Cap's Hoping for 'Snowball' Effect
Cassidy Is Optimistic About His Offense After Monday's 4-1 Victory
By Jason La Canfora
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 26, 2003; Page D07
Washington Capitals Coach Bruce Cassidy rotated three offensive lines for much of Monday's 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens and all three lines put the puck in the net, the perfect antidote to the club's recent scoring problems.
The Capitals have searched all season for additional support for leading scorer Jaromir Jagr. Occasionally, multiple lines create chances but rarely are all three units effective on the attack at even strength. Scoring balance is critical as Washington prepares for a playoff push, and getting production from players such as Peter Bondra and Steve Konowalchuk, who emerged from lengthy slumps Monday night, is a must.
"When a line scores they tend to be happy, and now I've got three happy lines today," Cassidy said after yesterday's practice. "That leads to a more positive locker room and less talk about not scoring. I'm sure for Peter Bondra it's a load off his mind and he probably could have had two or three [goals Monday] night, and that's good. Maybe that will snowball."
Washington had lost three straight and four of five before Monday's victory, scoring a total of seven goals in that span. The team did not score three goals in any of those five games, much less get goals from three lines.
The Capitals are 14-1 when getting goals from players on three lines, which includes their two wins over teams ahead of them in the standings (New Jersey and Philadelphia). They are 8-1 when getting even-strength goals from three lines through 64 games, something that has happened with no regularity.
Most of the team's forwards are mired in a scoring slump of some sort.
Bondra, the all-time franchise leader in goals, is having an inconsistent season and had not scored in seven games prior to Monday night. Bondra's usual teammates on the second line are also in a funk; Dainius Zubrus has two goals in his last 15 games and Michael Nylander has three goals in the last 17 games, and the line has been challenged by Cassidy to produce more.
"I didn't take anything personally," Bondra said. "I know what my job is and at that point we concentrated too much on scoring and we should concentrate more on playing defensively."
The other line to receive a bulk of ice time, the checking line, was also struggling before Konowalchuk scored Monday. That goal was the captain's second in the last 18 games, while his center, Jeff Halpern, has only three goals in his last 32 games and right wing Mike Grier has two goals in the last 22 games.
"Besides our first line we haven't had enough production from our other three lines," Konowalchuk said. "I know we all have certain jobs to do out there, but if we're going to be a really good team we've got to find a way to get production from all our lines, maybe not every night, but we do have to chip in every once in a while.
"A lot of times my line is checking and we don't always think offense first, but against good teams especially we've got to help. Definitely my line and Bondra's line have got to pitch in and help out Jagr's line down the stretch here."
Washington's recent power-play woes have also influenced the slowed output. The Capitals have scored one power-play goal in the last 10 games, going 1 for 29 in that span.
Capitals Notes: Winger Kip Miller participated in non-contact drills yesterday before visiting a hand specialist. Miller's right hand was slashed Saturday night and the full results of the tests will be available today. "We don't think it's anything long term, but we just wanted to get it checked out and make sure," General Manager George McPhee said. . . . Defenseman Ken Klee (back spasms) practiced yesterday but might not be well enough to play tonight. . . . Defenseman Jean-Francois Fortin (back spasms) practiced again and is close to a return but remains on the injured reserved list.
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