Secondary scoring provides big lift

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By Stephen Whyno

When the Washington Capitals extended their season with a victory in Game 6, Alex Ovechkin was right there to hug David Steckel at the start of the wild celebration.

But it was Steckel who lit the lamp in overtime, not Ovechkin. The left wing who leapt off the bench after Steckel's goal didn't score Monday night, instead recording three assists. That left a void, and the Caps' secondary scoring emerged to fill it.

Washington got much-needed goals from Viktor Kozlov, Tomas Fleischmann, Brooks Laich and Steckel to force a Game 7.

"We watch Ovie score time and time again this series, and we haven't been very successful, obviously, so far," Steckel said. "It's something that's said about [how important] secondary scoring [is] in the playoffs."

Ovechkin is tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby with 10 goals in the playoffs, but he was only able to get five shots off in Game 6. With Pittsburgh's defense clamping down on him, the Caps' other offensive options know they have to come up big yet again Wednesday back at Verizon Center.

But Kozlov, who doubled his playoff scoring output with two goals Monday, said he and his teammates shouldn't feel relaxed after breaking out of their respective funks.

"Game 6 is history right now," Kozlov said. "It doesn't matter if we scored in the sixth. It matters who will score in Game 7."

Laich, who notched his first goal of the series when a shot by Alexander Semin deflected in off one of his knees, has said it isn't for lack of effort. One of the Caps' most versatile players - he plays on the power play and the penalty kill, blocks shots and contributes offensively - it seemed like a matter of time until he got the puck into the net.

"My game is playing around the net and being hungry around there," Laich said. "The goal I scored goes off my leg and in; it's not a pretty one, but sometimes you need a break like that."

Gonchar practices