But they also have problems just skeptical enough to provide sufficient evidence for a strong case in front of the building.
Let's start with the fact that the right to Braden Holtby and his teammates.
No one knew how Holtby, the pressure of his first series start of the NHL. But after 22 years as a rookie 17 saves in the second period of Game 1, including two on the rich Peverley to Bruins blank is pressed on the power play, we now know. He is ready.
"We told you it would be a good goalie," Capitals forward Matt Hendricks said.
Holtby took the blame for the overtime winner, Chris Kelly, but as a veteran of the injured Tomas Vokoun once said, "if you do not score, it's hard to beat."
Capitals played a solid game in defense. Boston 3.17 goals per game was tied to a second place in the league in the regular season, but Tyler Seguin and the rest of the deep and diverse, "Bruins was limited to six or chances to score in 60 minutes plus.
In addition to blunting of the velocity Boston through the neutral zone and limit the space on the offensive end, the capital also blocked 22 shots, including nine in the first period. The effort was headed by Roman Hamrlik, who blocked five years, and Troy Brouwer, who beat four.
The optimistic atmosphere in the locker room guests at TD Garden, after the game will be just as important as everything that happened during the race. In the past playoffs, the capital, probably a crushing defeat for overtime work must be transferred into practice the next day and maybe for the next game.
It will not happen this time. In the unfamiliar role of underdog, they freely and confidently before the game after.
"We bent, but we did not break," Brooks Laich said. "In the third period, we have 9.3 shots, and I liked our chances going into overtime. Thus, a game, there is a lot of hockey left, and we return the rink is very pleased to return to the game 2. "
Ovechkin added: "We know we can play against them, there is nothing special, we just focus ..."
Now the issues of concern.
They need a way to have a better chance at an offensive set and forget. These nine chances to score, they have collected (17 shots) is not enough against Tim Thomas.
In Game 2, they will have more photos and the traffic in front of the reigning Vezina Trophy. Thomas stopped every puck, he clearly sees, but he tends to over-commit to the shots and easily excited, in particular, by contact in the crease.
"We just need to find ways [the puck] to the network and go online," forward Jay Beagle said. "This is a fat, dirty goals. It will not be pretty. We just need to find a way to more traffic, more and more pictures."
If a coach Dale Hunter ends his lines intact on the morning of Saturday, the Capitals' top unit of Ovechkin, Laich and Brouwer would be better.
Ovechkin, in particular, have to fight harder to make room for maneuver and get your wrist fatal shot as Zdeno Chara and the defenders and Dennis Seidenberg on the face of each shift to find. The first line is the only chance to score, it should be noted, was shot from Ovechkin in the third period, and he came up with Chara in the cross-checking penalty.
Ovechkin, Laich can help us better in the circle against Faceoff specialist Patrice Bergeron. Laich won only seven of the 26 tracks that are left behind Ovechkin the puck more than he was.
This can be a difficult decision for the capital: they tried to play Bruins physical bruises, but could not. Ovechkin convex game high seven hits, but he was on the receiving end of much, if not more. In the end, it was Bruins, winners in a row with the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers, the capital of the blow-40-29.
During a long series, which will take its toll.
"They have a ton of talent and how to slow down the body to" Bruins forward Brad Marchand said. "We have a physical team and if we play like we play our best hockey."
Capitals, meanwhile, is not far from their best.
Game 1 could go both ways. But if Ovechkin and hopes to win the series - and the answer to the skeptics - they have to go to my Saturday.
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