Home » Reflecting on the Islanders & Capitals Series in 2020 Playoffs

Reflecting on the Islanders & Capitals Series in 2020 Playoffs

Publish Date: August 14, 2023

After upending the Florida Panthers in their Qualifier series, the New York Islanders advanced to face the Washington Capitals in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. For head coach Barry Trotz, it was a rematch against his former team with the Islanders once again looking to prove people wrong in the postseason. With Game One taking place three years ago on Saturday, let’s take a look back at their second opponents in the Toronto “bubble.”

Game 1

Following a five day layover between their last Qualifier victory and their opening game of Round One, the Islanders were flat to start. Neither team scored in the opening period, but the Islanders were outshot 7-2 after 20 minutes. New York paid the price in the second period, as two power play goals by T.J. Oshie put Washington up 2-0. However, just before the final minute of the middle frame, Jordan Eberle let go a seeing-eye shot that found its way past Braden Holtby to get the Islanders within one. With that spark, the Isles rallied for three in the third, with Anders Lee scoring less than a minute in.

Six minutes later, with Washington on another man advantage, a fumbled dump-in by the Caps went to Brock Nelson, who found a driving Josh Bailey for a shorthanded goal. Anthony Beauvillier added one more after the halfway mark, capping off a 4-2, comeback win for the Islanders in Game 1.

Game 2

The second game of the series once again showcased the Islanders’ resolve. Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring for Washington in the first minute of play, and Washington maintained that lead through 20. However, the Islanders outshot the Capitals 12-6 in the period and stuck with it in period two. Two early goals from Scott Mayfield and Matt Martin put the Islanders on top just over five minutes into the frame. Ovechkin responded just over 90 seconds later with his second of the game, but the tied lasted only 15 seconds.

Nelson stole a puck from Jakub Vrana, went off to the races and buried a breakaway past Holtby to restore the lead. The Islanders played a structure game the rest of the way, including a tremendous shift keeping Washington pinned for most of the final five minutes. The hard work paid off when Cal Clutterbuck padded the Islanders’ lead, followed by an empty netter from Lee to finish a 5-2 win, giving the Islanders a 2-0 series edge.

Game 3

Mat Barzal proved the be the hero in Game Three, finishing off a breakaway to give the Islanders a 2-1 win (Photo courtesy of NHL.com)

Unlike the previous two contests in the series, Game Three proved to be, for the most part, a stalemate. Lee broke the ice 14:50 into the first period, and New York outshot Washington 14-6. However, the Capitals weathered the storm and tied the game in the second off the stick of Evegeni Kuzentsov. That goal was the final tally of regulation time, with overtime needed to decide the winner. After Semyon Varlamov stopped Vrana on a breakaway, Eberle sent Mat Barzal all alone on Holtby. With Barzal all alone, he buried a backhander through the five-hole, a signature moment of the 2020 playoffs, to the Islanders a 2-1 win over the Capitals and 3-0 stranglehold.

Game 4

As was the case with the Islanders’ Qualifier series with Florida, the team’s first attempt to finish off a series proved to be the toughest. Despite the Islanders taking a 2-0 lead in the first off goals from Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Barzal, the team fell into self-induced traps in the second. Kuznetsov cut the lead to one 3:35 into the period, but a negated power play set the stage for Ovechkin two minutes later. His second goal of the series got the Caps all even at two through 40, with Washington outshooting New York 15-7 in period two.

Ovechkin gave Washington the lead 3:40 into the third, and the Islanders couldn’t muster an answer for the first time all series, falling 3-2 in the game after struggling to capitalize on the early momentum.

Game 5

Despite a setback in Game Four, the Islanders adjusted and were able to finish the Capitals off in five (Photo courtesy of NHL.com)

In another parallel to their series with Florida, the second time proved to be the charm in finishing the series off. Just beyond the halfway point in the first, Beauvillier opened the scoring on a power play goal, giving the Islanders a 1-0 lead after one. He added one more in the second after Bailey made a pass to find Beauvillier behind Washington’s defense, making it 2-0 prior to the game’s halfway mark. From there, the team played Trotz hockey once again, limiting Washington’s opportunities and learning from the mistakes of Game Four. A pair of empty net goals from Leddy and Bailey sealed the deal, as the Islanders gave Trotz a 4-0 victory in the game and 4-1 over the Capitals in the 2020 playoffs.

The victory ensured the Islanders second playoff series win in as many seasons over a division rival. The team once again shutdown one of the game’s top scorers in Ovechkin and the Metropolitan Division champions, propelling the to Round 2. Their next opponent would be a Philadelphia Flyers team on a tremendous hot streak, propelling themselves to the top seed in the East. Over the next two weeks, that matchup turned into a classic, but that’s a story for another time.

Stay tuned for more breaking NHL content, including offseason moves, contract updates and more news from every team.

Featured image courtesy of NHL.com

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