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Next man pp: Spencer Carbery is confident in Washington Capitals without Martin Fehervary
Photo credit: Imagn Images
As the Washington Capitals prepare to face the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they'll be playing without a key piece of their blue line in the second game.
Martin Fehervary will miss time with a lower-body injury which is leaving a noticeable hole in the Capitals' top four but head coach Spencer Carbery isn't flinching.
Instead, he delivered a strong message of belief in his group.
«We can absolutely still win,» Carbery said. «Obviously, Marty is an important piece of what we do, but we've built a group that can handle adversity. It's next man up.»
Martin Fehervary has been a steady and physical presence on Washington's back end by logging major minutes against top competition.
His skating, defensive instincts and penalty killing have been a crucial part of the Capitals' structure and replacing him won't be easy but Spencer Carbery remains focused on the bigger picture.
«Throughout the season, we've dealt with injuries, we've had guys step up, and we've found ways to win hockey games,» he added. «This is no different. The stakes are higher, yes, but the mindset stays the same.»
Washington will lean more heavily on veterans like Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen in Fehervary's absence while a call-up or depth defenseman may be put into the third pair.
Spencer Carbery emphasized that the team's identity which is structured, disciplined, and opportunistic doesn't rely on one player.
The Capitals may be shorthanded, but their coach isn't backing down and with Game 1 just now in the pocket, Spencer Carbery is leaning on culture, experience and confidence and this is exactly what a playoff run demands.
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| POLL | ||
AVRIL 22 | 49 ANSWERS Next man pp: Spencer Carbery is confident in Washington Capitals without Martin Fehervary Do you think Martin Fehervary is a big loss for the Washington Capitals? | ||
| Yes | 44 | 89.8 % |
| No | 5 | 10.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
