WASHINGTON -- Here's what you need to know about the Washington Capitals' 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders on Friday night.

Goalie mystery

The Capitals were without starter Braden Holtby, who has been feeling under the weather since Game 1. Whether the team knew all along or whether it was truly a last-minute decision, the Caps made it seem early in the day as if Holtby would play in Game 2, but it turned out to be rookie Philipp Grubauer who got the call to start the game after being recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League. The 23-year-old rookie faced only 21 shots, and when he allowed Kyle Okposo's goal at 14:09 of the second period to give the Islanders a 3-1 lead less than three minutes after Karl Alzner had scored the Capitals' first goal of the game to tie, it looked as if the Isles were going to take a 2-0 series lead home to Long Island. Give Grubauer credit though, as he did not allow an Islanders goal in the third period and earned his first NHL playoff victory.

Defining moment

The game, and maybe the series, turned in the second period when the Capitals, who'd had only five shot on goal in the first and faced a 2-0 deficit 3:24 into the second period, controlled possession for long stretches of time. They outshot the Islanders 18-7 in the second period, and with 3:51 left in the middle frame Alexander Ovechkin put home the rebound of a Matt Niskanen shot to make it 3-2 heading into the third period. Ovechkin had been held without a shot in the first period. By the end of the period, the heavy hockey that has become the identity of this Washington team under coach Barry Trotz seemed to be taking a toll on the Islanders.

A stick, a stick, my kingdom for a stick

The Capitals' first two goals were scored after Islanders players broke sticks.

Play of the game

Nicklas Backstrom scored his first goal since Feb. 19 -- a span of 25 games -- making a terrific play during the Capitals' first and only power-play opportunity to tie the score 3-3 early in the third period. Backstrom backed several Islanders defensemen and it looked as if he were preparing to dish the puck off to one of his teammates before advancing into the slot and ripping home a high shot past Jaroslav Halak. Backstrom also drew assists on the first two Washington goals.

The winner

The Islanders had played with incredible poise even as the Capitals were controlling the play. They did not take fatigue penalties or look unduly rattled as they nursed a one-goal lead into the third. They had blocked 21 shots through the first two periods to just two blocks by the Capitals. But after Backstrom tied it a horrific giveaway in the Islanders' zone, the puck sent from behind the Isles' net up the middle, led to Jason Chimera's seeing-eye laser in the top corner of the net with 12:23 left in the third period.

The question

Every road team will tell you getting a split in the first two games of a playoff series is the goal. The Islanders, of course, accomplished that goal by winning Game 1. But they looked overmatched through much of Game 2 and the challenge will be to find another gear when the series shifts to Long Island for Game 3 Sunday afternoon.