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Oates admits Caps missed Ovechkin in sixth straight loss

Alex Ovechkin, Adam Oates

Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin, right, of Russia, talks with coach Adam Oates during NHL hockey team practice at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va. Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The Capitals host the New York Rangers in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series on Thursday. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

AP

On paper, Alex Ovechkin missing Tuesday’s game with an injury was the last thing the ailing Washington Capitals needed, yet sometimes team rally when they lose their best player. That didn’t happen tonight, though, as the Ottawa Senators handed them their sixth consecutive loss 2-0.

After the game, Adam Oates admitted that Ovechkin’s absence was felt - especially on the power play - as CBS’ Sky Kerstein reports.

“I think we missed Ovi a little bit tonight, more than I thought we would because we handled it before,” Oates said.

The Capitals only have two goals in their last three games, with just one (John Carlson in a 5-1 loss on Jan. 17) coming from someone not named Ovechkin. They’ve been held to one goal or less in five of these six losses.

With that in mind, maybe the team as a whole is fortunate that the team’s goalie logjam has distracted many from what’s likely their true problem: scoring (or maybe just about everything other than goaltending):

If Washington wants to avoid slipping even deeper into this funk, they’ll need more from a host of different players.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins