There was an eight-game losing streak — so long Shaone Morrisonn thought it was at least 10. Alex Ovechkin lost his friend and mentor, Dainius Zubrus, at the trade deadline and lost an iPod, smashing it to pieces after another embarrassing loss and a contentious team meeting.
In the Room: T-minus 8.5 hours and counting
Picking out the low point of the final weeks of last season for the Washington Capitals isn’t easy because of the depth of instances from which to choose. The details of a trying finish might be hazy for Caps players, but there is one thing they recall with clarity.
“I don’t remember a specific point, but when playoffs are out of reach it really hits home that you didn’t have a good year,” right wing Matt Bradley said. “It’s a bad feeling when you can’t make the playoffs no matter how well you play the rest of the year.”
Added Chris Clark: “Just looking at the standings and knowing we were out of the playoffs, it was really early. I’m not sure exactly when it was, but it was way earlier than you want it to be. That’s probably the lowest.”
Among numerous barometers of the Caps’ improvement this year, the vastly different emotions in the dressing room yesterday from those late in the 2006-07 season is high on the list. Phrases describing last season included “playing for pride” and “frustrating.” When the discussion returned to the present, there was plenty of talk of “excitement” and “fun.”
For good reason, too, because the team had just wrapped up practice one day before the biggest hockey game at Verizon Center in nearly five years. The division-leading Carolina Hurricanes are in town tonight, and while each of the last two meetings between these teams has been lauded for its relevance, this one has become the most important of all.
“Yeah, we’ve been throwing it around a lot lately, but this game is pretty big,” defenseman Mike Green said. “[Tonight] is probably the biggest game I’ll have ever played in and for a lot of us.”
Added Ovechkin: “It is probably most important week in our [season] and my NHL career. We must keep in mind our emotions. We must keep in mind one game.”
Washington is two points behind Carolina, and each team has three games to play. The Hurricanes can clinch the Southeast Division title with a win, and while the Caps can pull even in the standings, they still would need more help. The Caps can’t earn the tiebreaker with the Hurricanes, so even if they win the final two games, they will need Carolina to lose again.
Since the Caps lost 6-3 in Raleigh, N.C., on Feb. 23, it has appeared the team’s best chance to gain entry to the postseason was via the No. 8 seed. But Philadelphia and Boston have not cooperated, and now Washington again is closer to Carolina and the third seed.
“We still have Carolina in our sights. They’ve pulled ahead of lots of times this year, but they’ve never gotten out of window,” center Brooks Laich said. “We still believe we have a chance at the division, and tomorrow is going to be a war.”
While the Bruins and Flyers have accrued enough points to keep the Caps behind them, Washington’s winning ways have opened other avenues into the top eight. It is improbable, but three wins by the Caps and three losses by the New York Rangers would put them in the playoffs. So would two regulation losses by the struggling Ottawa Senators, who are in danger of falling out of the postseason altogether after holding the top spot in the conference.
That would be quite a drastic turn of events — not unlike the diametric change for the Caps from last April to this one.
“Obviously it wasn’t as much fun to come to the rink as it has been this year,” center Boyd Gordon said. “I think everyone has new life with the way we’ve been winning. It is night and day, the excitement factor.”
Today’s game
CAROLINA HURRICANES AT WASHINGTON CAPITALS
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Verizon Center
TV/radio: CSN, FM-107.7, AM-1500
Goalies: Hurricanes — Cam Ward (36-23-5, 2.72). Capitals — Cristobal Huet (23-14-6, 2.50)
Injuries: Hurricanes — Out: C Rod Brind’Amour (torn ACL), C Matt Cullen (post-concussion symptoms), RW Patrick Eaves (shoulder surgery), D David Tanabe (concussion). Probable: RW Justin Williams (torn ACL), LW Ray Whitney (leg surgery), D Brett Hedican (torso). Capitals — Out: C Michael Nylander (torn rotator cuff), RW Chris Clark (groin), D Brian Pothier (concussion), C David Steckel (broken finger).
— Corey Masisak
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