For Caps Game 4 Must be Treated as Game 7

Well the New York Rangers got the game 3 win and could be on the verge of turning the series around with a game 4 win Wednesday night.  While at times the Rangers did get, what some may say, lucky goals the fact is that the Caps were out shot 35 to 25 and it seemed that most of the play was spent in Caps defensive zone.  The Caps also reverted back to there bad habit of taking stupid and uneeded penalties. For Bruce Boudreau and the rest of the Capitals the formula is simple win game 4 and take the series win with game 5 at home, of course easier said then done.

There are multiple reasons why the Caps must treat game 4 as a game 7.  The most obvious one is that with a game 4 win, by the Rangers, that guarantees a game 6 back at MSG.  Therefore making it a long series and possibly another 7 game series for the Caps.  Also, the longer the series goes the more likely that Henrik Lundqvist  continues to get hotter and hotter as a goaltender.  The Caps  need to think about conserving there energy if they are to win the cup, by making it a quick sereis.  It's been evident that this series has been very physical and the physicality will most likely continue for the rest of the series.  With that being said the Caps need to limit there bumps and bruises by ending the series as quickly as possible, especially with the possibility of playing another physical team in the Montreal Canadiens in the next round.  With a game 7 mentality, that means the Caps will be more focused, less likely to commit dumb penalties and play as team instead of relying on the individuals talent, thank you Herb Brooks.  Look at the focus Ovechkin had in game 1, that type of focus rubbed off on the rest of the team and they played well for most of game 1 and all of game 2.  If the Caps can take that type of focus and get that killer instinct, while playing this game like a game 7 this team is unstoppable.  With a game 4 loss, all the talk and questions are going to come again.  Why can't the Caps hold on to a lead in a playoff series?  That is the last thing that the players and coaching staff need to be ask about in a playoff series.  If the Caps take this series in 5 games then all of that talk of not holding onto a series lead will be gone. 

To win games 4 and 5 the Caps must get back to what they were doing in game 2 and in the second half of game 1.  They need to be the ones that come out a throw the first hit and kill the Rangers will physically. Come out with game 7 intensity to cancel out the Rangers intensity from playing in front of there fans.  The Caps can not be playing in there defensive end of the ice for the majority of the time as what happened on Sunday and that was part of the reason for dumb penalties because of the tired legs.  Which brings me to my next point. Backstrom, Knuble and Hendricks all took stupid penalties on Sunday, Stanley Cup winning teams don't do that type of crap, which is exactly what it is.  Knuble on the pk had no one around him when he was attempting to clear the puck, so if there's no one around you why did Knuble decide to try to bounce it off the glass?  Makes no sense to me just shoot the puck down the ice, no need to be fancy in that situation.  For Backstrom the play was already ahead of him, as Karl Alzner defended Marian Gaborik  perfectly, but Backstrom just had to commit the hook or slash on the Rangers player entering the zone, once again dumb.  I will say the Matt Hendriks penalty was a little bit questionable, but don't put yourself in that position.  Offense hasn't been that bad so far this series, but I will say there is no way that this Rangers team should be outshooting our offense by 10 shots.  Yes the Rangers have a great defensive line pairing of Staal and Girardi, but the Caps were able to have a great offensive performance in game 2.  Yes I know the Rangers now have the advantage of last line change, but that's were the second and third lines of the Caps must score in game 4.  I would like to see the Caps try to get Lundqvist's head a little, crash the net more, give "The King" a little love tap or two just to mess with him and possibly throw him off of his game. 

I know that I personally said that Caps will in 7 games, but man would it be nice to win a series 3-1 especially when playing a team like the Rangers.  Wednesday we will be able to tell if we are going to be in it for the long haul or if the Caps have finally learned how to get a lead in the series and keep the lead.