Trouble on power play big part of continuing woes
One stat alone sums up the special teams mess that the Capitals have become.
Over its last 10 games, Washington has scored twice in 34 attempts with the man-advantage. During that same stretch it has allowed four short-handed goals. That won’t stand for a team that is fighting for its Stanley Cup playoff life. Currently in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, the Caps need to be better on special teams to have any shot at the postseason.
“I think we try to do too much individual wise. Not only that, I think that we’ve given up some odd-man rushes, and other teams are starting to see that,” defenseman Mike Green said. “They’re a little more aggressive on us, and it’s harder for us to create because they don’t feel we’re a threat. And they force so much that it’s hard to make plays. We’ve got to overcome that.”
| Up next |
| Flyers at Capitals |
| When » Sunday, 7 p.m. |
| Where » Verizon Center |
| TV » NBC Sports Network |
They’ll try to do so Sunday night at home against the Philadelphia Flyers. With teams behind them gaining ground, the Caps quickly need to forget about Friday’s disastrous 5-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
As part of a power-play recovery plan, Washington coach Dale Hunter will move star winger Alex Ovechkin to the half wall, where he has more options as a playmaker and teams will have a harder time isolating him. That also will allow Hunter to use defensemen on the point, where Ovechkin often plays. That should provide better defensive coverage and — given the talent the Caps have on the blueline with Dennis Wideman and Green — come at limited cost offensively.
“Our power play is killing us — absolutely killing us,” a steaming Wideman said after the New Jersey loss. “We’re making wrong reads. We’re not backing each other up when there’s a bouncing puck, and we’re giving up breakaways and goals in every game. We’re not scoring or creating a chance. Our power play is absolutely killing us.”
Washington (32-27-5, 69 points) conducted an efficient 45-minute practice Saturday morning at Kettler Iceplex in preparation for the Flyers (35-21-7, 77 points), who are in a comfortable playoff position in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Michal Neuvirth has started four games in a row in goal, and that trend may continue Sunday. Veteran goalie Tomas Vokoun, who last played Feb. 22 at Ottawa, is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury that he suffered, according to Hunter, during warmups Friday. But Hunter said no decision has been made to recall goalie Braden Holtby from Hershey of the American Hockey League.
“Our next game is Philly, and it’s a real tough hockey team. We would have liked to have tightened it up, shown a little more determination, a little bit more pride in the last period there [against New Jersey],” winger Troy Brouwer said. “I think that was lacking. I don’t think we worked very hard in the third period. I thought we packed it in and that we looked like a real timid, beaten down hockey team.”
