The Washington Capitals had 39 shots on goal, and hit the post twice, but only got one puck behind Henrik Lundqvist and fell in Game Four to the New York Rangers 2-1.
Alex Ovechkin gathered his first goal of the series, and hit the post late in the third period. Sergei Fedorov also clanged one off a pipe. And as hard as Sean Avery tried to give the Caps an advantage, they just could not capitalize on two late power plays, and ended up going 0-for-6 with the extra man.
So, is Mike Green hurt? Either that, or he's sick. GM George McPhee, in an interview with Comcast SportsNet before Game Four, alluded to Green not being 100%, but would not elaborate.
Green has looked sluggish all series, but no more so than tonight's Game Four. Two shots on goals, four shots blocked, and two more missed shots don't really tell the story.
There just hasn't been a sense of urgency, no sense of speed with Green all series. His passes have lacked crispness, his shots that extra "something" that allowed him to be the seventh defenseman to register a 30-goal season in the history of the NHL.
He's been a shell of that player, the Norris Trophy candidate that looked unstoppable mid-season.
He led the team in ice time tonight, with 29:51. But was that out of habit? Out of necessity? Did the situation dictate it? Coach Bruce Boudreau did double shift at the end of the third period to get the offensive players on the ice.
But Green was not the best player on the ice. Not even close. And if the Caps have any chance of scratching their way back into this series, Green has to get better, quickly.
Alex Ovechkin gathered his first goal of the series, and hit the post late in the third period. Sergei Fedorov also clanged one off a pipe. And as hard as Sean Avery tried to give the Caps an advantage, they just could not capitalize on two late power plays, and ended up going 0-for-6 with the extra man.
So, is Mike Green hurt? Either that, or he's sick. GM George McPhee, in an interview with Comcast SportsNet before Game Four, alluded to Green not being 100%, but would not elaborate.
Green has looked sluggish all series, but no more so than tonight's Game Four. Two shots on goals, four shots blocked, and two more missed shots don't really tell the story.
There just hasn't been a sense of urgency, no sense of speed with Green all series. His passes have lacked crispness, his shots that extra "something" that allowed him to be the seventh defenseman to register a 30-goal season in the history of the NHL.
He's been a shell of that player, the Norris Trophy candidate that looked unstoppable mid-season.
He led the team in ice time tonight, with 29:51. But was that out of habit? Out of necessity? Did the situation dictate it? Coach Bruce Boudreau did double shift at the end of the third period to get the offensive players on the ice.
But Green was not the best player on the ice. Not even close. And if the Caps have any chance of scratching their way back into this series, Green has to get better, quickly.
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