Capitals coach Carbery fumes over 'embarrassing' collapse vs. Leafs
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Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery sounded off after his team blew a two-goal third-period lead on Wednesday and lost in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Capitals, who never trailed in regulation, allowed two goals in the final four minutes and nine seconds of the third period as the Maple Leafs forced overtime, where John Tavares scored the game winner.
“The way that that game played out, just embarrassing,” Carbery said. “Flat out. That’s unrecognizable from our team.
"Playing a team on the second of [a] back-to-back. Third period the way that that looked and [losing] the two-goal lead. Embarrassing.”
The Maple Leafs pushed back hard in the third period, seeing two goals disallowed in the frame. Steven Lorentz had his goal taken off the board when it was ruled he used his leg to propel the puck past Washington netminder Logan Thompson and Matthew Knies had a goal disallowed on a high-stick. Leafs head coach Craig Berube said post-game he believes both goals should have counted.
"The one Lorentz scored, I don't understand that call," Berube said. "If you look at the rule, a kicking motion is a skate, right. This wasn't a skate. It's a shin pad. So, I don't get it."
Berube credited his team with sticking with it in the face of the adversity.
On the opposite the Captials were left to lament their effort level in a third period in which the team was outshot 17-7 by Toronto.
“We started to make some unacceptable plays we usually don’t make and it started to fall apart,” forward Aliaksei Protas said. “We had chances to close this game out and didn’t. It’s on us. We’ve got to move forward and learn from it.”
“Obviously feeling pretty good up 3-1,” added Dylan Strome. “Made some mistakes. Just didn’t get the puck in deep.”
Wednesday's loss dropped the Capitals to 10-4-1 on the season and 7-2-1 on home ice, while the Maple Leafs improved to 10-6-2.
Washington will look to bounce back on Friday against the Colorado Avalanche in the first of a three-game western road trip.