Caps In The Playoffs: Game 2, Round 1: Jose TheoDon'tLetTheDoreHitYouInTheAssOnYourWayOut

Another disappointing loss for the Caps to the New York Rangers today, this time by a 1-0 score. In contrast to game one the culprit was not the goaltending, it was the offense. Maybe the problem was that Bruce Boudreau didn't insert himself into the lineup. While the Caps were able to get 35 shots, same as last game, very few of those were anywhere close to going in. In short, Henrik Lundqvist was fantastic.

But that doesn't absolve the Caps. You wouldn't want to say that a team that takes 35 shots was taking it easy on the opposing goaltender because, you know, that would be wrong. But it isn't too far off. Even Lundqvist himself knew it, saying, "There's no secrets in the playoffs. Everybody knows how you have to score. You have to pay a price for it." This implies the Caps weren't willing to pay that price, and I'm not sure I have a quarrel with that statement.

The playoffs aren't the time to get cute. Sure you can score pretty goals in the playoffs, sometimes those are the only ones that will go in, but sometimes a goalie is on his game so much so that second and third chances are your only hope of beating him. This was the case tonight and the Caps had very few second chances and zero third chances. On the few occasions where there were rebounds there was nobody there to put the puck back on net. If the Caps are going to have a chance to avoid a sweep that absolutely must change.

But that isn't the big news. In my post on game one I wrote, "I'd be shocked if [Jose] Theodore isn't in goal for the Caps on Saturday." Well consider me officially shocked. Bruce Boudreau went out on a limb, opting to start 20 year old rookie Simeon Varlamov over incumbant starter Jose Theodore. It's not how I (or many others) would have done it, but for the moment it turned out well. The only goal Varlamov allowed and sadly the only goal of the entire game, came on a two on one. When the defender took out one of the on-coming Rangers making it essentially a one on none, Varlamov had to go post to post and block a shot up over his shoulder. Predictably he wasn't able to do it. Not many other goalies would have either.

Overall, Varlamov played very well. He should start game three in New York. But like tonight, that won't matter one bit if the Caps aren't able to put the puck past Henrik Lundqvist.