SLIDESHOW: Caps at Panthers, 3/17/2009

Posted by Cheryl NicholsWe were able to squeeze in a hockey game in the middle of our 7th annual MLB spring training pilgrimage to Florida! The Caps just so happened to be playing in Florida and beat the Panthers 3-0. We were hoping that Ovechkin would score goal #50 that night, but no such luck. We did get to see the only two left-handed goalies in the league start in the same game! Dave did a

Pictures from Friday Night's Victory Over Tampa Bay

Thanks to Jenn McAdoo for forwarding pictures from Friday Night's game. Tampa Goalie Mike McKenna takes exception to a play early in the game. Brooks Laich had a goal waived off when the refs ruled that Michael Nylander was in contact with McKenna. Do YOU see any contact? Alex Ovechkin shooting on net. Ovechkin admires his handiwork.Ovie's open net goal with seven seconds left was his 100th

GAME 76 REVIEW: Potsie Wins the Game

In the worst officiated game of the season, Brian Pothier scored his first goal of the season to break a three-all tie, and Alex Ovechkin finished his four-point night with an empty net goal with seven seconds remaining to cement the Washington Capitals 5-3 victory over the cellar-dwelling Tampa Bay Lightning.Ovechkin had two goals and two assists, and Nicklas Backstrom had two goals and one

CAPS GAME DAY--GAME 76: Playoff-Bound Caps Host Bolts

The Washington Capitals (45-23-7-97, first in Southeast, T-2 in East), having clinched a playoff spot earlier in the week, host the Tampa Bay Lightning (24-33-17-65, fifth in Southeast), playing out the string in a long, frustrating season.The Caps are tied with the New Jersey Devils for the second seed in the Eastern Conference behind Boston, but the Devils have two games in hand over Washington

GAME 75 REVIEW: CuJo Lives, Caps Gain Point in Toronto

Veteran goalie Curtis Joseph sat on the bench for 59 minutes of last night's game, a spectator like the rest of us. For the remaining minute of regulation, five minutes of overtime and the shootout, he was the only player on the ice that truly mattered.And when he stuffed Alex Ovechkin's shootout attempt to give his last-place Toronto Maple Leafs a 3-2 OT victory, he was mobbed by his mates as if

CAPS GAME DAY--Game 75: Sick Caps Take On Toronto

The Washington Capitals (45-23-6-96, first in Southeast, third in East) travel to Air Canada Center in Toronto (30-30-13-73, fifth in Northeast) to face a Maple Leafs team playing out the stretch, mired in 13th place in the conference, eight points out of a playoff spot with nine games to play.Washington trails New Jersey for the playoff's second seed by one point, but the Devils have a game

Monday Off-Day Notebook

Bullet Point Style!Donald Brashear will miss his seventh straight game tomorrow in Toronto.Chris Bourque skated at practice and will presumably remain in the lineup.Alexander Semin and Matt Bradley missed practice with the plague that's been going through the Caps' locker room. Both are questionable for the game tomorrow. A call-up (or two) could be expected.The Caps are 18-8-5 in one-goal games

GAME 72 REVIEW: Caps Tame Panthers

The Washington Capitals entered southern Florida intent on erasing a poor performance against the Atlanta Thrashers the previous evening. After a 19-save performance by Jose Theodore, the Caps (44-22-6-94, first in Southeast, third in East) walked out of BankAmerica Center with a needed 3-0 victory.The shutout win was Theodore's second of the season, and 28th of his career.Theodore was strong,

CAPS GAME NIGHT--Game 72: Caps at Florida Panthers

The Washington Capitals (43-25-10-92, first in Southeast, third in East) are in southern Florida to take on the Panthers (34-25-10-78, third in Southeast). The Caps enter play stinging from last night's 5-1 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers. All the negative symptoms that the Caps experienced during their four game home losing steak resurfaced in Dixie. Washington had a season-high 50 shots on goal,

GAME 70 REVIEW: Caps Drop Canes in Shootout, 5-4

Despite allowing the tying goal midway through the third period, the Washington Capitals (43-21-6-92, first in Southeast) defeated the next closest team to them in the division, the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-4 in a shootout.Alex Ovechkin potted the shootout winner on the Caps third attempt, clinching the two-nil shootout win. Alexander Semin capped his big night (goal, three assists) with an earlier

CAPS GAME REPORT: Caps v. Canes, 3/14/2009

THIRD PERIODTied at 4 apiece going to overtime. SOG: WAS-29; CAR-26Caps had quite a bit of defensive trouble in he third, inability to clear their own zone. That problem led directly to the tying goal, as Seidenberg and Cole were able to control the puck after an exhaustive offensive zone shift and finally Wallin got a wrist shot off the post to beat Theodore. The Ovie-Backstrom-Semin line

CAPS GAME DAY--Game 70: Caps Host Hurricanes

The Washington Capitals (42-21-6-90, first in Southeast, third in East) host the Carolina Hurricanes (36-28-6-78, second in Southeast, T-7 in East) at 7:00 pm from Verizon Center.The Capitals bring a two-game winning streak into the contest, winning tight road games against Nashville and Philadelphia this week. The Caps will try to break a four-game home losing streak tonight before heading out

GAME 69 REVIEW: Caps Win Tight One Over Flyers, 2-1

Led by Alex Ovechkin and Jose Theodore, the Washington Capitals earned a hard-fought road victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, 2-1, before 19,728 at the Wachovia Center.Ovechkin's goal, off a steal and feed from Alexander Semin, put the Caps up for good at 17:19 of the second period, and Theodore made the lead stand up the rest of the way, recording 35 saves.On the forecheck, Semin picked off a

GAME 69 PREVIEW: Caps Roll Into Philly with a Beef

Sorry for the punny headline.The Washington Capitals (41-21-6-88, first in Southeast, third in East) continue their short road trip in Philadelphia, facing a Flyers team (36-19-10-82, second in Atlantic, fourth in East) that looks to narrow the gap between the two teams.The Flyers have taken two of three so far this season from the Caps, so this is a statement game for both teams. The Caps fell

Game 68 Review: Caps Knock Down Panthers in OT, 2-1

Sergei Fedorov scored 2:20 into overtime to lift the Washington Capitals (41-21-6, first in Southeast, third in East) over the Nashville Predators (33-29-5-71, fourth in Central, T-7 in West) , before 16,064 at Sommet Arena.Fedorov called the victory a "character win", but the Caps will take any type of win at this point, after losing their previous four games. Nashville has now lost two straight

GAME 68 PREVIEW: Capitals Wrap Up Western Conference Schedule Against Nashville

The Washington Capitals (40-21-6-86, first in Southeast, third in East) travel to the central time zone to face the Nashville Predators (33-29-4-70, fourth in Central, T-8 in West) at 8:00 p.m. EST from the Sommet Center.The Caps enter tonight's contest losers of four straight games, all at home, to teams well beneath them in the standings. Washington finds themselves trailing New Jersey for

GAME 67 REVIEW: Caps Fall to Crosby and the Pens

For my game story, Capitals Fall to Crosby, Penguins in Shootout, 4-3, please click on the link and visit DCSportsBox.com.Sunday's game had all the spirit, action and passion of a playoff game, and thankfully, none of the drama that seems to surround these two teams. There were no runs, no cheap shots and little whining in the game, just some good old fashioned hockey the way the boys used to

Ovie, Don't Quit Your Day Job...

GAME REPORT--Game 67: Caps v. Pens, 3/8/2009

SECOND PERIOD Penguins lead Caps 3-1 after two. SOG: WAS-18; PIT-12. Penguins really took it to the Caps in the second period. Sergei Gonchar got the first Penguin goal on a 4-on-3 power play, with a blast from the high slot. Guerin was in the slot screening Theo--he had no chance. Second goal came with Crosby beating Green to a puck on the boards, and he hit Guerin cutting. Guerin faked

CAPS GAME DAY--GAME 67: Caps Host Pens in Sunday Matinee

The Washington Capitals (40-21-5-85, first in Southeast, third in East) host the Pittsburgh Penguins (34-26-6-74, fourth in Atlantic, T-8 in East) at 3:00 p.m. from Verizon Center.The Caps have lost three games in a row, all at home, all to teams lower in the standings. For a team that at one point had designs on catching Boston at the top of the conference, they are now in a scramble for second,

GAME 66 REVIEW: Caps Drop Third Straight at Home; Lose to Toronto 2-1

Please visit DC Sports Box to read my game story, Capitals Drop Third Straight at Home; Lose to Toronto 2-1, complete with quotes from coach Boudreau, Alex Ovechkin, Sergei Fedorov and Eric Fehr.The Caps put forth a much better effort last night with unfortunately the same result. This team is having a very difficult time finishing right now, and coach Boudreau described his players as grasping

CAPS GAME REPORT: Toronto 3/5/09

THIRD PERIODSemin draws a hooking at 1: 06, and immediately gives it back with a lazy high stick on Pavel Kubina. Four-on-four hockey. Fleischmann misses a wide open net on an odd-man rush.Turnover by Erskine leads to a banked shot goal by Stempniak. Stempniak was on the goal line and banked it off Theo's skate. Time of goal 6:05. WAS 0- TOR 1.Caps can't clear their own end, and Kubina gets a

Ovechkin Out For Tonight's Game

Alex Ovechkin will miss tonight's home game vs. Toronto according to Caps.Ovechkin is day-to-day with a foot injury incurred at Wednesday’s practice at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

CAPS GAME NIGHT--Game 66: Caps Look to Break Slump Against Leafs

The Washington Capitals (40-20-5-85, first in Southeast, third in East) host the Toronto Maple Leafs (25-26-13-63, fourth in Northeast, 11th in East) at 7:00 p.m. from Verizon Center.Washington has lost their last two games--both at home--and are 3-4 since Feb. 20. The last two losses, to Carolina and Florida, are particularly troubling. Both Carolina and Florida find themselves in the position

Trade Deadline Passes; Caps Stand Pat

In the end, General Manager George McPhee didn't pull the trigger on any trade deadline deals this year, and the Washington Capitals will have to improve from within.Plenty of players moved before the 3:00 p.m. eastern deadline, including several that at one point had been linked to the Capitals in some capacity. But after professing his desire to keep much of the young talent Washington has

Game 65 Review: Anatomy of a Slump/Trade Deadline Headlines

The Washington Capitals (40-20-5-85, first in Southeast) played a second straight game full of defensive indifference, sloppy passing and shoddy goaltending in falling to the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 before 17,903 at Verizon Center last night. The non-capacity crowd halts the Caps' home sellout streak at 11 games.The Capitals have lost four of their last six at home, all in convincing style.

Game 65 Preview: Caps Have Carolina On Their Minds

The Washington Capitals (40-19-5-85, first in Southeast, T-2 in East) host the Carolina Hurricanes (32-27-5-69, third in Southeast, T-9 in East) at 7:00 p.m. from Verizon CenterThe Caps are reeling a little bit lately despite playing six of their last seven games at home. They are 4-3 over that stretch, having dropped to Colorado, Philadelphia and, most recently, Florida at Verizon Center, where

Don Cherry is a Clown

I'm sure by now you've seen or read about Don Cherry's comments about Alex Ovechkin's exuberance, but if you were, like me, off-line this weekend, then here they are.This is beyond idiotic. The "Canadian Way". The "Soccer Guys". It's called enthusiasm. His rant is absolutely asinine. The Capitals play an exciting brand of hockey, despite some flaws, and do it with style and enthusiasm. Apologies

Game 64 Review: Caps Mail One In On Sunday

Today's post-game report is brought to you by the United States Postal Service. Because if the Caps can mail it in, so can I.The defense: atrocious. Jose Theodore: not much better. The energy: non-existent. The penalties: way too many, once again.The Washington Capitals (40-19-5-85, first in Southeast) were outhustled and outplayed by the Florida Panthers (32-23-8-72, second in Southeast) Sunday

Game 64 Preview: Washington Hosts Florida Panthers

The Washington Capitals (40-18-5-85, first in Southeast) host the Florida Panthers (31-23-8-70, second in Southeast) at 3:00 pm from Verizon Center.__________________________________________________SPECIAL TEAMS WAS: PP-3rd (24.5%, 65/265); PK-19th (79.9%, 62/309)FLA: PP-29th (14.8%, 35/237); PK-11th (82.7%, 43/248)_________________________________________________INJURIES WAS: G Brent Johnson (