Capitals End 8 Game Skid By Beating the Sens 3-2

Added on Dec 20, 2010 by J Merrill in

NHL

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The Capitals can breathe a little easier after they ended their 8 game losing streak after beating the Senators 3-2 on Sunday night.

Mathieu Perreault scored twice, Eric Fehr had a goal and an assist when the Capitals scored three times in a 6:21 span early in the second to erase a 2-0 deficit. Washington had been held to 11 goals, with 2 disallowed, in their 0-6-2 losing streak. Perreault said that the win was for much more than the two points, and that it was important as a team. He said “We felt like we won a championship. We needed that win so much for our confidence and just for the team. That was a huge win for us.” He continued saying that they made a decision as a team to play a fantastic period, “We knew we had to win that game. After the first period we all regrouped and said, ‘OK guys, this has got to be our best period of the year.’ And I think that’s what we did.”

If you saw the ice after the game, it might have looked like the Caps were celebrating a playoff win, as they all took to the ice to celebrate around goalie Michal Neuvirth. Coach Bruce Boudreau said that he and the team will relax a little bit easier now that this is behind them, but he also feels they have ground to make up because of the skid. “In the sense that we’ll be able to sleep tonight I think it was a big win. And as a coach, just looking at the players’ faces and seeing them happy instead of grinding and everything it’s a huge win, but in the end it’s one win out of nine. It’s a relief for us but it’s not like we’re out of the woods.”

The Senators hadn’t lost in regulation in 4 games, and wen 2-0-2 in the run. It was Ryan Shannon and Chris Kelly who scored in the first for Ottawa. Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson felt they just couldn’t get the momentum going. He said “We got the start we wanted, they got some good breaks early in the second and that’s five minutes we would like to have back, but that’s the way it goes.” The Sens Captain also felt the Caps were putting on a little show for their HBO special leading up the winter classic, he said of the celebrating “I’m sure they know they’re on TV and they’ve got a show going on so that’s I’m sure a good reason.”

Neuvirth stopped 24 shots for Washington, which also had an apparent goal by Alex Ovechkin waived off in the second frame. Even though Oechkin admitted kicking it in, he said he would have taken it. He said “I kicked it. If it was in, it was in, I’ll take it. Why not?” He said the real goal was to win the game though, “When you get two points you’re just happy like a kid. We just want to win so bad.”

The Washington Capitals (19-12-4,42pts), who are 1st in Southeast Division, will face the New Jersey Devils (9-21-2, 20pts) on Tuesday. The Ottawa Senators (14-17-4,32pts), who are 3rd in Northeast Division, will face the Nashville Predators(17-9-6, 40pts) on Thursday.