The Capitals welcomed Knuble back to the lineup but both Gagne and Kubina were missing for the Lightning after suffering injuries during game 1.
The game started with both teams defences on top as through the first 6 minutes the Caps had generated 4 shos, Tampa Bay just the 1. With 7.14 gone Knuble took the 1st penalty on Washington and the Lightning's powerplay had the chance to get the lead. They couldn't really get set up though an with under 20 seconds left on the powerplay Downie took a holding penalty to send the game 4 on 4 briefly before the Caps would get the 1 man advantage. Roloson made a couple of decent saves but Washington also failed to generate much and there was about 8 minutes left on the period.
With 7.49 left it was Blair Jones to the box for Tampa Bay to put the Capitals straight back on the powerplay. With 3 seconds left of the powerplay Clark took another 2 minutes for cross checking to give Washington their 3rd powerplay in a row.
Bergenheim on the shorthand had the best chance as he went in on Neuvirth but he made a comfortable save. The Caps with almost 6 consecutive minutes of man advantage and Roloson was dealing with everything being thrown at him. Most of the shots coming in were from long range though and the Caps hadn't created anything clear cut.
The final 2 minutes would see Tampa Bay go on the powerplay as Ovechkin went for high sticking. The Lightning took the lead as St Louis made a passover to LeCavalier in the face off circle and he one timed his shot past the glove of Neuvirth nearside and into the net.
That was to be the way the 1st period ended as the Caps outshot their opponents 10-5 but found themselves 1-0 down.
Both teams had early chances in the 2nd period with Neuvirth and Roloson both making saves. Washington had an early powerplay as Malone sat for high sticking. That penalty was killed off but Bergeron was to take another as a scramble infront of Roloson saw him called for hooking as he pulled a Washington forward down as he looked to put the puck in. Another good kill from the Lightning as they killed it down to 15 seconds when Green took a roughing call to give the Lightning their own powerplay.
Downie took a knock as a puck was fired at him from close range along the boards and he struggled as he go back onto the bench. Bergenheim took 2 minutes for hooking to send Washington back to the powerplay again. Roloson pulled off a great save on Knuble as Johansson passed the puck across to the front and forward tipped it on net only to find the netminder blocking his attempt.
Finally the Caps managed to get an equaliser Backstrom skating between the circles and firing the puck at the net. Roloson blocked it but it rolled off his shoulder and Laich jammed it in as the forwards crashed into the crease.
Schultz got called for holding with 4.32 left in the period but it was more like a clothes line on Bergenheim. The best chance once again came to the shorthanded team as Strurm went on a 2 on 1 but he chose to shoot on the backhand rather than make the pass across the crease and the shot was wide.
The Lightning had only taken 9 shots through 2 periods and the Caps were on top in the game. Tampa Bay weren't playing well against a sound defensive Washington team and would need to up their game in the 3rd.
The Bolts started the 3rd with a shot by Stamkos that was comfortably gloved by Neuvirth. Other saves off Purcell and Stamkos again were made as Tampa Bay started a lot more livelier.
Tampa Bay got back in the lead as St Louis threw a puck across the crease looking for LeCavalier and it hit the skate of Mike Green and went in behind Neuvirth at 7.35.
Green then took a roughing call at 8.32 to give the Lightning the powerplay chance. Neuvirth smothered the first chance on it from LeCavalier. Despite some further pressure with the man advantage the game remained 2-1 going into the final 10 minutes.
St Louis had another 2 chances to make it 3-1 with Neuvirth making saves and Malone just missed the stick of Stamkos with a pass through the crease which if any touch had been made would surely have gone in the net. The Lightning were playing their best hockey of the game so far.
The Capitals got an offensive zone face off with under 2 minutes to go, took their timeout and pulled Neuvirth. They got the puck in the zone and managed to keep the pressure on and Ovechkin roofed the puck from the top of the crease as Laich got the puck out infront with 1.07 left.
That sent the game into overtime in which the Caps crowd came to life. The first time in the playoffs that the atmoshere in the Verizon Centre was raised to it's highest level.
That atmosphere was killed dead though as LeCavalier won it for the Lightning 6.19 into OT. A bad line change allowed him to get free infront and as Purcell made the pass from the wing, LeCavalier controlled the puck and put it high gloveside on Neuvirth.
Through 2 periods this game had been nearly all the Caps. They were outshooting their opponents 27-9 at the end of it, 3 shots to 1. Somehow they just couldn't get the clear openings to get in the lead and despite their dominance in play they were chasing the scoreboard all game. A bad start to the series for them, losing 2 straight at home and heading into Tampa Bay needing to get a game on the board.
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