from Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com,

The Golden Knights have not looked like themselves yet in the series and have lost back-to-back games for the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Gallant has to fix the Xs and Os, boost the confidence of a team that suddenly seems sagging, and do it quickly.

"In the three games, we haven't been good enough," he said at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Sunday. "If we don't step up our game, the same result's going to happen tomorrow night. So we'll see what we're made of."

This is the main concern: The Golden Knights scouted the Capitals when they played the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final. They experienced the Capitals' style firsthand in the first two games but especially Game 2, a 3-2 loss. They talked about simplifying their game. Yet they failed to adjust in Game 3, a 3-1 loss.

They're a fast, forechecking team, but looked slow and out of sync. When they tried to skate through the neutral zone, the Capitals were in their way. When they tried passes, the Capitals broke them up. When they tried dump-ins, the Capitals broke out efficiently and diffused the forecheck. When they tried to put pucks on net, the Capitals blocked shots.

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