Lightning Strikes Twice

Capitals 2, Lightning 5
Scoresheet - Wash Post

Even jumping to a 2-1 lead, the Capitals just couldn't stop a very hot team, the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Caps again breakdown ever so slightly on defense and the Tampa took advantage. After that it was shut down time, which teams don't seem to have a problem doing to the Washington Capitals.

Alex Ovechkin and Brooks Laich were your scorers. Laich tipped in a Shaone Morrisonn point shot and Ovie buried a wrister off a pass from Chris Clark. Brent Johnson got the nod in the net only to suffer another loss.

For whatever reason, Glen Hanlon has not played the Morrisonn and Milan Jurcina line against Tampa's top line since their first game against them. Back on Oct. 24, Morrisonn and Jurcina held the top line of Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Loius and Vinny Prospal to a goal and an assists. Since then, these three have accumulated 4 goals and 8 assists.

The Capitals special teams are their crux, not their savior this season. The Capitals are a disappointing 0-10 when their opposition scores a power play goal. What is more depressing, the Capitals can't score clutch goals when they need it most. That might be the back breaker that has Caps' fans fuming.

The talent on this team is just not connecting. For whatever reason, the opportunities are there but the goals are not. The Caps need a shake up, not necessarily a coaching shake up. I would like to see more of what Brian Sutherby, Steve Eminger, Ben Clymer, Chris Bourque, Jame Pollock and Jakub Klepis can do.