Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant for months talked about his team’s hard work http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-saquon-barkley-jersey , ability to battle and their devotion to playing a full ”200 feet of hockey.”

In pockets of Game 2 in the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night, the Golden Knights were surprisingly outworked, outbattled and outhustled in losing 3-2 to the Washington Capitals. Game 3 is Saturday night in Washington and Vegas is going to need to up the energy level even further in a frantic series with scoring chances galore.

Vegas outshot the Capitals 39-26, but the hustle stats in Game 2 went to Washington, which handed the expansion club just its second home loss of the postseason. Washington had 18 blocked shots to eight for Vegas, helping goaltender Braden Holtby turn things around. He allowed five goals in the opener but was sublime in Game 2 as he made 37 saves – none bigger than stopping Alex Tuch with the paddle of his stick in a sprawling move with just 1:59 left.

Washington also showed its mettle on the penalty kill, limiting the Golden Knights to a single goal in four attempts – including a 5-on-3 on the third period.

”You’ve got to try and capitalize on those,” Vegas defenseman Luca Sbisa said. ”It’s just one of those games, even at the end, with Tuchy having that chance. Most of times it goes in. It’s just one of those games.”

And while Washington outhit the Golden Knights, 46-39, it was some of Vegas’ bigger hits that ignited the Capitals in the second period.

Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb hammered Washington’s first-line forward Evgeny Kuznetsov Albert Wilson Color Rush Jersey , sending him to the dressing room with a little more than five minutes left in the first period. He didn’t return.

Washington coach Barry Trotz didn’t provide an update on his star afterward, but said it was the key moment in the game for his team.

”It galvanized us as a group, I think it might be a turning point for us,” Trotz said.

With Kuznetsov out, Trotz added Nicklas Backstrom to his top line with Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. And 5:38 into the second period, with the game tied at 1-all and the Capitals on a power play, Ovechkin scored his first career Stanley Cup Final goal to give the Capitals the lead.

”I think they got energy from that, I think they were pissed off, that’s how sports go,” Vegas forward Erik Haula said. ”You see one of your best players go down and you’re pissed off, that’s part of it. It’s no excuse for us. Bottom line is we were right in that game I think, it was right there for us to grab http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-su_a-cravens-jersey , we just came short.”

Vegas unraveled and gave up more uncharacteristic chances in front of Marc-Andre Fleury, who has yet to lose consecutive games this postseason. The Golden Knights also had 12 turnovers compared to Washington’s four.

”We shot ourselves in the foot a few times with some turnovers,” Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt said. ”At the end of the day you really have got to see where your game is at. If you look at it as a whole, we played really well for parts of the first period and we got caught up in the transition game in the second period – and that’s not the game we want to play.”

Instead, Washington fed off the momentum and dictated the tempo, and a little less than four minutes after Ovechkin scored, Brooks Orpik broke a 220-game goal drought with the eventual game winner. It was his first goal since Feb. 26, 2016.

”I haven’t yelled that loud for someone to score a goal since Ovi scored one of his milestones,” Washington forward T.J. Oshie said.

Though the Golden Knights outshot Washington 15-6 in the third period, the Capitals skated faster, competed better, worked harder and played smarter to steal home-ice advantage with their first-ever Final win. The Capitals return to Capital One Arena JK Scott Color Rush Jersey , where they have just a 4-5 record in the postseason. Vegas is 6-2 on the road in the playoffs.

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More Stanley Cup coverage: Mike Minor apparently isn’t superstitious. Rolling along in June after a rough May, Minor didn’t flinch when asked how he’s feeling about his new mustache.

”I think I might take it off,” the veteran left-hander said, adding that he’s getting tired of the new look.

Everything else is working pretty well at the moment.

Minor threw six solid innings, Shin-Soo Choo homered and the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins 8-1 on Friday night for their sixth consecutive victory.

Minor’s sharp performance continued a string of solid outings by Texas starters, easing the blow of a roller-coaster news day for the team’s minor league pitchers.

Aside from a 13-12 win at Colorado, Texas’ pitching staff has held opponents in check during the streak; the Rangers have outscored their opponents 26-9 in the other five games.

”Our starting pitching has been quality for us in this stretch,” manager Jeff Banister said. ”We’ve played clean defense.”

Minor (5-4) has thrown three straight quality starts for the first time since throwing six straight in 2014 for Atlanta. He allowed one run and three hits, lowering his June ERA to 2.84. Banister called it one of Minor’s best starts this year.

”Yeah, just because they haven’t been very good this year,” Minor quipped when told of Banister’s comment.

Minor faced the minimum number of batters through five innings despite a first-inning single by Brian Dozier to deep left. Dozier tried to stretch for second, but Joey Gallo had a good jump and easily threw him out to end the inning. Minor retired his next 12 batters before Max Kepler doubled in the sixth.

”He was good Kolton Miller Color Rush Jersey , especially early,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. ”He didn’t have to throw a lot of pitches, got some first-pitch outs leading off innings, which kind of hampers the next guy up.”

Texas opened the fourth with three straight singles off Fernando Romero (3-3), including a run-scoring hit up the middle by Adrian Beltre. Rougned Odor then drove in Nomar Mazara with a fielder’s choice.

Choo’s two-run shot off Romero made it 4-0 in the fifth.

Chris Martin got three outs before Jesse Chavez finished for his first save. Choo, Mazara and Beltre each drove in runs off Matt Belisle in the ninth.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

”I forgot to turn my invisible powers on hoping he wouldn’t see me, but he did,” Dozier said of getting thrown out at second after his single in the first.

MINOR SHAKEUPS

Texas had both good and bad pitching news in the minors on Friday. Joe Palumbo will continue his comeback from Tommy John surgery when he starts for the Arizona League Rangers on Sunday, and Martin Perez (elbow) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment for Class-A Hickory on Monday. On the other hand, prospect Alex Speas is set for Tommy John surgery, and Yohander Mendez – demoted to Triple-A this week for breaking unspecified team rules – was sent all the way down to Class A on Friday. The team said the move was not punitive.

WHAT A PLAY

Dozier made a diving grab at second to begin a flashy inning-ending double play in the seventh.

CHOO’S STREAK

It was Choo’s second homer on Texas’ six-game road trip, and Friday marked his 35th straight game reaching base – the longest such streak of his 16-year career.

”I know people always talk about it Mike Foltynewicz Atlanta Braves Jersey , the TV, my teammates,” Choo said. ”A lot of people talk about it, but I tell myself I just focus every at-bat.”

BATTERED TWINS

Minnesota lost by seven for the second straight night. The Twins finally broke through in the sixth when Joe Mauer’s one-out double scored Kepler, putting runners on second and third. But Minor retired Eddie Rosario and Dozier on popups, ending the threat.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: Martin (calf) was reinstated from the 10-day DL. Texas optioned Ricardo Rodriguez to Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday to make room for Martin, who was hurt while attempting to run onto the field during a benches-clearing brawl with the Dodgers last month. … Banister said he expects Perez to work at least three innings. … Sunday will mark Palumbo’s first action since April 2017.

Twins: Rosario went 0 for 4 after missing a game with shoulder soreness. … INF Eduardo Escobar pinch-hit in the eighth after taking a pitch to the elbow Thursday against Boston. Molitor said before the game he was optimistic Escobar would be ready to start Saturday. … RHP Ervin Santana (finger) threw 35 pitches to hitters on Friday. ”He said it’s one of the better days he’s had in a while, so I was encouraged by that,” Molitor said.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Yovani Gallardo (0-0) will make his second start of 2018 after exiting Sunday’s game against Colorado trailing 5-1.

Twins: RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-4) makes his seventh career start against the Rangers and first of the season. He’s 4-0 with a 2.02 ERA against Texas.
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