For my game story, Capitals Fall to Crosby, Penguins in Shootout, 4-3, please click on the link and visit DCSportsBox.com.

Sunday's game had all the spirit, action and passion of a playoff game, and thankfully, none of the drama that seems to surround these two teams. There were no runs, no cheap shots and little whining in the game, just some good old fashioned hockey the way the boys used to play it on the pond.

Ok, so maybe that was a little allegorical for you. But it was a pretty tough, tight checking game. I mean, Jurcina put Kennedy THROUGH the boards! Every whistle brought a scrum, and there were 10 (!) roughing penalties. THAT'S some tough hockey.

Props to David Steckel. I thought he did some fantastic defensive work and the home run pass to Laich was right on the tape.

I thought Poti looked slow and tentative in warm ups, and he proved me right on the first Penguins goal, as he was stuck in between the play, not having enough jump to get on Kunitz quick enough to break up the little flip he made to Guerin.

And how about that line for Pittsburgh? Crosby with Kunitz and Guerin. Does it strike anyone else strange that they would pair BOTH new guys with their captain? Stranger still, on Sunday it seemed like they'd been playing together all season long.

Once again though, the defense is proving that they still can't win the one-on-one battles. One the first goal, Schultz was backed up all the way right in front of Theo on the two-on-one. He's gotta step up and make Guerin make that pass MUCH earlier. Later, Guerin's toe drag in front of Morrisonn has Mo STILL looking for his jock on the ice.

Tomorrow night's trip to the central time zone is critically important for the Caps. They face a Predator team that's fighting for their playoff lives and the Caps need to come out and match their intensity. They did it for their mortal enemies on Sunday. Can they do it against the #8 team from the Western Conference?

SECOND PERIOD

Penguins lead Caps 3-1 after two. SOG: WAS-18; PIT-12.

Penguins really took it to the Caps in the second period. Sergei Gonchar got the first Penguin goal on a 4-on-3 power play, with a blast from the high slot. Guerin was in the slot screening Theo--he had no chance.

Second goal came with Crosby beating Green to a puck on the boards, and he hit Guerin cutting. Guerin faked out Morrisonn and Guerin beat Theo easy.

Poti rang one off the post as the period was winding down. They reviewed it, but it was clearly no goal.

Orpik hit Green with a high stick with 33 seconds remaining. Caps have 1:27 of PP to start the third.

FIRST PERIOD

Caps and Pens tied at one after one. SOG: WAS-12; PIT-7.

Penguins got their goal from Crosby, completing a 2-on-1 with Guerin. Guerin took a long breakout pass form Kunitz, held the puck long enough for Schultz to have to commit, and slid it across to Crosby, who deposited it cleanly stick side against Theodore.

After a couple of penalties against Pittsburgh, Backstrom stole an entry pass from Letang and hit a cutting Semin in the slot, who faked and went backhand to fool Fleury. Very poor play by Letang.

It was a spirited period, as you would expect between these two teams. Penguins were credited with 12 hits, the Caps with 10. DC's biggest hit was Jurcina putting Kennedy THROUGH the glass behind Theo. Play stopped for several minutes as Kennedy was extracted and the glass repaired. Both players went off for roughing after hugging each other after the play.

The Caps had 1:39 of 4-on-3 play, but could not capitalize. Caps were 0-for-3 on the power play.

The Washington Capitals (40-21-5-85, first in Southeast, third in East) host the Pittsburgh Penguins (34-26-6-74, fourth in Atlantic, T-8 in East) at 3:00 p.m. from Verizon Center.

The Caps have lost three games in a row, all at home, all to teams lower in the standings. For a team that at one point had designs on catching Boston at the top of the conference, they are now in a scramble for second, as New Jersey holds a two-point advantage heading into Sunday's games.

Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is fighting for their playoff lives, not seeding. They are tied with the New York Rangers for the final playoff spot with 74 points, and just one point ahead of Buffalo looking in.

The Penguins have been playing very well of late, going 7-2-1 in their last ten games. The Pens haven't lost since losing to the Caps two weeks ago. They reeled off four straight wins with their captain, Sidney Crosby, on the shelf with a groin injury, and he chipped in with a goal upon his return Thursday night in a 4-1 over Florida.

The Capitals missed their most important piece, Alex Ovechkin, Thursday in a 2-1 loss to Toronto. After taking a slap shot to the heel in practice the previous day, he was held out of the Leafs game as a precaution. The team looked lost without their superstar, especially on the power play. Ovie is expected to play today, but coach Bruce Boudreau stopped short of guaranteeing that after the morning skate.

Defenseman Tom Poti will try to warm up before the game in an effort to play. If he can't get his sore groin loose enough to go, Tyler Sloan, recalled from AHL Hershey, will play.

Please visit DC Sports Box to read my game story, Capitals Drop Third Straight at Home; Lose to Toronto 2-1, complete with quotes from coach Boudreau, Alex Ovechkin, Sergei Fedorov and Eric Fehr.

The Caps put forth a much better effort last night with unfortunately the same result. This team is having a very difficult time finishing right now, and coach Boudreau described his players as grasping their sticks too tightly right now in his post game comments.

Missing Ovechkin and Poti hurt, for sure. The power play looked especially lost, like they just weren't sure who should shoot. Granted, Ovechkin is a HUGE part of this offense, but they did not lack for chances, as Fedorov went out of his way to mention last night. They just couldn't finish.

Bradley breaks a stick. Fleishmann, in a all too familiar refrain now, shot high on an open net. Fehr and Laich couldn't get any lift when they had Gerber down. The only forward that showed any crispness on passes was Semin.

Boudreau made a quip about one of his players (he failed to mention which one) being nervous a couple games back, to which he replied, if he's nervous now, what's he gonna feel like in the playoffs? But that's where the team is at right now, teetering between Ovechkin and Semin's swagger and some of the others not trusting their stuff.

Maybe the big division lead and lofty status in some power rankings got some of these guys thinking "Are we ready for this?". Maybe the national attention on Green during his streak had some guys doubting their own ability.

Whatever it is, really, they need to forget about it and get back to playing hockey. Just let the natural talent take back over. Because fewer teams in hockey are as naturally talented--top to bottom--as this team.

THIRD PERIOD

Semin draws a hooking at 1: 06, and immediately gives it back with a lazy high stick on Pavel Kubina. Four-on-four hockey. Fleischmann misses a wide open net on an odd-man rush.

Turnover by Erskine leads to a banked shot goal by Stempniak. Stempniak was on the goal line and banked it off Theo's skate. Time of goal 6:05. WAS 0- TOR 1.

Caps can't clear their own end, and Kubina gets a shot from the point through a maze of legs. Time of goal 9:47. WAS 0-TOR 2.

Toronto just had a flurry and hit the post twice--once with the original shot and then again on th rebound. Any energy the Caps had been playing with tonight has escaped. There's just no crispness whatsoever anymore.

The Caps just switched goalies with just over 2 minutes left. Almost immediately Neuvirth comes off to go empty net.

Semin finallyhits with 39 seconds remaining. Backstrom won the offensive zone draw and Seimn solved Gerber with a wrist shot. WAS 1-TOR 2 Timeof goal 19:21.

FINAL: WAS 1-TOR 2
SOG: WAS- 38; TOR-29

SECOND PERIOD

Laich got a good opportunity right off the bat, but Gerber knocked it aside.

Kozlov caught Finger up high on a follow though, leaving a trail of blood on the ice.

Schultz just stood someone up at the blue line. First time for everything.

Erskine takes a cross-cheack at 8:03. Schultz fell down at offensive blue line, giving Grabovsky a break-away. Fedorov hustled back to hassle him and Theo kicked it aside.

Fedorov takes a light hold at 12:20. One shot by the Leafs, swallowed up by Theo.

Caps get a power play at 15;56. Nothing to show for it.

SOG: WAS-23; TOR-17

FIRST PERIOD

The big news is that Ovechkin is scratched due to the foot injury at practice yesterday. Also, Tom Poti was scratched right at game time, probably due to the lingering groin injury, so the Caps will play down a skater.

Fedorov started at D and is paired with Jurcina. Here are the lines:

28/19/21
16/39/10
14/92/25
15/87

and 91/23, 55/4 and 52/26 on defense.

We get our first bit of controversy as Blake runs through Theodore and the rebound is pshed home by Mitchell. After the zebra conference they waived the goal off. Clearly goaltender interference.

PP at 18:22 goes fruitless. Caps will have 22 seconds with fresh ice.

SOG: WAS-13; TOR-9

Alex Ovechkin will miss tonight's home game vs. Toronto according to Caps.

Ovechkin is day-to-day with a foot injury incurred at Wednesday’s practice at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex.