The wait is over. Philipp Grubauer has been named the Game 1 starter for the Capitals' opening-round series against Columbus.
"I talked to Barry yesterday," Grubauer told reporters Tuesday. "I'm gonna start."
Grubauer's last playoff start came in Game 2 of the Caps' first-round series against the Islanders in 2015. Prior to that, Michal Neuvirth -- the starter in Washington's second-round series against Tampa Bay in 2011 -- was the last Caps goalie not named Braden Holtby to start a playoff game.
"It's a privilege to start for sure, but it's just like any other game," Grubauer said. "You treat it as Game 1 or Game 82. It's not going to change any of my approach."
Grubauer has a .923 save percentage in 35 regular-season games this season, and a .931 save percentage in 22 games since the start of the new year, better than Holtby's .907 save percentage in 2017-18.
Just spoke to excited German national team coach Marco Sturm about Philipp Grubauer being named Capitals Game 1 playoff starter. "I'm happy for him because he's a really hard-working guy. ... It's finally paid off."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) April 10, 2018"It helps playing more and more, and the more you get on the ice, the more experience you get there," Grubauer said. "You see different situations, different teams. If you sit on the bench, you're not gonna get good from watching. But you gotta experience the situation and get the ice time for sure. And it helped a lot, too, to get a couple games in a row, too."
The Caps host Columbus in Game 1 at Capital One Arena on Thursday. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m.
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