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
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
The bad news Saturday night: The Washington Capitals lost their third consecutive game.
The good news: The Caps earned two points in the three losses, and wrap up the pre-Olympic part of the schedule atop the NHL in points.
Washington fell at St. Louis 4-3 in a shootout Saturday, ending the first half (actually the first three-fourths) of the season at 41-13-8. Driven by a 14-game winning streak that set a franchise record and was the third-longest in NHL history, the Caps now sit in first place in the race for the President’s Trophy, leading San Jose by one point (90-89).
In the Eastern Conference standings, Washington holds a comfy 13-point lead over New Jersey. The Southeast Division title is all but wrapped up at this point, Washington leading Tampa Bay by 27 points.
Saturday’s loss came after the Caps fought back from a one-goal deficit three different times. Mike Knuble made it 1-1 with a power-play goal at 10:40 of the first period. Alexander Semin tied the game at 2-2 on a goal at 13:26 of the second.
St. Louis took the lead just two minutes later, but Knuble’s second power-play goal of the game at 17:43 of the second tied the score at 3-3.
Washington opens the post-Olympic part of the schedule at Buffalo on March 3.
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Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 11:01 am by bud
Tags: Alexander Semin, Buffalo Sabres, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
Fourteen games in a row chalked up in the win column. Now, the Washington Capitals head north of the border for a chance to continue their epic winning streak.
But doing so won’t be easy, not with back-to-back contests awaiting them Wednesday and Thursday.
Winners of a franchise-record 14 games in a row, the Caps take on Montreal on Wednesday, opening up a stretch of three road games entering the Olympic Break. After facing the Canadians, Washington travels to Ottawa on Thursday to face a Senators’ squad that just saw an 11-game win streak snap. Saturday, the Caps end the pre-Olympic schedule with a trip to St. Louis.
Washington, coming off a thrilling come-from-behind 5-4 overtime victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday, hasn’t lost since falling Jan. 12 at Tampa Bay. A week before, the Caps downed Montreal 4-2 on Jan. 5. Starting with that victory, Washington has won 17 of its past 18 games.
The Caps lead New Jersey by 14 points in the Eastern Conference standings.
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 5:50 am by bud
Tags: Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
An even dozen. That’s what the Washington Capitals are aiming for Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
Winners of a franchise-record 11 consecutive games, the Eastern Conference leaders look to continue their torrid stretch against a New York Rangers’ team that’s dropped seven of its past 10.
The winning streak has vaulted Washington from the middle of the pack in the East past everybody else, including the teams in the Western Conference. The Caps lead San Jose by one point (82-81) in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy. During the streak, the Caps have outscored the opposition 51-22.
The top line for Washington has been tops during the streak. Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Knuble have combined for 14 goals in 20 assists during the past 11 games. Ovechkin and Knuble each scored during Washington’s 4-1 win Tuesday at Boston.
The last time the Caps lost a game? Jan. 12, when Washington fell 7-4 at Tampa Bay. Going back to a 4-2 win over Montreal on Jan. 5, the Caps have won 14 of their past 15.
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Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 5:18 am by bud
Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Boston Bruins, Mike Knuble, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, Nicklas Backstrom, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
Ten consecutive victories, tying a franchise record. A new standard for most wins in a month. Victories in 12 of their past 13 games.
It was quite a month for the Washington Capitals, who started January looking for their rhythm and ended the month atop the Eastern Conference.
Alex Ovechkin snapped through the go-ahead goal with 6:26 left, and the Caps held on for a thrilling 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay at the Verizon Center, extending their winning streak to a club record-tying 10 games.
The win caps a month during which the Caps won 13 times, setting a new franchise record. Washington sits in first place in the East, eight points ahead of New Jersey, and only one point behind San Jose for the most points in the NHL.
Nicklas Backstrom opened the scoring with a power play goal 57 seconds into the second period. Brooks Laich lit the lamp at the 12:56 mark, making it 2-0.
Tampa tied the game with two goals in a 2:45 stretch of the third period. But Ovechkin broke the tie with 6:26 to go.
Washington, which plays five of its last seven before the Olympic break on the road, travels to Boston on Tuesday.
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Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 5:14 pm by bud
Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Boston Bruins, Brooks Laich, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Nicklas Backstrom, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
Perhaps the Washington Capitals should leave all their calendars on January when the month ends, because they’ve been just about unstoppable this month.
The Eastern Conference leaders continued their dominant month Friday night. Mike Knuble scored twice, and Knuble and Nicklas Backstrom both finished with three points as the Caps extended their win streak to nine games, downing Florida 4-1 at Verizon Center.
Washington, which also got a goal from Jeff Schultz and 35 saves from Michal Neuvirth, is one win away from tying the franchise record for longest winning streak. The Caps go for 10 in a row Sunday at home against Tampa Bay.
The Caps lead the East by six points over New Jersey and seven over Buffalo. Washington moves into a tie for second in the NHL with Chicago at 78 points, one behind San Jose.
Backstrom scored first for Washington at 7:26 of the first. Neuvirth allowed a goal early in the second, but the high-flying Caps offense only needed 25 seconds for Knuble to give Washington the lead for keeps. Schulz and Knuble scored in the third.
Washington tied a franchise record for most wins in a month, improving to 12-2 in January and winning for the 11th time in 12 contests. The Caps last won 12 games in a month in December 1984.
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Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 10:46 am by bud
Tags: Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Jeff Schultz, Michal Neuvirth, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Nicklas Backstrom, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
The last time the Washington Capitals were this hot, George Bush (the older one) had just taken residence in the White House.
It was March 1989, and the Caps had just pulled the trigger on two deals that landed Dino Ciccarelli, Bob Rouse and Calle Johansson. Starting on March 9 of that year, Washington would win eight straight games, the franchise’s longest winning streak until this year’s Caps ripped off eight straight games, winning No. 8 Wednesday night with a 5-1 victory over Anaheim at the Verizon Center.
Both streaks share a common characteristic: lots of goal scoring. The 1989 Caps scored four or more goals in the first seven wins of their streak. This year’s Caps have lit the lamp for four or more goals in seven of their eight wins during the streak. During the 1989 streak, the Caps outscored the opposition 43-17. This year, it’s a 40-18 difference.
Washington’s 1989 streak ended with a loss to the Islanders on March 28. The current Caps will try to push their winning stretch to nine in a row on Friday night at home against Florida. A win there, and Washington will take aim at the franchise record of 10 straight – set in 1983-84 – on Sunday at home against Tampa Bay.
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Friday, January 29, 2010 at 5:00 am by bud
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Bob Rouse, Calle Johansson, Dino Ciccarelli, Florida Panthers, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Just like that, the Washington Capitals turned a nip-and-tuck affair into a blowout win, continuing their torrid January.
The Caps scored three goals on three shots during a dizzying 2:30 span of the third period Wednesday, running away with a 5-1 victory over Anaheim that pushed Washington’s win streak to eight games.
Shaone Morrison, Mike Knuble and Alexander Semin scored during the decisive 150-second span that propelled the Caps to their 11th victory in the past 12 games. With the win, Washington extends its lead in the Eastern Conference over New Jersey to six points (76-70).
Morrisonn’s goal at 1:45 of the third snapped a 1-1 tie. Knuble made it 3-1 with a goal just 54 seconds later. At 4:15 of the third, Semin scored to make it 4-1.
Semin added his second goal, and fourth in two nights, on the power play at 11:47. Alex Ovechkin scored Washington’s other goal, that coming just 36 seconds into the contest.
Washington, which ends January with home games Friday against Florida and Sunday against Tampa Bay, improves to 12-1 at the Verizon Center since late November. The eight-game winning streak is the longest since 1989, and just two off the franchise record, set in 1983-84.
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Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 5:00 am by bud
Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Shaone Morrisonn, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
While the nation celebrated the arrival of 2010, the Washington Capitals could be excused for that frown on their face.
The Caps closed the 2009 portion of their schedule on two down notes, losing at home to Carolina – the team with the worst record in the NHL – then dropping a road game at San Jose on the penultimate day of the year.
It wasn’t much better on the second day of the new year, Washington losing at Los Angeles. But since then, the Capitals have been just about perfect.
Washington has won eight of its past nine games since that 2-1 loss to the Kings in Tinsletown. Only a 7-4 loss at Tampa Bay on Jan. 12 has dented the Caps’ 2010 ledger. Washington has won five straight since that loss in Tampa, win No. 5 coming Thursday night at Pittsburgh.
The Caps open a stretch Saturday where they play four of their next five games at home, starting with a home game against Phoenix. After a trip to New York to face the Islanders, Washington faces Anaheim, Florida and Tampa Bay at home to close the month.
With a big lead in the Southeast Division and a three-point advantage in the Eastern Conference, the Caps look like a Stanley Cup contender at this point. And if they’re playing come June, their good work in January will have put them in position.
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Friday, January 22, 2010 at 8:38 pm by bud
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
The Washington Capitals are accustomed to being in the hunt for the playoffs. But they’re breathing some lofty January air this season.
The Caps downed Philadelphia 5-3 on Sunday, winning their 30th game of the season. In doing so, not only did the Caps stay in first place in the Eastern Conference, it marked the latest in a season a Washington team has ever occupied the conference’s top spot.
At 30-12-6 on the season, good for 66 points, the Caps are in great shape in the Southeast Division. Washington leads second-place Florida by 16 points, with Atlanta 17 points back in third and Tampa Bay 18 points back in fourth. Yes, there is a long way to go in the season, but with 34 games left, a Capitals’ division title is all but a formality barring a horrific meltdown.
But Washington has other goals in its sights.
The Caps opened play Tuesday night against Detroit tied for first in the East with Buffalo. New Jersey is one point back with 65, and Pittsburgh sits fourth with 61. While holding onto the division lead shouldn’t be a problem, it’s possible the Caps could open postseason play anywhere from first to fourth.
And home ice is a huge plus in Washington’s favor. Sunday’s win over the Flyers improved the Caps to 16-3-3 at home. Only Chicago (21-5-1) and Vancouver (19-7-1) have more wins at home.
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Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 6:37 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals
