Caps @ Ning 2-15-2007 Post-Mortem

Well, the Caps are back to playing more than 60 minutes. At least they're keeping things interesting before losing... Onto the Battle Damage Assessment.

THE GOOD:

• Great effort all around tonight. They caught the Ning napping in the first period but were only able to get a 1-0 lead out of it. So the bad luck continues to haunt this team.
• The Power Play was up to its usual trick of score quickly on the first advantage and it wasn't until their last advantage that they got some serious pressure on Marc Denis. I was more encouraged by that last chance than I was about the set play off the faceoff.
• 38 shots on goal and many buzzing chances. If the Caps can keep this up, they'll break out of the offensive slump sooner rather than later.
• While it is only the sixth game, I'm really starting to like the Milan Jurcina - Shaone Morrrissonnn pairing. Assigned to Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, they held them rather well in check, keeping both off the scoresheet at even strength.

THE BAD:

• Once again the Caps took a punch in the mouth giving up two goals in just under five minutes in the second period. While that in itself is bad enough, all season the Caps seem to lose their composure for a bit after some adversity sets in and tonight was no different.
• I know the guy has a lot of skill and a wicked shot, but I think the Alexander Semin on the Power Play point experiment has to come to an end. The guy barely understands lettalone plays defense at even strength. Asking him to play nominal defense on the Power Play has been a disaster.

THE UGLY:

• Once again the game was decided by a gimmick.

With the lineup and roster moves made today (Mike Green to Hershey, Lawrence Nycholat to the IR, Steve Eminger to the Press Box) the Caps for some reason still think the playoffs are a possibility. Therefore the Caps needed 2 points tonight but instead only got one and narrowed their already slim margin of error even more. Tonight was again an example of the Caps playing well but just not getting the win. As a matter of fact, they had to work especially hard just to get a tie to force overtime. The Caps though just don't have it, no matter how much veteran moxie they put into the lineup. At this rate, they'll be out of the playoff chase sooner rather than later and they can get the kids the experience that will help this franchise later on down the road.