The loss Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets was a tough pill to swallow especially coming off a 7-1 blowout of the Penguins just after losing to the Blue Jackets in OT a few days earlier.

The Capitals were in control of the game after Ovechkin scored to make it 2-1. However, a horrible high-sticking call on Nicklas Backstrom gave the Jackets a PP with less than two minutes to play, and the best power play unit in the league cashed in to win the game.

After such a dominating win against Pittsburgh, we were all sure that the Caps would begin to start rolling along on one of their regular season win streaks. You know the one, where they can almost score at will and Braden Holtby looks virtually unbeatable; but it just wasn't the case on Sunday.

Something just isn't right with the way the Capitals are playing. Something is off.

Besides one of the leagues worst power plays and their leading defensive goal scorer is Karl Alzner (2), Washington has been pining for offense from one of their star players, their leading scorer from last year, Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Through 18 games this season, Kuznetsov has 2 goals and 5 assists, a far cry from the 77 point performance from last year.

Kuznetsov just hasn't been the same dynamic player we saw last season. You can chalk it up to being drained from the World Cup or even bitter at his poor performance in last years post-season. Whatever excuse you want to make for him, Kuznetsov just isn't getting it done.

His effort seems to be there, but it almost feels as if he's left his decision making in the locker room every night. There are too many missed opportunities to shoot the puck and, instead, to make the pretty passing play instead.

Teams are also on to him and how sneaky and almost 'eel-like' he can be with the puck. It reminds me a little of when Ovechkin was forced to change the way he plays the game, although Ovie was still able to produce.

In a shocking stat (besides being on a 31-point pace currently), Kuznetsov has just 3-goals and 18-assists in his last 50-games.

Yeah.

The Capitals have spent years leaning on Ovechkin and Backstrom for offense. Many players have come and gone, and the secondary scoring has improved tremendously, however the Caps now need to lean on the play of Kuznetsov and Andre Burakovsky (2-5-7). These two will eventually be the faces of the Washington Capitals, and this franchise will need to rely on them to carry the Caps as Ovechkin's and Backstrom's game slowly begins to decline.

Right now, Kuznetsov just isn't getting it done, and in a contract year he's going to have to get it together as the Capitals window for the Cup is quickly shutting.

More to come...

Join the Discussion: » 2 Comments » Post New Comment

» Karl Alzner to play in 500th consecutive game tonight

» Alex Ovechkin gets his 1,000th NHL point

» Ovechkin, Holtby tagged to play in All-star game

» Ovechkin has tied The Rocket for 29th all-time

» Is Braden Holtby as good as he was last year?