When T.J. Oshie’s empty-net goal touched the back of the net, putting the last touch on a 3-0 win for the Washington Capitals on Monday night, Braden Holtby didn’t flinch. After an up-and-down regular season and an untimely three-game slide in these Eastern Conference finals leading into Game 6, Holtby discarded all 24 shots the Lightning tossed his way in the Capitals’ season-extending victory. So before heading to Tampa for Wednesday’s Game 7, the Capitals lined up in front of Holtby’s net and took turns congratulating the anchor of their stingy defensive effort. He wound up for a slap shot that whizzed toward the right side of the net before Holtby snatched it out of the air. But Holtby, with the season on the line, had no interest in taking any chances at all.

Source: Washington Post May 22, 2018 04:17 UTC