Solo effort: How Stephenson's hustle, vision led to key Caps goal in Game 6
The Washington Capitals shut out the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-0 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final on Monday to force a winner-take-all seventh game. Theoretically, only one goal was necessary thanks to Braden Holtby's efforts between the pipes, but Devante Smith-Pelly's third-period insurance marker gave the Caps a crucial two-goal lead they wouldn't look back on.
While Smith-Pelly was credited with the goal, Chandler Stephenson did all the work to make it happen. Below, we'll break down the play, and how his hustle also prevented the Lightning from having a great scoring chance at the other end.
For a full video of the goal, click here.
It all started with Smith-Pelly - the eventual goal-scorer - firing the puck all the way down the ice from his own end. At this point, Braydon Coburn (left, No. 55) had a full step and a half on Stephenson (right), so beating him out for the icing call seemed like a forgone conclusion.
However, thanks to his outstanding speed and will, Stephenson ended up step for step with Coburn and got his stick on the puck first to negate the icing call. Had he not done so, Washington's fourth line would've been stuck on the ice while Tampa's top unit would've presumably hopped over the boards for the offensive-zone faceoff - a huge chance to tie the game.
While Stephenson was charging down the ice, Jay Beagle (No. 83) followed up the play and was first to the loose puck that Stephenson chipped into the corner. As Beagle picked up the puck, Stephenson stayed behind the net to give him an outlet down low.
After receiving a pass from Beagle, Stephenson sensed pressure from Victor Hedman (No. 77), and instantly turned his body to shield the puck. It's worth noting that Smith-Pelly isn't even visible in the frame yet, although you can just barely see the tip of his stick on the right of the screen.
In one motion, Stephenson spun and fired a no-look pass from his backhand into the slot where the trail guy (Smith-Pelly) was flying in. It all happened so fast that even though the puck was nearly at Smith-Pelly's stick already, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was still hugging the left post and peaking into the corner behind him. Meanwhile, Nikita Kucherov (No. 86), was roaming in the high slot, but failed to pick up his man.
As Vasilevskiy pushed across the crease to get back into position, Smith-Pelly one-timed the pass from Stephenson and beat the goaltender five-hole.
Not only was this a sensational display of speed and hustle from Stephenson to beat out the icing and prevent a defensive-zone faceoff, but he also showed intelligence, poise, and vision by finding Smith-Pelly for the clutch goal.
(Photos courtesy: NHL.com)
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