Boudreau Upset By Caps' Blown Chances in 4-3 Loss
Alexander Ovechkin and goalie Jose Theodore react to Ryan Callahan's opening goal
during the second period of last night's 4-3 loss. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
The most frustrating thing for a head coach may be when the team drops a game it should have won. Capitals boss Bruce Boudreau certainly showed some of that frustration after the Caps gave up a 3-2 lead against the Rangers with under ten minutes remaining in the third period last night.
"We've blown two leads now like that, and almost a third," Boudreau said during a press conference after the 4-3 loss. "It's a really upsetting trend, and it better stop in a hurry."
The Caps had multiple power play opportunities -- including a pair of two-man advantages -- which only produced one goal, the work of Nicklas Backstrom (with an assist to Caps newbie Tyler Sloan). Though Alexander Semin scored the game's opening goal for the Caps, it was time for the offensive spotlight to shift to the third member of Washington's first line powerhouse, and Backstrom came up big with his first two goals of the season -- though one came on a wrist shot from the red line that shockingly beat Rangers' goalie Henrik Lundqvist, despite no Caps being present in the Rangers' zone.
Backstrom now leads the NHL in points, surpassing MVP teammate Alex Ovechkin, who registered plenty of hits but no goals or assists against New York.
No one else was sitting comfortable on the Caps' bench Thursday, particularly the veteran defensemen and third- and fourth-line guys Boudreau singled out afterward.
"This is no excuse for Alex's line, but they're going to get the odd goals scored on them because they take chances," Boudreau said. "But they're gonna, in the end, score a lot more goals than they're gonna give up. But it's lines three and four -- if you're not going to score, you better not be on for any goals against."
He gave the defense equally tough love, saying they should know better.
"The guys that are making mistakes are not first year guys," Boudreau said. "They know what their jobs are."
Team captain Chris Clark said the Caps are "[one of the] top two talented team[s] in the league" on paper and said consistency is probably going to be the Caps' biggest battle this year. He echoed his coach about needing to play as a team, not individuals.
"Boston was the best game I think I've seen us play in two or three years, just because everybody was doing what they needed to do to win the game," Clark said, referring to their season opener against Boston, which they won 4-1.
On a side note, it was the four year anniversary of Lundqvist's NHL debut (overall NHL save percentage of .917) -- and, though no one likes losing, at least the ever-courteous Caps gift-wrapped the most coveted present for him: a win.