Ovi Shakes Scoring Slump While Holtby Shines

Capitals 4, Maple Leafs 1
Game Summary

AP

Alex Ovechkin had to answer a lot of questions about his lack of offensive production before his Hockey Night in Canada debut. His response was a three goal outburst, his first hattrick since October. His three goals and Braden Holtby's almost epic goaltending helped the Capitals defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1.

This would be Ovechkin's second straight multi-point game (a goal and assist against the Islanders, three goals tonight). Matt Hendricks scored a beauty of a break away on Leafs' netminder J.S. Giguere. Holtby held the fort, especially on a series of great offensive pushes by the Maple Leafs.

Ovechkin got things started on a harmless wrister by Jeff Schultz to the front of the net. Ovi drove the net from the corner getting between Giguere and the Leaf defender and got a stick on the passing shot. It tipped into the net and despite pleads of goaltender interference when Ovi bumped into Giguere the play stood.

After the 1-0 lead, the Caps seemed to be content to play back and wait out their chances on Leaf mistakes. It lead to a period and half stalemate that would not be broken until Ovi struck again in the third period. Dion Phanuef blocked the initial shot but the puck trickled right to Ovechkin's stick. He beat the Leafs' goaltender five-hole to give the Caps the 2-0 lead.

The Maple Leafs would not go quietly in the night. Instead, just 1:40 later, the Leafs would cut the lead in half with a deflected shot by Tim Brent. It looked like the Leafs had wrestled the momentum away from the Capitals and were pressing.

AP

Holtby took over from there, making a series of great saves. The Caps' defense also came to the rescue by blocking 27 shots for their goaltender. Even captain Ovechkin stepped in front of three shots himself. They bent, but never broke and Hendricks would give the Caps the insurance goal they needed.

The Leafs actually won the face off deep in the Caps zone, but Hendy's hustle to get to the point lead to a turnover after the Leaf defenseman made a hasty decision to get the shot off. Hendricks blocked the shot and the puck bounced to center ice giving the rugged forward a break away. Hendy out-waited Giguere before he dekeed around him and slipped it into the net for the two goal insurance. He was an assist shy of the "Gordie Howe" hattrick of a goal, assist and a fight (first period bout with Mike Brown).

Giguere was pulled for an extra attacker with 2 minutes still left in the game as the Leafs tried to get back into the game. Ovechkin would not be denied the hattrick and he out skated Tomas Kaberle to get to a loose puck and he put the game on ice.

While the Ovechkin enjoyed the hattrick and Holtby gets his second win in a row, the Caps earn two points on the night to keep pressure on Tampa Bay atop of the Southeast Division. Holtby played a dazzling game, preserving the Caps' lead through out the game with some ten-bell saves to his merit. He would take away the game's first star as he turned aside 35 shots including all 18 shots in the third period.

Special teams did not really play a factor in the game. The Caps were hit with three penalties, all in the first period. The Capitals' penalty kill did its job killing off all three Leaf power play chances. They only had two shots with the extra man and failed to convert on either power play.

Nick Backstrom did not have a strong game. Even though he would have two assists (both on Ovi's first and empty net goals) he took two penalties early in the game. He was dismal in the face off circle only winning 23% of his draws (3-10). But since putting Jason Chimera on the top line, even an off night by Backstrom was a spectacular night for Ovechkin. It sort of evened itself out.

The Caps pull into one point behind Tampa Bay, putting pressure for first in the Southeast Division. The outlook gets tougher for the Caps before the All Star break as they face the Rangers at home then travel to Atlanta to take on the Thrashers. Hopefully, the scoring slump has been lifted for the Caps.

Caps Notes:

• Mike Green was named an alternate captain on Team Staal for the NHL's 2011 All Star game. Vancouver's Ryan Kesler was also named alternate captain under Staal. While on Team Lidstrom, Martin St. Louis and Patrick Kane were named also named alternate captains. The ASG draft will be on January 28th, 8 ET on Versus (US).
• Michal Neuvirth, Matt Bradley, Tom Poti, Alex Semin and Eric Fehr are all out with injuries, no updates on their return. Neuvirth, Poti and Semin are listed day-to-day.
• Since being promoted to the top line, Chimera now has points in 4 straight games. He had a secondary assist on Ovechkin's second goal.

Caps Sneak Out Of Long Island With Win

Capitals 2, Islanders 1
Game Summary

(Photo by Lou Capozzola/Getty Images)

The Capitals might be struggling with their offense, but they are showing they can finish a strong game with the score tight. They are also still able to put points on the standings and stay even with their divisional foes Tampa Bay. The Capitals would slip away from Long Island with a win over the New York Islanders 2-1.

More important than just preserving a close lead, the Caps' big guys get some of their offensive juices flowing. Nick Backstrom would have the game's gwg and an assist as well. Alex Ovechkin would finish with a multi-point game netting two assists and Jason Chimera is fitting in on the top line with the game's first goal. John Carlson would also have a secondary assist on the game winner. Braden Holtby would turn away 24 shots to get the win.

The Caps jump out to a rare early lead just 3:41 into the game when crashing the net pays off for the speedy Chimera. After a brilliant deke to free himself on the wing, Backstrom stormed the right side gaining the Islander zone and dropped the puck to Ovi. Ovechkin shot it to the crashing Chimera and it was just a simple tip in to give the Caps the 1-0 lead.

The lead would extend to two goals around the same three minute mark in the second period. Another rush by Ovechkin took Rick DiPietro out of the play leaving the puck alone in the crease. Backstrom made his way to an easy goal as he shot the puck into the open net.

The Islanders would make it interesting just two minutes later when Michael Grabner made a power move to the net and threw the puck up over Holtby's shoulder. After that, the Caps seemed to clamp down defensively and, aside from a few chances late, held the lead.

With Holtby's solid play, the Caps played their best team defense. The Caps blocked 20 shots, including a whopping 7 shots stopped by Mike Green. They also had more take-aways than the Islanders 17-11. Carlson lead the Caps in that category with 4 TKs. The Caps PK was also top notch as they denied the Islanders a power play goal in six chances.

Chimera seems to be enjoying his time on the top line. He had a goal with 6 shots on net to his credit. Chimera's speed seems perfect for the talent of Backstrom and Ovechkin which opened some space as both were heavily defended. With Chimera crashing the net, it often opened the wing side to the slot and both Backstrom and Ovi had the space to become dangerous.

The Caps were not able to convert on the power play, but they only had two chances with the extra man. New York played a disciplined game only taking two penalties. The Caps however were penalty ridden and spent twelve minutes a man down. If they could have stayed out of the sin bin, the Caps could have gained more momentum and maybe could have pressed harder to the net. But the penalties broke up the offensive rhythm and the Caps spent a lot of time playing catch up.

Caps take on Toronto next which is a home coming of sorts for Bruce Boudreau. It will be a tough month for the Caps as they will be on the road 9 of the next 15 games on their schedule. The Caps need to start gaining some momentum offensively to finish the season on a strong note.

Caps Notes:

• Caps recall Brian Fahey to beef up the defensive core after injuries to Tyler Sloan and Tom Poti.
• Holtby was recalled after Michal Neuvirth was injured in the overtime loss to Philadelphia. Both of the Capitals' young goaltenders are nursing ailments to keep them from carrying the load. Semyon Varlamov is well enough to play backup.
• Former Cap Tomas Fleischmann's season has ended when two blood clots were found, one in his lungs. Flash had found new life in the Avalanche line up and the injury is yet another blow to Colorado who has been riddled with injuries all season. Flash missed Capitals' training camp a few years ago when he developed a blood clot when flying home after the Caps were defeated by the Penguins.

You Make The Call - Was it Offside?

Was Daniel Sedin's game winning goal offside? It appeared that way to me. Let me state my case through the majesty of photo evidence taken from the Comcast Sportsnet Mid Atlantic's feed.

First lets take a look at Chimera getting poked checked by Jannik Hansen. That is reason enough to probably miss what is happening at the top left of the screen at the Vancouver bench. What you will see is #15 Tanner Glass heading to the bench to make a change with D. Sedin who is rushing off the bench after seeing the turn-over in the neutral zone (through the pics keep your eye on #15 at the top of the screen):

In the next shot you will see Glass not off the ice and inside the Caps' zone. Even if Glass is going off the ice and within reach of the door, he is still technically offside before the puck enters the zone:

Next shot shows two things: 1) Glass is still on the ice and still inside the Caps' zone and 2) the referee is right there to see the whole thing, which means the linesman should be on the opposite wall and should make the call that the play is offside. He should be looking at Glass and realizing he is on the ice and inside the zone before the puck crosses the blue line:

The last shot is Sedin in the clear on a break away scoring what would be the deciding game winning goal.

You make the call, was it off side?

Caps Can't Tame The Best In The West

Capitals 2, Canucks 4
Game Summary

(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

The Washington Capitals got off to a good start, but some key miscues after taking a rare lead lead to a Vancouver Canuck dominated game as they defeat the Caps 4-2.

Matt Hendricks played the game of his career as a Capital scoring the first goal and playing solid all game long finishing with a +1, four shots and 2 hits. Marcus Johansson would pull the Caps close 3-2 with a goal half way through the third period, but that is as close as they would get. 

Nick Backstrom played an inspired game when faced with his fellow countrymen on the away bench at Verizon Center. He had an early chance when a bouncing puck eluded the Vancouver defender giving the Swedish centerman a free shot at Roberto Luongo. But his deke couldn't beat the net minder's glove. Backstrom would have a brilliant feed to another Swedish Cap, Marcus Johansson who buried a one timer after the Canucks defense broke down.

The game did start well for the Caps as Hendricks was set free by Boyd Gordon after a smart breakout by the checking line. Hendricks beat Luongo seven hole and the team seemed to play loose after the lead. Maybe too loose, because it only took 2:25 minutes later when the Canucks answered with a goal of their own.

The Caps would let their discipline slip when Jason Chimera took a penalty in the offensive zone by hitting the Canuck defender up high. While the Vancouver player embellished the shot, it was still a penalty and just :44 seconds into the extra man advantage the Canucks take the lead. The Canucks' power play would strike on their first chance and finish the night 1 for 3 on the PP.

Then disaster struck in the second period when the Caps seemed to take the momentum. But some cavalier series of passes that would end with Chimera getting poked checked in the neutral zone by Jannik Hansen jumped onto the stick of Daniel Sedin, fresh from the bench. The play actually looked off-side in the least, possibly too many men at the other extreme. Either way, it was some bad luck that gave the Canucks a two goal lead.

Again the Caps' power play was disappointing. They squandered all three chances they had the extra man, included a phantom tripping call on Green when he clearly got the puck first on a dive for Ryan Kesler. The power play could not handle the aggressive checking of the Canuck penalty killers and as a result, they could not even get quality chances to the net. The phone booth faithful showed their displeasure at the lack of production, especially on home ice.

Caps have a two days to rest up for a mid day special against the Ottawa Senators. A team that seems to play the Caps tough. They have to find a way to get back into the Southeast Division race and get some points on the board. In all fairness, the the Canucks are the best team in the west on a roll. The Caps are still looking for an identity and struggling to get their offense going.

Cap Notes:

• Tom Poti and Alex Semin would both be injured scratches for this inter-conference game. Both are listed as day-to-day. Tyler Sloan was sent down earlier in the day to Hershey for a conditioning stint. 
• The Capitals were 5-0-1 against Canadian teams this year. The Canucks will hand them their first loss of the season in regulation.
• Brian Willsie's short stint with the Capitals was only one game. He was sent back to Hershey as Boyd Gordon returns to the lineup after suffering an infection in his foot. Willsie would score the Bear's second goal to help the Hershey Bears defeat the Adirondack Phantoms 3-0 tonight.

Thunder Struck

Capitals 0, Lightning 3
Game Summary

AP

Whatever the Capitals learned from their losing streak in December, they soon forgot it in Tampa Bay. In an important game for the Caps to retain the lead in the Southeast Division, they allow the Lightning a 3-0 lead and could not recover. They would give up the two points to Tampa Bay and lose the game 3-0.

Dwayne Roloson made the Bolts' general manager Steve Yzerman look like a genius as he continued to plague the Capitals who have yet to score on him in a Lightning uniform. There are just some goaltenders that seem to have a mental edge over the Capitals that it seems hard to score against, Roloson is one of those. He would pitch his second straight shutout of the Capitals and help his team take the lead in the division.

The Caps would just have one bad bounce after another. It seemed that Alex Ovechkin couldn't keep a stick intact for any quality shot on net. He would even get a quality chance after jumping from the penalty box, but the puck would stop on him lot letting him break free for an open chance on net. The Capitals just seemed to be on the wrong end of penalty calls, wrong end on bad bounces and if it weren't for bad luck they would have no luck at all.

Jeff Schultz, usually a pillar of solid defense for the Capitals, would be a mortal -3 in this game. He often looked a step behind and a gear too slow against the Lightning. Even veteran Tom Poti seemed to look out of sorts on the ice against the speedy Lightning. Mike Green himself just seemed to psych himself out of set ups and just made the wrong decisions with the puck.

The Caps' offensive slump continues and does not look like there is any improvement in sight. While the coaching staff has put emphasis on defense, the Caps offense seems to be squandering chances and players are trying to do it all on their own. Frustration was the emotion of the night for any Capital, forward or defenseman. Even when the Caps seemed to gain a little momentum, it would be a bad penalty or a bad play that would negate any chance they worked for.

Penalty killers for the Capitals seemed to have returned, if you are looking for a bright spot. They did pitch a shut out with a man down to get back on track. The Caps' power play however continues to struggle. The Bolts played a discipline game, not giving the Caps much to work with with the man advantage. Washington's power play would only touch the ice for 2:22 on two penalties and finish 0-2 on the night.

It was a stinker of a game for the Caps. It is much the same struggles they faced in December and it seems old habits die hard. There was zero energy late in the game, making any comeback impossible. The Caps would come away with just a single point on their Florida trip. They return home to face the Vancouver Canucks, a team considered much better than the Lightning.

One thing is certain, the Caps can not continue to play this way.

Caps Notes:

• For a second time, the Capitals fail to overtake their divisional foes for first place in the Southeast. The Caps would fall to the Lightning almost a week ago to a overtime 0-1 loss, a first in Capitals' franchise history.
• Alex Semin would miss his second straight game since getting hit in the first game of the home and home with the Florida Panthers. He would not be replaced by Brian Willsie however, Boyd Gordon would make his return. 
• Marcus Johansson continues to struggle in the face off dot, only winning one draw in 8 tries.
• The best Cap on the ice was Semyon Varlamov who got little or no help from his defensemen. He would stop 35 shots including some dazzlers on the penalty kill.

Special Teams None Too Special For Caps

Capitals 3, Panthers 4 OT
Game Summary

AP

The Capitals would pull a point out of this game, but it would be the wrong way to get a point against a Southeast Division foe. After taking some ill advised penalties and giving the Panthers a pair of 5 on 3 opportunities, the Capitals would not be able to make a comeback. The fall in overtime to the Florida Panthers 4-3.

The Capitals, who have been relatively disciplined in their play to this point in the season, took too many penalties against a hard working team in the Panthers who have found sudden confidence against a team that they were unable to even win a game a season ago. It would start with a Mike Knuble penalty for interference and then Nick Backstrom would be called for boarding at the same time kicking off a full two minute 5 on 3 for the Panthers.

The penalty killers for the Capitals did their best, but a harder working Panthers team was able to capitalize on their power play opportunity as well as score a goal on the momentum gained by the power play to put the Caps in a two goal hole early. Florida would be 3 for six on their power play (that had been struggling up to that point) including two goals on two chances 5 on 3 and the game winner in overtime was a power play tally.

In contrast, Washington's power play continues to struggle going 0 for five with the extra man advantage. That was including a golden opportunity with the game tied for them to get the go ahead goal. But they floundered the chance, often turning the puck over before they could even enter the zone. Bruce Boudreau would even move Alex Ovechkin around on the PP to try to gain some kind of spark for the forward and the extra man advantage to convert just once.

Ovechkin would start in his usual position on the point  with Mike Green his partner. But in the third, Boudreau would move him up to wing letting John Carlson see some time on the power play opposite of Green and Brooks Laich would be the odd forward out from the first power play unit.

(Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Not all of this game was bad news for the Caps. They did mount an impressive comeback down 3-0. Marcus Johansson was a big part of that rally as he scored on a pretty give and go with Laich to cut the lead to just two goals. His shot would beat Tomas Vokoun five hole and trickle into the net.

Mike Knuble would get the Caps a goal closer when buried a pretty feed from Ovechkin up over the glove of Vokoun. Again it would be Johansson giving life to a near dead Capital offense, tying the goal up at 3 after Matt Hendricks threw the puck on net. MJ90 would trickle one in through Vokoun. Johansson nearly had the hat trick when he deflected a picture perfect pass in front, but Vokoun's glove was in the right spot at the right time to make the save, denying the rookie his first career hat trick.

Michal Neuvirth played a as solid of a game as he could with the amount of penalties his team took in this game. he came up huge in the second and third periods to allow the Caps to comeback. He had good rebound control and relied on his quick reflexes to shut down the hard working Panthers sending pucks to the net. He also got some help in the blocked shot category as the Caps helped their rookie goaltender out stepping in front of 19 shots. But in the end it would not be enough.

Green would take a hooking call after the Panthers had sustained pressure in the overtime period. The Caps would fail to even get a shot on net in the extra period. In fact the Caps have not had a shot on net in the last 2 overtimes they have played. They do take home a standing point that pulls them dead even with tomorrow night's opponents.

The Caps have to have a better self control as they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow night. It is their chance to take over the lead to the Southeast Division. A title they have struggle to maintain this season as Tampa and Atlanta pressure for that top spot.

Caps Notes:

• Brian Willsie's return is due to Alex Semin's hip injury. Semin is listed day-to-day. Willsie played well getting on the score sheet with an assist and would draw a penalty with his veteran savy.
• The last time the Capitals came back from a 3-0 deficit was last season in the NBC game of the week featuring the Caps versus the Chicago Blackhawks. Nick Backstrom scored the game winner in overtime to complete the comeback win. There would be no such ending tonight however.
• The Capitals have won 12 games when they give up the first goal (12-11-3). That is three more wins than any other team in the league. 
• Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green were chosen for NHL's All Star Game. Snubbed were Alex Semin (might not be a bad thing considering his injury) and struggling Nick Bacstrom. John Carlson was snubbed as well for the rookies.