that. It will be a long series."
NOTES: The Islanders were without D Travis Hamonic (undisclosed
injury), who led all New York defensemen with 213 hits during the
regular season. He was replaced on the second pairing by D Calvin de
Haan, who made his playoff debut. ... The Capitals were without RW
Tom Wilson, who was struck in the back of the head by a slap shot
from Detroit Red Wings D Danny DeKeyser on April 5. Veteran LW Jason
Chimera took Wilson's place on Washington's fourth line. ... C
Evgeny Kuznetsov and C Michael Latta made their playoff debuts for
the Capitals, while RW Anders Lee, C Brock Nelson, RW Ryan Strome
and de Haan played their first playoff games for the Islanders. ...
Game 2 of the series will take place Friday night in Washington,
with the series shifting to Uniondale, N.Y. for games 3 and 4 on
Sunday and Tuesday.
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