Tampa Bay Lightning v.s. Washington Capitals 2011 Eastern Conference Semi Finals Prediction

Tampa Bay Lightning (5) vs. Washington Capitals (1)

Imagine if Marian Gaborik let Henrik Lundqvist cover the puck in game four, who knows where this series would have ended. One win for the Rangers and they would have found themselves in a tied series against the Washington Capitals. Instead the Capitals scored off of the Gaborik mistake, took the 3-1 series lead, and eventually won the series 4-1.

Michal Neuvirth played an amazing first round, but it was against the Rangers. A team who really has no scoring threats, yet. Sure they have Gaborik but if you have read my articles on him you would see he is not that great of a player, especially this season.

With that being said, can Michal Neuvirth stop players on this Lightning team? For example: Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis, and Simon Gagne. Neuvirth is going to see a completely different set of shooters as compared to the dreadful Rangers.

But this argument could be said about the Dwayne Roloson of the Lightning as well. Roloson saw a banged up Penguins team, a team without Sidney Crosby and Evengeni Malkin. Can the 41 year old Roloson stop players like Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Niklas Backstrom? Considering Roloson faced a banged up Penguins team, that same exact Penguins team still managed to win game after game in the regular season.

ROLOSON DESERVES A LOT OF CREDIT FOR SHUTTING OUT THE PENGUINS IN GAME 7.

DON’T LET THOSE NHL “EXPERTS” ON TV TELL YOU OTHERWISE!

Considering Backstrom, Semin and Ovechkin have been in the ditch all season long and in the first round of the playoffs, the advantage goes to Roloson rather than Neuvirth.

The Capitals do not look like a very confident team in the playoffs, and now without Mike Green, they could be in trouble against a fast paced offensive Lightning team.

The one thing we have learned about the Capitals, is if you get them frustrated and force them to turn over pucks in the neutral zone, they will start to collapse. Players like Ovechkin, Semin and Backstrom will try carrying the puck through the whole team causing a major turnover. Or causing them to take a stupid pucking penalty.

And the Lightning play the one three one the best in the NHL. Which in fact clogs up the neutral zone causing turnovers. That Guy Boucher is one sly coach.

Prediction: Tampa Bay Lightning to win the series in 6 games.