Alex Ovechkin does not have a goal in the first two games of the Washington Capitals’ first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers. Unable to get open looks at Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin, the legendary sniper has registered just one shot in 38:49 of ice time.
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery acknowledged Ovechkin’s early-series struggles after Game Two, saying the team’s captain “looks a little bit off.” With the series shifting to DC, the Capitals will need Ovechkin to find some of his regular goal-scoring form again if they want to dig out of their 2-0 hole.
“Not good, but sometimes you just have to do what you can do out there,” he said. “Play physical, try to create open space for your linemates. But we’re all in the same boat. We all have to play better if we want to get success.
“We just have to calm down. Yeah, we’re a young team, but we still have an experienced team, you know. We have to calm down, play simple with the puck, don’t think about it too much, and it will come.”
Ovechkin hasn’t been a total net negative at five-on-five, even with his normal ability to create shots seemingly absent. With him on the ice, the Capitals have an edge in shot attempts (+3) and scoring chances (+1), per Natural Stat Trick. They are also dead even with the Rangers in goals and high-danger chances.
Carbery has kept Ovechkin on a line with Connor McMichael and TJ Oshie through the first two games and appears set to do the same for Game Three. Ovechkin and Oshie have just two shots combined at five-on-five and neither veteran has recorded an individual high-danger chance through two games.
“I think it’s just settle down a little bit, you know,” Ovechkin said. “You have to be more patient with the puck because we know, I know, we play against a good hockey team. They’re going to sacrifice their body. They’re going to play hard against our top lines, blocking shots, (playing) physical, and we just have to play simple and if we have the puck on our stick don’t throw it right away. Try to find the lane. We’ve been in this situation before, so we know how to handle it.”
On the power play, despite playing over 12:30 of ice time on the man advantage, Ovechkin has been unable to test Shesterkin. He has four shot attempts but they’ve all been blocked or sent wide of the Rangers’ cage.
New York’s ability to frustrate Washington’s leading goal scorer and the NHL’s all-time leader in shots on goal is something Carbery and his staff are trying to solve.
“I think we’ve got to do a better job of helping him, number one, as a coaching staff, linemates, teammates, of finding ways to get him the puck in certain situations,” Carbery said Thursday. “The second thing is just attacking as much as he can – taking a couple extra steps, threaten, change your shot angle. Him and I have had some good discussions about ways that he can get to the interior and get his shot off more frequently. And that’s power play included.
“He’s getting the puck and shooting it right away, where he may have an opportunity to take an extra step to the inside. And now you’ve changed your shot angle and now there’s no longer shin pads and a stick in your lane.”
Game Three is the first of the series at home for the Capitals: fans inside Capital One Arena could provide a much-needed boost for Ovechkin and the rest of his teammates. The Caps fared much better at home this year, going 22-12-7 compared to their 18-19-4 road record.
Ovechkin has scored 419 career home goals, good for the third-best all-time total. He scored 15 of his 31 goals at home this season.
“I’m always excited,” Ovechkin said. “It’s an exciting time for us, for our fans. We missed the playoffs last year, so it’s going to be a pretty cool atmosphere I’m pretty sure.”
