Top-seed Caps find themselves in unfamiliar position

By Bud L. Ellis

Fifty-four times out of 82 regular-season games, the Washington Capitals left the ice a winner. Certainly, just about everybody expected that familiar outcome as the NHL playoffs began.

But the Presidents’ Trophy winner woke up Friday morning staring at a playoff deficit. After a lackluster performance at Verizon Center resulted in a 3-2 overtime loss to No. 8-seed Montreal on Thursday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, the Caps spent Friday trying to figure out what happened … and making sure it doesn’t happen again.

With Game 2 on tap for Saturday, and with the series about to head north of the border for Games 3 and 4 in Montreal on Monday and Wednesday, the Caps cannot afford to have another disappointing performance.

Nobody was more disappointing for Washington in Game 1 than 50-goal scorer Alexander Ovechkin. For the first time in his 417-game NHL career, the Caps’ leading scorer did not register a goal, an assist or a shot on goal. Add in a power play that went 0-for-4, and it adds up to Washington being in a very unfamiliar position.

Washington lost just 11 times at home in the regular season, scored a league-best 318 goals and spent most of the second half looking like the hands-down favorite for the Stanley Cup. But another performance like Thursday would put the Caps in an 0-2 hole, and would mean Washington would have to win four out of five just to escape the first round.

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Friday, April 16, 2010 at 9:52 pm by bud

Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

Caps open playoffs with shocking OT loss to Canadians

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

Caps keep winning at home

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

Furious rally pushes Caps’ streak to 14 with thrilling win in OT

By Bud L. Ellis

A national TV audience. A snowed-in city. A historic win streak on the line. A bitter rival on the opposite bench.

This made-for-fairy-tale scenario played itself out at the Verizon Center on Sunday. And, just as things have transpired for nearly a month now, the Washington Capitals ended up on top.

Mike Knuble banged home a rebound 2:49 into overtime, capping a furious comeback and launching the Caps past the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4, extending Washington’s franchise-record winning streak to 14 games.

The Caps, who extended their lead in the Eastern Conference over New Jersey to 14 points, are one win away from matching the 1981-82 New York Islanders for the second-longest win streak in NHL history at 15 games. Washington plays Wednesday at Montreal.

The 1992-93 Penguins own the longest win streak in league history, at 17 games. Sunday, it appeared the franchise would hand Washington its first loss since Jan. 12. Sidney Crosby scored twice in the first period, and after Alex Ovechkin brought the Caps to within 2-1, Jordan Staal scored two goals to make it 4-1 with seven minutes left in the second.

But Washington chipped away. Eric Fehr scored to make it 4-2 with 2:48 left in the second. Ovechkin netted his second of the game at 6:51 of the third to bring Washington within 4-3. Ovechkin then capped his hat trick at 11:06 in the third, tying the game at 4-4.

In overtime, a penalty on Pittsburgh gave the Caps a power play. Ovechkin hit the post with a shot, but Knuble poked home the rebound, sending the crowd at Verizon Center – which had navigated through two feet of snow to make it to the game – into bedlam.

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Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 3:33 pm by bud

Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Eric Fehr, Jordan Staal, Mike Knuble, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

13 and counting: Caps keep rolling

By Bud L. Ellis

No. 13 wasn’t about luck. It was about a team that right now is playing at a level the NHL hasn’t seen in years.

The Washington Capitals pushed their franchise-record winning streak to 13 on Friday night. Down early 1-0 against the Atlanta Thrashers inside Verizon Center, while a blizzard raged outside, the Caps fired up their unstoppable offense and pulled away for a 5-2 victory.

Washington leads New Jersey by 12 points in the Eastern Conference standings, improving to 40-12-6 on the season. The Caps’ 86 points leads San Jose by three in the race for the Presidents’ Cup.

As usual, it was the Washington offense that sparked the Caps. Alex Ovechkin knotted the game at 1-1 at the 13:41 mark of the first period. Nicklas Backstrom gave the Caps the lead for keeps in the second, scoring at the 4:31 mark.

Up 2-1 entering the third, the Caps put it away with two goals in a 68-second span. Alexander Semin scored on a two-on-one, off a pretty feed from Brooks Laich, and Jason Chimera scored on a three-on-one. Mike Green, back after a three-game suspension, closed the scoring with an empty-netter.

Atlanta, which dealt star winger Ilya Kovalchuk to New Jersey the day before, came out with plenty of jump. The Thrashers, fighting for one of the final playoff spots in the East, peppered goalie Michal Neuvirth all night. Neuvirth, who was recalled from Hershey earlier in the day, made 43 saves.

The Caps’ streak is the longest in the NHL since New Jersey won 13 in a row in the 2000-01 season. Should the Caps win Sunday at home against Pittsburgh, they would own the longest streak in the league since the 1992-93 Penguins won 17 in a row.

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Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 7:42 am by bud

Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Atlanta Thrashers, Brooks Laich, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jason Chimera, Michal Neuvirth, Mike Green, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Nicklas Backstrom, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

Pefect 10: Caps close January with another win

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

Caps stay hot, push win streak to nine

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