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ARLINGTON, Va. -- Alex Ovechkin apologized for Russias hockey performance at the Olympics, a sentiment put in perspective by the encouraging news that his father was on the way home after heart surgery. Far more upset was Nicklas Backstrom, who remains clearly miffed that an allergy medication hes taken for years cost him a chance to play for a gold medal. The Washington Capitals held their first post-Olympics practice Tuesday, a session overshadowed by residue from the Winter Games even as they tried to focus on the resumption of their NHL schedule. Ovechkin was one of the faces of Sochi, bent on winning the gold on home ice. Instead, the Russians were eliminated in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive Olympics. "First of all, I want to say sorry to the fans," Ovechkin said. "Because its once in a lifetime opportunity to represent your country in the Olympics, and you didnt get the results, you didnt get any medal. Of course the fans, the media and the people who support Russia, family, was upset, but life goes on." Ovechkin took the Olympic disappointment especially hard four years ago, but this time he had to immediately turn his attention to his family. His father, who has a history of heart problems, became ill following one of his sons games and required surgery. Ovechkin wasnt told until three days later, after Russia had been eliminated. "Soon as I found out that hes in hospital and hes feeling not that good and he could be dying, I just forget the game that we lose against Finland. ... Just go there and spend time with him and saw him," Ovechkin said. "It was great feelings to see whats happening and how hes feeling. Thats most important thing." Ovechkin said his father, mother and brother were flying home to Moscow on Tuesday. Ovechkin said he understands the criticism he received for his play during the Olympics -- "I didnt score lots of goals out there" -- but the 28-year-old three-time league MVP appears ready to refocus on the Capitals, who resume play Thursday at Florida. "This is a very tough loss for me and for Russia, but Im almost 30," Ovechkin said. "I have to handle it. I have to fight through it." The lingering Olympic sting was more evident on the face of Backstrom, who helped lead Sweden to the gold medal game but was pulled from the lineup shortly before faceoff because he had failed a doping test. Without one of its top players, Sweden lost 3-0 to Canada. "Ive had allergies for seven years, since I got here," Backstrom said. "Everyone that lives in the Washington area knows how bad it is here. Ive been taking Zyrtec-D for the last seven years and I havent been doing anything differently. Ive been playing internationally, in the world championships (and) Olympics before, and so I havent done anything differently." An ingredient in the allergy medicine is on the list of banned substances for Olympic competition, but Backstrom said he was told by the Sweden team doctor that he could take one pill a day without triggering a positive test. "Who do I blame?" Backstrom said. "Well, I followed the doctors recommendation." Backstrom said he expects a two-week wait to find out whether he will be awarded his silver medal, which is being held at the International Ice Hockey Federation offices in Zurich. "Obviously, its not fun to deal with," Backstrom said. "I dont wish no one to have to go through this, if Im going to be honest with you. Its not fun. But Ive got to look forward to play next game on Thursday. Ive got to focus on Washington right now." Backstroms teammates, much like the international hockey community in general, were shocked at how his situation was handled. "Its just ridiculous that it can happen at a big tournament like this," forward Martin Erat said, "at the Olympics just before the finals when everybody is ready to go and you just want to enjoy the sport. It just happened because of some stupidity, and its just unbelievable that this can happen in the Olympics." The Capitals sent five players to Sochi, and four of them have dealt with some sort of unexpected life event that has derailed an attempt to return to normalcy after the Olympics. Ovechkin had the health scare with his father, Backstrom has the fallout from the doping test, Swedish forward Marcus Johansson is stuck in Stockholm because of an visa issue -- the Capitals expect him to join them in Florida for Thursdays game -- and Erat returned to his family in Nashville, Tenn., as soon as he could after the Czech Republic was eliminated. "We just finished our quarterfinal game, and I went for my phone, and our friend had called me and said your baby girl, Victoria Bella, is born," Erat said. "First we lost in the quarterfinal, it was hard to swallow, and when I got the news, it brought back a smile on my face." Cheap NFL Jerseys .Former NBA forward Morris Peterson has been added to TSNs Toronto Raptors broadcast team. Cheap NFL Jerseys From China . The Canadian skicross racer appeared to have the bronze medal locked up in the mens final at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, only to wipe out while trying to make a pass in the biggest moment of his career. http://www.cheapchinawholesalenfljerseys.com/. Not bad for a defenceman. The goal, that is. Although the shuffling dance steps werent bad, either. Barrie scored 55 seconds into overtime, Semyon Varlamov stopped 29 shots, and the Avalanche moved a step closer to their first playoff berth in four years with a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night. NFL Jerseys China . Saskatchewans Darian Durant is expected to miss the rest of the Roughriders season with a torn tendon in his right elbow. The 32-year-old, who will undergo surgery in the next couple days to repair the injury, was added to the teams six-game injury list Tuesday. China NFL Wholesale . This weeks Raptors Report puts a bow on Gays brief, 10-month tenure in Toronto and ponders how his absence will affect the teams offence. Are they a better team without him? In addition to acquiring some valuable cap flexibility, what impact will the four incoming players have this season and beyond? Click here for the Dec.BOSTON - The Boston Bruins went to the TD Garden for Game 7 of their playoff series against Montreal knowing that someones season would end. They just never considered it might be theirs. "Oh, its tough to swallow," defenceman Johnny Boychuk said after a 3-1 loss to the Canadiens eliminated the Bruins. "We have such a good team. It shouldnt be." With two trips to the Stanley Cup finals in three years and the NHLs best record this regular season, the Bruins have established themselves among the leagues elite. Defenceman Zdeno Chara, forward Patrice Bergeron and goalie Tuukka Rask are all up for NHL honours. But in a seven-game series against their Original Six rivals, the Bruins couldnt find the form that helped them amass 117 points in the regular season. Chara was uncharacteristically indecisive on Montreal breakaway. David Krejci and Brad Marchand — key scorers in the two runs to the Cup finals — did not score a goal in these playoffs. "Maybe it was a lack of focus or I didnt bear down enough, but I didnt come up big when the team needed me and (its) very frustrating," Marchand said. "Its really tough. I think we expected to go all the way this year. Its very tough; its very disappointing. Its hard to really put into words. We expected a lot more." Coach Claude Julien said the team struggled to overcome injuries on defence to defenceman Dennis Seidenberg and Adam McQuaid.dddddddddddd That left them relying on a lot of young players, including Dougie Hamilton and Torey Krug, who played well in the series, and Kevan Miller and Matt Bartkowski, who didnt. "You could see tonight that there was a lot of nervousness," Julien said. "This time of year, youve got to play your best hockey of the year. And I dont think we got to that point. I dont think we played badly but we certainly werent playing as well as we could to be a team that would move ahead." Despite the injuries, the Bruins coasted through the regular season to 54 wins, then eliminated the Detroit Red Wings in five games. After dropping the opener at home to Montreal, the Bruins came back to take a 3-2 lead in the series. But Montreals Olympic gold medal-winning goalie Carey Price shut the Bruins out 4-0 in Game 6 to force the series back to Boston for a decisive seventh game. And then he held them to a single goal in the finale. "When you know that you have a team that was so good and consistent throughout the whole season, and you have a good enough team to win more than one series," it takes a while to sink in, Chara said. "Its something that youre going to be thinking about. Ill be thinking about it for sure quite a bit." ' ' '