Capitals Team Report
INSIDE SHOTS
The Caps played with great discipline in Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over the Sabres. Now the question is whether the Caps can keep it up when they face the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
This game was all about doing the little things that the Caps often seem to forget about. They stayed in position, played great defense and didn’t let the Sabres take control.
There’s no question that the Caps can score—that’s the least of their problems. But they must play solid defense and not make mistakes that cost them.
This almost happened in this game as Alex Ovechkin(notes) got a five-minute major and got tossed in the third period while teammate Mike Green(notes) also got a penalty. But this time the Caps hung on.
Caps 2, Sabres 0: Eric Fehr’s(notes) goal gave the Caps insurance and came on a night when they needed some help. Fehr’s third-period goal proved crucial and was his fourth of the season. If he can break out like he did last year, the Caps’ offense will benefit greatly. Fehr looks to be completely recovered from his two offseason shoulder surgeries.
NOTES, QUOTES
• The parade of injured players is slowing somewhat. D Milan Jurcina(notes) returned from a lower-body muscle pull—wherever that might have been—to help the blue-line group. D Tyler Sloan’s(notes) versatility paid off nicely as coach Bruce Boudreau was able to move him up to offense and put him at left wing.
• Unusual statistic here: the Caps scored the game’s first goal to take the lead and now have had the lead at some point in each of their first 25 games. They’ve fallen behind several times, but their solid offense is a big reason they usually find their way back to the top.
• Caps owner Ted Leonsis’ group has right of first refusal to buy the Washington Wizards after the death of Abe Pollin Tuesday. Pollin was the Caps’ first owner, starting the franchise in 1974 before selling it to Leonsis and his group. Leonsis has said that he’ll buy the Wizards.
• The Caps did a great job of killing penalties in the third period and weren’t going to let their lead fade away. They had to kill off a five-minute major plus a minor and did so impressively.
Quote To Note: “I think it helps. It helps the confidence, obviously. When you get your game, you just start playing better.”—G Semyon Varlamov(notes), on how he’s gotten into a rhythm starting three straight times.
ROSTER REPORT
Goaltenders: Semyon Varlamov, Jose Theodore(notes).
Defensemen: Milan Jurcina, John Erskine(notes), Mike Green, Brian Pothier(notes), Karl Alzner(notes), Jeff Schultz(notes).
First Line: Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom(notes), Chris Clark(notes).
Second Line: Brooks Laich(notes), Brendan Morrison(notes), Eric Fehr.
Third Line: Tomas Fleischmann(notes), Mathieu Perrault, Matt Bradley(notes).
Fourth Line: Tyler Sloan, David Steckel, Jay Beagle(notes).
Player Notes:
• LW Alex Ovechkin had an interesting night. He got the game-winning goal—giving the Caps a 1-0 lead in the first period—and then put the Caps in trouble when he got a five-minute major that gave the Sabres a power play. In addition, the penalty (for boarding) got him thrown out. But the Caps hung on.
• G Semyon Varlamov earned his first career shutout with a sparkling 25-save effort. He is making a real case to be the team’s No. 1 goalie and helped the Caps break their three-game losing streak.
• C David Steckel showed why he’s one of the NHL’s best faceoff guys. He won 14 of 15 draws in this game, something the Caps needed badly on a night when goals were hard to come by for both teams.
Medical Watch:
• RW Alexander Semin(notes) (wrist) is apparently making progress and could be back after a few more games.
• RW Mike Knuble(notes) (broken finger) had surgery last Saturday and is out for three to four weeks, likely returning in mid-December.
• RW Boyd Gordon(notes) (back) is considered day-to-day.
• D Tom Poti(notes) (upper body, possible chest bruise) and is day-to-day
• D Shaone Morrisonn(notes) (upper body, apparently concussion) is day-to-day.
• LW Quintin Laing(notes) (broken jaw, surgery) will be out until mid-December or later, a total of 4-6 weeks overall.
Japers' Rink
22 Comments
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and by the way, gonchar, ex cap, i'm a big fan, so you know, but of course, you probably think that there's some kind of ill will forgetting how and why he left the caps and the fact that apart from the rivalery he's never spoke ill of the franchise that helped birth him and there's no ill will between them so it's hard to imagine russian would hurt a russian who's an ex franchise player knowing the way respect works, if ove were trying to slay someone, your outspoken @#$% of a i'll punch you in your nads captain would be the more approperiate source of venom. or did you forget all the cheep shots crosby took this year that were waaaay more intentional than a knee on knee trying to blatantly and intentionally hurt people.
ooops i forgot, not a hockey fan, a nuskool pens fan. go back to listening to limp bisquick and whatever other breakfast flavor of the day gets served up at your local trendsetting fast sports diner you can find
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Wow, way to prove just how little you know about hockey and how much your opinion is emotional rather than factual.
First off the injury to Gonchar was a knee to knee hit by Ovechkin. If you think for a minute any player would ever intentionally go knee to knee with another player you are insane. The potential for either / both players to be severely injured on a play like that is too high. There much more effective hits a player can make on another to inflict injury that would make way more sense from the hitting player's point of view. If you rewatch the different angles of the replay it should be even more apparent how incidental that hit was rather than intentional.
As for Ovechkin and the Caps diving. I find that one to be rather ironic considering how much time Crosby spends sitting on the ice as well. The difference between Ovie and Crosby in this case is that Ovie never gives up on the play, hence the highlight reel goals he's gotten over the last few seasons from all kinds of awkard positions on the ice. Typically, when guys are diving on purpose they give up on the play to try and get the call from the ref for the penalty, not struggling to keep the play alive so they can score on it.
And Ovie scoring. Well, did you ever think the reason why he was free and not being smothered by the Pens D was because he was a good skater with good linemates who set him up to be in the right place to score? Isn't that how it's supposed to work, the better players see the play develop on the ice sooner and can take better advantage of it using their speed and finesse? Or should we blame the fact that Ovie wasn't covered on an underachieving Pitt D that just couldn't play their positions well enough at all. I don't remember seeing that be the case. There were some lackluster D plays on the side of the Pitt especially when rolling through their third line guys, but, for the most part, the Caps scoring came from when they were driving the offensive zone and shooting. The way things really went down was as the series went on and the shots on goal began to drop the Caps ability to score died. It might have made Ovies goals seem that much bigger to the untrained eye like yours and now, you're jealous but rather than admitting he's actually a good player, you'll sling insults about him being a chimp.
If you were going to beat up on Ovechkin for something that has to do with hockey, you might bring up his open ice hitting style, which tends to be pretty high and sometimes a bit blind. I am not totally convinced he leaves his feet the way he's accused of, but I can certainly see the arguments about the intention and the legality of it.
Of course, you advocate violence as a form of retribution for something that happens on the ice. Take the guys out back in the parking lot? Oh, yes, very mature of you. If the Penguins wanted to send a message back for any of the hits that occured in the game, they could have let Crosby deck a guy during one of the face offs like it did earlier in the season, maybe a nice frustrated shot to the family jewels? Actually, no, neither of those is what REAL hockey advocates. If you had a tough guy, you might send your tough guy out against their tough guy to spark some momentum, but really, you just increase your checking further overall, which, the Pens did. They laid down a brutal forecheck in the second half of that series and that forced the Caps to play sloppier hockey and spend more time being physical (thus taking stupid penalties and ending up in the box) The best message a team can send though is simply scoring. Nothing sticks it to an opponent more than losing. Especially when you win a Stanley Cup out of it. Only an uneducated fan who knows nothing about the history of the sport or has any respect for sports themselves would advocate wanton violence in light of having won a title. No wonder the Penguins almost went backrupt a few years back due to a diminished fanbase, they weren't supported by morons like you wasting space in the seats. I'm sure they are so glad to be collecting your money now though.
Seriously, too, where does washington play? they play in the city of Washington, D.C., you know, our nation's capital. The sovereign city that has many of the same legal entitlements to that of any other city and in some cases that similar to a state as a whole. Now, wait, lets see, what state do the Penguins represent? Oh, that's right, they don't represent a state, they represent the CITY of Pittsburgh and I'm sure the fans of Philadelphia would like to remind you very much so you can keep the Pens on your side of the Keystone state. Perhaps they didn't teach you the difference between a city and a state in the first grade so I hope this lesson now prompts you to at least reference a map sometime so you can get a visual representation of the difference.
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I still think they need an experienced shut-down D-man. Varle has to get a shot in goal, especially if the glove-hand-high weakness has been worked on. Johnson as the backup and Theodore on the trading block. Colorado needs a goalie...lol!! Nylander, please go to Jagr!!!
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I'm a proud NHL fan ... of the Red Wings, Capitals, Flames and Canucks..and honestly, I think the Capitals did awesome this year. They put up a heck of a fight for Crosby and his Penguins, that's for sure! If only they can fix their defence and more of the offence players [besides the top players like Ovechkin] would step up to the plate and actually shoot the puck in attempt to score, I think next season would be awesome :)
and for the record .. I think Varlamov deserves a lot of praise...just playing 5 or 6 normal NHL games in the whole season, and having to goaltend for the playoffs is pretty big pressure..and I think he pulled it off wonderfully.
Next year, Caps, next year you guys are going to make it all the way to the final Cup championships and battle it out full front!
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The Pens had a relentless forecheck. They cycled the puck well in the offensive zone and the Caps weren't able to break out the puck without turning it over. Even the dump and chase was a failure. As for shots the Pens finally found Varly is week glove side high. Gonchar is important in the PP but I don't think his absence was noticed. Didn't he play the first two games? He's never been a physical player and has always been easily shell shocked. Ask him about Darcy Tucker sometime. Caps are an impressive young team and I'm sure we'll see more of them next post season. As Boudreau said - maturity will help this team in the years to come. The Pen's trades prior to the deadline were key to turning around a team that was looking at missing the playoffs. They key to the Pens success from here out will be Fluery. I doubt he'll see as few shots as he did this series.
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GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RETRIBUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Even Varly got a penalty for slashing after he was buried under a Pens player. Apparently he has just suck it up. The refs won't protect him and he can't protect himself.
We'll see the Pens lift the cup if it kills this sport.
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Boudreau's genius is that to him, literally all of the guys on his bench are PLAYERS. He expects...and they all know this...that if he puts 'em in, they're not just going to play, they're going to play well. Even if they're replacing an injured star, he expects they'll play as well as the guy they're replacing.
Boudreau has won championships at every level he's coached. He remembers what it's like to be the young guy who hasn't had a shot yet. And what is it that literally all young players want and/or need? A shot. So Bruce says why waste time having a kid watch games from the press box, getting himself even more nervous and anxious, put him out there, and the sooner the better. He's always willing to give young guys a chance, and by that I mean they'll play every shift, and in every situation. That way, they know they've been given a full chance, and can't say they weren't.
This kind of honesty and opportunity is what endears Boudreau to his players. Hey look at Jose Theodore in Game 1. Bruce did the right thing, he started him, he played poorly, so he started the rookie Varlamov in net in Game 2 and in every game since. Many of the Caps know how Bruce works because many of them have benefitted similarly when they were young players, either in DC or in Hershey. Theodore got his chance in Game 1 and blew it, so he's got nothing say to his teammates, whose confidence has since been lifted by the play of Varlamov.
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