Capitals 2, Rangers 0
Game Summary
It wasn't pretty, but the Washington Capitals get by on a 5 on 3 power play goal by Eric Fehr and a great passing play that ended with Eric Belanger getting his first goal as a Capital. The Rangers couldn't get anything going offensively giving Jose Theodore his first shutout of the year as the Caps down them 2-0.
The Caps really had a problem with the Rangers shot blocking. Instead, the Caps' shooters found themselves looking for the pass before the shot. It lead to a lot of broken plays. But the Rangers couldn't stay out of the penalty box and the Caps would score the game winner on a 5 on 3 power play. It was scored on the break late in the two man advantage. Tomas Fleischmann's pass to the slot was deflected off a Ranger stick, but it still found its way to Fehr's stick and he tapped it high over Auld's shoulder.
The second goal would be a complete break down by the Ranger defense. The Caps entered the zone with a cross ice pass by Brooks Laich to Alex Semin. Semin returned the pass inside the zone spreading the Ranger defense and allowing Belanger to get in behind them. Laich found him open in the slot and Belanger scored on Auld's five hole. The Ranger goaltender was unable to react fast enough to the play.
"It feels great to get it out of the way," Belanger said of scoring his first as a Capital and wearing the hard hat in the locker room. "[It takes] a lot of pressure off my shoulders and now I can just play."
While the win keeps the Capitals home win streak intact at 13 games, it's their top scorer's funk that has the rest of us worried. It is nice that Alex Ovechkin's lack of offensive hasn't hindered the Caps yet. But his scoring drought has given Sidney Crosby the scoring lead in the league.
It seems that both Ovechkin and Nick Backstrom have not gotten over their post Olympic hang over. Ovechkin would finish with seven shots and no points in this game. His partner Backstrom would not score a point and struggle in the face off circle winning only 8 of 20 draws.
"They are just off by a half a second," Bruce Boudreau said of his two star players. "Their timing since the Olympics has just been a little off. But you know they are going to catch on and it's going to happen sooner or later."
The Caps made plenty of mistakes. Shaone Morrisonn turned the puck over in the slot to Branden Dubinsky. Theodore was there with the save, sticking his blocker out after Dubinsky deked to the backhand. It seemed when the Caps turned it over, Theodore played well enough to make up for it. Since January 13, Theo has been better than just good enough, posting a 12-0-2 record, 2.38 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.
"We played a solid game," Theodore said to reporters after the game. "During the break we were talking alot about solid defensive hockey and in the playoffs that is how you are going to win games."
"I though [Theodore] was great," Boudreau said. "I thought by far he was our best player."
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Friday, March 05, 2010
Walker Warms Up To Caps Fans
It takes alot to impress a Caps fan. What with the best player in the league on your team, it would seem hard for any player let alone a trade deadline pickup to get fans excited. But Capitals fans sensed something special in Scott Walker.
On a skillful team like the Capitals, it's sometimes the grit players that get overlooked but are sometimes the most important players. Against the Lightning the Caps top forwards seemed stifled and off kilter. The Bolts were able to block shots, get sticks in passing lanes and contained the top guys. It would be the two grinders, the crash the net and arrive ill tempered players that follow point shot rebounds like fat kids to cake.
Mike Knuble has been lighting the lamp with 11 goals in the last 15 games that way. So GM George McPhee wanted another guy with the same tenacity. Walker fit the bill. He scored a pair of goals in his first game as a Capital. The first to do so since Alex Ovechkin took to the ice in his first game as a Cap.
Already fans have taken to the scrappy toothless forward who came from Carolina.
"He just fits in," a season ticket holder told me. "It took him a couple of periods to figure it out, but he knew where to go. It was clutch from someone not named Alex. Guys wanted to chant his name in my section."
"I was nervous, probably didn't get a good pregame nap, and I was just trying to play and fit in," Walker told reporters after the game. "They're playing so good, you just don't want to disrupt them."
The funny thing is, it's just one game. And we have been seeing plenty of Walker at Verizon Center, just in a Hurricane uniform. Even with just three goals on the season with Carolina, Walker endeared himself to the fans there's so much that many cried when they found out he had been traded.
But that toothless grinned tough guy has made good impressions on the Capital faithful. And all done on the fourth checking line who are put out not for the offensive talents. Well, not as planned now anyway.
"It was nice to chip in and help out," Walker said. "But two points is what I'm looking for every night."
And that makes him most endearing of all.
On a skillful team like the Capitals, it's sometimes the grit players that get overlooked but are sometimes the most important players. Against the Lightning the Caps top forwards seemed stifled and off kilter. The Bolts were able to block shots, get sticks in passing lanes and contained the top guys. It would be the two grinders, the crash the net and arrive ill tempered players that follow point shot rebounds like fat kids to cake.
Mike Knuble has been lighting the lamp with 11 goals in the last 15 games that way. So GM George McPhee wanted another guy with the same tenacity. Walker fit the bill. He scored a pair of goals in his first game as a Capital. The first to do so since Alex Ovechkin took to the ice in his first game as a Cap.
Already fans have taken to the scrappy toothless forward who came from Carolina.
"He just fits in," a season ticket holder told me. "It took him a couple of periods to figure it out, but he knew where to go. It was clutch from someone not named Alex. Guys wanted to chant his name in my section."
"I was nervous, probably didn't get a good pregame nap, and I was just trying to play and fit in," Walker told reporters after the game. "They're playing so good, you just don't want to disrupt them."
The funny thing is, it's just one game. And we have been seeing plenty of Walker at Verizon Center, just in a Hurricane uniform. Even with just three goals on the season with Carolina, Walker endeared himself to the fans there's so much that many cried when they found out he had been traded.
But that toothless grinned tough guy has made good impressions on the Capital faithful. And all done on the fourth checking line who are put out not for the offensive talents. Well, not as planned now anyway.
"It was nice to chip in and help out," Walker said. "But two points is what I'm looking for every night."
And that makes him most endearing of all.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Night Of The Garbage Men
Capitals 5, Lightning 4
Game Summary
Who says the Southeast Division is boring. The Capitals insert the new guys and the Lightning take advantage of a team that played the night before. The result, a 5-4 win for the good guys and a couple of grinders makes the difference.
Mike Knuble and Scott Walker were two players meant to give the Caps a better presence in front of the net. The pair of them contributed 2 goals each. Even if you do everything to keep Alex Ovechkin off the score sheet, it is the grinders that add the offensive spark the Caps needed.
Knuble has been hot, scoring 18 points in his last 15 games (11g, 7a). He would score two in this game, his 24th and 25th of the season. Eric Fehr scored his 16th of the season, a shot that fooled Mike Smith and hit top corner.
The Caps got into some penalty trouble late in the second period giving the Lightning a prolonged 4 on 3 power play. It would be the shot blocking heroics by Nick Backstrom who was with out a stick to stall the Bolts advantage. He blocked two big point shots and when Semyon Varlamov covered the puck, Backstrom got a pretty loud ovation for his efforts from the hometown faithful.
But give the Lightning credit, they didn't sit back. Vincent Lacavlier seemed to get the big goals when the Bolts needed most. The Caps, maybe a bit road wary, seemed to let up in the third. A few defensive miss reads kept the game interesting before Walker sealed the deal for the Caps. But we will get into the newcomers in a bit.
Varlamov was good in places. It was mostly a let down by his defensive squad and he had little chance of making the save. He did get some help at the beginning from his defensive squad, but the goals the Bolts were able to score Varly was left high and dry.
Newbie Capital Walker may have come to this team with only 3 goals this season, but he scored two big goals and shook off his offensive drought he had in Carolina. It made Eric Belanger and Joe Corvo's arrival seem less enthusiastic. But, overall, the new guys did well for the Caps.
The newcomers were learning on the fly, so I expected not to see too much from them. They didn't have a practice with the full team, only a morning skate. Walker seemed to fit right into the Caps aggressive forecheck and he quickly found a home in front of the net to gobble up rebounds and send them past the Lightning goaltender.
Belanger looks like he needs more adjustment time, but he showed some promise. He played on a line with Eric Fehr and Tomas Fleischmann. It was a quick line, showing a lot of spark for a third line. Belanger would finish with a plus 1 and a few really sneaky shots that just missed the net.
Corvo did not overly stand out, but that might have been a good thing. He was on the ice for two of the Lightning goals, one on the penalty kill and the other was the tying goal by Steven Stamkos. He saw some power play time too. He looked okay to me, was solid defensively.
Milan Jurcina was the only "newcomer" not on the ice. He was a scratch, but I suppose we will see him in the lineup shortly.
With a day off, it will be interesting to see if the new players find new spots in the lines as Bruce Boudreau has time to teach their system and the boys work out the kinks.
The Caps jump out to a 14 point lead in the east over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens are looking to chase down the Caps with their improvements at the trade deadline. The two teams meet up later this month.
Game Summary
Who says the Southeast Division is boring. The Capitals insert the new guys and the Lightning take advantage of a team that played the night before. The result, a 5-4 win for the good guys and a couple of grinders makes the difference.
Mike Knuble and Scott Walker were two players meant to give the Caps a better presence in front of the net. The pair of them contributed 2 goals each. Even if you do everything to keep Alex Ovechkin off the score sheet, it is the grinders that add the offensive spark the Caps needed.
Knuble has been hot, scoring 18 points in his last 15 games (11g, 7a). He would score two in this game, his 24th and 25th of the season. Eric Fehr scored his 16th of the season, a shot that fooled Mike Smith and hit top corner.
The Caps got into some penalty trouble late in the second period giving the Lightning a prolonged 4 on 3 power play. It would be the shot blocking heroics by Nick Backstrom who was with out a stick to stall the Bolts advantage. He blocked two big point shots and when Semyon Varlamov covered the puck, Backstrom got a pretty loud ovation for his efforts from the hometown faithful.
But give the Lightning credit, they didn't sit back. Vincent Lacavlier seemed to get the big goals when the Bolts needed most. The Caps, maybe a bit road wary, seemed to let up in the third. A few defensive miss reads kept the game interesting before Walker sealed the deal for the Caps. But we will get into the newcomers in a bit.
Varlamov was good in places. It was mostly a let down by his defensive squad and he had little chance of making the save. He did get some help at the beginning from his defensive squad, but the goals the Bolts were able to score Varly was left high and dry.
Newbie Capital Walker may have come to this team with only 3 goals this season, but he scored two big goals and shook off his offensive drought he had in Carolina. It made Eric Belanger and Joe Corvo's arrival seem less enthusiastic. But, overall, the new guys did well for the Caps.
The newcomers were learning on the fly, so I expected not to see too much from them. They didn't have a practice with the full team, only a morning skate. Walker seemed to fit right into the Caps aggressive forecheck and he quickly found a home in front of the net to gobble up rebounds and send them past the Lightning goaltender.
Belanger looks like he needs more adjustment time, but he showed some promise. He played on a line with Eric Fehr and Tomas Fleischmann. It was a quick line, showing a lot of spark for a third line. Belanger would finish with a plus 1 and a few really sneaky shots that just missed the net.
Corvo did not overly stand out, but that might have been a good thing. He was on the ice for two of the Lightning goals, one on the penalty kill and the other was the tying goal by Steven Stamkos. He saw some power play time too. He looked okay to me, was solid defensively.
Milan Jurcina was the only "newcomer" not on the ice. He was a scratch, but I suppose we will see him in the lineup shortly.
With a day off, it will be interesting to see if the new players find new spots in the lines as Bruce Boudreau has time to teach their system and the boys work out the kinks.
The Caps jump out to a 14 point lead in the east over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens are looking to chase down the Caps with their improvements at the trade deadline. The two teams meet up later this month.
Finally In FM
Washington Capitals announce today that 106.7 FM will be broadcasting Capitals games. No more will you have to worry about impending bridge crossings or driving between two tall buildings downtown. Per Washington Caps PR:
The Washington Capitals and WJFK 106.7 The Fan are partnering to broadcast at least four of the Capitals remaining regular-season games in 2009-10 and possibly more pending the station’s schedule availability. WJFK 106.7 The Fan carried the Capitals’ season opener and home opener this season and has broadcast the Capitals’ Stanley Cup playoff games the past two seasons.
WJFK 106.7 The Fan’s Caps coverage begins Saturday, March 6, against the New York Rangers and continues with March 10 against Carolina, April 1 against Atlanta and April 11 against Boston. In addition to the games, WJFK 106.7 The Fan will carry a complete pregame show and an extensive postgame show, which will be presented by Eye Doctors of Washington, the official eye doctor of the team.
All four games also will be heard on the Capitals’ flagship station, WFED 1500 AM and 820 AM.
WJFK Broadcast Schedule
March 6 – Saturday vs. New York Rangers
March 10 – Wednesday vs. Carolina
April 1 – Thursday vs. Atlanta
April 11 – Sunday vs. Boston
The Washington Capitals and WJFK 106.7 The Fan are partnering to broadcast at least four of the Capitals remaining regular-season games in 2009-10 and possibly more pending the station’s schedule availability. WJFK 106.7 The Fan carried the Capitals’ season opener and home opener this season and has broadcast the Capitals’ Stanley Cup playoff games the past two seasons.
WJFK 106.7 The Fan’s Caps coverage begins Saturday, March 6, against the New York Rangers and continues with March 10 against Carolina, April 1 against Atlanta and April 11 against Boston. In addition to the games, WJFK 106.7 The Fan will carry a complete pregame show and an extensive postgame show, which will be presented by Eye Doctors of Washington, the official eye doctor of the team.
All four games also will be heard on the Capitals’ flagship station, WFED 1500 AM and 820 AM.
WJFK Broadcast Schedule
March 6 – Saturday vs. New York Rangers
March 10 – Wednesday vs. Carolina
April 1 – Thursday vs. Atlanta
April 11 – Sunday vs. Boston
Caps Shake Off Cobwebs
Capitals 3, Sabres 1
Game Summary
Not much to say about this one. The first half of the game looked just like it was a team that had not played in two weeks and another team that played the night before. But the Caps would find their flow again and they outskated the tire Sabres to eek out a win 3-1.
Alex Ovechkin did not score a point, but he was in the game physically. I think he needs a game or two to return to normal. Ovi puts so much heart in what he does, that the Russians' disappointing loss to Canada may have sort emotionally drained him. He had a few hits to start the game, but the top line didn't really play to their potential. It will come back though.
Originally Eric Fehr was credited with the opening goal, but that changed to Jason Chimera. He was in front too when Jeff Schultz unloaded one from the point. It deflected in past returning USA Hockey hero Ryan Miller. Up to that point, the play was sloppy and the game had little flow.
Buffalo would answer right back when Mike Green lost the puck in Brooks Laich's skates. The puck went right to an open Jochen Hecht and he scored to tie the game up at one apiece. It wouldn't be until half way through the third period when it seemed the Capitals found their legs and a bit of a stride.
Tomas Fleischmann carved a half circle to the outside and found a trailing Green. Green shot it high and it beat Miller. It broke the defensive stalemate and a Boyd Gordon billiard shot into the empty net sealed it for the Caps. They would also break a three game losing skid in the process.
Jose Theodore played very well. He looked rested and focused. For not being a very big goaltender, Theo has to play the angles and read the play faster than a bigger goaltender could. He made some dynamite saves in the third and he got help from a defensive squad that might be fighting for jobs now that two more faces are at practice.
The Caps keep their 13 point lead in the East safe as well as open a game and a half lead for the league lead overall. Both Chicago and San Jose are tied at 89 (Caps have 92). This kicks off a very difficult schedule down the stretch where at one point the Capitals will play back to back games then a game every other night for two straight weeks. Their only break will be three days off before they face Pittsburgh on March 24th.
Game Summary
Not much to say about this one. The first half of the game looked just like it was a team that had not played in two weeks and another team that played the night before. But the Caps would find their flow again and they outskated the tire Sabres to eek out a win 3-1.
Alex Ovechkin did not score a point, but he was in the game physically. I think he needs a game or two to return to normal. Ovi puts so much heart in what he does, that the Russians' disappointing loss to Canada may have sort emotionally drained him. He had a few hits to start the game, but the top line didn't really play to their potential. It will come back though.
Originally Eric Fehr was credited with the opening goal, but that changed to Jason Chimera. He was in front too when Jeff Schultz unloaded one from the point. It deflected in past returning USA Hockey hero Ryan Miller. Up to that point, the play was sloppy and the game had little flow.
Buffalo would answer right back when Mike Green lost the puck in Brooks Laich's skates. The puck went right to an open Jochen Hecht and he scored to tie the game up at one apiece. It wouldn't be until half way through the third period when it seemed the Capitals found their legs and a bit of a stride.
Tomas Fleischmann carved a half circle to the outside and found a trailing Green. Green shot it high and it beat Miller. It broke the defensive stalemate and a Boyd Gordon billiard shot into the empty net sealed it for the Caps. They would also break a three game losing skid in the process.
Jose Theodore played very well. He looked rested and focused. For not being a very big goaltender, Theo has to play the angles and read the play faster than a bigger goaltender could. He made some dynamite saves in the third and he got help from a defensive squad that might be fighting for jobs now that two more faces are at practice.
The Caps keep their 13 point lead in the East safe as well as open a game and a half lead for the league lead overall. Both Chicago and San Jose are tied at 89 (Caps have 92). This kicks off a very difficult schedule down the stretch where at one point the Capitals will play back to back games then a game every other night for two straight weeks. Their only break will be three days off before they face Pittsburgh on March 24th.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
GM Adds Plenty Of Depth
George McPhee had a plan going into this year's trade deadline. Add some depth to get through the playoffs. Injuries played a bit role in the past two post seasons for the Capitals. Forcing younger players to mature much faster than planned.
"I like what we did," McPhee told reports as the dust settled on trade deadline day. "We got better, and deeper, and we didn't give up our future to do it, and we didn't take on any bad contracts to do it, so I was really pleased with the way it went."
What they got were a pair of forwards and a pair of defensemen for a development player, a defenseman and two second rounders, a sixth rounder and a seventh rounder.
The Capitals bolstered their blue line with the return of Milan Jurcina come back from Columbus and big guy Joe Corvo from Carolina. McPhee felt that getting Juice back puts his best shut down pair of Poti and Jurcina back together. Jurcina played solid enough to get a start every night for the Blue Jackets earning him a roster spot on the Slovakian national team at the Olympics in Vancouver.
Joe Corvo will bring a heavy shot to the point and some solid veteran defensive skills back there too. TSN.ca analyst Micheal Peca broke down Corvo's role with the Capitals: "I think Mike Green's going to need some support. You get into the playoffs, as an opposing team you identify certain players that you're going to target and try to affect physically, and I think if Washington has the ability to reduce Green's minutes early on in the playoffs, it'll benefit the team in the long run. I think Corvo's the guy."
With the pair of defensemen, McPhee took on some more grit and veterans up front. Eric Belanger and Scott Walker add some muscle and some set up ability for the Capitals up front.
"Belanger brings us some speed and experience at center ice," Mcphee said of his new centerman. "[It's] the sort of thing we were looking for, and he's also real good on faceoffs."
The Capitals did lose Brian Potheir and development player Oskar Osala. But for the most part, McPhee was able to keep his core of youth together while getting the players he wanted. "We had an untouchable list and we didn't give away any of those players," McPhee explained.
Overall, I give the Caps and GMGM a B. He was successful in adding the depth he needed, but the market wasn't there for better players. He didn't give up anything he couldn't live without and in the end that is probably the most important fact on day's end.
Fitting the new players in will take some time for everyone. But they won't have too much time to think about it since they play a pair of back to back games, then play a game every other night through March. A busy schedule will force the coaching staff to figure it out on the fly.
"I like what we did," McPhee told reports as the dust settled on trade deadline day. "We got better, and deeper, and we didn't give up our future to do it, and we didn't take on any bad contracts to do it, so I was really pleased with the way it went."
What they got were a pair of forwards and a pair of defensemen for a development player, a defenseman and two second rounders, a sixth rounder and a seventh rounder.
The Capitals bolstered their blue line with the return of Milan Jurcina come back from Columbus and big guy Joe Corvo from Carolina. McPhee felt that getting Juice back puts his best shut down pair of Poti and Jurcina back together. Jurcina played solid enough to get a start every night for the Blue Jackets earning him a roster spot on the Slovakian national team at the Olympics in Vancouver.
Joe Corvo will bring a heavy shot to the point and some solid veteran defensive skills back there too. TSN.ca analyst Micheal Peca broke down Corvo's role with the Capitals: "I think Mike Green's going to need some support. You get into the playoffs, as an opposing team you identify certain players that you're going to target and try to affect physically, and I think if Washington has the ability to reduce Green's minutes early on in the playoffs, it'll benefit the team in the long run. I think Corvo's the guy."
With the pair of defensemen, McPhee took on some more grit and veterans up front. Eric Belanger and Scott Walker add some muscle and some set up ability for the Capitals up front.
"Belanger brings us some speed and experience at center ice," Mcphee said of his new centerman. "[It's] the sort of thing we were looking for, and he's also real good on faceoffs."
"We like his experience and his ability to shut people down, he's on pace for probably 18 goals this year, which is fine; he'll help us on our penalty killing. We just got another player who is a hard guy to play against."
"I like Walker because Ovechkin and Semin are going to face a lot of physical attention, come playoff time," Peca said on TSN. "Walker is a great equalizer. He's a guy who will identify the other team's best player and you don't know what's coming."The Capitals did lose Brian Potheir and development player Oskar Osala. But for the most part, McPhee was able to keep his core of youth together while getting the players he wanted. "We had an untouchable list and we didn't give away any of those players," McPhee explained.
Overall, I give the Caps and GMGM a B. He was successful in adding the depth he needed, but the market wasn't there for better players. He didn't give up anything he couldn't live without and in the end that is probably the most important fact on day's end.
Fitting the new players in will take some time for everyone. But they won't have too much time to think about it since they play a pair of back to back games, then play a game every other night through March. A busy schedule will force the coaching staff to figure it out on the fly.
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