Game 4 - Rangers 4 Caps 3

It would be tough to describe that game without using the word 'cluster'.

A perfect illustration of why I predicted the Caps to fall short of a cup this year.

Their performance was so far removed from what they showed on opening night against the Bruins one could be excused from wondering if it was the same team.

And it was pretty much a team loss. Here's the laundry list of bad news.

• Defensemen were constantly out of position. (When the home team announcer is giving the defense a 'D+' grade you know you've got issues - and that was before the third period Charlie Foxtrot.)
• They took fewer penalties - but still bad ones. Boyd Gordon, of all people, taking a third period offensive zone penalty that lead to a goal for the second straight game! Mike Green (by my count) took his third bad penalty in four games.
• No production past the first line.
• Weak goaltending when it counted.
• The PP wilted under an aggressive Rangers PK.
• A blown third period lead.

This is not a disciplined team. When they encounter success - particularly goal-scoring success - they begin to deconstruct into little individual units. One might argue that its silly to start panicking four games into the season - but what gives concern is that these are the same issues that dogged the team last year and - after playing most of the first two games like they had committed to smarter hockey - they've reverted to the type of play that saw them get pushed to seven games by the Rangers last Spring and give up a 2-0 advantage to the Pens.

One could argue all day whether the defensive problems are the result of the coaching and his system, the quality of the players, or both. I've always been of the opinion that defense can be coached, but at some point you have to ask if the system in place is appropriate for the personnel that you have.