Capitals Deficiencies Exposed by Rangers Once Again

February 25 2011 Last updated at 10:53 PM ET

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Good thing Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee is one of the most deliberate executives in the NHL.

If not, Friday's 6-0 loss to the New York Ranges -- Washington's worst loss at home since November 2006 -- could mean plenty of changes ahead of Monday's trade deadline.

"George is not a knee-jerk guy at all," said Capitals forward Mike Knuble, one of four players available to the media after the game. "Whether we won 5-0 or lost 6-0 like tonight, it probably wouldn't have changed his approach to the deadline. He's had last summer to think about it and a lot of this season. He's probably already formulated his plans."

And this game for the fifth-place Caps exposed the same sorts of elements that were absent when they were bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season despite winning the Presidents' Trophy for the league's best regular season record.

Alex Ovechkin blasted eight shots on net on Friday, but Washington's captain did nothing to change the fact that this could be his lowest scoring year of his career. (He has 62 points through 63 games.) Alexander Semin -- who seems to either net a hat trick or disappear -- was robbed by the glove of Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist in the third period and was overall a non-factor. Michal Neuvirth, who didn't receive a ton a defensive help in front of him, allowed the six goals on 28 shots and he's one two young goalies the Caps have pegged their playoff hopes on.

Friday's game could indicate that there are plenty of holes to fill -- or maybe the Caps were just a little nervous.

"I would hope they are secure enough to know that they are good players and don't have to worry about anything," said Caps coach Bruce Boudreau, whose team lost to the Rangers 7-0 in New York in December. "I don't know what's going to happen at the trade deadline. If I was a player, I would just go out and play. That's all you can control."

The Dallas Stars had two scouts on hand at Verizon Center. Stars center Brad Richards, who is currently day-to-day with concussion-like symptoms, is apparently on the block and the Caps currently lack in depth at that forward position.

The Caps could also be in the market for a veteran goalie and maybe another defenseman, especially if the injury to Mike Green proves serious. Green -- who had missed the prior five games with an inner-ear injury -- was knocked from the game after a collision with Rangers center Derek Stepan in the first period. Boudreau said after the game that Green would not make the trip for Saturday's game against the New York Islanders, although he had no further updates.

But for all the moves that could be made before 3 p.m. ET on Monday, there may be something else missing: drive, grit and maybe even a little heart.

"It looked like they wanted to make the playoffs and they outworked us," Knuble said. "We played like we were content where we were."

Added Lundqvist: "They kind of stopped playing a little bit -- at least it felt like it."

FanHouse reporter Jimmy Hascup contributed to this report.

Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/25/capitals-deficiencies-exposed-by-rangers-once-again/

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