Chemistry in sports can be a fickle mistress. The Washington Capitals were Exhibit A tonight, turning in one of their worst first periods in a very long time and a messy game overall.
The trade of Chris Clark and Milan Jurcina to Columbus caught the players — even those involved in the trade — by surprise, and the team was out of sync when the puck dropped against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Caps clearly have excellent chemistry in the locker room; there’s a clear sense of camaraderie, and many socialize on their off days as well. On the ice the connection is even more apparent, as players often seem to sense passing and shooting lanes before said lanes even open.
Of course, things went awry during the Caps’ 6-3 loss to the Hurricanes. Some will point to the Caps’ past few games of dominating good teams (New Jersey, Buffalo) and think the team underestimated Carolina . . . perhaps understandable given Carolina’s road record, but still a patent...
Original Story:
