It wasn't bad enough that the Washington Capitals skated a player short for much of the game. It wasn't bad enough that they lost starting goaltender Tomas Vokoun to injury in the first period. Then they had to go and blow a two-goal lead late in the third as what could have been a sure victory over the Boston Bruins devolved into uneasy chaos.
Karl Alzner is right. There have been a lot of third periods this year when the Washington Capitals were able to make it look like that game was the most important one they ever played.
Troy Brouwer left a part of himself in Chicago. He still owns a house here, renting it to John Scott before the defenseman was traded at the deadline.
Mike Knuble was already in the penalty box for holding. Then, Brooks Laich sent the puck sailing over the glass from the defensive zone.
If there's one thing the Washington Capitals learned on their recent home stand, it was that some third-period magic can salvage a lost night. This team has proven it's hard to win when not scoring first, but the magic was there at Nassau Coliseum on Tuesday night.
It's the worst-kept secret in the NHL that the Washington Capitals aren't a good road team. Even as players shook off concerns about lacking a recipe for success away from Verizon Center, the numbers and listless, lackluster performances told the story.
Some players shake off the notion of frustration. Sure, the Washington Capitals haven't scored in nearly a week, but captain Alex Ovechkin and coach Dale Hunter have stressed the process of doing the right things.
Alex Ovechkin shouldered the blame. The Washington Capitals captain committed the turnover that led to the Philadelphia Flyers' only goal in a 1-0 loss Sunday.
The Washington Capitals hoped whatever juice fueled Tuesday's thrilling comeback victory would carry over to the rest of this critical homestand and beyond. It seemed a perfect springboard for a postseason push. Maybe, just maybe, it was the start of a fairy tale finish.
