The Tampa Bay Lightning lost Simon Gagne to injury in Game 1 against the Washington Capitals, but despite playing with just 10 forwards for much of the game, they were able to roll to a systematic 4-2 victory over the No. 1 seed in the East.
That's no easy task, either. The Capitals are always one of the best home ice teams in the NHL, and in the course of 60 minutes, the Bolts waltzed in to Verizon Center and grabbed away home ice advantage in this Eastern Conference Semifinal series.
Tampa's third line of Sean Bergenheim, Steve Downie and Dominic Moore each scored an even strength goal, while the stifling trap the Lightning employ frustrated the Capitals while trailing in the third period.
Downie tied the game at 2-2 in the second period when he backhanded the puck on net and over the shoulder of Michal Neuvirth. The Bolts had held a lead in the first period before goals from Alex Semin and Eric Fehr gave Washington the 2-1 edge. Steven Stamkos gave Tampa Bay the lead for good on the power play when he poked the puck in along the post on the power play.
Game 2 is Sunday afternoon in Washington.
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