The Washington Capitals dominated the neutral zone in Game 4, resulting in a 38-20 shots on goal advantage over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Unfortunately, that statistic was not enough to hand the home team a win, as the Lightning edged the Capitals 4-2, evening their Eastern Conference Final series at 2-2.
How Game 4 played out is nothing new for the Capitals. Dominate the flow of a game at home in the playoffs only to somehow lose. Washington is historically bad at home in the postseason, especially when they dominate shots. Thursday’s game marked the 8th time in 10 games since 1987, the Capitals lost a playoff game in which it out-shot its opponent by 18 or more shots.
The Capitals are 2-8 in such games.
#Capitals' Gm4 loss wasn't unique in their long history of playoff frustration, as they're just 2-8 since 1987 when outshooting opponents by 18 or more at home (0-2 this year) pic.twitter.com/xiFO64eal3
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) May 18, 2018
Included in these dreadful games is the Easter Epic a Game 7 with the New York Islanders that lasted four overtimes with the Islanders taking the game and series.
This stat is just part of the postseason failures of the Capitals. The good news, if any, is the fact the Capitals ultimately won the last two series in which the Capitals lost a game at home outshooting its opponent by 18 or more shots — and three of the last four.
Can the Capitals continue that streak and bounce back to defeat the Lightning in the series?
As the series shifts back to Tampa, the Capitals do sport a remarkable 7-1 road record this postseason, including winning Games 1 and 2 at the Lightning’s home.
