Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET, the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals continue their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Round 1 series as part of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a pivotal Game 7 live from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
New York looks to advance to Round 2 for the first time since 1993 while Washington hopes to improve upon its 3-9 all-time Game 7 record and advance. The winner of this series faces the New York Rangers, who ousted the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games.
The Islanders took Games 1 (4-1 final), 3 (2-1 overtime) and 6 (3-1) while the Capitals took Games 2 (4-3), 4 (2-1 overtime) and 5 (5-1). New York faced a do-or-die Game 6 on home ice and managed to force a Game 7 rather than have the Nassau Coliseum doors close in negative fashion.
This game can be live streamed for free here.
Though the Capitals missed a golden opportunity to win the series in Game 6 and have a dubious history in Game 7s, the team is excited for the opportunity.
"They're the games you want to play in," Capitals defenseman Mike Green said via the Monumental Network. "Just go after it. You can't be scared of the challenge and we just have to have the right mind frame and I think it starts with that. If you can't get up for Game 7 you're not human or an athlete."
The Islanders are pumped up for a chance to advance to Round 2 for the first time in 22 years, but the team has lost two straight games at the Verizon Center and its power play has gone 0-for-13 in the series.
"We've had some good looks all series," center John Tavares said audio provided to NHL.com by the Islanders. "I don't think we've been as sharp as we'd like to be but we've had some chances. We just have to do a better job at getting at some of those rebounds. ... good opportunities, getting to the net a little bit more when we shoot the puck."
Tavares had a goal and assisted on the game-winning tally in Game 6. Nikolay Kulemin scored his first goal of the playoffs, which held up as the game-winner, while Cal Clutterbuck notched an empty-net goal in the triumph.
John Carlson scored his first goal on the power play for the Capitals in the loss in what was the lone tally for Washington on Saturday.
Nicklas Backstrom has a series-best three goals and paces the Capitals with six points while captain Alex Ovechkin has lit the lamp twice and added two helpers for four points.
Tavares has led the Islanders with six points in the series off of two goals and four assists while Josh Bailey (two markers, three helpers) and Nick Leddy (five assists) each have five points.
In between the pipes, New York turns to Jaroslav Halak and he has allowed 14 goals on 189 shots thus far this season.
Washington responds with Braden Holtby in the crease and he has yielded nine tallies on 165 shots.
It's do-or-die when the lights come up at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. on the Islanders and Capitals for Game 7 of the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
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