Despite clinching the Southeast Division, the Washington Capitals' struggles continue. With only three games to go until the playoffs, the team needs to get back in the habit of winning.
The month of March is one the Capitals will most likely want to forget. They went 6-7 and did not look like the team they have through most of the year. Of the seven losses, only three of them were lost in overtime or by one goal. Many call this the doldrums of the season when teams are tired.
| Brooks Laich talks about the playoffs and the Capitals win against the Thrashers.ANDREW TOMLINSON / THE EAGLE |
| Coach Bruce Boudreau talks about the Capitals win over the Thrashers on Sunday.ANDREW TOMLINSON / THE EAGLE |
| The Capitals' Mike Green and Keith Aucoin talk about the Hershey bears, the playoffs and the Caps recent play.ANDREW TOMLINSON / THE EAGLE |
Green went on afterwards to talk about how fixing those two things will also help the penalty kill. The kill has struggled as of late and has given up big goals in the team's last three games. Green said that most of all he would like to focus on stopping teams from scoring on their power play.
In the last week, the Caps have faced either non-playoff teams or teams still fighting for a spot. These teams are clearly not the leagues elite and should not have given the Caps this much trouble. Even though most of them have played well as of late, a playoff ready team should be ready to take care of them.
The most disheartening loss of the last month has got to be Friday's against Buffalo. The Caps team members were outplayed all game and it was a miracle that they were able to score four goals. Even with their poor play they got the one point they needed to clinch the Southeast Division by forcing it to overtime. Overtime started and it was clear the team was no longer interested in the game.
Not only did the team quit in overtime - they also "declined to comment about the loss." Not one player had anything to say about their pathetic display and Coach Bruce Boudreau seemed to think the team played real well.
On Sunday against the Atlanta Thrashers, the team looked like a completely different squad showing us the Capitals hockey we have seen all year. It is not clear what Boudreau said to them between games but it certainly worked. Even though it took two periods, the physical D.C. team that has taken the ice all year at the Verizon Center showed up.
"It took us to the third period to get going," Green said. "We seem to do that most time or not as long as we get the win that's all that matters."
The important part about the win is that it was full of five on five scoring by players not named Alex Ovechkin. Secondary scoring is so important in the playoffs and the Caps got that against the Thrashers. It was a 6-4 win the team can look to build off of.
It will be a full week for the team as they play every other night starting Thursday in Atlanta. This week is a good opportunity for the team to get back on track. The last three games of the season will be much different this year than last. Last year they had to win their last seven in a row to make it into the playoffs, a situation where no one can be rested. There is no feeling of urgency this year but even when players are rested they must play like it's the playoffs.
You can reach this columnist at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com.
