Early Deficit Proves too much for Caps to Overcome

By: Justin Creech
Washington, DC—For the better part of the last three months, the Washington Capitals have met every challenge thrown their way. They have overcome multiple goal deficits on numerous occasions, and have even pulled through tough situations such as when Alex Ovechkin was ejected in the first period of the Capitals March 14 game against the Chicago Blackhawks; a game the Capitals won by overcoming a three goal third period deficit.
Sunday’s challenge, however, proved too tough for the Capitals to overcome.
Desperate to stay alive in the Western Conference playoff race, the Calgary Flames played with a sense of urgency in the first period that you usually see in Game 6 of a playoff series when a team is looking to force a seventh game. The Flames opened up a three goal lead in first 10:34 of the first period and cruised to a desperately needed 5-3 win over the Capitals at Verizon Center.
“They really came in and played hard in the first,” said Capitals forward Mike Knuble. “We talked about the fact that they would because they’re playing for a spot in the playoffs and if they lose tonight they’re probably done. You know what kind of team you’re going to get, so there was no surprise.”
The Flames received goals from Rene Bourque, Ian White and Jay Bouwmeester to open up a 3-0 lead. The Flames made it 4-0 with 20 seconds remaining in the first period on a backhand shot from Niklas Hagman from the left circle.
“We didn’t have any energy,” said Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau. “Their sense of urgency was so tremendous they got called out by their GM yesterday, and they got embarrassed pretty well in Boston, so we knew they were going to come out. We just didn’t meet the push and for the first time in a long time it looked like Theo was struggling a little bit.”
Boudreau was referring to Flames general manager Darryl Sutter’s displeasure after the Flames were embarrassed Saturday in Boston, 5-0. Coach Brent Sutter also told his team before the game they needed to throw it all on the line against the Capitals.
Another factor that hurt the Capitals Sunday was the play of Jose Theodore. Theodore let in three goals on the Flames first 9 shots and was pulled by Boudreau after Bouwmeester’s tally made it 3-0. Boudreau, though, said he was not putting any blame on Theodore.
“I just thought he was fighting the puck,” said Boudreau of Theodore. “Every shot he was fighting the puck and I just didn’t think he had it today. He’ll be back in Tuesday, but he’s played a lot of good games where he’s kept us in in the first period, and we just weren’t ready to play in the first period.”
The Capitals were outshot 12-4 in the first period despite having two power plays to the Flames one.
The second period started better for the Capitals as Alex Ovechkin retook the league’s goal scoring lead with a power play goal at 3:49.
With Ales Kotalik and Mark Giordano in the penalty box, Ovechkin took a pass from Knuble and first a snap shot passed Flames netminder Mikka Kiprusoff to pull the Capitals to within 4-1.
Washington, however, was unable to sustain any momentum and fell behind by four goals again when Bourque’s backhander deflected up and over Semyon Varlamov at 17:34 of the second for a 5-1 Flames lead.
David Steckel scored his 5th goal of the season at 18:51 of the second and Mathieu Perreault, called up from Hershey due to Brenden Morrison being out, scored at 4:48 of the third to pull the Capitals within two, but at that point it was too late.
“When they made it 5-1, that was a tough one because I still thought if we make it 4-2 before the end of the period,” said Boudreau. “We’ve done it so many times where we’ve come back from a two goal deficit it’s not hard to believe, but a three goal deficit against a desperate team is a hard hill to climb.”
The loss was only the Capitals fifth regulation defeat since Jan. 1.