Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals have no one to blame but themselves after the Rangers knocked them out of the playoffs with a 5-0 thumping at home in Game 7 on Monday. But Ovechkin is blaming the referees, anyway.

“I am not saying there was a phone call from (the league), but someone just wanted Game 7. For the ratings,” Ovechkin told NHL contributor Slava Malamud, who translated to English after the loss. “You know, the lockout, escrow, the league needs to make profit. … I don’t know whether the refs were predisposed against us or the league. But to not give obvious penalties (to the Rangers), while for us any little thing was immediately penalized…”

Throughout the series, the Rangers had 28 power play opportunities to the Capitals’ 16, clearly a source of frustration for Ovechkin. Washington wasn’t even awarded a power play in Game 6, while the Rangers had five chances. The Rangers won that game, 1-0.

Washington had the league’s best power play in the regular season at 26.8 percent. In the playoffs, they were 3-for-16 (18.8 percent). Ovechkin disappeared in the series only scoring one goal in the seven game series after leading the league with 32 during the regular season, but believes the referees and the league wanted the Rangers to win and wanted a Game 7 for money and ratings purposes.

“The refereeing … You understand it yourself. How can there be no penalties at all (on one team) during the playoffs?” he told Malamud.

The Capitals postseason failures continued, as they lost a Game 7 at home for the fourth time in six seasons.