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Fans outraged as several Washington Capitals players skip practice after Game 1 loss
Photo credit: Washington Hockey Now
The dust has settled on Game 1 of the Washington Capitals second-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, where the team suffered a tough 2-1 overtime loss. Following the defeat, many fans expected to see the full roster on the ice for this morning's optional skate to work on key issues from the game - but that wasn't the case.
From the initial puck drop, the Washington Capitals looked disjointed, struggling to find ways to keep pace with Carolina's high-powered offence.
Following last night's 2-1 overtime loss, head coach Spencer Carbery didn't hide his disgust, calling it a "team-wide" defeat. The expectation was that the entire squad would be on the ice today to make adjustments.
Instead, in a disappointing development, sources indicate a large part of the Capitals core chose not to take part in this morning's optional skate.
Washington Capitals players skip practice
Players like Alexander Ovechkin, Brandon Duhaime, Anthony Beauvillier, and Logan Thompson opted out from practice, sparking concerns about the team's commitment to winning.
Look, I get it - the playoffs are physically demanding. But after last night's rough outing against the Canes', you'd think every player would be eager to get back to work. It's a bit surprising how many players opted out of today's "optional" skate.
According to Ryan Leonard, the team did hold a thorough video session, but personally, I'm not convinced that's enough.
It should be interesting to see how the Caps' respond in Game 2. Hopefully, we see a team that comes out with a lot more energy.
More details to follow.
| POLL | ||
MAI 7 | 53 ANSWERS Fans outraged as several Washington Capitals players skip practice after Game 1 loss Are you upset that multiple Washington Capitals missed this morning's optional skate? | ||
| Yes | 27 | 50.9 % |
| No | 26 | 49.1 % |
| List of polls | ||