The surprising Tampa Bay Lightning Face off against the Washington Capitals

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The surprising Tampa Bay Lightning Face off against the Washington Capitals

The Tampa Bay Lightning upset the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round and now will attempt to do it again when they play the Washington Capitals.

The Capitals were just too good, finishing off the New York Rangers in five games while the other Eastern Conference series all went to seven. It wasn’t until the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0 late Wednesday that coach Bruce Boudreau could finally start focusing on a specific game plan. The NHL schedule-makers provided little rest for the weary Lightning.

Game 1 in the conference semifinal series is set for Friday, a turnaround so quick that Tampa Bay had to fly straight to the nation’s capital immediately after the Game 7 win in Pittsburgh. Coach Guy Boucher opted not to have a practice Thursday, so his fifth-seeded team will open against the top-seeded Capitals fueled with adrenaline and momentum, while Washington has had time to get healthier and run every practice drill in the book since its last game against New York on Saturday.

By all rights, the Capitals should have the clear advantage. That didn’t stop them from trying to claim otherwise. Boudreau has been around long enough that he already knows how the Game 1 verdict will be assessed, depending on which team wins.

Fortunately for both coaches, there’s not much studying required of the opponent. The Southeast Division rivals played a half-dozen times this season, with Washington winning four. An interesting Boudreau-Boucher chess match developed along the way.

The Washington Capitals will have the edge against the weary Tampa Bay Lightning as they stumble out of the gate.

Hockey Picks: Washington Capitals

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