Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Caps Sans Offense

Capitals 1, Canadiens 4
ScoresheetWash Post

Caps are just not the same. Their depth is really thin as evident by the play of the recalled Hershey players filling in for injured Caps. Those breaks in the defense is breaking the Caps down, instead of that confident swagger, the fast starts, the Caps look a step behind and a bit like the Keystone Cops.

Jeff Schultz and Lawrence Nycholat actually look like minor leaguers, and that is a disappointment. Because of their marginal play the Caps start pulling the Center back to play a 3 man defensive line. The Capitals’ high powered offense is snuffed, and the best the Caps can muster are mostly power play goals.

It’s not that the Caps can’t win these games; there is just no confidence to get it done.

Overall Grade: D

Caps need to heal, and until they do, it’s going to be a rough road. Best the Capitals can do right now is get back to recreating the fast starts and using their offense to play their defense. The Capitals are not built to play defense, if we are being honest here. GMGM didn’t create this team to play defense.

Capitals hit the road for a back to back with the Devils and Rangers starting Friday night. Caps may get Shaone Morrisonn back to at least practice soon. But the loss of Bryan Muir, John Erskine, Matt Bradley and Richard Zednik is keeping this team at the sub par level. Let’s hope a late season push can help the Caps think post-season.

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