Rangers 7, Caps 0
You have to go back to Jan. 25, 2006 for a loss as bad as the Caps suffered at Madison Square Garden tonight. That was an 8-1 defeat in Pittsburgh – the third time that season that scrappy, rebuilding squad was dropped by that same score. Those aren’t days Alex Ovechkin and the Caps want to remember. Read all the lowlights in our game story here. The players and coaches we talked to after the game were at a loss for how this talented team has suddenly gone off the rails with a six-game losing streak and nine of 13 overall. That stretch now includes four shutouts.
“Well, you are always mad when you lose a game like that. We have to stay together,” Ovechkin said. “We don’t have to say this guy played bad or who makes mistakes. We all make mistakes. It’s all our fault and we have to keep together like a team and like a group. It’s probably like when we had this situation long time ago. It’s something new for us. But a good team fights for it.”
Fire up the excuse machine all you want. The Caps are missing an entire defensive pairing (Mike Green and Jeff Schultz). Trade acquisition Scott Hannan is struggling to adjust and had a poor game tonight (-3 with a penalty that led to a Rangers goal). Actually, he’s had a poor week (-6 with two penalties in the last three games). The flu is ripping its way through the room with goalie Michal Neuvirth the latest victim. They played hard on Saturday – the right way – and still lost to Colorado. They played hard in the first period Sunday and were down 1-0 anyway. It wasn’t that Washington wasn’t trying or coasted after falling behind – we saw the Caps do that in 5-0 losses to New Jersey and Atlanta. They showed some resolve with fights from Matt Hendricks and Ovechkin. But the Rangers just worked harder. Down 2-0 Washington reacted like a team down 5-0 already – which it soon was.
“I think we just have to relax,” Ovechkin said. “I know it’s huge pressure for us right now. We’ve lost how many games in a row? Six? Six games in a row and I think it’s big pressure for our players and coaches and trainers. Just have to relax and not think about the losing streak. We have to think about the week [ahead].”
Sometimes that’s easier said than done. The Caps have a day off Monday and a practice Tuesday before going back to the drawing board against Anaheim on Wednesday at Verizon Center. Then there’s two more days off before a road game at Boston on Saturday. We’ll see what they come up with. But sometimes it helps to look to someone who has been outside the dressing room during this rough three week stretch – nine losses in 13 games and just 10 standings points earned – for perspective.
“I’ve only been here for one of these games, but the boys are struggling I know,” said forward Andrew Gordon, who was recalled from AHL Hershey Sunday morning thanks in large part to that flu bug hitting the Caps. “It’s an 8[2]-game season and nobody wins a championship in December. I know the boys are wanting to win every night, but there’s a lot of season left and a lot of growing to do. And this is just a minor bump in the road, I believe.”
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