Ovechkin: Our line played terrible, we have to stop the losing streak

 I believe this is the first time in Alex career when he is so critical of himself...

Corey Masisak, TWT, Jan. 13, 2009, "Caps drop third straight":

Bruce Boudreau on the first line's effort:
"They weren’t very good. When you’re best players aren’t your best players, you’re in trouble. It is one thing if you’re not very good, but we count on these guys. They’re the ones who get the bulk of the ice time. I don’t know what Alex [Ovechkin] got to day, but I bet it was 25 minutes [26:05]."

“Alex, what does he have – one point in the last four games? And that’s an assist off [Michael] Nylander’s foot. He’s the best player in the world and maybe he’s on a little down turn, but he’s got to play like the best player in the world.”

Ovechkin, to his credit, wasn't looking to deflect criticism after the game. He was demoted to the second line for the third period, playing with Sergei Fedorov and Viktor Kozlov instead of Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin. Brooks Laich took his place.

Ovechkin: "I think we play first 10 minutes, but we don’t score goals and they play great defense. I think we didn’t play with energy, and it started with me, our line and myself. I don’t know what to say – I think our line played terrible.We don't have traffic. Bruce tells us if you want to get goal you have to make traffic. We don't have traffic and I think that's key for our game. ...We have to stop the losing streak, it's a wake up call"

How unfortunate Caps schedule is in the last 4 games? First they play Jackets who are depleted with injuries, but consider the game, unlike Caps, very important. And Caps players hear that, Jackets have injuries, blah, blah, and in their heads it is the game next day vs. Montreal. They end up losing both games.

Now Edmonton is in town, their players consider the game vs. Caps very important, they want to show their best game, Caps are thinking about the game next day vs. Pittsburgh... "We probably took them a little bit for granted," Karl Alzner said.

And the cycle will repeat, all indications are that Caps will lose 4 in a row...

I hope I am wrong...

Tarik El-Bashir, TWP, Jan. 14, 2009:

Washington Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau warned his players about taking the mediocre Edmonton Oilers lightly and looking ahead to tonight's anticipated matchup with the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

But Boudreau's words fell on deaf ears.