The series between Pittsburgh and Washington will kick off tonight and while it’s obviously highlighted by Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, that’s far from the only interesting storyline in this series.
For example, for all the offensive might that these two squads feature, this series has the potential to be a terrific goaltending duel. Braden Holtby is a Vezina Trophy finalist who posted a 0.84 GAA against Philadelphia in the first round. Matt Murray is just 21 years old and naturally far less established as a result, but so far he has looked like a star in the making. After dominating in the minors, Murray had a 2.00 GAA and .930 save percentage in 13 regular season games this season. In the playoffs he’s managed to improve to a 1.33 GAA and .955 save percentage in three starts.
This series will be a big test for both goaltenders, but while we might be talking about a player that had a hat trick at the end of the night, it also wouldn’t be surprising if the final score is 2-1 or 1-0 thanks to some stellar work between the pipes.
If you want to see what happens, the game is scheduled to start at 8:00 p.m. ET and will air on NBCSN. You can also stream it online via the link below: