By Bud L. Ellis
The weight of expectation is a burden every No. 1 seed carries into the NHL playoffs. Maybe that weight was too much for the Washington Capitals in their postseason opener.
The Caps, who steamrolled the Eastern Conference in the second half of the regular season, looked tight and tentative throughout Thursday night’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. The eighth-seeded Montreal Canadians took full advantage, upsetting the Caps 3-2 in overtime to take a surprising 1-0 series lead.
Facing a Game 2 Saturday night at the Verizon Center that isn’t a must win, but is close, the Caps seek to relax and regain their free-flowing style that saw the Caps finish the season with more points than any team in the standings.
It starts with Alexander Ovechkin, Washington’s leading scorer who was held without a goal, an assist and a shot on goal in the postseason opener. It’s the first time in 417 NHL games that Ovechkin was shut out in all three categories on the scoresheet.
Washington finished 0-for-4 on the power play and could not break through against Montreal’s defense. The Caps can ill afford a repeat performance Saturday, as the series will shift to Montreal for Game 3 on Monday and Game 4 on Wednesday.
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Friday, April 16, 2010 at 10:49 pm by bud
Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
The Washington Capitals dominated the first season. But the second season is underway, and the President’s Trophy winners suddenly find themselves one game down in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Tomas Plekanec scored 13:19 into overtime Thursday night at the Verizon Center, sending No. 8-seed Montreal past the Caps in stunning fashion in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, 3-2.
This certainly wasn’t the type of start envisioned by the Caps, who ran away with the Eastern Conference regular-season title and top seed following a scorching second half of the regular season. But Montreal, which won a spirited battle with several teams for the final playoff spot in the East, took the fight to the heavily favored Caps all night long.
Now Washington has work to do.
Joe Corvo scored in the first for the Caps, and Nicklas Backstrom added a goal in the third period. Jose Theodore made 45 saves, but he gave up the game-winner to put Washington in a 1-0 hole.
Game 2 is Saturday night in Washington. The Caps will have to be better on special teams, after going 0-for-4 on the power play in the opener. It also would help for Alexander Ovechkin to get on track. The Caps’ superstar not only didn’t register a point in Game 1, he didn’t even get off a shot after Montreal’s defense.
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Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 10:40 pm by bud
Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Joe Corvo, Jose Theodore, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Tomas Plekanec, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals
