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By sticking with Philipp Grubauer in net for Game 2 Tramon Williams Jersey , the Washington Capitals are taking a page from the Philadelphia Flyers‘ most recent goaltending decision.
Of course, it was an entirely different book after the Pittsburgh Penguins chased Brian Elliott in a 7-0 drubbing in the first game of their series. Grubauer was hardly to blame for allowing four goals on 27 shots in an undisciplined Game 1 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
But after Elliott rebounded to validate coach Dave Hakstol’s decision to go back to him, and Philadelphia tied the Battle of Pennsylvania at a game apiece, Washington’s Barry Trotz didn’t hesitate in going back to Grubauer in a crucial spot (7:30 p.m. EDT, NBCSN) instead of switching to Braden Holtby.
”There was nothing in that game that you’d say, why you would make a change?” Trotz said. ”Philipp’s been really good. … So, we’ll go back with Grubi; I’ve got a lot of confidence in him, and we’ll be ready.”
Goaltending could make all the difference for the Flyers against the Penguins and the Capitals against the Blue Jackets. But the two teams going into Sunday down 2-0 in their series are getting incredible play at the position and are still in trouble. In the Western Conference, Minnesota’s Devan Dubnyk almost stole Game 1 for the overmatched Wild against the powerhouse Winnipeg Jets, and Los Angeles‘ Jonathan Quick has stopped 81 of 84 shots and lost twice to the Vegas Golden Knights.
No one would confuse Elliott with Quick based on his history of playoff struggles and his hook-worth performance when he gave up five goals on 19 shots in the series opener. But he stopped 34 of 35 shots to steal home ice from the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions going into Game 3 Sunday (3 p.m., NBC).
”I thought he was our first star,” Hakstol said. ”He battled hard and made big saves at key times. I think that’s probably the most important thing.”
Dubnyk has been one of Minnesota’s most important players so far, but has been hung out to dry against an offensively potent Winnipeg team. He made 37 saves in Game 1, 40 more in Game 2 and the Wild still go home (7 p.m. EDT, USA) trying to avoid falling behind 3-0.
Playing without injured No. 1 defenseman Ryan Suter, the Wild have been outshot 84-37 Sam Gagner Jersey , putting pressure on Dubnyk to be the hero.
”You’re not going to win many getting 14 shots, 15 shots, 20 shots,” winger Zach Parise said. ”There’s just not a lot of room for error. He’s playing great. He’s giving us a chance. And we’re not really giving ourselves much of a chance.”
Quick has given the Kings even stronger goaltending, including 54 saves in a double-overtime loss at Vegas on Friday night. It’ll help Los Angeles to get top defenseman Drew Doughty back from his one-game suspension for Game 3 (10:30, NBCSN), which might be enough of a boost if Quick continues to stop this high a volume of shots.
”You’re just trying to make the next save,” Quick said. ”It’s a playoff game. You have to stay in the moment. Just like everyone. Just try and make the next save.”
Grubauer, who started just his second NHL playoff game Thursday, is staying in the moment so much he’s expecting to start until Trotz tells him otherwise. Washington’s coach deemed it a game-to-game decision, so even though Grubauer wasn’t bad, adjustments are necessary with the 2016 Vezina Trophy winner ready at a moment’s notice.
”You just look at the tape, I made some adjustments and worked on it today in practice,” Grubauer said.
Counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky has spent countless hours at practice trying to sharpen his game for the playoffs after struggling in three previous appearances. Bobrovsky stopped 27 of 30 shots in Game 1 against the Capitals and gives Columbus some high-level consistency in net that few playoff teams can count on.
”We’re just happy to see Bob play like Bob,” captain Nick Foligno said. ”We don’t need him to be the superstar. It’s just that’s his capabilities.”
INJURIES
The Blue Jackets will be without center Alexander Wennberg for Game 3 after a hit from the head by Washington’s Tom Wilson that went unpunished beyond a minor penalty. Coach John Tortorella didn’t care about the lack of punishment and is more worried about how 21-year-old Sonny Milano handles his second postseason game.
”There’s still a lot of things he needs to learn, but he can make an offensive play Youth Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys ,” Tortorella said. ”So we’re going to give him a whack at this here and see where we go.”
The Capitals expect to get fourth-line center Jay Beagle back after missing the past four games with an upper-body injury, and should still have right winger T.J. Oshie and defenseman Michal Kempny in the lineup.
Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang will at least travel to Philadelphia after taking a maintenance day off Saturday. Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said he was giving Matt Dumba a rest after playing over 57 minutes and expects the defenseman to be good to go for Game 3.
BROTHERLY BLOOD
Columbus’ Nick Foligno and brother Marcus, a forward for Minnesota, are in the playoffs together for the first time and got off to a rough-and-tumble start. Nick took a slap shot to the face Thursday night, and Marcus got involved in a scrap late in Minnesota’s loss Friday night.
The two text regularly to give each other tips. Marcus had an easy one for Nick after the puck to the cheek.
”He said: `You’re a
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals have lost starting center A.Q. Shipley for the season with a torn right ACL and will replace him with rookie Mason Cole.
Coach Steve Wilks confirmed the injury Monday, saying the center “heard something pop” in his knee during a goal-line drill in training camp on Saturday.
Shipley, a six-year NFL veteran, started all 16 games each of the past two seasons, the only member of the Cardinals offensive line to play every game either year. Wilks called him “a tremendous leader and hard worker.”
“When you talk about the DNA that I look for, a guy that loves the game, very passionate, gritty,” Wilks said. “He really was the leader up front.”
Shipley signed with Arizona as a free agent in 2015, working his way to a starting role after bouncing around the NFL early in his career.
“Coach (offensive coordinator Mike) McCoy said it best,” right guard Justin Pugh said. “He’s the heartbeat of the offensive line. So it’s’ definitely tough news to hear and knowing everything he’s been through in his career.”
The 6-foot-5 Womens Andrew Cogliano Jersey , 307-pound Cole is a third-round draft pick out of Michigan, where he was a four-year starter but only one — his junior year — was at center.
The Cardinals, though, drafted him as a center and he’s been working at that position through the offseason.
“I learned a lot from him (Shipley) my first few months of being here and still will learn a lot from him,” Cole said, “but I’m confident I can fill in and hopefully play as good as he has.”
Shipley was drafted in the seventh round out of Penn State by Pittsburgh in 2009 but didn’t make an active roster until 2012, when he was promoted from the practice squad by Indianapolis. He played two seasons for the Colts, sandwiched around one year with Baltimore.
He wasn’t regarded as one of the top centers around the NFL but inside the Cardinals organization, his worth has been considerable.
“I didn’t watch much Cardinals football last year, obviously,” said Pugh, who came to Arizona after five seasons with the New York Giants. “You get in this building and you realize who runs things and who does things the right way and A.Q. is one of those guys.”
Wilks said he watched video of Shipley’s injury “12 or 15 times.”
“I really couldn’t see anything malicious or anybody that fell into his leg,” he said. “I think it really just got caught up in the turf and he was engaged and he said he heard it pop.”
Shipley was able to walk off the field but was carted from there to the locker room, a towel draped over his head.
Cole started all 51 games at Michigan after arriving on campus, tying a school record.
“I played early in college and I think that helps me in situations like this,” he said Youth Leighton Vander Esch Jersey , “but also coming from Michigan and (coach Jim) Harbaugh’s staff and Harbaugh’s offense, I think that gives me a little upper hand here, too, just in terms of learning the offense and knowing what to do.”
As center, Cole will be responsible for making the offensive line play calls.
“Mentally is going to be the biggest challenge,” Pugh said. “For me (coming into the NFL) it was more physical because I was out there playing tackle. Obviously I had to know the playbook, know what I had to do. The center’s got to know what everyone has to do.”
Pugh said he and the other linemen will help Cole, as will veteran quarterback Sam Bradford.
Serious injury is always lurking around the corner in the NFL.
“It’s an evil of this game that you don’t want to see happen and when it happens to one of your leaders it definitely hurts,” Pugh said, “but we’ve got to rally behind the guys that are out there.”
Evan Boehm and Daniel Munyer will be the backups to Cole. Both also play guard. Boehm was drafted in the fourth round out of Missouri in 2016. Munyer, an undrafted free agent out of Colorado in 2016, played 10 offensive snaps against Dallas and was active for four other games — but did not play — before his season ended with a toe injury in early November.
The Cardinals also will look for possible help from unsigned players or those released by other teams in the coming weeks.
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