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McPhee says lack of power plays ‘didn’t feel right'; Torts says Washington is ‘whining’

Washington Capitals Press Conference Introducing New Head Coach Dale Hunter

ARLINGTON, VA - NOVEMBER 28: Washington Capitals Vice President and General Manager George McPhee speaks to members of the media at Kettler Iceplex on November 28, 2011 in Arlington, Virginia. McPhee announced that Dale Hunter will become the new head coach of the Washington Capitals after Bruce Boudreau was fired. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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George McPhee doesn’t think there was a “league conspiracy,” against his team; however, the Capitals’ general manager did say today that “it didn’t feel right” when Washington didn’t get a single power play during Game 6 of its first-round series with the Rangers, who had the man advantage five times during that game.

New York won Game 6, 1-0, forcing a seventh-and-deciding contest at the Verizon Center, which the Rangers won easily, 5-0.

After Game 7, in a Russian-language interview, Caps captain Alex Ovechkin suggested the power-play differential in Game 6 was due to the NHL wanting the series to go the distance.

“Not saying there was a phone call, but they wanted Game 7,” he said, per Slava Malamud of Sport-Express. “For ratings. You know, lockout, escrow, league must make profit.”

Per the Washington Time’s Stephen Whyno, McPhee said he spoke to the league about the officiating during the series, but to no avail.

Meanwhile, it doesn’t sound like Rangers coach John Tortorella has much time for the Caps’ complaints.

“We’ve got everybody and their brother whining out there in Washington about what happened in that series,” said Tortorella, per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, “and I think that’s a big reason they lose that series.”