Sergei Bobrovsky looked as poised facing 58 shots as he did before the game when he calmly walked down the hallway in a buttoned-up beige
trenchcoat.
On the ice
Jourdan Lewis Jersey , Bobrovsky stood out even more. The goaltender with a history of playoff struggles looked like his two-time Vezina Trophy-winning self
in making 54 saves as the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Washington Capitals 5-4
on Sunday night on Matt Calvert’s overtime winner to take a 2-0 lead in the
first-round playoff series.
”He’s our best player and he was our best player by a mile tonight,” said Calvert, whose one-handed rebound 12:22 into overtime sent the Blue Jackets into
a frenzy. ”It makes us confident. When you’ve got him making up for your
mistakes, it’s always good. He’s been doing it all season.”
The playoff version of Bobrovsky of years past was a confounding nightmare compared to his elite play during the regular season: 3-10 with a 3.63
goals-against average and .887 save percentage. Through two games this year, the
second of which coach John Tortorella called ”one of the best goaltending
performances” he has seen, the reserved Russian has stopped 81 of 88 shots to
send Columbus home for Game 3 Tuesday in a place it’s never been before.
The Blue Jackets had never led a playoff series until Thursday night. With ”Bob” locked in like never before in the Stanley Cup playoffs, they’re two
victories away from advancing to the second round for the first time in
franchise history.
”I would say your career is a journey and you learn some things here and there,” Bobrovsky said. ”It doesn’t matter what’s in the past. When we’re gonna
play third game, it doesn’t matter what happen tonight. Each moment is huge
right now, and you just have to be ready.”
Columbus appears ready for anything against an experienced opponent with a history of playoff disappointments that has now blown two-goal leads in
consecutive games. Just like in Game 1 when charging and tripping calls on Tom
Wilson and Andre Burakovsky cost the Capitals, they were done in by penalties on
Wilson and Devante Smith-Pelly that led to goals by Cam Atkinson and Zach
Werenski.
Alex Ovechkin scored twice on the power play and T.J. Oshie tied it with 3:35 left to give Washington a chance. When Philipp Grubauer was pulled for allowing
four goals on 22 shots, Braden Holtby made seven saves
Nevin Lawson Jersey , but now the Metropolitan Division champions are in a hole only 49 of 361 teams (13.6 percent) have dug out of to win a
best-of-seven series.
”Right now in hard position, but it’s going to be fun when we bounce back and … tie the series,” Ovechkin said.
Coach Barry Trotz, who said he’d let his decision on who starts Game 3 simmer, added that the Capitals are ”not going away.” Through two games, the
Blue Jackets have shown they aren’t, either.
Penalty trouble almost cost the Blue Jackets as much as the Capitals, but they got to leave celebrating after Calvert’s OT goal held up to an offside
review by the NHL situation room. Replays showed Calvert was just onside before
scoring to make the Blue Jackets just the fifth team in NHL history to overcome
a multi-goal deficit to win the first two games of a playoff series.
”Luckily, I got the rebound, had one hand on my stick and the rest is history,” Calvert said. ”Two games in overtime, that can really crush a
team.”
History says Calvert is right. The Capitals are the sixth team to lose Games 1 and 2 of a best-of-seven series in overtime
Troy Aikman Jersey , and the previous five have all lost.
NOTES: Columbus forward Josh Anderson scored after being ejected from Game 1 for boarding Washington’s Michal Kempny. … Columbus improved to 4-1 all-time in
playoff overtime games. … Linesman Steve Barton had to be helped off the ice
late in the first period after clipping skates with Anderson and going down
clutching his left knee. On site as the standby official, mid-amateur
golfer/referee Garrett Rank replaced Barton as the second linesman. … Columbus C
Alexander Wennberg was out after taking a hit to the head from Wilson in Game 1.
Coach John Tortorella only called Wennberg ”day-to-day” with an upper-body
injury. … Capitals F Jakub Vrana was a healthy scratch after recording an assist
and committing two turnovers in 6:58 of ice time in Game 1.
—
Marcedes Lewis wasn't sure if the Green Bay Packers were the right fit for him. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and tight end Jimmy Graham made him feel at home
at Lambeau Field.
Lewis visited Green Bay last week thinking he wanted to explore his options during his first stint as a free agent following 12 years with the Jacksonville
Jaguars. He received calls from other teams, but he said that the Packers were
the most persistent so he made Lambeau his first stop.
He never made another visit.
"This was the only place I took a trip ... I took my trip, and Aaron was here in the locker room. I started talking to him," Lewis said Thursday. "I started
talking to Jimmy and I kind of made my decision that day.
"When I came down here, I didn't expect to sign anything," Lewis added. "I was just coming down here to get a feel. Once I saw Aaron and Jimmy, it was a
no-brainer after that."
Lewis, 34, was released by the Jaguars in March after the team had picked up his one-year, $3.5 million option in February. His signing filled a glaring need
- a blocking tight end - and gives the Packers another veteran at the position
with Graham, a five-time Pro Bowler
Andrew Whitworth Jersey , and Lance Kendricks.
"I don't think we've had this much experience at the tight end position in my time here," said Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who called Lewis a "prime-time
player."
"An on-the-line tight end is something we haven't had a lot of, as far as the way we've played over the years," McCarthy added. "He can block any defensive
end on the league, and that's definitely a huge asset."
Lewis, who said he felt he got a "raw deal" from the Jaguars, started 157 games for Jacksonville. He has 375 career receptions, including 24 for 318 yards
and five touchdowns last year.
Still, Lewis hasn't caught more than 25 passes in a season since 2012, when he had 52 receptions. His best season came in 2010, when he earned his lone Pro
Bowl selection by catching a career-high 58 passes for 700 yards and 10
touchdowns.
The 6-foot-6
Taylor Gabriel Jersey , 269-pound Lewis said he takes the "blocking tight end" moniker as a compliment, but added that "I pride myself on being a really
good all-around tight end, whatever it is that I'm called upon to do."
It's the type of attitude that Rodgers loves to hear. Lewis' ability to help slow down pass-rushers should help an offensive line that has questions on the
right side.
"Obviously, I'm a really good blocker, but don't get it mistaken. I didn't come here to be a tackle. ... Be on the other side of Jimmy doing some good
things," he said. "It's going to be trouble out there."
Graham's strength is making tough catches. Kendricks provides experienced depth.
"Jimmy's not known as a blocking tight end, but he's willing. He will get in the way. He will punch you in the mouth," Lewis said. "So it's going to be
interesting. We get in that personnel with three tight ends on the field and
(defenses) have to leave base on the field, it's not going to be
good."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Elite Jerseys
