Missed Chances Doom Caps

Missed opportunities haunted the Capitals Thursday night, as despite having a pair of 5-on-3s, Washington turned in a lackluster effort and paid for it with a 4-3 loss to the Rangers as New York exacted a small measure of revenge for its first-round playoff loss last spring.

After Nicklas Backstrom scored a pair of third-period goals - including a Henrik Lundqvist gaffe from the red line - to put the Capitals ahead, Marian Gaborik answered quickly with a pair of goals through Jose Theodore's five-hole and handed Washington its first regulation loss of the season.

The two Gaborik goals spoiled what had been a decent night for Theodore up until that point, as he had kept the Caps in it through two periods despite some lackluster defensive play in front of him and a Capitals extra-man unit that struggled through the first 40 minutes and also failed to connect with a late penalty on Donald Brashear while looking for the equalizer.

Alex Ovechkin also was held pointless for the first time this season, ending his bid to become the first player to earn three points in the first four games of an NHL season.

The Rangers put up the first five shots on goal, with Washington not getting a shot until a power-play just over four minutes into the game.

Gaborik had a strong bid for a go-ahead go early, but Theodore was up for the wrap-around attempt to keep New York off the board.

Ovechkin had a good chance to put Washington on the board, but Chris Clark couldn't handle his pass and the Caps continued to struggle a bit with the extra man after getting great production from them last week.

Matt Bradley got whistled for a high sticking minor 7:01 into the contest, and the Rangers nearly got one as a shot got through Theodore's legs, but went wide of the net.

Howver, Washington killed the penalty, and on the ensuing rush, after a Semin steal, he fed Brian Pothier along the far boards, who then returned the puck to Semin as he moved through the far face-off circle and he buried the puck past Henrik Lundqvist with 9:18 gone in regulation for a 1-0 Capitals lead.

Boyd Gordon got whistled for a minor, but the Caps created a 2-on-1 chance that led to a Ales Kotalik minor just over a minute after the Gordon call, and then Dan Girardi was whistled for a hook just :36 later for a 5-on-3 for 1:04. While enjoying the puck possession, they couldn't put one past Lundqvist and the Rangers killed off the chance.

But New York had to send out the penalty-killers right back out there after taking a too-many-men on the ice penalty, and the Capitals got their fourth power-play of the frame to try and build on their lead, but once again, couldn't get anything going, ande even gave up a prime chance to Chris Higgins at the tail end of the penalty, but Theodore made a nice glove save to keep the Caps ahead, and the score remained 1-0 after 20 minutes of play.

Both teams came out of the gate slowly in the second period, with Ovechkin unable to convert on a chance in close, then Gaborik couldn't put a puck home despite getting Theodore down in his crease.

Washington then got another extended 5-on-3 chance, as after Michal Rozsival was called for a minor, a hooking minor on Chris Drury led to a 1:31 two-man advantage. However, it was short lived, as Mike Green was called for a trip and ended the 5-on-3 just :29 into it.

The 4-on-3 created several chances, but unfortunately, a bad Semin pass led to an Ovechkin turnover at the blueline, and Ryan Callahan took the puck on a breakaway and evened the score with 11:13 left in the second period.

With the momentum, New York then took the lead when Kotalik took a pass and broke in and beat Theodore high just 2:01 after the equalizer, giving the Rangers their first lead of the night.

Higgins gave Washington a power play with 3:47 left in the frame, but a too-many-men penalty on the Caps killed the advantage prematurely, leaving the Caps behind by a goal after 40 minutes of play.

However, the Capitals got a gift goal with 16:43 to play to even the score, as Backstrom's innocent shot at the corner of the net from the red line eluded Lundqvist and give the Caps new life after a lackluster stretch.

Armed with their eighth power-play of the night after an Aaron Voros minor, Backstrom scored a more conventional way with 12:09 to play, taking a feed from Brooks Laich and going high on Lundqvist, and giving the Caps a 3-2 lead.

But it was a very brief one, as on the ensuing shift, Gaborik fired a shot through Theodore's legs just :18 later to even the score at 3-3. The ex-Wild star then scored his fourth goal in four games in similar fashion with New York on the power-play, restoring the Rangers' edge with 9:18 to play.

Whatever momentum the Capitals gained with the fluke tally was lost by the Gaborik strikes, but Washington got one last chance to even the game as Green was tripped by ex-Cap enforcer Donald Brashear with 5:06 to play, giving the hosts their ninth extra-man advantage of the evening.

But Washington's struggles with the extra-man continued, and couldn't get the equalizer, ending the night 1-for-9 with the man-advantage. Even after pulling Theodore for the extra attacker, the Caps didn't generate a shot on goal, and fell 4-3 in front of a grumbling sellout crowd at Verizon Center.

Things won't get any easier for the Capitals Saturday, as they head to the Motor City to take on the defending Western Conference champion Red Wings. Washington will need to take advantage of its power-play opportunities and tighten up more defensively against a top-notch opponent, and certainly want to improve upon their sub-par performances of this week.