NBC

UPDATE: May 13.

The New York Post has a message for Ovechkin and the Capitals about their guarantees of a win in Game 7.

Per The Tennessean's Adam Vingam:

Classic Post.

---End of Update--

UPDATE: May 12.

Alexander Ovechkin has doubled down on his guarantees to beat the New York Rangers in Game 7 and take the series on Wednesday.

NHL.com's Katie Brown tweeted out the verbatim of Ovechkin defending his previous remarks to reporters on Tuesday.

The Record's Tom Gulitti tweeted out remarks made by Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom, who told reporters the whole team feels how Ovechkin does.

Wednesday night can't come soon enough.

---End of Update---





The Washington Capitals are ticked off.

After stepping out to a 3-1 series lead over the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Capitals failed to put away Henrik Lundqvist and company in Game 5 and Game 6.

Now, with the series tied 3-3, Washington looks down the barrel of a Game 7 against New York that, if historical trends are any indication, could end in a sad flight home. No one in the Capitals locker room is happy it's come to this, and, perhaps as a tonic against doubt, the team is pounding its chest for the final game of the series.

Fresh off Sunday's 4-3 loss at the Verizon Center, Alexander Ovechkin guaranteed a win for Game 7.

ProHockeyTalk's James O'Brien spotted footage of the admission. Ovechkin says the Caps are going to rally and win in the final tilt.

"We're going to come back and win the series," Ovechkin said. "We're going to play our game and we're going to come back and we're going to play Montreal or Tampa."

This is confidence—or at least an attempt to gin up swagger after losing their early momentum.

Judging by his teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov's comments, Ovechkin's attitude is contagious. The Russian center told reporters after Game 6 that he believed the Capitals would prevail thanks to their superior goaltending.

"Our goalie's better," Kuznetsov said. "I don't know what you want to listen from my mouth, but our goalie's better."

These are bold words, seeing as Lundqvist is a sleek, streamlined panther whose rugged good looks are enough to stop pucks on their own.

Conversely, if Ovechkin returns to scoring form, you can't rule anything out. After curving a hollow-point past Lundqvist in Game 1 of the series and telling the keeper, "All series, baby," Ovechkin has been quiet for, well, pretty much the entire series.

Capitals head coach Barry Trotz told media Monday that he loves Ovechkin's comments and his confidence as a leader.

The Washington Post's Alex Prewitt posted a transcript of Trotz's remarks:

Washington returns to New York for Game 7 on Wednesday night. Strap in for a good one.

Dan is on Twitter. Don't poke the panther.