The Washington Capitals just about made it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season with the worst record among the 16 teams in the playoffs.
Their success was largely because of a late-season comeback by the famous goal scorer Alex Ovechkin, but after two games in the first round against the New York Rangers, the Capitals are already 0-2 and Ovechkin has only taken one shot at the goal.
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery criticized the winger on Tuesday, April 23, saying Ovechkin is “having trouble” and “not getting opportunities” to score.
“I thought the first two games he looks a little bit off. He’s struggling,” Carbery told reporters after the 4-3 loss in Game 2.
“He should on a nightly basis get four or five looks,” Carbery added. “He’s not getting those looks.”
The Capitals will host Game 3 and Game 4 in Washington while entering the first of those two games down 2-0 in the series and facing a rather steep hill if they want to pull off the upset.
Alex Ovechkin Isn’t Helping Capitals But Rather Hurting Them
The Washington Capitals went into the first-round series against the New York Rangers as the clear underdogs.
After losing Game 2 on Tuesday, April 23, the Capitals have a very small 0.1% chance of making the Stanley Cup Final and no chance of winning the cup, according to MoneyPuck’s model.
In the first two games, Ovechkin has only managed 1 shot on goal and no points, either by scoring or assisting.
In fact, if negative assists were a thing, then Ovechkin could have gotten one following a terrible mistake in Game 2 that led to the Rangers scoring a shorthanded goal.
“It was kind of weird bounce,” Ovechkin said after the game, via The Hockey News’ Sammi Silber. “I think Zibanejad played stick-on-stick.
“As I said, lucky, but I have to play safer, especially in that kind of moment.”
K’Andre Miller‘s goal put the Rangers up 4-2 and it is fair to say it was double damaging because it doubled the distance between both teams in the score while also taking place during a Capitals’ power play.
Carbery Had Some Tough Words to Say About Ovechkin
After the loss and talking to the media during his postgame press conference, coach Carbery highlighted Ovechkin’s offensive struggles as well as his defensive mistakes, calling out the forward for “bobbling” the puck.
“We give up the [short-handed goal] when Ovi turns [the puck] over, which was a really, really difficult goal to give up,” Carbery said. “On the play, he gets a puck cross-ice and he’s getting pressured right away and he bobbles it.”
Carbery, however, seemed hopeful about the chance of Ovechkin eventually finding his form in the next few games and improving his on-ice performance.
“He can flip it. That’s one thing about him,” Carbery said. “He could flip it in one game and now he can all of a sudden be a difference maker and help us win a game.
“He’ll be good. He’s been through so many situations like this. I expect him to step up big time.
Ovechkin ended the regular season with 31 goals and 34 assists in 79 games in his 38th year and 19th NHL season as the Capitals head into the playoffs with the second wild-card seed.
This year has been defined by Ovi’s relentless pursuit of Wayne Gretzky‘s goalscoring record, which he is expected to surpass in the next season or the one after if he continues playing in the NHL by then.
Gretzky concluded his career with 894 goals, while Ovechkin finished the 2023-24 regular season with 853 through 1,426 games played. per NHL.com.
The Capitals and Rangers will meet for the third time on Friday, April 26, in Washington for Game 3 of their first-round series. The Rangers lead 2-0 after the first two games and could secure a spot in the second round if they win the next two games on the road.
