ARLINGTON, Va. Barry Trotz began his pre s conference following the Capitals Thursday morning skate with: Day-to-day, game-time decision, hasnt been medically cleared. As has been the case since late in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the coach was talking about Nicklas Backstroms game status. Unlike the previous updates, though, was the reference to the Capitals centers status for that nights Game 4 of the East finals as being up to the medical staff. There had been no indications before the other four games hed mi sed that he was close enough to return, but with Nicolas Claxton Jersey that pronouncement, game-time decision took on an all-new meaning. Backstrom might be looking at an extra precautionary day off for his injured right hand, had the Capitals won Tuesday night in Washington and taken a 3-0 series lead over the Lightning. But the Lightnings made Game 4 at Capital One Arena far more urgent. MORE: Tampa Bay has a chance to even the series at two games each, and Thursday night will determine whether the Lightning have wrenched momentum back from a Capitals team that returned from Tampa brimming with confidence. The potential return Reggie Perry Jersey of Backstrom would improve the Capitals chances of regaining momentum. Meanwhile, a handful of factors Joe Harris Jersey favor the Lightning continuing the reversal of fortune they engineered in Game 3: Anton Stralman avoided discipline for Tuesdays hit on the Capitals Tom Wilson. The Caps , that the Stralman play deserved a fine or suspension at least as much as what Wilson had done to earn his three-game suspension against the Penguins. More critically, Wilson hinted (and their play bore out) that the Capitals were somewhat tentative after that first-period hit, their early aggre sivene s gradually draining away until the Lightning scored. I dont really think I was myself after the play, Wilson said Thursday, adding that he expected he would be for Game 4. MORE: The Lightnings stars finally shone. Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman were the dominant players in Tuesdays win, and the team followed their lead at both ends. They combined for three goals and four a sists. It was just the second time Stamkos and Kucherov both scored in the same game this postseason, and the first time all three had (it was Hedmans first goal of the playoffs). Their power play paid off again. The Capitals did make it easy Chris Chiozza Jersey for them, to be sure, by committing so many avoidable penalties, but the Lightning punished them for it for the third straight game. Trotz didnt think the solution for his team was very complex: Dont take any penalties, move your feet, be on the right side of the puck, make good decisions. They had the Nate Sestina Jersey sharper goalie. Andrei Vasilevskiy raised his game under desperate circumstances for the Lightning. Since regaining the starting job in Game 3 of the first round, the Capitals Braden Holtby had his first game that could arguably be cla sified as a dud. He had been 10-2 this postseason going into Tuesday. Seeing either of them play sub-par Thursday would be a surprise.