Caps Fall to ‘Canes in Ovechkin’s Return

By getting Alex Ovechkin and Jason Arnott back from injuries, the Washington Capitals were able to perhaps put together a preview of their playoff lineup Tuesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.

But even with the some firepower back in the lineup, the Capitals couldn’t overcome the Hurricanes’ playoff desperation, falling in a shootout, 3-2.

The Hurricanes jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second period with a powerplay goal by Jussi Jokinen, but Caps winger Alexander Semin responded with a goal of his own before setting up rookie Marcus Johansson for a goal of his own later in the period.

Heading into the final stanza, the Caps looked in control of the game, outshooting the Hurricanes and leading in the most important department – goals. But quickly in the third period, the Canes tied it up with a goal by Jeff Skinner – one Semyon Varlamov would like to have back.

“I don’t want to get down on our goalies – they’ve been very good,” Boudreau said. “They’re allowed to have a bad goal. We should be able to pick them up if that’s the case.”

The Caps’ offense tried to pick up Varlamov as they pounded 40 shots at Cam Ward, but the Hurricanes goaltender would not be beaten again, even in overtime and the shootout, giving the Hurricanes a huge two points in the playoff race.

“I think we were a much better team in the third period and I think we deserved the two points tonight,” Jokinen said. “Coach [Paul Maurice] came in [after the second period] and we were a little bit rattled but [he told us] to just take a deep breath and be ready to play twenty minutes. We found a way to get that second goal and [Jeff Skinner] and [Tuomo Ruutu] were able to get goals in the shootout. Cam [Ward] was excellent tonight and that was it.”

The Caps had their chances to win, but penalties gave Carolina momentum and Boudreau thought his team didn’t bring it all night long.

“I thought at times it was a very lackluster game,” he said. “If you don’t play with emotion, it’s tough.”

The intensity, though, was there all night as both teams played physical and tempers flared;  the Hurricanes, fighting for their playoff lives and the Caps fighting to get the top seed in the East.

“I think it was like a playoff game, for them,” Ovechkin said. “For us, it is good when we play against those kinds of teams; it helps us prepare for the playoffs.”

And as the Caps gear up for a postseason they hope will be better than last year’s disappointment, they continue to search for the right lineups, goaltender, and matchup. Most importantly, they need to fix the power play and fix bad habits – like a late hooking penalty by Semin.

“I think we obviously took too many penalties and that got momentum for them,” Johansson said. “And I think for our penalty kills it was hard. We [have] to stay five guys on the ice as much as possible and not take those penalties, hooking and stuff where you don’t have to. That’s a big part of the game we have to be better at.”

Semin’s play was particularly frustrating: he had a goal and an assist already and was generating scoring chances, but with three minutes left, he took a lazy hooking penalty that nearly cost Washington a point.

Said Boudreau: “He was our best offensive player, but at the same time, he’s doing the same thing he’s been doing for five years: taking a dumb penalty with four minutes to go in the game.”

Even with Semin’s penalty, the Caps got a point and continue to fight for their playoff positioning and continue to tinker with a team that may finally be getting healthy.

Still, they’ll need to fix their issues if they want to make a playoff run this season.

“We still have a lot to play for,” Boudreau said. “We’re not by any means taking a vacation until the playoffs. We want to play hard and win every game.”