Washington could've sweeped its opponent, had Grubauer not been in net for the first two games.
In any case, starting Grubauer was necessary, he had to be given a chance. Did you know that this is the first game Holtby has allowed less than two goals since Nov 18?
People keep missing this fact. Holtby was a leaky sieve for most of the season. Grubauer's play the last month of the season is what won the Caps the division. I don't know if anyone wants to blame the players in front of him, but...
Hindsight is 20/20. The vast majority of Caps fans felt Grubi was the correct choice and still do, you play the hot hand. If you're just tuning in and the last time you paid attention to the Caps was last May I can understand why you might think Holtby is the obvious choice, the rest of us watched the regular season though.
And I'll state for the record that it wasn't Grubauer's goaltending that was the problem with losses in games 1 and 2 - go back and look at the goals. I was in the stands practically throwing a fit watching the "vaunted defense" give up dangerous odd-man rushes down the ice. Case in point: Game 2 goals against Grubauer:
Goal 1 was a breakaway by Atkinson after getting behind four different Caps in the neutral zone on a stretch pass from Foligno.
Goal 2 was basically a five-on-two with Anderson scoring from the circle.
Goal 3 was a power play goal as Panarin fed a saucer laterally across the ice to a wide-open Atkinson at the right faceoff circle.
Goal 4 was also a power play goal shot from center-point and deflected in front, mid-slot by Caps' Stephenson with two Jackets players screening.
The defensive lapses (as well as a good BlueJackets powerplay unit and Panarin's play) are what ails the Caps. The Caps reduced those lapses a little in game 3, and a lot more in game 4.
