A relatively easy day at Kettler Iceplex this morning – or as easy as it could be in the middle of a playoff series. The Caps had about 15 players on the ice for about 30 minutes, including both goalies and ever defenseman save Scott Hannan. Most of the older veterans took a day off after a physical Game 1 against the Rangers on Wednesday night.
“I think it’s the greatness of youth,” Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. “You’re more excited to play and you’re not worried about fatigue and you’re not worried about bumps and bruises. It’s all new and it’s exciting.”
No real injury news came out after practice. With so many players missing we wouldn’t know until tomorrow’s morning skate, anyway, if someone is in rough shape and in danger of sitting out. But Boudreau did comment on defenseman Tom Poti (groin), whose arduous recovery from a groin injury never seems to end. Boudreau wouldn’t use the term “setback” to explain why Poti wasn’t skating today for the first time in 10 days. But it’s pretty obvious it will take a rash of injuries to even consider using him.
“No, he was just sore because we worked him hard yesterday,” Boudreau said. “He hasn’t played in four months now and I think our defense is playing pretty well. So it’d be pretty hard for him unless they’re injuries to get back in.”
No one was feeling too comfortable on Thursday, though. Washington won Game 1 in overtime, 2-1, and felt like it had the better of the play on Wednesday night. That means little for Game 2 on Friday night at Verizon Center.
“It’s never good to lose in overtime. That hurts quite a bit, I think,” said Caps defenseman Karl Alzner. “But at the same time [the Rangers] know that they can come back. It happens all the time in the playoffs where a team loses the first game and they come back and win the series. That game is over and done with. We’re not going to think about it anymore. The only thing we’ll think about is just watch the video and see what they were doing. Other than that it’s pretty much a whole new series, 0-0.”
So the Caps have a chance to go up 2-0 in the series – something they’ve done just once during Boudreau’s tenure – with the two home wins over Pittsburgh in the second round in 2009. There’s a lesson, right there. They still lost that series in seven games. Finding a way to keep that edge despite the relief of a Game 1 win is critical.
“I think it’s got to be in our heads. We’re going to talk about everything,” forward Matt Hendricks said. “I’m sure you guys will be saying it tomorrow in the room, coaches will probably be saying it. I know that we’re a desperate hockey team, too. We want to take advantage of everyone every time we can. If we can get up by two games that’d be great. But it’s a seven-game series.”
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