Avalanche Rolls Over Capitals

The Washington Capitals lost their second game in a row on Day 48, falling to the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on home ice. The loss drops Washington below .500 at 10-11-3 for the season.

Washington dominated the opening 20 minutes, outshooting Colorado 13-5, but the Caps couldn't put one in the net. A five-minute power play late in the action gave Washington their best chance, but it wasn't to be as the Avalanche penalty killers did a great job to kill off Kasparaitis' charging major.

Colorado took the lead after just six seconds of the second period when Straka scored from Forsberg and Pitkanen. The Capitals answered just 1:52 later to even the score on Marleau's goal from Anson Carter and Rob Blake, but the Avs regained the lead 6:08 later as Isbister netted his fourth of the season from Kaparaitis and Reinprecht at 8:06. Washington pushed hard for the tying goal again, but it wasn't until a late penalty to Ternavsky that the Caps would convert. Artem Chubarov got the goal on the power play from Mark Eaton and Ivan Rachunek at 19:13 to make it 2-2 going to the intermission.

The Avalanche regained th lead quickly in the final period. Straka was the scorer, netting his second of the game and 10th of the season, from Forsberg and Foote at 2:06. Washington peppered the Colorado goal for the rest of the period, but Manny Fernandez stood tall to preserve the victory.

Fernandez made 33 saves for Colorado to improve to 7-13-0. Manny Legace stopped 21 shots in the loss for Washington.

The Capitals are back in action on Day 50 against the Phoenix Coyotes.