Caps were scheduled for an off day on Monday, but decided late last night to hold an optional skate at Kettler Iceplex. About 15 players were on the ice, including Nicklas Backstrom and both goalies, Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth.
Alex Semin, who hasn’t played since that Rangers debacle in New York the previous Sunday, did skate. But he is still listed as “day-to-day” by team officials and doubtful for the game tomorrow against the Devils. Semin was ill last week and has a lower-body injury, too. Eric Fehr is also expected to miss that one. His grandmother has passed away and the Manitoba native went home after the Ottawa game to be with his family.
Washington snapped it’s eight-game losing streak on Sunday against the Senators. And they didn’t downplay the importance of that comeback victory. Bruce Boudreau told his players – down 2-0 after the first intermission – that the next two periods might be the most important of their season. So they came out and scored twice in 80 seconds to tie the game. Not a bad response. But can they keep it up? After all, 1-6-2 in nine games isn’t exactly worth celebrating. The Caps say they need to keep from taking a step back against New Jersey tomorrow night.
“We still have to work hard. I think we played two pretty good periods against Ottawa there,” Backstrom said. “[But] we’re playing another good team tomorrow. They’re not high in the standings, but we can’t relax. We need maybe our best game of the year.”
He needed that disclaimer there because it looks like New Jersey has completely fallen apart. The Devils are 9-21-2 with 20 points. Only the New York Islanders (6-18-6, 18 points) are worse. No one else is even close to those two in the NHL’s basement right now. New Jersey is 2-8 in its last 10 games and was embarrassed at Atlanta on Saturday night, 7-1. Not even future Hall-of-Fame goalie Martin Brodeur made it through that one. He was pulled in the second period after allowing four goals on 15 shots. But the Caps have plenty of reasons to avoid a complacent showing. That same New Jersey team whipped them 5-0 in Newark on Nov. 22.
“We just needed something and we got it [Sunday night],” said Caps forward Matt Bradley. “But that’s one game. Obviously, it’s nice to end that losing streak. But in the whole scheme of things that’s one game and we’re right back where we started for tomorrow’s game.”
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