Ottawa Senators 6, Caps 5
It’s officially a losing streak. The Caps’ poor play started when they were still finding ways to win games like this. The last two nights that hasn’t happened. This time they fell behind early, took a 4-3 lead late in the second period and then allowed three unanswered goals. A late Alex Semin goal – his third of the night – gave Washington a chance in the final six minutes. But the Caps couldn’t convert with the empty net and Ottawa held on for the victory.
The trend is alarming at this point. Washington has allowed 23 goals in five games. Yes, Tom Poti was hurt. Yes Shaone Morrisonn was sick. Yes John Erskine is playing through an injury. Karl Alzner also had an adventure even getting to Ottawa after a callup from AHL Hershey. And it was the team’s second game in as many nights on the road. The schedule has been killer. But no excuses – the “D” just isn’t getting the job done at this point.
“It was an ugly display,” Caps coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters in a so-honest-it-hurts postgame press conference. “I thought our defense was horrible and our goaltending was horrible. You’re not going to win when you give up six goals and maybe five of them are bad ones and our “D” can’t make a play. It’s awful.”
Boudreau said he didn’t think rookie goalie Semyon Varlamov was ready to play. The 21-year-old was playing in an NHL game for the first time since Dec. 7 because of knee and groin injuries. Washington definitely threw him into the fire with a game at Ottawa – one of the league’s hottest teams with 12 wins in 13 games and six in a row at home. But Varlamov was – to be kind – more than a little rusty. He stopped just 22 of 28 shots and let in a few softies, too.
“I don’t think he was ready to play. He knew he was going to play. He’s had 12 days of practice and a game under his belt. It’s his responsibility to be ready. It’s an excuse and excuses aren’t tolerated,” Boudreau said.
Semin did his best to keep the Caps close. He was absurdly dominant in the second period, scoring twice in 42 seconds to put them up 4-3. After Ottawa scored three straight to make it 6-4 Semin scored again on a nasty wrist shot to give Washington hope. It was Washington’s third game in a row with a hat trick. Brooks Laich had one against Montreal on Wednesday and Alex Ovechkin against Pittsburgh on Sunday. Semin now has 29 goals and 34 assists in 52 games. That’s 63 points overall.
Unfortunately, teammates Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin looked tired in this one. Tomas Fleischmann also struggled – despite scoring a goal. He was beaten like a drum in the faceoff circle (2-for-13) and was a -3. So Brendan Morrison moved up to second-line center and was a +4. All in all a bad couple of days for the Caps (41-13-7, 89 points), who have one last shot at a win on Saturday night in St. Louis before five players head to Vancouver for the Olympics and the rest head off for a needed vacation. What happened to that 14-game winning streak? Just a pleasant memory now.
“The [Olympic] break can’t come soon enough for me,” Boudreau said. “Where we can get five or six good days of practice and get back on track here.”
