Islanders rout Capitals to close out series 4-1

[August 21, 2020]  Anthony Beauvillier scored twice Thursday night for the New York Islanders, who eliminated the Washington Capitals with a 4-0 win in Game 5 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinals series in Toronto.

The sixth-seeded Islanders, who beat the Florida Panthers in four games in a qualifying round series and won more games this month (seven) than they did in February and March combined (six), will face a yet-to-be determined opponent in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

It's the Islanders' second trip to the conference semifinals in as many seasons under head coach Barry Trotz, who resigned as the Capitals' head coach shortly after directing Washington to the franchise's first Stanley Cup in June 2018.

The Islanders were swept by the Carolina Hurricanes last year. This is the first time New York has gotten beyond the first round of the playoffs in back-to-back years since 1984-85, when it won its fourth straight Stanley Cup and fell in the Finals, respectively.

Nick Leddy and Josh Bailey scored empty netters late in the third period. Goalie Semyon Varlamov made 21 saves in his first playoff shutout since Apr. 24, 2009, when he blanked the New York Rangers as a member of the Capitals.

The first-round exit is the second straight for the third-seeded Capitals and head coach Todd Reirden, who replaced Trotz, and is likely to lead to an offseason of change for an organization with under $11 million in salary cap space. Goalie Braden Holtby, who split the job during the regular season with 23-year-old rookie Ilya Samsonov, recorded 13 saves.

A long-awaited power play goal put the Islanders ahead just beyond the midway point of the first period. Holtby turned back a shot by Brock Nelson, but the rebound caromed to Nelson, who passed to Beauvillier as the left winger swooped in from the top of the right faceoff circle. With Holtby on his knees at the top of the left crease, Beauvillier fired a shot between Brenden Dillon and Carl Hagelin, the latter of whom went to one knee but could not block the puck as it sailed into the open net at the 10:19 mark.

Islanders celebrate the goal scored by left wing Anthony Beauvillier (18) against the Washington Capitals during the first period in game five of the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The goal was just the second power play tally for the Islanders in 20 opportunities in the series.

An impressive effort by Josh Bailey and Beauvillier led to the Islanders' second goal 9:33 into the second. Bailey picked up a loose puck along the boards in the New York zone and raced up the ice. With Capitals defenseman John Carlson to his left and Dillon to his right, Bailey faked a pass, which left Carlson flat-footed, and then darted between the two Washington players and dished to Beauvillier, who went to the backhand and beat Holtby from point-blank range.

The Capitals nearly cut the gap in half 1:22 into the third, but Varlamov gloved a slapshot by Nicklas Backstrom from the top of the crease. Washington pulled Holtby with about three minutes left, but Leddy and Bailey scored their length-of-the-ice empty netters.

--Field Level Media

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.