Capitals show a killer instinct against Tampa Bay

Throughout the season, as the Capitals have let games slip away for one reason or another, the idea of a 'killer instinct' has come up. Friday night against Tampa Bay the Capitals had that unwaivering ability to wrap a game up.

When the Lightning pressed in an attempt to take control of the game after Washington established a two-goal lead, the Capitals didn't panic. When the Lightning scored with 40.1 seconds remaining in the second period -- a textbook example of something that could shift the game in Tampa Bay's favor -- the Capitals came out just as resolved to stick to their plan in the third as they did in the first two periods.

"We got that goal scored against us at the end of the second and we came in the room and said that's not going to slow us down," Matt Bradley said. "Bruce and the coaches had a great system. We even got their fans frustrated with the way we were playing," Bradley said. "I thought we really stuck with it and that's what definitely helped us toward the end when they were pushing."

The challenge of being committed enough to out-wit Tampa Bay is one thing but the Capitals kept to the plan and finished the Lightning off. It hasn't been too often, especially against teams currently in playoff position, that the Capitals have been able to say that they shut the door on an opponent and were firmly in control for a victory.

Now it's up to Washington to see if it can find that steady level of follow-through each night, regardless if the team has two practice days to install a specific plan geared to a singular foe.

"They were committed to doing things [Friday]. It wasn't half-[hearted] it was total commitment and we did it," Boudreau said. "I thought we bounced back. I thought we held on. Usually when a team scores that second goal that goal at the end of the second period in the last minute they have a ton of energy and I thought we took it away from them early in the third and I thought we played pretty solid."