Tortorella guarantees Blue Jackets will force Game 7 against Capitals

WASHINGTON -- Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella guaranteed they will force a Game 7 against the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference First Round after a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 5 on Saturday.
Nicklas Backstrom's goal at 11:53 of overtime gave the Capitals their third straight win and a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series.
Game 6 is at Columbus on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN, TVAS, FS-O, NBCSWA). Game 7 would be at Washington on Wednesday.

RELATED: [Complete Capitals vs. Blue Jackets series coverage]
"We'll be back here for Game 7," Tortorella said.
After tying the game at 3-3 on Oliver Bjorkstrand's deflection goal 2:30 into the third period, the Blue Jackets had the Capitals on their heels, outshooting them 16-1 in the third period, but couldn't put another shot past goaltender Braden Holtby. The Capitals won in overtime when Backstrom redirected Dmitry Orlov's shot from the point.
It would be understandable if the Blue Jackets were disheartened after such a loss; their season is on the brink after winning the first two games of the series in Washington in overtime. They lost Game 3 and Game 5 in overtime.
But Tortorella said he's not concerned about his players bouncing back.
"I won't have to say a [darn] word to them," Tortorella said. "We'll be back here for Game 7."
Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin made a similar prediction after Washington lost 5-4 in overtime in Game 2, saying they would win Game 3 and Game 4 at Columbus and return home for Game 5 with the series tied 2-2, which the Capitals did.

Now, it's the Blue Jackets' turn to back up Tortorella's words.
"Well, what else are you going to say?" Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "That's good. He wants to get it out there (that) he believes in his team, just as I believe in my team. So it's our job for that not to happen, and we're going to try to do that."
The Blue Jackets might have played their best game of the series on Saturday, outshooting the Capitals 42-29, after a being outplayed in a 4-1 loss in Game 4 at Columbus on Thursday. They believe if they bring play similar in Game 6, they will fulfill Tortorella's prophecy.
"Our backs are against the wall, right?," Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said. "If you can't play your best game come Monday, then that's disappointing. I don't have any worries at all about our group going into Monday. If we have the same effort, the same mentality that we did tonight, we should be just fine."