Caps at a Loss After Another Home Defeat
Lightning 5, Capitals 2
Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin drives against Tampa Bay's Brad Lukowich.
(John McDonnell - The Post)
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Sunday, November 11, 2007
For a while last night, the Washington Capitals appeared as though they might build on Thursday's inspirational victory over the Eastern Conference's best team.
But the Capitals stumbled badly in the opening moments of the third period and lost, 5-2, to Martin St. Louis and the Tampa Bay Lightning, two days after beating the powerful Senators in Ottawa.
Vaclav Prospal and St. Louis scored less than a minute apart after successive breakdowns by the Capitals to break open a tied game and give Tampa Bay its third consecutive win.
"Just when you think you've got the thing figured out, you have a period like that," goalie Olie Kolzig said. "We're not going to go anywhere if we continue to play like that in the third period, especially at home. We've got to put some wins together at home. We're awful at home right now."
The Capitals, who were again without wingers Chris Clark (lacerated left ear) and Alexander Semin (sprained right ankle), lost for the fifth time in six games (1-4-1), and dropped to 2-5-0 on home ice. The defeat also ensured the Capitals remained at the bottom of the conference standings with 13 points in 17 games -- seven points fewer than the club had at this point last season.
Alex Ovechkin's 11th goal tied the score at 1 with 1 minute 40 seconds remaining in the second period, setting up what promised to be pivotal final frame in front of an announced crowd of 14,617.
It turned out to be a big period, all right. Just not for the Capitals.
Less than two minutes in, Prospal and Vincent Lecavalier streaked down the ice on a two-on-one after a turnover in the Tampa Bay zone. Prospal finished the play, firing a rebound past Kolzig (29 saves).
A mere 58 seconds later, St. Louis, allowed too much room to roam in front, stopped a pass from Prospal and fired the puck past a sprawled Kolzig to make it 3-1.
"If you want to beat Tampa Bay you've got to stop St. Louis and Lecavalier, and we gave them too much room," defenseman Tom Poti said, referring to the Tampa Bay's top line, which after a first period adjustment last night also included Prospal.
Added an exasperated Coach Glen Hanlon: "They've got a core group of guys who know how to win. They picked their game up, and we didn't respond."
Hanlon said he couldn't pinpoint a reason for his team's sub-par record at home, where they've scored only 15 goals in seven games.
