Happy New Year's From Caps News Network

To every single living being wearing red at the Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh this New Year's Eve, and anyone who counts themselves among the faithful rooting for the Washington Capitals, Happy New Years!
The scene at the Hofbrauhaus was truly amazing and inspiring, and for someone who has been a fan of this team since 1974, it was a remarkable and memorable evening.
Special thanks to J.P. at Japers

Winter Classic Alumni Game Brings Back Memories of Youth

The game between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins alumni at the Winter Classic in Pittsburgh ended in a 5-5 tie, courtesy of the Caps' Peter Bondra blasting a shot from the high slot past Pens' goalie Frank Pietrangelo with less than a minute to play. 
The final result was secondary to the feelings of watching these distinguished NHL veterans lace them up again one more time.
It's

Caps Take It Outside (Photos)

The Washington Capitals travel to Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon for this weekend's Fourth Annual NHL Winter Classic.  Before heading up, the Caps had a closed practice outdoors at the Chevy Chase Club rink to prepare for skating outside on Wednesday afternoon.

Most of the Caps have only played outside when they were very young and by the looks on many faces, they were transported back in time

GAME 39 RE-CAP: Caps Shut Down Habs

THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals shut out the Montreal Canadiens 3-0 in their last game on the 2010 calendar and last home game filmed by HBO.

The Caps faced the Habs on Tuesday night for the first time since the devastating loss in game seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in the spring 2010. 

Many of the Caps took this game to heart. "We've had these guys marked on our calendar

GAME 38 RE-CAP: Caps -- and Their Captain -- Gets Back to Work

THE RESULT: After an emotionally draining game against a bitter rival and a two-day holiday layoff, the Washington Capitals got back to hockey Sunday night with a workmanlike 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Caps made it down to Raleigh, NC despite a snowstorm that dumped six-plus inches on the area, and 10,477 braved the weather for a division game.
The win gives the Caps 47 points (21-

A Game that Actually Lived Up to the Hype

“You talk about the hype and the buildup and the rivalry, and the puck drops and it’s exactly what the buildup is. Sometimes these are overbuilt but this was a playoff type of game and the building [was] rocking.” -- Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma

Very rarely do big events in sports -- or in real life for that matter -- actually live up to all the hype. 
With all the associated hype and

Big Game

Tonight's regular season matchup between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins is a big deal.  The players and coaches know how important it is to them in the standings, and as a preview for the Winter Classic and hopefully the Stanley Cup playoffs, but only have a vague idea what the rivalry means to their fans.
A professional sports team means very little without a passionate and

Fans Want Pittsburgh; Players and Coaches Mostly See Two Points

"It's exciting to be part of a team that has a genuine hatred of somebody." Andrew Gordon, on the Caps-Pens rivalry.
Mid-way through the third period in last night's undressing of New Jersey, many of the Verizon Center faithful joined in a chorus not unfamiliar in these parts. 
Reminiscent of old RFK Stadium during the Washington NFL team's hey-day, when fans were still proud of that team and

GAME 36 RE-CAP: New "Young Guns" Spark 5-1 Rout of New Jersey

Could Andrew Gordon be any happier? (D.Nichols/Caps News Network)

THE RESULT:  You've got to give Washington Capitals fans one thing: They know who's next on the schedule.

Mid-way through the third period, when this one was well beyond doubt, the chant started.
"WE WANT PITTSBURGH!"
It's certainly premature for the fan base of a team just two games removed from an eight-game losing streak to

CAPS WIN! Fan Base Backs Off the Ledge

Everyone can take a big sigh of relief.
The Washington Capitals can now go back to their business of being a hockey team instead of answering questions about their coach's immediate job security, the 24/7 pressure of, well, HBO's 24/7, and everything else that was associated with the losing streak.
No one liked what happened.  There might have been bandwagoneers that jumped off.  And those

GAME 33 RE-CAP: Caps Cast in Familiar Role; Earn Point Against Ducks

THE RESULT:  On the night that HBO premiered their 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic, the Washington Capitals continued in the role that has been scripted out for them: the ever-frustrated, not-so lovable losers; doomed to repeat a cycle of endless torment at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It's a familiar storyline that has been re-told in this area for several decades now, back at least to

A Crisis of Confidence

The Washington Capitals lost twice over the weekend, 3-2 to Colorado Saturday at Verizon Center, then a 7-0 shellacking at the hands of the New York Rangers Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden.
The two losses run Bruce Boudreau's career-longest losing streak to six games, in which the Capitals have scored just eight times (four in one game), being been shut out twice in the same period.
Not.

"Losing the Room"

There's a lot of hang-wringing this morning in the wake of last night's embarrassing 3-0 loss to the Florida Panthers, in which the Washington Capitals dominated the first period, including outshooting Florida 18-6, then turtle-ing in the third period when things didn't go their way.
Coach Bruce Boudreau called his star players out in the media afterwards, and immediately a certain segment of the

GAME 30 RE-CAP: Different Perspectives Explain Drought After Embarrassing Performance

"But once it was 2-0 you could see the shoulders sagging and everything on the bench and they just didn't believe they were going to be able to come back tonight." -- Coach Bruce Boudreau on the third period collapse.
THE RESULTS:  The Washington Capitals pre-holiday slump continued at a stunned, discontented Verizon Center Thursday night, as the Caps were shut out by the Florida Panthers, 3-0.

Caps Fans New Year's Eve Party in Pittsburgh

Caps fans, are you travelling to Pittsburgh for the Winter Classic?  Looking for a Caps-centric, cheap, beer-filled good time on New Year's Eve?  Have I got the solution for you!
Join Caps News Network, Japers Rink and Hogs Haven at the Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh New Year's Eve to ring in the new year before the Winter Classic.  There's NO COVER, no frills, no effort; just show up and drink with 

Third (or fourth?) Time the Charm for Perreault?

"It's just one game now and I gotta do it next game and for the rest of the year so I can stay here." -- Mathieu Perreault, after Monday's two-goal game against Toronto
I'm going to go out on a limb right off the bat and frankly state that I like Matthieu Perreault.  From my limited exposure to him, he's been nothing but engaging, sincere and accountable -- good or bad.  As a hockey player, he's

GAME 29 RE-CAP: Third Period Collapse Leads to Devastating Shootout Loss

"It's frustrating anytime you give up a 4-1 lead in the third period.  You're gonna be angry.  It doens't happen and it's not supposed to happen."  Coach Bruce Boudreau

THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals fairly dominated every minute of the first two periods, skating circles around a vastly inferior team, skill-wise, taking a 4-1 lead into the second intermission.  Beat writers were already

GAME 27 RE-CAP: Late Goal Waived Off, Caps Fall to Stars 2-1

THE RESULT:  With less than ten seconds remaining, Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson scored what appeared to be the game tying goal against the Dallas Stars, pushing a tight game into overtime.
Unfortunately, the referees ruled that Alex Ovechkin committed goaltender interference by checking a player into his own goalie, and the goal was waived off.  An unreviewable play, despite all of

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 27: Two Streaks Enter, One Will End

Washington Capitals (18-6-2-38, 1st in SE) v. Dallas Stars (14-8-1-29, 1st PAC)8:30 pm EST, American Airlines Center, Dallas TX
Capitals.com Preview     Stars.com Preview______________________________________________________
The Washington Capitals bring a four-game winning streak into Dallas to face the Pacific Divsion leading Stars tonight.
The Stars have won four in a row in their own right,

GAME 26 RE-CAP: Caps Win in St. Louis for First Time Since 1996

THE RESULTS:  Semyon Varlamov made 37 saves, leading the Washington Capitals to their fourth consecutive victory, over Yaroslav Halak and the St. Louis Blues, 4-1.  The Caps extend their league-leading record to 18-6-2 (38 points) and now have a four point lead over Philadelphia for the conference lead.
It's little solice defeating the goalie that single-handedly ousted the Caps from last year's

Hannan Brings Size, Grit, Experience to Capitals

The Washington Capitals today traded forward Tomas Fleischmann to the Colorado Avalache for 31-year old defensive defenseman Scott Hannan, a man Alex Ovechkin once described as "the toughest defenseman to play against." 
Hannan, in his first words as a Capital, said he was "really excited, going to a team in first place with a great chance to make a run for the Stanley Cup."  Hannan waived a

Capitals Trade Fleischmann to Colorado for Defenseman Scott Hannan

Confirmed by team officials, the Washington Capitals have traded forward Tomas Fleischmann to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Scott Hannan.
Hannan is a 31-year old left-handed defenseman.  He is dependable, having skated in the most games of any defenseman in the league since the 2002-03 season.  He had appeared in 267 of 269 regular season games since singing with Colorado in 2007.
Hannan

GAME 25 RECAP: Caps Preserve Win Against Carolina in Shootout

The Captain with your game winner. (C.Nichols/Caps News Network)
THE RESULT:  For 59 minutes and 52 seconds, the Washington Capitals looked like they would eke out a hard-fought victory over their division opponent Carolina Hurricanes.  Then, potential disaster struck, as a combination of Caps weaknesses allowed a game-tying goal with just 2.2 seconds remaining on the clock, forcing overtime.

GAME 24 RECAP: Capitals Dominate Lightning In Every Fashion, Win 6-0

"I don't know if it was perfect, but it's as good as we've played all year." Coach Bruce Boudreau
THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals played a full sixty-minute game against their closest competitor in the Southeast Division, shutting out the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-0, before another sellout at Verizon Center.
The win gives the Caps 34 points this season (16-6-2), and stretches the Capitals lead

GAME 21 RECAP: Caps Comeback Twice to Salvage Point

THE RESULT:  On Friday night, the Washington Capitals were beaten and embarrassed by a division opponent.  Saturday night, they rebounded against one of their biggest competitors for supremacy in the Eastern Conference, earning a point when it would have been easy enough to fold as they did the previous night.
Instead, they fought back from two third period defecits to the Philadelphia Flyers

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 21: Battle for the Eastern Conference

Philadelphia Flyers (12-6-2-26, 1st ATL) v. Washington Capitals (14-5-1-29, 1st SE)7:00 pm, Verizon Center, Washington DC_______________________________________________________
The two top teams in the Eastern Conference battle this evening at the Verizon Center, as the Washington Capitals host their old Patrick Division rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Caps come off a rough road loss; they

GAME 20 RECAP: Momma Said There Would Be Days Like These

THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals got down early behind a shaky rookie backup goalie and never recovered, cruising throughout the game and falling to the homestanding Atlanta Thrashers 5-0, before an annouced 11,115 at Phillips Arena.  There were perhaps half that in attendance.
It was the first time the Capitals (14-5-1) had been shut out since Dec. 9, 2009, to Ryan Miller and the Buffalo

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 20: Caps Head South for Roadie in Hotlanta

Washington Capitals (14-4-1-29, 1st SE) v. Atlanta Thrashers (7-9-3-17, 4th SE)Phillips Arena, 7:30 pm, Atlanta, GA________________________________________________________
The Washington Capitals travel deep into Dixie to face the Atlanta Thrashers for their fourth meeting (out of six) already this season. 
Since falling to the Thrashers on Opening Night 4-2, the Caps have taken two straight,

GAME 19 RECAP: Caps Tighten D in Third, Hold Off Buffalo 4-2

"One game like that does not a season make." David Steckel, on the team's encouraging defensive effort in the third period.
THE RESULT: Playing what Matt Bradley called "playoff-style hockey" in the third period, the Washington Capitals held on to a precious one-goal lead and defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-2, before an announced sellout crowd at Verizon Center.
All the tickets might have been sold

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 19: Caps Look to Avenge Weekend Loss to Sabres

Buffalo Sabres (7-9-3-17, 4th NE) v. Washington Capitals (13-4-1-27, 1st SE)7:00 pm, Verizon Center, Washington DC__________________________________________________
The Washington Capitals, winners of eight of their last ten games, look to avenge one of those losses, a 3-2 OT loss to the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night in Buffalo.  The defeat snapped a season-high six-game win streak for the Caps.

Capitals Succeed Under Pressure of Lofty Expectations

The Washington Capitals' 6-4 win over the division rival Atlanta Thrashers Sunday, fueled by John Erskine's mustache, gave the Caps a nine-point lead in the division and three-point leads over Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference and Los Angeles for the President's Trophy.


Washington Capitals celebrate one of their 13 wins. (C.Nichols)
Washington owns a 13-4-1 record after 18 games.  No team

GAME 16 RECAP: Caps Win Sixth Straight; Semin Hat Trick

“It wasn’t anything special. I was just going out there and playing like I do every other game. [The] Most important thing is for the team to win and that’s what happened tonight.” -- Alexander Semin (translated by Dmitry Chesnokov)

THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals extended win streak to six games in front of the 69th consecutive sellout crowd at Verizon Center on Thursday night with a 6-3

GAME 14 RECAP: Caps Win in OT and End Flyers Win Streak

“We wanted to score on the power play, more for me on the confidence of the power play and it won us the game so it worked out. I thought we were pretty patient and showed a lot of good restraint today. We didn’t retaliate and that was good.” -- Coach Bruce Boudreau

THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals ended the Philadelphia Flyers sixth game winning streak in front of the 68th consecutive

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 14: CAPS HOST FLYERS

Philadelphia Flyers (9-4-1-14, 1st AE) v.Washington Capitals (9-4-0-14, 1st SE)5:00 pm  Verizon Center, Washington DC_______________________________________________________________
The Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals are evenly matched on paper and add in the long-time rivarly, Sunday early evening should prove to be a great game in America's Hockey Capital.
After Saturday morning

Johansson Assigned to Hershey

From Caps Press Release:

The Washington Capitals have assigned center Marcus Johansson to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Johansson (YO-hahn-son), 20, has a goal in six games for the Capitals this season. He missed the last six games due to injury but took warm-ups with the team last night and has been

GAME 13 RECAP: Caps Win; Both Starting Goalies Benched; Holtby Debuts

“I feel great about the fact that we played tremendous the first two periods, so I am not going to try to spin any negatives on this. This is a great team and we shut them down with 11 or 12 shots in two periods.” -- Coach Bruce Boudreau

THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals played their best second period of the season in front of the 67th consecutive sellout crowd at Verizon Center on Friday

GAME 12 RECAP: Caps Get Up, Caps Get Down, Caps Win in Shootout

RESULT:  Saturday night in Calgary, the Washington Capitals got a lead against a struggling, inferior team and buried them, on the road no less.  Wednesday night, in a 5-4 shootout win, it wasn't that simple.
The Caps (8-4-0-16, T-1 in SE) used a three goal blitz in the second period to seemingly take control over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  But instead of notching a fourth goal and taking the wind

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 12: The Falling Leafs in DC

Toronto Maple Leafs (5-5-1-11, 3rd NE) v. Washington Capitals (7-4-0-14, 2nd SE)7:00 pm  Verizon Center, Washington DC___________________________________________________
The Toronto Maple Leafs, perhaps the second most storied franchise in all of hockey, got off to a tremedous start this season, winning their first four games.  But since that streak was broken in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New

GAME 11 RECAP: Report of Capitals Demise Greatly Exaggerated

THE RESULT:  The Caps have been waiting for a game like this.
Shaking off a sluggish first period, the Washington Capitals scored six times in the second stanza, en route to routing the Calgary Flames 7-2, before 19,289 in the Saddledome on Hockey Night in Canada.
The Caps (7-4-0-14) shook the rust off their power play, scoring three straight man-advantage goals, erasing a 2-0 first period

GAME 10 RECAP: Capitals Not Feeling Minnesota

"You can't play ten minutes in this league and hope to win a game." Coach Bruce Boudreau, on his team's performance in a 2-1 loss to the Wild.
THE RESULT:  One team looked rested, in the middle of a five-game homestand.  They had a game plan; forcing shots to the outside, clogging up the neutral zone, and relying on a steady if unspectacular goalie.
The other team looked like they played the

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 10: Caps Prepare for Wild Game in Minnesota

Washington Capitals (6-3-0-12, 2nd SE) v. Minnesota Wild (3-3-2-8, 4th NW)8:00 pm EST, Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN_____________________________________________________________
The Washington Capitals travel to the Land o'Lakes to face the Minnesota Wild in the middle game of a three-game road trip, in a building where Washington is 0-5-0 all-time.
Tonight's match-up to watch is the Caps

GAME 9 RECAP: Neuvirth Dominates Carolina in Complete Team Effort

THE RESULT:  Michal Neuvirth was stellar in net and Nicklas Backstrom broke out with two goals, leading the Washington Capitals to a 3-0 shutout over the Carolina Hurricanes in their home opener, before 18,680 at the RBC Center in Raleigh.
Matt Hendricks also chipped in with his first goal as a Capital to kick the scoring off in the first period.

It was the Capitals most complete game of the

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 9: Three-Game Roadie Starts in Carolina

Washington Capitals (5-3-0-10, 2nd SE) v. Carolina Hurricanes (4-3-0-8, 3rd SE)7:00 pm  RBC Center, Raleigh, NC_______________________________________________________
The Caps start a four-day, three-game road trip with the first game of a six-game season series with division rival Carolina tonight from Raleigh.  Surprisingly, it's Carolina's home opener, as the Hurricanes started the season

GAME 8 RECAP: Semin Tricks Thrash, Flash Treats Fans to 4-3 OT Win

"Any kind of win would have been the kind of win we needed." -- Bruce Boudreau, on 4-3 overtime win.


Caps celerate 4-3 overtime win over Atlanta at Verizon Center (C. Nichols/Caps News Network)
THE RESULT:  It wasn't over until it was over, but the Washington Capitals ended a two-game losing streak when Tomas Fleischmann's backhander hit the back of the Atlanta Thrashers' goal 1:37 into

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 8: Reinforcements Called Up for Atlanta

Atlanta Thrashers (3-3-0-6, 3rd SE) v. Washington Captials (4-3-0-8, 2nd SE)7:00 pm, Verizon Center, Washington DC_______________________________________________________
After home and home losses to the Boston Bruins this week, the Washington Capitals look to get back on the right track against a young and improving Atlanta Thrashers squad. 
Washington has won seven straight games against

Perrault, Beagle Recalled from Hershey

According to the notes section in this Hershey Bears press release, the Washington Capitals have recalled centers Matthieu Perrault and Jay Beagle from AHL Hershey.  Both players were scratched tonight from the Bears' game with Wilkes-Barre, a 3-2 loss.
There has been no word from the Capitals yet with any corresponding moves, but it's no secret the Caps have struggled down the middle so far this

Centers of Attention

The Washington Capitals are struggling offensively right now.  They sit exactly middle-of-the-pack (15th) in the NHL in goals per game at 2.71, and if you factor out a seven-goal outburst in the home opener, well, the struggles are even more amplified.
One of the Caps biggest off-season concerns has now turned into a regular season nightmare:  center play.  Nicklas Backstrom is off to a fairly

GAME 7 RECAP: Second Period Disaster Dooms Caps

"We had lots of chances to score.  We just didn't."  Coach Bruce Boudreau in his post-game remarks.
THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals offense has been struggling all season long, and those problems continued Thursday night, as Tim Thomas and the Boston Bruins dominated the Caps for the second time in three nights, winning 4-1 before a capacity crowd of 17,565 at TD Banknorth Garden for their

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 7: On the Road in Boston

Washington Capitals (4-2-0-8, 2nd SE) v. Boston Bruins (3-1-0-6 3rd NE)7:00 pm, TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA_________________________________________________________
The Washington Capitals travel to Boston to complete their early season home-and-home against the Bruins in their home opener.  Over the past three weeks, Boston has traveled from Northern Ireland to the Czech Republic to Newark,

GAME 6 RECAP: Caps Can't Click Against Bruins, Fall 3-1

THE RESULT:  Well, it finally caught up to them.
The Washington Capitals played hard most of the night, but still not particularly well.  They had very little cohesion in their offensive attack:  missing passes, having trouble digging pucks off the boards and out of the corners, and generally losing physical battles all night to the bigger, stronger Boston Bruins.
Unlike the four previous games

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 6: Something Bruin in D.C.

Boston Bruins (2-1-0-4, 3rd NE) v. Washington Capitals (4-1-0-8, 1st SE)7:30 pm, Verizon Center, Washington, D.C._________________________________________________________
It hasn't been pretty much of the time, but the Washington Capitals ride a four-game winning streak into tonight's game against the Boston Bruins, winners of two of their first three games of the young season.
Boston opened

Caps Party at Six Flags

Check out our pictures from the Caps Season Ticket Holder Party at Six Flags over at Off the Ice.

GAME 5 RECAP: Caps Commit Highway Robbery in Music City

THE RESULT:  Well, that was fun, eh?
For the first 40 minutes of Saturday night's game, the Washington Capitals flat-out stunk.  They took a ton of penalties, couldn't get out of their own end, were careless with the puck and generally outplayed by a hungrier team.
Fortunately for the Caps, Michal Neuvirth was again at the very top of his game and the penalty kill unit continued its dominance,

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 5: Caps Face Hungry Predators in Music City

Washington Capitals (3-1-0-6, 2nd SE) v. Nashville Predators (3-0-0-6, 1st CNT)8:00 pm EST, Sommet Center, Nashville____________________________________________________
Despite all the hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth in the Nation's Capital about the ineffective power play, the Washington Capitals travel to Nashville with a 3-1 record, courtesy of three straight home wins last week after an

GAME 4 RECAP: Late Goal (and Neuvirth) Lift Listless Caps Over Isles 2-1

THE RESULT:  Let's make no mistake about tonight's 2-1 win:  If the Washington Capitals were playing a better, healthier team than the New York Islanders they probably would have faced a different result.
As it was, Alex Ovechkin scored once and had a big blast from just inside the blue line redirected by Nicklas Backstrom for the game winner, and the Caps (3-1-0) escaped with their third

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 4: Islanders Limp into D.C. Against Ailing Caps

New York Islanders (1-0-1-3, 2nd ATL) v. Washington Capitals (2-1-0-4, 2nd SE)7:00 pm Verizon Center, Washington, DC_____________________________________________________________
The New York Islanders come to Verizon Center for the first of two trips to the Nation's Capital tonight.  They won't return unitl Mar. 1.  Both teams limp into this one, with New York missing their best player, C John

Injury Updates from Practice

There were several bits of injury-related news to come out of today's practice.
First, and apparently most serious:  Marcus Johansson is "week-to-week" with a lower-body injury, believed to be a foot injury after blocking a shot in last night's 3-2 win over Ottawa.  Coach Bruce Boudreau indicated that Johansson would "definitely be out for the weekend."
Johansson, the just-turned 20-year old

GAME 3 RECAP: Ovechkin Sneaks One Through LeClaire for Game-Winner

THE RESULT:  Up until 31.1 seconds remaining in overtime, Pascal LeClaire, the Ottawa Senators' goalie, had played a terrific game.  He'd made several quality saves in a close, tense contest.
But with just half a minute left, Alex Ovechkin took a pass from John Carlson, broke in on the right wing, gave a quick feint that defenseman Chris Phillips bit on, and sent a low, not terribly hard shot

GAME 2 RECAP: Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals, who were outworked and outplayed in the season opener Friday night in Atlanta, shook off a listless first period by scoring four unanswered goals in the second period, chasing future Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur and defeating the New Jersey Devils 7-2, before a sellout 18,398 at Verizon Center.
The Caps added two more in the third, and as you might

Caps News Network on Panel at DC Pro Sports Report

The fine folks over at DC Pro Sports Report asked us to participate in a pre-season roundtable, discussing the upcoming season for the Washington Capitals.  We were asked a series of questions, as were a host of respected Caps bloggers.
You can read the complete panel discussion here. 
Some of my answers got truncated for space issues on the panel, so below are my complete answers (in bold) to

PRE-SEASON GAME 5 RE-CAP: Fehr Scores Twice in 5-3 Win Over Columbus

THE RESULT:  Eric Fehr had two goals and an assist, Alex Ovechkin had three assists and Mike Green had two helpers, and the Washington Capitals ran their pre-season record to 5-0 with a 5-3 win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets before an announced 17,496 at noticably chilly Verizon Center.
Brooks Laich, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin added goals for the Caps.
The game was chippy from

A Loss in the Community

I didn't know Brian St. Louis, but a lot of people I do know did.  One of them asked me to repost the link from Ted's Take with the letter from Beth Lenz, GM of KCI, concerning his untimely passing last week.
My friend also asked if I would post the information about the fund to aid his family.  I'm happy do to so.  Contributions can be sent to:
The Brian & Emily St. Louis Family Fundc/o CRP

Capitals Knock off Predators 2-1

THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals went to 2-0 in their pre-season schedule, beating the Natsville Predators 2-1, before 15,218 at Bridgestone Arena.
Mike Green and Jay Beagle scored for the Caps, while Michael Neuvirth stopped 13-of-14 shots, and Dany Sabourin was perfect on 11 shots.
Nicklas Backstrom and Francois Bouchard assisted on Green's first period goal, and Keith Aucoin and Green

Caps News Network on Kings of Leonsis

The fine folks over at Kings of Leonsis asked us to participate in a roundtable discussion on some topics relating to the upcoming season.  It was the second installment of a series, you can see the first here.  We were only too happy to oblige.
Please click the link and check out the discussion.
Other panelists were Emily Bennett (Japers’ Rink) and Chris Gordon (Caps Snaps).
Thanks to Kings of

Capitals Sign Neuvirth to Contract Extension

The Washington Capitals announced today they signed goalie Michal Neuvirth to a two-year contract extension.  Terms of the deal were not announced.
Neuvirth, 22, is expected to compete with Semyon Varlamov for the goaltending duties with the Capitals this year.  He was 9-4-0 with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 17 games with the Capitals last season. He went 7-1-0 with

Tom Poti Gets Two-Year Extension

Post by Cheryl Nichols

The Washington Capitals sign Defenseman Tom Poti to a two year contract extension.

"I'm excited about the core group we have here and I think we have the ability to win a Stanley Cup. Not just this year, but year's to come....me and my wife love it here and I'm excited to be here for a couple more years."

Photo 2010 © Cheryl Nichols Photography/Caps News Network. All

Eakin's Late Goal Lifts Caps in Rookie Game with Flyers

Cody Eakin scored with a little over a minute remaining and Josh Godfrey scored twice, leading the Washington Capitals rookies over the Philadelphia Flyers rookies, 4-3, before a packed house at Kettler-Capitals Iceplex.
John Carlson, Jeff Schultz and other Hershey Bears & Caps watching GOAL!
Many of the Capitals varsity -- and much of the Hershey Bears roster -- stood at the far end of the

Belanger Signs with Phoenix; "Line has been crossed"

Center Eric Belanger, now a former Washington Capital, signed a one-year free agent contract with the Phoenix Coyotes for $750,000 Tuesday.  The deal surprised a lot of folks after early-summer rumors of his return to D.C. 
Apparently, the whole thing surprised Belanger and his agent as well, as they believed they had a verbal agreement for a one-year, $1.85 million contract.
Belanger, and his

Caps News Network Profiled at Storming the Crease

Storming the Crease, one of the credentialed blogs that provides excellent coverage of the Washington Capitals, is profiling fellow Caps and hockey bloggers leading up to the start of the season.

Today was our turn.  Please visit STC to check out our profile and all the others he's posted so far.  It gives you a good idea why bloggers and internet writers do what they do.

Changes in Coverage at Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic

Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic announced today that Lisa Hillary, their Washington Capitals beat reporter for the last three seasons, will leave the D.C. beat and join Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia.
From the press release:  After serving as the Capitals television beat reporter for Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic for three seasons, Hillary joins Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia to lead their

Capitals Sign Second Line Center???

According to this report by James Mirtle, the "mystery team" that signed C Eric Belanger is indeed the team he last played for, the Washington Capitals, to a one-year, $1.85 million contract.  The salary is a slight raise from the $1.75 million Belanger made last season. 
The report also says the reason Belanger was instructed not to reveal the team was that Washington did not want him to

Changes at Washington Post Caps Coverage

Tarik El-Bashir, Washington Capitals beat writer, will move on to cover Georgetown Basketball and NASCAR, among other assignments. Katie Carrera, who wrote high school sports and assisted Tarik on the Caps beat will take over.

Best of luck to both in their new assignments.

The Curious Case of Tomas Fleischmann's Contract

Unless something extraordinary happens over the weekend, next Wednesday, July 28, Tomas Fleischmann, his agent, Rich Evans, and the Washington Capitals will meet with an arbitrator to determine the forward's compensation for the 2010-2011 season.
Flash missed the first 11 games of the 2009-2010 season recovering from a blood clot in his leg, and when he returned he immediately showed off his

Getting the Band Back Together

With yesterday's news that the Caps have re-signed winger Eric Fehr to a sparkling new two-year deal (reportedly worth $2.2 million per season), that leaves just C/RW Tomas Fleischmann as the sole unsigned Restricted Free Agent.
Fehr joins D Jeff Schultz (four-year, $11 million) and C Boyd Gordon (one-year, $800,000) as players that have re-upped with the Captials in the past week.
Unless Flash

Capitals Sign Jeff Schultz to Four-Year Deal

The Washington Capitals announced today the re-signing of D Jeff Schultz to a four-year contract.
In keeping with team policy, the terms of the agreement were not announced, but according to Capitals Insider: The deal is worth $11 million over four years and will pay the defenseman $2.5 million in each of the first two years and $3 million in the final two years for a $2.75 million per season

Congratulations to Dino Ciccarelli, Hockey Hall of Famer

Dino Ciccarelli was named as a 2010 inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame today.  In 19 seasons in the NHL, including 3 1/2 with the Washington Capitals, the smallish -- but tough as nails -- winger scored 608 goals and 592 assists.
He registered 40 or more goals in a season seven times, and had a 72 goal season as a 17-year old with the London Knights in juniors.
He was a four-time all-star and

Bears Celebration In Pictures

I don't normally just post links, but this one was too good not to share.
RMNB has an AWESOME photo gallery of last night's celebration after Hershey won it's second consecutive Calder Cup trophy.  If you haven't visisted yet to see all the great pics, click here.
Great work guys!

Hershey Bears 2010 Calder Cup Champions!

Congratulations to the Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, for capturing the Calder Cup, Champions of the AHL.  It is the 11th Cup in Hershey's storied history.
The Bears defeated the Texas Stars 4-0 at Giant Center in Chocolate Town Monday night, earning their second consecutive AHL Championship, four games to two.  D Patrick McNeill scored twice, pacing the Bears.
Hershey

Capitals to Face Penguins in 2011 Winter Classic

The NHL announced today that the Washington Capitals will face the Pittsburgh Penguins at Heinz Field in the 2011 New Year's Winter Classic. 
Even more exciting than that, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also indicated that Washington would host a Winter Classic in the next "two to three years".  "In doing our due diligence for this game, we could not help but be impressed with the fan interest

Capitals Sign Backstrom to 10-year Deal; Ink Johansson to Entry-Level Deal

The Washington Capitals announced today they have signed Nicklas Backstrom to a ten-year deal, $67 million contract extension.  The extension will keep the Swedish-born center under contract until he is 32 years old.
In 2009, Backstrom, 22, had a career-high 101 points (33 goals, 68 assists) and a plus-37 rating in 82 regular-season games this season, his third in the NHL.
The Capitals now have

Capitals to Make "Significant Player-Related Announcement" Monday

According to the Washington Capitals official website, the Caps will be holding a press conference at 10:30 am Monday morning to make a "significant player-related announcement."
Watch it live here.
According to Capitals Insider, the presser is to announce the signing of Nicklas Backstrom to a multi-year contract extension:  The Caps are expected to announce tomorrow morning that they have

Patience is a Virtue

I had a much longer column partially written, about practicing patience and taking to task everyone that seems so infatuated with blowing up the Caps for failing to close out Montreal after being up three games to one.
But instead of preaching, I'll give a simple history lesson.
It took Glen Sather, Wayne Gretzky, and his talented teammates four playoff seasons with the Edmonton Oilers before

FIRST ROUND GAME SEVEN REVIEW: No Words

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin was despondant in the few moments he spoke to a circle of media that was five and six deep, with another group at least that deep not capable to get their recorders close enough to record what words were coming out of his mouth.

When asked how it felt to lose a series the Captials were so heavily favored in, he replied, “I think we are all disappointed, but you know I

FIRST ROUND GAME SEVEN: It's About Time

It's not about superstitions.  It's not about beards.  It's not about ghosts, or history, or streaks and slumps.
It's about hockey.  It's about skill.  It's about desire and drive and determination and dedication.
It's about effort.
It's about time.
Rock the Red.

FIRST ROUND GAME SIX REVIEW: Hot Goalie Wins?

I have a friend, who is not a big hockey fan, who has a saying about playoff hockey:  "Hot Goalie Wins.  Period."
It's not a particularly nuanced or sophisiticated outlook on the game, but one could surmise from last night's statistics that is exactly what happened.
Hot Goalie Wins.
Jaroslav Halak made 53 saves on 54 shots last night in defeating the Capitals 4-1, sending this series to a

FIRST ROUND GAME FIVE REVIEW: The One That Got Away

WASHINGTON -- Washington Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau was not happy.  In fact, quite the opposite.
He took the podium for the post-game press conference, and from the get-go you could tell it was not going to be long, pleasant or pretty.
Asked if he thought his team let one get away, he responded curtly, “Of course … What do you think? We have Game Five in our building, and we play like crap the

Caps Try to Close Out Montreal

The Washington Capitals return to Verizon Center tonight with the hopes of closing out their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals matchup with the Montreal Canadiens tonight at 7:00 pm. 
By virtue of a short-handed goal late in the second period in Game Four and a furious four-goal third period, the Caps hold a three games to one lead over the eighth seeded Canadiens.
This franchise has had some

FIRST ROUND GAME FOUR REVIEW: Capitals Seize Momentum in Game, Series with Shorty

The Montreal Canadiens fairly dominated play in the second period of tonight's Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.  They outshot the Washington Capitals 21-9 in the frame, setting a team record for most shots against in a period for a playoff game.
And when the Caps took a bench minor for too many men on the ice at 18:05 trailing 2-1, things looked pretty bleak.
But with seven

FIRST ROUND GAME THREE REVIEW: Caps Blitz Habs in Second, Win 5-1

The Washington Capitals had to scramble a little bit in the first period of Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the raucus Bell Centre against the Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal outshot the Caps 10-7, with Semyon Varlamov making several outstanding saves early to keep his team in it.
The Caps weathered the early storm, came out and took control with four second period goals, and

Jose or Not Jose? That is the Question

(ed.--two mintes after posting this article Damien Cox reported Semyon Varlamov would be the starter for the Cpas tonight)

Sometime very soon we will know who is starting in goal for the Washington Capitals tonight in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Centre Bell in Montreal this evening.
At least we'll know by 7:00 pm.
It's well documented that Theodore did not start any of

FIRST ROUND GAME TWO REVIEW: Did That Really Just Happen?

Not quite eight minutes into Game Two of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals matchup with the Montreal Canadiens, Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals found themselves two goals down in their own barn.
After dropping Game One 3-2, it was not how the Caps wanted to get out of the gate.
Throughout the game, they found themselves down 3-1, 4-2 and 5-4 to an opportunistic Canadiens attack.
It

FIRST ROUND GAME 1 REVIEW: Habs Shut Down Ovechkin, Caps in Overtime 3-2

The Montreal Canadiens entered Game One of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs with one goal in mind:  shut down Alex Ovechkin.
They did that and more, keeping Ovechkin without a shot on goal and holding him pointless for the third time this season, defeating the President's Trophy winners 3-2 in overtime.
Washington Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau was frank in his assessment of his

GAME 82 REVIEW: Regular Season Finishes with 4-3 Shootout Loss to Bruins

In today's game between the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins, neither team had anything to play for in the standings with both teams having secured their playoff seeds.
But there were milestones to chase, and tones to set as the NHL's second season gets started later in the week.
In a tightly contested match, the Boston Bruins eventually would triumph in a shootout and emerge as 4-3

GAME 81 REVIEW: Caps Thrash Atlanta 5-2; More Caps History Made

BOX SCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY
The Washington Capitals beat the Atlanta Thrashers 5-3 in front of a electrifying, red-rocking crowd.  The Caps looked like a team that is ready for the playoffs.

The Caps have set new records during the 2009-2010 season and Friday night was no exception.  During a pre-game ceremony, the Caps First-Ever Presidents' Trophy was presented by NHL Deputy

GAME 80 REVIEW: Caps Sweep Pens in Season Series With 6-3 Win

In the finale of a four-game grudge max, with absolutely nothing at stake, the Washington Capitals showed once again their regular season mastery over the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning 6-3 at "The Igloo" to complete the season sweep.
Alex Ovechkin scored twice in the contest, a power play early in the third period to push the lead back to two, and an empty net gift from his center, Nick Backstrom,

GAME 79 REVIEW: Theodore Strong in 3-2 OT Win Over Boston

Jose Theodore made 28 saves, Alex Ovechkin had two assists, and Brooks Laich banged home the game winner in overtime as the Washington Capitals defeated the desperate Boston Bruins 3-2, in what could have been a preview of the first round of the playoffs.
The Capitals entered the game as the newly crowned winner of the President's Trophy, presented to the team that totals the most regular season

GAME 78 REVIEW: Caps Start Quick, Hold On For 3-2 Win Over Columbus

The Washington Capitals got goals from Alexander Semin, Tomas Fleischmann and Mike Green--and 34 saves from first star of the game Jose Theodore-- to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2.
The win is No. 51 for the season for Washington, setting a franchise record.
Theodore improved to 18-0-3 with a 2.70 GAA since Jan. 13, extending his own record for decisions without a regulation loss.
The Caps

GAME 77 REVIEW: Caps Make Statement to Themselves, Beat Atlanta 2-1

During their recently concluded three-game losing streak, Caps players, media, fans and Coach Bruce Boudreau all spoke often about the need for the club to play a full 60-minute game, something they all freely admitted they were not doing.
Thursday night, against a scrappy Atlanta team trying to earn the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, the Washington Capitals got that 60-minute effort,

GAME 76 REVIEW: Capitals Poor Again Early, Fall to Senators 5-4 in OT

The Washington Capitals found themselves in familiar territory Tuesday night, trailing 3-1 after the first period to a lesser opponent.  It's almost become habit, as they have now been outscored 9-1 in their last three games.
The league's highest scoring offense started hitting some home runs and managed to steal the lead in the third period against a somewhat shocked Ottawa squad.
But, in what

GAME 73 REVIEW: Knuble's SO Tally Carries Caps Over Pens 4-3

Until last night, Mike Knuble had never scored a shootout goal.  But coach Bruce Boudreau played a hunch, sending the veteran out to take the Capitals fourth shot, after the initial three rounds were tied. 
A little head fake got Marc-Andre Fleury on the ice, and Knuble sent a quick snap shot past the splayed goalie, giving the Washington Capitals a 4-3 victory over their arch-rivals, the

Captials Issue Statement About Steroids Investigation

The Washington Capitals were visited by Polk Co. (FL) investigators today in relation to an arrest made in a case revolving around a central Florida man and a northern Virginia chiropractor dispensing steroids.
The team issued a statement this afternoon, defending the team and distancing itself with the chiropractor, disavowing his claim to be the "team's chiropractor", however noting that

Ovechkin Gets Two Game Suspension for Campbell Hit

Washington Capitals star forward Alex Ovechkin was given a two-game suspension by NHL discipline czar Collin Campbell today, according to reports, for his hit on Brian Campbell in Sunday's nationally televised gaem against the Chicago Black Hawks.
Reports out of Chicago indicate Campbell has a broken clavicle and ribs.
In the crazy, mixed up world of hockey justice, hits like those meted out by

GAME 69 REVIEW: Furious Third Period Leads to OT Winner Over Hawks

Nicklas Backstrom scored on an end-to-end rush, before getting creamed in the slot, in overtime to finish off a tremendous comeback for the Washington Capitals. The 4-3 win over the Chicago Black Hawks gives the Caps 46 wins and 101 points for the season.
Trailing 3-0 at the start of the third period, Washington scored three times in 2:16, as Chicago coughed up its second three-goal third period

GAME 67 REVIEW: Caps Need Overtime to Overcome Canes, 4-3

In a back-and-forth firewagon affair, the Washington Capitals had the last laugh, as Tomas Fleischmann ended sudden death overtime with a one-timer past goalie Manny Legace to give the Caps a 4-3 victory over their division rivals, the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-3, before another packed house at Verizon Center.

With less than two minutes remaining in overtime, newly acquired center Eric Belanger

GAME 66 REVIEW: Turco Steals One for Dallas, Caps Lose 4-3 in Shootout

Veteran Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco stole two points for his team tonight.  There's no other way to say it. 

Turco made a career-high 49 saves in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals, ending the Caps home winning streak at 13 and their most recent three game win streak since the Olympic break.

The Stars have struggled since the Olympics, going 0-3 and had been outscored 17-5

GAME 65 REVIEW: Theodore Shuts Out Rangers 2-0

Coach Bruce Boudreau succinctly summed up the entire story of the Washington Capitals 2-0 win over the New York Rangers tonight, when asked what he thought of goalie Jose Theodore's performance.
"I thought he was by far our best player," Boudreau said.
Theodore was challenged all night by the normally anemic Ranger attack, and New York managed to get 30 pucks on net.  On the few occasions was

GAME 64 REVIEW: New Cap Walker Leads Team to Win Over Lightning

It wasn't pretty.  Nor was it efficient.  But the Washington Capitals rode two goals by Scott Walker in his first game as a Cap to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-4, before a capacity crowd at Verizon Center.
Walker, a 36-year old right winger obtained at the trade deadline, had his first two-goal game in over three years, scoring his fourth and fifth goals of the season.
Both goals were carbon

GAME 63 REVIEW: Caps Dump Sabres 3-1 on Busy Trade Day

The Washington Capitals got goals from Jason Chimera, Mike Green and Boyd Gordon, and Jose Theodore outdueled Olympic hero Ryan Miller, defeating the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 before a sellout crowd at HSBC Center in Buffalo.

Theodore made 23 saves in the win, as the Caps outshot Buffalo 40-24 in a choppy game that at times resembled an early season contest where the two teams were just trying to find

Caps Add Corvo, Jurcina at Deadline; Trade Reaction

General Manager George McPhee completed his busy day right at the deadline, pulling off two of the four deals he swung today.
The Caps acquired defenseman Joe Corvo from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for D Brian Pothier, AHL forward Oskar Osala and a 2011 second round pick.
Previous to that move, they sent a 2010 sixth rounder to Columbus to re-acquire D Milan Jurcina, fresh off his

Captials Reportedly Acquire Eric Belanger from Minnesota

Several sources report that the Caps have acquired Eric Belanger, 32-year old centerman from Minnesota, for a second round pick.
Belanger has 13 goals and 22 assists with 28 PIM in 60 games for the Wild this season.
Depending on further deals, Belanger will figure to slide into the third line center spot with the Caps.

Capitals Acquire Scott Walker from Carolina

Multiple sources confirm that the Washington Capitals traded a seventh round draft pick to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for RW Scott Walker.
Walker is a 36-year old 14-season veteran with three goals and two assists in 33 games this season with Carolina.
Walker is known as a gritty two-way winger with tremendous heart and leadership qualities.  He's been used as a penalty killer in

Short Hiatus

Just a quick post this morning to explain the lack of posting this week and next week, despite the flurry of activity from the Olympic Games, which I would much rather be paying attention to.

Without getting into the details of the situation, a family member has taken ill and I need to dedicate my attention to that for the time being.

We might post or reply to things on Twitter (@

GAME 59 REVIEW: Le Streak Est Mort; Caps Fall in OT to Montreal

Despite Brooks Laich's first NHL hat trick and another three-goal third period, the Washington Capitals saw their franchise record 14-game winning streak fall to the Montreal Canadiens, 6-5.
Montreal's Tomas Plekanec scored with less than eight seconds remaining in overtime, putting a dagger in the longest winning streak in the Capitals 35 year history.
That the Caps were playing in overtime at

GAME 59 REVIEW: Ovechkin Hat Trick Leads Caps Over Pens, Win No. 14 Straight

The Washington Capitals came back in spectacular fashion today from 2-0 and 4-1 deficits to defeat their bitter rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-4 in overtime.  The team extended their franchise record winning streak to 14 games before a roughly three-quarters full Verizon Center, due to the enormous snowstorm that dropped 20-30 inches of snow on the region.
Alex Ovechkin registered a hat trick,

GAME 58 REVIEW: Lucky 13

In the midst of another record-breaking snowstorm, the Washington Capitals continue to break records of their own with each win they record.
Friday night, the Capitals added to their franchise-record winning streak, defeating the Atlanta Thrashers 5-2, before a healthy, hearty snow-braving crowd at Verizon Center.
The winning streak is the longest in the NHL since the New Jersey Devils won 13

GAME 57 REVIEW: Caps Keep Rolling with 12th Consecutive Victory

The Washington Capitals won for the twelvth consecutive game, defeating the New York Rangers 6-5 at storied Madison Square Garden.
Those words, however, don't do the game, or this team, justice.
Alex Ovechkin scored two goals and had an assist, and Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and four assists, leading the team's offensive output.
With three points, Ovechkin reached 500 points for his illustrious

Snowmaggedon, Part Deux and Two Hockey Games (plus two basketball games, too)

The Washington Capitals face the New York Rangers this evening, going for win No. 12 in a row. 
While that is exiting enough to get most Caps fans into a frenzy, this weekend's massive snowstorm that's bearing down on the mid-Atlantic region calls into peril the Friday night game with Atlanta and especially Sunday's nationally televised matchup with the dastardly Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh

GAME 56 REVIEW: Captials Win Team Record 11th Straight, Beat Bruins 4-1

Jose Theodore was tremendous in goal, leading the Washington Capitals over the hosting Boston Bruins, 4-1, setting the franchise mark for consecutive victories with eleven straight.
It was Boston's eight straight defeat.
The Capitals broke the club record set from Jan. 27-Feb. 18, 1984 and have the NHL's longest winning streak since the San Jose Sharks also won 11 in a row from Feb. 21-March 14,

GAME 55 REVIEW: Caps Tie Franchise Record with 10th Straight Victory

BOX SCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY
Alex Ovechkin broke a 2-2 tie with six and half minutes remaining in yesterday's game, and the Washington Capitals withstood a late flurry to hold onto a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at sold out Verizon Center.
Both Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and an assist, and Brooks Laich added a goal, leading the Capitals to a franchise record tying

Green Suspended for Elbowing Penalty

According to Capitals Insider, Mike Green has been suspended three games for his minor elbowing penalty in last night's game against Florida.  It's a pretty outrageous outcome for a foul that didn't cause injury, especially with some of the most recent fouls that are not warrenting suspension.
More information as we get it.

GAME 54 REVIEW: Nine In a Row as Caps Down Cats 4-1

BOX SCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY
In an almost carbon copy of Wednesday night's win, the Washington Capitals turned a close game through the first two periods with the Florida Panthers into a run-away victory, scoring twice in the third period to pull away and win their ninth straight game, 4-1, before a raucous sellout crowd at Verizon Center.
The nine game win streak is just one short of

GAME 53 REVIEW: Caps Roll With Four Goals In Third, Beat Anaheim 5-1

BOX SCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY

In a two and a half minute span in the third period, the Washington Capitals turned a tense game into another blowout, this time defeating the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 at sold-out -- but not quite filled -- Verizon Center.

It's the Caps' eighth win in a row, their longest such streak in 26 years.  It's also 11 out of 12 since Alex Ovechkin was named captain.

The

GAME 52 REVIEW: Seven's a Lucky Number (Twice) For Capitals

BOX SCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY

The Washington Capitals scored seven goals last night for their seventh straight victory, defeating the New York Islanders 7-2.

The remarkable thing is that with all that scoring, Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green were held off the scoresheet.

Alexander Semin scored two unassisted goals, giving him 23 on the season.  And of all people, John Erskine had a two

Photo Gallery from Caps Win over Phoenix

Here are a few shots from Saturday night's 4-2 win over the Coyotes.  Apparently, the Coyotes went out for a few shots themselves the next day.

Anyway, hope you enjoy these from staff photographer Cheryl.




From Coyotes v. Caps, 1/23/2010





From Coyotes v. Caps, 1/23/2010





From Coyotes v. Caps, 1/23/2010





From Coyotes v. Caps, 1/23/2010





From Coyotes v. Caps, 1/23/2010





From

GAME 51 REVIEW: PK Strong Again As Caps Hold Off Pheonix 4-2

BOX SCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY

When your undisputed leader and captain is Alexander Ovechkin, your team is going to be known for its offensive prowess.  And rightly so.  For the ninth time in 10 games the Washington Capitals scored at least four goals, beating the upstart Phoenix Coyotes 4-2 at sold-out and loud Verizon Center.

But quietly, the Caps defense and special teams have been

GAME 50 REVIEW: Just Another Game, But What a Game It Was

The Washington Capitals continued their regular season mastery of rival Pitsburgh Penguins last night, turning a back-and-forth contest into a solid win with three third period goals, and leaving town as 6-3 victors.

The win marks the fourth regular season win over Pittsburgh in their last five meetings.

It also stretches the Caps' current winning streak to five games, and eight of their last

GAME 50 PREVIEW: Rivalry Renewed

Washington Capitals (31-12-6-68, 1st in Southeast)
v.
Pittsburgh Penguins (31-19-1-63, 2nd in Atlantic)

Mellon Arena, 7:30 pm EST
__________________________________________________________

The Capitals travel to western PA to face the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first of four regular season contests this season, all coming past the midway point of the season.

This is also the first encounter

Can Theodore Continue His Recent Play Down the Stretch?

For most of the season, the Washington Capitals No. 1 goalie position has been a revolving door.  Really, since Semyon Varlamov took over for Jose Theodore in the first round of the playoffs last season against the New York Rangers, the position has been open.

Coming into training camp, Theodore stated it was his. 

Then, out of the gate, Varlamov wrested the mantel away, going 12-1-3 (2.21,

Game 49 Review: Theodore Saves the Day for Capitals

Washington, DC--The Washington Capitals, save for one player, were completely outplayed by the Detroit Red Wings at the Verizon Center tonight.  That they escaped with a 3-2 win is simply remarkable.

The one player that kept his mates in the game, goalie Jose Theodore, was the most important player on the ice.

"That's probably the best I've seen him," coach Bruce Boudreau said after the game. 

CAPS GAME NIGHT, GAME 49: Carlson and Alzner on Hershey Shuttle

Detroit Red Wings (24-16-8-56, 3rd in Central)
v.
Washington Capitals (30-12-6-66, 1st in Southeast)

Verizon Center, 7:00 pm
____________________________________________________________

Washington hosts Detroit for the only time this season, winners of seven of their last eight games. 
The Caps have scored four or more goals in each of their last seven contests.
D John Carlson (+4 in two 

Laich Breaks Slump, Caps Bury Flyers 5-3

BOX SCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY

The Washington Capitals turned a tight, tense game with their arch-rival Philadelphia Flyers into a resounding victory, scoring three times in the final two periods to secure a 5-3 victory before a raucous, sellout crowd at the Verizon Center.

Brooks Laich scored twice, breaking a considerable drought, and captain Alex Ovechkin netted a penalty shot, his

Caps Beat Maple Leafs 6-1

BOXSCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY

Washington, DC -- The Washington Capitals hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs in front of a Red Rockin' Caps crowd.  The weather may have felt like winter, however, it was fall in DC tonight -- The Maple Leafs fell.  Caps dominated entire game and won 6-1.

It took less than a minute for Alex Ovechkin to score a goal and start racking up the points.  The NHL MVP

Capitals Complete Comeback With Overtime Win, 5-4

For the second night in a row, Washington Capitals rookie goalie Michael Neuvirth gave up four goals in 15 shots, all in the first period.  And for the second night in a row, coach Bruce Boudreau called on veteran Jose Theodore was called on to relieve the youngster at the start of the second period.

Only on this night against the Florida Panthers, Theodore was excellent in net, holding the

Capitals Fall to Tampa in Wild One, 7-4

The Washington Capitals had won 12 games in a row against Southeast Division foe Tampa Bay.  But Tuesday night the Caps could not match the Lightning's energy, and that lofty streak, along with a three-game winning streak, fell in a 7-4 loss.

Not only was the game filled with goals, but the third period was filled with heavy checks, fisticuffs, and The Professor stepping in for The Russian

GAME 43 REVIEW: Backstrom Leads Caps Past Ottawa, 5-2

Nicklas Backstrom is going a long way to prove that he is more than just Alex Ovechkin's caddy.  He had a two-goal night -- his fifth of the season -- to lead the Washington Captials to a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, before a sold out Verizon Center.

Backstrom added an assist as well on Mike Knuble's first period goal and was simply dominant.  In addition to the scoring, he was 53% in the

Game 42 Review: Ovie Gets "C", Caps Get A "W"

The Washington Capitals entered Tuesday night's game with the Montreal Canadiens on a three game regulation losing streak and in need of a spark. 

They got that and more, as Alexander Semin scored twice, Tomas Fleischmann registered a goal and two helpers, and Michal Neuvirth pushed aside 24 of 26 shots, as the Caps completed a 4-2 victory over the Habs before a sellout crowd at Verizon Center

CAPS GAME NIGHT: Caps Come Home to Host Habs

Montreal Canadiens (21-20-3-45, fourth in Northeast)
v.
Washington Capitals (24-11-6-54, first in Southeast)
______________________________________________________

The Washington Capitals come home after a brutal road trip, losing to Los Angeles and San Jose by a combined 7-3, on the heels of getting routed in their last home game, 6-3, by Carolina. 

Washington has not won since the trade