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Capitals’ third line stands out in Game 3

New York Rangers v Washington Capitals - Game Three

New York Rangers v Washington Capitals - Game Three

Patrick Smith

It seems premature to even talk about the possibility of the Washington Capitals winning the Stanley Cup, but if it happens, it likely won’t be because Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom carried them there. They’ll have to be major contributors, but Chicago didn’t capture the Cup twice exclusively because Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were at the top of their game just as Pittsburgh didn’t win it all in 2009 thanks solely to Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.

Winning a championship typically requires star players in key areas, but it also demands depth. The Blackhawks have it and at one time so did the Penguins. The most dangerous teams in the league can get key performances out of their third line. That was the case tonight for Washington as Jay Beagle, Andre Burakovsky, and Troy Brouwer had a great game. The trio combined for the lone goal in Washington’s 1-0 win over the Rangers in Game 3, but that’s not all they did, as Bob McKenzie noted:

“I sort of said, we’re going to need some new heroes every night,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said, per the Washington Post’s Alex Prewitt.

Of course the Rangers are still very much in their second round series. If Washington is to capitalize on its 2-1 edge, it will need help from a variety of different players.

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