Snapped Back To Reality

Capitals 1, Ducks 6
Scoresheet – Wash Post – LA Times

The Capitals were victims of being beat at their own game. The Ducks came out with the early lead and then they had an aggressive forecheck and played more physical. The Caps offense took a night off as the Ducks showed why they’re the team to beat in the west.

In all fairness, this was not the same team the Caps played last year where Alex Ovechkin took full advantage of them scoring three including the overtime game winner, his first NHL hattrick. The Caps had their chances, but their non-consistent offense that exploded in the last four games fizzled out against Anaheim. The Ducks execution of this game was impeccable; they did what they wanted to do. The Caps were just overwhelmed and were knocked off their game.

Alex Semin was the lone goal scorer for the Caps. Ovie had an assist along with Donald Brashear. Brashear started early in the game getting into a fight with George Parros who looks like he stepped out of the seventies with long hair and a handle bar mustache. I have a hard time taking a guy like that seriously. It’s called personal grooming.

Olie Kolzig was never pulled in this game and suffered through all six goals. After admitting that he liked a lot of shots on him, he looked ready to call it a night right about the 4th or 5th goal. After being hot and keeping his team in reach, Olie just couldn’t put the cork in the Ducks high powered offense. The whole Capitals team was snapped back to reality.

Overall Grade: C-

As much as I was frustrated in this game at the Caps play, there wasn’t much to say about this game other than the Caps and the Ducks are two different teams. It is a difference in experience. If the Caps could bury a couple early, the game would have had a different outcome.

Now the Caps have to regroup, and face the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night. I am always a believer that routs are not always a bad thing, as long as you can learn from your mistakes and make the adjustments to come back better than when you left the ice.