Caps’ Ovechkin sidelined in loss

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The Washington Capitals found out last night what it was like to play without Alex Ovechkin. And Dainius Zubrus. And Matt Bradley. And for more than half the game, Jeff Halpern, too.

The Capitals, that is those who made it through the game, played far better than anybody could have imagined, staying ahead or at least even with the New York Islanders before falling 5-3 on a late power-play goal and an empty netter.

Goals by Brian Willsie and Matt Pettinger had Washington ahead for the first two periods, and a goal by Jeff Friesen wiped out a brief Islanders lead early in the third before New York moved ahead for good with just 4:43 to play when Jason Blake scored the first of his two.

It was the end of a nightmarish day for Washington. Zubrus didn’t make the trip with an injury to his right arm. Bradley has been playing on a badly bruised foot for two weeks and finally couldn’t go. Halpern was hurt taking a faceoff in the second period and left immediately; there was no word last night on his injury, but he has missed some time recently with either a groin or knee ailment.

Ovechkin has been hurting for at least two weeks. The Caps have maintained he was simply being rested when he missed practice, a contention that made sense considering the huge amount of playing time for the 20-year-old.

A week ago tonight he was speared during a game in Pittsburgh, apparently aggravating what is now believed to be a groin injury. He at least temporarily has lost his ability to skate faster than any Washington opponent, a fact that became painfully clear during Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay when he was caught by two defenders who normally are slower than the rookie.

His status is perhaps Washington’s most closely guarded secret. Late last night there was some speculation he might be available for Friday’s home game against Toronto, but that was downplayed by a team official who said the Caps would err on the side of caution with their most valuable property.

His growing popularity beyond the Washington area was evident yesterday when about 20 fans waiting for the team bus stood in the rain outside Nassau Coliseum wearing Caps or Ovechkin sweaters. Many carried Ovechkin signs. When it was announced last night that he was a scratch, there was a loud moan from the crowd in the arena.

Ovechkin’s statistical value to the team is clear. He has 34 goals; the next three goal-scorers for Washington don’t match his total combined. He has 65 points, more than twice the number of any other player on the team. He causes teams to adjust the way they play just to keep him within reasonable limits.

And his absence was noticed at both ends of the rink last night. The Islanders’ carefully laid plans on how to stop the left wing were trashed, but the club had no idea what to do with a mishmash lineup that included two seldom-used defenseman pretending they were forwards and three players who were in the minors just days ago.

“I loved it,” said coach Glen Hanlon, hoarse from prodding his young team. “They work so hard, and tonight was just a great endorsement of what these guys do. We were down to nine forwards. We had no players left, and in the end the ones we had were spent. For the guys we were able to put on the ice, I thought they did a pretty good job.”

Notes — Caps fanatics with good memories will recall that defenseman Brad Shaw, now the Islanders’ interim coach, was with Washington for about a week in March 1999, playing four games before being traded to St. Louis. … The Caps play host to Toronto on Friday night before facing the Lightning on Saturday in Tampa, Fla.