Ovechkin: We can come back

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin believes in his coach, which is why Washington's super sniper echoed Bruce Boudreau's analogy to the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes when talking about the Capitals chances of coming back against the New York Rangers.

Like Washington, Carolina was the second seed in the East in 2006 after winning the Southeast Division title. Like Washington, the '06 Hurricanes lost the first two games of their best-of-seven Quarterfinal series in their home barn.

Carolina answered by ripping off seven straight wins -- with a rookie goalie in net no less -- and eventually won the Stanley Cup.

The Capitals, who lost 1-0 to the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon with rookie Simeon Varlamov in net, will try to rebound from a 2-0 series deficit Monday night in Madison Square Garden.

The odds aren't in their favor. In the NHL, teams have come back to win a seven-game series after going down 2-0 only 12.7 percent of the time (37 for 291). The Capitals have never won a series when trailing 2-0; the Rangers have lost just once.

"Anything can happen," Ovechkin said Saturday after the Rangers won for the second straight time at Verizon Center. "We didn't lose the series here. Like our coach said, Carolina won the Stanley Cup and they lost two in a row before bouncing back. You never know what is going to happen. You never give up."

Ovechkin is trying to paint a positive picture by saying he's not shocked that the Capitals are down 2-0 despite opening the series at home. He knows how close they were in losing 4-3 on Wednesday night and 1-0 Saturday.

"Every game it's only one puck, one goal to beat their team," said No. 8, who also brought up the fact that the Caps were down 3-1 to Philadelphia last season but rebounded to tie the series before losing Game 7 in overtime at Verizon Center.

"I know our team never gives up," Ovechkin added. "It's a war right now. We are fighting and playing hard, but we lose the game."

Instead of giving the entire Rangers' team credit, Ovechkin is tossing it all in Henrik Lundqvist's direction by again saying the All-Star goalie stole the game for the Rangers, who did manage to block 29 shots in front of King Henrik.

"He played great," said Ovechkin, who has had 19 shots stopped by Lundqvist in the two games and 17 more blocked. "He saved the game."

In order for the Caps to rebound in New York and force this series to come back to the Verizon Center, Ovechkin said it's fairly simple what they have to do.

"It's going to be a hard road trip, but we have to try to score goals," he said. "That's what it's all about. If you don't score you lose the game."

Contact Dan Rosen at [email protected]