be out of the playoffs if the season ended now.Were disappointed

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Even if Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals have earned a reputation for quick exits, at least theyve been making the playoffs year after year. Thats not a given this time. And the team is well aware of it: Every time players set foot in the practice facility, they come face to face with a display showing where Washington stands. On Thursday, the Capitals had 70 points, good enough only for 11th place in the 16-team Eastern Conference. The top eight teams qualify for the post-season. "Weve got a board in our dressing room here that says the standings. You walk by it six, seven times a day," right wing Troy Brouwer said. "So theres no way to be immune to whats going on." Washington hasnt missed the playoffs since the 2006-07 season, although its never been past the second round in that span. At the moment, the fading Capitals have won only one of their last six games heading into Friday night against the visiting Vancouver Canucks, who are 10th in the West. "The desperate level," Brouwer said, "is getting up there." Washington has 15 games left in the regular season. Its not a particularly easy schedule, either, with 10 games against teams currently in playoff position, including a daunting March 18-22 road trip to Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose. "Obviously, were very concerned," coach Adam Oates said. "But the one good thing about hockey is tomorrows another game and you cant get too far ahead or dwell too much on it, because youve got to play tomorrow. Its a must win tomorrow." There have been various problems lately, including poor passing and puck possession, leading to turnovers and a lack of shots on goal. Also glaring: Ovechkins sudden lack of scoring. The three-time NHL MVP and team captain leads the league with 44 goals, but he has been held without a point in each of the last four games, matching his worst drought this season. So whats it going to take to get things turned in the right direction before its too late? "It can be one big hit," said Ovechkin, whos been known to dole those out. "Or it can be one good play and everybody (wakes) up and everybody (plays) much better." In a bid to help the playoff push, general manager George McPhee added goalie Jaroslav Halak and left wing Dustin Penner in separate deals at the trade deadline this month, then finally signed 2010 first-round draft pick Evgeny Kuznetsov. But there hasnt been a payoff yet. Penner was thought to be destined for the top forward line, alongside Ovechkin and centre Nicklas Backstrom. But Oates said Thursday, "I dont think he matches well with them." Asked to elaborate, Oates replied: "Hes not the fastest guy in the world. Hes a puck-possession, battle-along-the-wall guy, and I think (Ovechkin and Backstrom) need a quicker guy." Halak, meanwhile, has made three consecutive starts over Braden Holtby. Oates wouldnt say who would be in net Friday. Holtby said all the right things Thursday, though -- about Halak "giving us a chance to win, whenever he plays"; about how "I want to learn from" Halak; about how theres no rivalry between the pair. Holtby also gave a frank assessment about what Washington needs to do now. "Everyone knows," Holtby said, "that we have to have at least 10 wins, probably, in these last 15 -- or more -- to have a chance." Notes: D Dmitry Orlov signed a $4 million, two-year contract extension. "Good for him," Ovechkin said, "and good for us." Orlov was suspended by the NHL for two games this month after launching into an opponent and drawing a major penalty that helped the Flyers rally for a 5-4 overtime victory. ... C Brooks Laich, who missed two of the last four games with a groin injury, saw a doctor and will be monitored day by day, according to Oates. Its possible Laich will play Friday. ... C Mikhail Grabovski skated before Thursdays practice as he deals with a left ankle injury. "Until he can practice with us, I think hes a ways away," Oates said. Nike Tn Shoes Nz .Patterson marked his anniversary by proving his worth — once again.Lou Williams poured in 26 points, and Patterson drained two huge three-pointers late in the fourth quarter, as the Raptors topped the Denver Nuggets 112-107 in overtime Monday. Cheap Vapormax Nz .com) - Patrick Reed poured in a 19-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole Monday to defeat Jimmy Walker and win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. http://www.airvapormaxnz.com/air-max-tn-sale-nz.html . -- Olympic medallist Jennifer Abel of Laval, Que. Vapormax 2019 Nz . -- Albert Pujols is thrilled to have a reason to forget about his first two disappointing seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. Vapormax Flyknit 3 Nz . Bibeau, Torontos sixth-round pick at No. 172 overall in last years draft, was named the outstanding goaltender of the 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup.SAN JOSE, Calif. - A matchup with their fiercest rival was all it took for the San Jose Sharks to get their intensity back.Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski scored power-play goals to send the Sharks into the NHL All-Star break on a winning note with a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.We needed this game, Pavelski said. We know its going to be a competitive game when we play them and it needs to be that way. But it needs to be that way every night. Guys shored up and did that. Weve got to bottle it every night, weve got to compete.The Sharks had lacked that in recent games, losing back-to-back at home against Calgary and New Jersey. But they responded with a complete game against the Kings.Logan Couture scored twice and Antti Niemi made 15 of his 26 saves in the third period.Right off the start, the competition level was there, Pavelski said. When thats there and guys are engaged, all the small stuff seems to take care of itself.Dustin Brown and Jeff Carter scored for the Kings, who have lost seven of eight, although four came after regulation. Jonathan Quick made 21 saves.We have to do a better job in certain areas, defenceman Robyn Regehr said. We cant afford to give up two power-play goals and expect to win, especially on the road. We can all just do a better job.With the teams locked in a one-goal game in the third period, Pavelski gave the Sharks some needed insurance after Drew Doughty negated a Los Angeles power play by high-sticking Couture.The Sharks put pressure on Quick, who came out of his net to stop a shot by Marleau. Pavelski got to the rebound and knocked it in the open net for the 5,000th regular-season goal in San Jose history.Carter scored a power-play goal with 22.4 seconds to play but Couture got credit for an empty-net goal when he was hooked by Doughty in the closing seconds to seal it.The Sharks blew chances to build on a 1-0 lead when they failed to get shots off on a pair of 2-on-1 rushes, and Quick stopped Couture on a breakaway.dddddddddddd That proved costly when the Kings got the equalizer midway through the second on a wraparound by Brown.But Marleau answered when he redirected Coutures shot past Quick to give San Jose a 2-1 lead. It was just the second goal in 20 games for Marleau and his first on the power play since Nov. 8.The Kings made their only trip of the regular season to the Shark Tank and first since completing the comeback from a 3-0 series deficit by winning Game 7 of the first round here last April.That sent Los Angeles on its way to a second Stanley Cup title in three seasons and San Jose to a summer of soul-searching. Both teams have been inconsistent so far this season and fighting for playoff position in the tough Western Conference.San Jose goes into the break in second place in the Pacific Division with 56 points. Los Angeles is in fifth with 52 and would be out of the playoffs if the season ended now.Were disappointed in where we are in the standings right now, centre Anze Kopitar said. We have to take the next few days to figure that out. Its time to play desperate coming out of the break.There was good energy from the start with fans starting the Beat L.A.! chants before the opening faceoff, and Los Angeles Kyle Clifford getting into an early scrap with Brenden Dillon.Shortly after that fight, Couture gave San Jose the lead when he skated past Alec Martinez and beat Quick with a shot to the short side for his 17th goal.We have to capture that and be prepared to bring it to the rink after the break every night because its shaping up to be a very tight conference, coach Todd McLellan said.NOTES: It was Metallica Night with members of the band on hand to drop the opening puck and take part in other events. ... Niemi got his second assist of the season and seventh in his career on Coutures goal. ... The teams will play once more in the Bay Area next month in an outdoor game at Levis Stadium. ' ' '