Capitals' HC Spencer Carbery reflects on Alex Ovechkin's disappointing playoff performance

This postseason journey ended in disappointment for Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. The New York Rangers swept his team without giving it a chance to win. Among the narratives emerging from this defeat is the assessment of Capitals' head coach Spencer Carbery regarding Ovechkin's performance.

In a post-game analysis, Carbery candidly expressed his thoughts on the veteran forward's playoff performance:

"That was a lot. Especially the last two weeks where every game felt like life and death for our team. I felt like that took a lot out of him physically and mentally."

Ovechkin was stifled by the Rangers' defense and the goaltending of Igor Shesterkin.

Despite his best efforts, he could only land five shots on goal in four games. He has never scored zero points in the 15 playoffs that he has played.

The Capitals' disappointing exit from the playoffs mirrored their performance this season. Ovechkin's contributions were average throughout the regular season, with 31 goals and 34 assists for 65 points.

Regarding his historic chase of Wayne Gretzky's 894 goals, there's a large possibility Ovechkin will surpass that. He has 853 career goals and should likely break this record next season.

Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals's 4-2 loss to Rangers

The New York Rangers secured a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 4 of the series. The team has advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs.

Artemi Panarin's power-play goal proved decisive, with Igor Shesterkin's goaltending and Jack Roslovic's late empty-netter sealing the win. Although Mika Zibanejad appreciated the team's consistency, he thought there was room for improvement.

The Rangers now get extra rest and practice time. Trocheck, Shesterkin and Panarin were instrumental to the team's victory, with Kakko also contributing significantly.

After the loss, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin explained why he couldn't help the team score goals.

“I don’t know,” Ovechkin said, “I don’t have that kind of touches. I try to find a different way to put the puck in.”

The Rangers' depth and determination helped them win, while the Capitals fell short.