Lots of stuff to get to from Kettler Iceplex this morning, where the Caps practiced for the first time since Sunday’s humbling 7-0 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The Anaheim Ducks – in town early for tomorrow’s game at Verizon Center – are on the ice now practicing. Washington is on an 0-4-2 skid where they’ve found various ways to lose games. It has also lost nine of its last 13 overall and has earned 10 standings points since Nov. 17.
“Obviously I don’t like what’s going on, but I do believe in everybody in the room that we’re going to get out of it,” said Caps coach Bruce Boudreau. “It’s not, quite frankly, like we have 15 points. We have the fourth-most points in the NHL still and [are] first in our division – even though the lead was a little larger. And Pittsburgh is ahead of us and they’ve won 15 in a row or are 14-0-1 in their last 15. So the world is not doom and gloom to us. The world is ‘Let’s get a break and let’s get through this thing and then we’ll turn it around.’”
But while his team will get a solid three practices in this week it may be a while before his whole squad is available. Forward Boyd Gordon is out for one-to-two weeks with an undisclosed injury. Forwards Alex Semin and Marcus Johansson missed practice with the illness that has been running through the Washington dressing room lately.
I asked yesterday about the status of forward D.J. King. Was told at the time by a team official that he can’t return until Saturday’s game against Boston. But if needed – and he might be at this point – the move to injured reserve could be made retroactive to last Monday’s game against Toronto. That’s the last time King played and would mean he’s actually eligible against the Ducks.
Have a story running in the print edition of tomorrow’s Examiner about the Caps’ recent struggles. There were a number of opinions about what’s gone wrong and how to fix it as we talked to players and coaches today. Will have some extra quotes that don’t make the story in a post later this afternoon.
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