Washington Capitals Hockey Schedule
Wednesday
9/22/2010
7:00 PM
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Washington Capitals PRE
Saturday
9/25/2010
7:00 PM
Nashville Predators vs Washington Capitals PRE
Tuesday
9/28/2010
7:00 PM
Washington Capitals vs Boston Bruins PRE
NEWS
By Bud L. Ellis
Suffice to say, nothing went according to script for the Washington Capitals in their playoff opener Thursday.
The team with the most points in the regular season found themselves scrambling all night about the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadians. And the scrambling wasn’t enough. Tomas Plekanec netted the game winner with 6:41 left in the first overtime, and the Caps found themselves on the losing end of a shocking 3-2 decision in their opening game of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
It was, to be blunt, a shocking night at the Verizon Center. The Caps were nowhere near as crisp as they were during the second half of the regular season, when they ran away from the rest of the field to salt away the Presidents Trophy and earn the top seed in the East.
Joe Corvo and Nicklas Backstrom scored goals for Washington. Jose Theodore made 45 saves. But Washington went 0-for-4 on the power play. Even more shocking: superstar scorer Alexander Ovechkin didn’t tally a shot, let alone a point, in this one.
Washington now faces a critical Game 2 at home Saturday night before the series shifts to Montreal next week.
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Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 9:43 pm by bud
Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Joe Corvo, Jose Theodore, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Tomas Plekanec, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
A loss on home ice is a rare experience for the National Hockey League’s best team. So to the surprise of nobody, the Washington Capitals found a way to rebound.
Two nights after seeing their 13-game home winning streak end in a shootout loss to Dallas, the Caps came through in extra time against Carolina. Tomas Fleischmann scored the game-winner, as Washington extended its streak of earning at least one point in home games to 15.
Carolina was the last team to beat Washington at the Verizon Center in regulation, that coming on Dec. 28. The Caps lead the NHL in points with 99, and are 14 points ahead in the Eastern Conference.
Mike Green scored twice for Washington. Alexander Semin added a breakaway goal in the first period. Alexander Ovechkin finished with two assists, and Jose Theodore got the win in goal.
Washington plays host to Tampa Bay on Friday.
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Friday, March 12, 2010 at 8:14 pm by bud
Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Jose Theodore, Mike Green, National Hockey League, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tomas Fleischmann, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
11 … 12 … 13 … the streak goes on at the Verizon Center for the Washington Capitals.
The Caps extended their home-ice winning streak to 13 games on Saturday, downing the New York Rangers 2-0. Jose Theodore made 30 saves, his first shutout in nearly a year, and goals from Eric Fehr and Eric Belanger paced the Caps.
Washington sits with the best record in the NHL at 44-13-8. The Caps lead Pittsburgh by 14 points in the Eastern Conference standings, and lead San Jose and Chicago by five points in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy for NHL best record.
Fehr scored in the first period to make it 1-0 Washington after one. Belanger, one of four players brought in this week during the trade deadline, scored in the second to stake the Caps to a two-goal lead.
Washington looks to make it 14 in a row at home on Monday when the Caps play host to Dallas.
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Sunday, March 7, 2010 at 12:52 am by bud
Tags: Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Eric Belanger, Eric Fehr, Jose Theodore, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
Throughout their franchise-record win streak, the Washington Capitals have overwhelmed the opposition with offense by the bucketload.
To earn consecutive victory No. 12 on Thursday, the Caps needed every tally they could get. Rallying twice at Madison Square Garden, Washington pushed its win streak to an even dozen, charging back from a 5-3 deficit late in the second period to down the New York Rangers, 6-5.
Nicklas Backstrom finished with five points, scoring on the power play at the 5:34 mark of the third period to give Washington (39-12-6, 84 points) the lead for keeps. The Caps extend their Eastern Conference lead over New Jersey to 12 points. Their win streak is the longest in the NHL since New Jersey won 13 in a row in 2000-01.
Washington goes for lucky No. 13 on Friday at home against Atlanta, which traded star winger Ilya Kovalchuk to the Devils Thursday evening.
While the Devils were bolstering their offense with the addition of Kovalchuk, the Caps were trading goals with the Rangers. Boyd Gordon scored for Washington in the first to tie the game at 1-1. Down 2-1 after a period, the Caps drew even on Mike Knuble’s goal at 4:41 of the second. Alex Ovechkin scored his first of two goals on the power play at 7:16, but three New York goals in a 6:29 span pushed the Rangers’ lead to 5-3 late in the second.
Ovechkin, who reached the 500-point career mark in the game, then started the rally, scoring with 8.5 seconds left in the second to bring the Caps within 5-4. Washington needed just 59 seconds of the third to tie the game, Tom Poti scoring on the power play. Backstrom, who assisted on four of Washington’s first five goals, netted the go-ahead score on the power play at the 5:34 mark of the third.
Jose Theodore, shaky in the first two periods, made the lead stand up from there. He finished with 33 saves, six coming in the final period.
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Friday, February 5, 2010 at 5:35 am by bud
Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Atlanta Thrashers, Boyd Gordon, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jose Theodore, Madison Square Garden, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, Nicklas Backstrom, Tom Poti, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
Make it 11 in a row and still counting for the Washington Capitals.
The hottest team in the NHL, which set a franchise record for most wins in a month in January, opened February by setting a club mark for longest win streak. Brooks Laich scored the game-tying goal early in the third period, and Washington took off from there, handing Boston a 4-1 loss on Tuesday.
Washington now has won 11 games in a row, a new franchise mark and the longest in the NHL since San Jose turned the trick two years ago. The Caps moved past San Jose and now lead the NHL in points with 82, and extended their advantage over New Jersey in the Eastern Conference standings to 10 points.
Jose Theodore returned between the pipes and allowed an early goal, but nothing else in making 41 saves. The Caps’ offense, leaders in the NHL in goals scored, took it from there.
Mike Knuble’s goal at 2:04 of the second period knotted the score at 1-1. Laich then broke the tie 5:04 into the third, off a feed from Alexander Semin. Boyd Gordon and Alex Ovechkin closed the scoring.
Washington plays Thursday at the New York Rangers.
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 5:05 am by bud
Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Boston Bruins, Boyd Gordon, Brooks Laich, Jose Theodore, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
Things are going so well for the Washington Capitals right now, they’re getting offense from unlikely sources.
Defenseman John Erskine scored his first goal in more than two years Tuesday night, and a four-goal first period was more than enough for the white-hot Caps in a 7-2 blowout of the New York Islanders.
The win pushes the Caps’ winning streak to seven games, and Washington’s lead in the Eastern Conference to five points over New Jersey. At 74 points on the season (34-12-6), the Caps trail only San Jose and Chicago for best record in the NHL.
This one was over early. Brendan Morrison scored just 1:05 into the contest, and the first of two Alexander Semin scores nearly four minutes later made it 2-0. Ahead 2-1 late in the first, the Caps busted through for two goals in the final 1:47 of the period. Mike Knuble and Semin both lighting the lamp to make it 4-1 after a period.
Erskine got in on the action in the second, scoring his first goal since Jan. 19, 2008, at 2:36 of the second. Jason Chimera scored later in the second and Brooks Laich closed the scoring in the third.
Even a lower-body injury to goaltender Jose Theodore couldn’t slow the Caps. Theodore got the win in goal, but left after the second period. The Caps term the injury as day-to-day, and Michael Neuvirth didn’t allow a goal in the third.
Washington returns home to open a three-game homestand Wednesday against Anaheim. The Caps now are 10-2 in January.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 4:59 am by bud
Tags: Alexander Semin, Anaheim Ducks, Brendan Morrison, Brooks Laich, Chicago Blackhawks, Jason Chimera, John Erskine, Jose Theodore, Michal Neuvirth, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
The old saying goes that defense wins championships. During their smoking-hot January, the Washington Capitals have taken it one step further:
Don’t give up a lot of goals, and you stand a good chance of winning.
And winning has been what the Caps have spent most of January doing, posting W’s in nine of 11 contests this month. Washington hits the ice at the New York Islanders on Tuesday riding a six-game winning streak, and the Southeast Division leaders sit atop the Eastern Conference with 72 points.
Goaltending is a big reason January has been so delightful for the Caps.
The combination of Jose Theodore and Michal Neuvirth have given up two goals or less in seven of 11 games this month. Add in an offense that’s scored four goals or more in nine games in January, and a penalty kill that’s a perfect 14-for-14 in the past three games, and it’s easy to see the formula that’s lit the fuse for the Caps.
Washington closes January with three consecutive home games. On home ice, the Caps are 18-3-3 this season.
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Monday, January 25, 2010 at 8:55 pm by bud
Tags: Jose Theodore, Michal Neuvirth, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
A rocky beginning turned into a satisfying night for the Washington Capitals.
After allowing three goals in the first 30 minutes against fellow Eastern Conference power Pittsburgh, Jose Theodore slammed the door shut the rest of the way. Alex Ovechkin scored twice, and Tomas Fleischmann’s breakaway goal early in the third period propelled the Caps to a 6-3 victory.
The victory pushes Washington’s win streak to five games, and keeps the Caps entrenched atop the East standings. Washington, with 70 points, leads Buffalo by three points.
Theodore made 35 saves, scrambling to keep the Caps in it during the first period and a half. But the Caps, who got early goals from Mike Knuble and Eric Fehr, pulled away in the third period.
Ovechkin tied the game at 3-3 with a power-play goal at the 16:25 mark of the second. Fleischmann then gave Washington the lead for keeps 2:32 into the third, and Nicklas Backstrom followed 53 seconds later with a power-play goal to make it 5-3.
Ovechkin closed the scoring with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
Washington, which lost to the Penguins in seven games during last spring’s playoffs, won in the first meeting of the season between two of the Eastern Conference’s top powers.
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Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 10:05 pm by bud
Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Buffalo Sabres, Eric Fehr, Jose Theodore, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tomas Fleischmann, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
At this stage of the season, only three teams in the National Hockey League have more wins than the Washington Capitals.
The way things are going, the Caps could be among another group of four come late spring.
Jose Theodore stopped 44 of 46 shots, and David Steckel’s goal with 5:59 left capped a quick comeback as the Caps beat Detroit 3-2 on Tuesday, Washington’s 31st win of the season.
Only Chicago (34), San Jose (33) and New Jersey (32) have more victories than the Caps, who moved ahead of Buffalo and back into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with the victory. Buffalo lost later Tuesday at Anaheim, 5-4.
Down 2-1, the Caps used two goals in a 46-second span of the third period to take control against the Wings. Nicklas Backstrom converted on the power play with 6:45 remaining to tie the game at 2-2. Steckelthen flicked home the go-ahead goal off a rebound with 5:59 left.
All of that was plenty for Theodore, who was sharp in making his third consecutive start for the first time in three months. Even without Alexander Ovechkin recording a shot — the first time that’s happened to the star in his NHL career — the Caps still had enough on this night.
The victory extends Washington’s win streak to four games, and gives the Caps a 7-3 mark in their past 10 contests.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 5:05 am by bud
Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Buffalo Sabres, David Steckel, Detroit Red Wings, Jose Theodore, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals
