Flyers roll over Caps

Last night’s game defined the inconsistency that exists among this Washington Capitals team this year. They came out extremely sluggish and gave up two quick goals, one being 23 seconds in by Claude Giroux. After the 2-0 deficit in the 1^st period you had a sense that the Caps weren’t going to get out of this hole. The night before the Caps played their most complete game of the season against Carolina and they decided to follow that with a miserable 1^st period to destroy any momentum from the shutout win.

The 2^nd period was no better, letting up two more goals and extinguishing any chance of a comeback. After Max Talbot scored the 4^th goal of the game Braden Holtby was pulled from the game allowing 4 goals on 18 shots. In defense of Holtby’s consistent play as of late, 3 of the 4 goals he could do nothing about. Philipp Grubauer then entered the game for his 1^st ever NHL appearance between the pipes. He didn’t change the outcome of the 4-1 loss, but he did serve as the lone positive in the game stopping all 14 shots he faced. It was definitely a special night for the 21 year old even with how the game ended and I congratulate him on his efforts.

Joel Ward scored his 6^th goal of the season for Washington in the final minutes spoiling Ilya Bryzgalov’s shutout. The Caps couldn’t seem to find the net on the PP which is a rarity in the last 10 games. The special teams in this game was very poor, killing 1 of 3 penalties and going 0 for 3 on the PP. Alex Ovechkin led the team with 6 shots, but could not capitalize on any of them. Ovechkin didn’t play his best game and missed a one on one with Bryzgalov late in the game when he tried to go forehand backhand as opposed to just wristing it. Mike Ribeiro had a rare bad game logging a -2 ice rating and picking up his familiar unsportsmanlike conduct towards the end of the game. Jason Chimera………well it’s safe to say he didn’t score and keeps proving himself unworthy of a top line position. Brooks Laich needs to get back in the lineup to solidify our top 6.

The defensive pair of Tom Poti and Tomas Kundratek played a very respectable game being the only Caps blue-liners with a positive plus-minus. Poti also logged an assist on the Joel Ward goal in the 3^rd period. However Karl Alzner and Mike Green were on the ice for both even strength goals and had -2 ice ratings. That defensive pair led the Caps in ice time, both playing over 21 minutes. In the 4-1 loss I was expecting a fight to occur for the sake of a momentum change for the Caps, but it never came. The closest encounter came at an unfortunate moment when Mathieu Perreault left the ice after a cheap hit from Harry Zolnierczyk. He received a game misconduct for the hit to the knee in the last minute of the game. Perreault has been playing well lately, so we all hope he isn’t sidelined because of this jackass.

With 29 games left in the season the Caps don’t have time for inconsistency. They have a great opportunity to seize the Southeast division lead sitting only two games back. Every divisional matchup down the stretch will be important for Washington, especially with the Winnipeg Jets coming up on Saturday. They currently hold a 3-way share of the division lead with 19 points; the Caps have 15 points. I would expect Braden Holtby to start with the two day break, but with how Grubauer played yesterday who knows what Adam Oates will do. The puck drops at 3 on Saturday in Winnipeg. Keep the Faith. Rock the Red. Unleash the Fury.

Player of the Game: Joel Ward (1 goal, +1)

Stat of the Game: 14 saves on 14 shots (Philipp Grubauer)

Mr. Irrelevant: Karl Alzner

Caps shutout Canes

A little over 24 hours after the Braden Holtby and John Erskine had their contracts extended two years they helped the Capitals shutout the Carolina Hurricane 3-0. John Erskine scored his 2^nd goal of the year just 31 seconds into the 2^nd period to give the Caps a 2-0 lead over the Canes. Erskine also logged a +2 ice rating tonight and now leads the all Caps’ D-men in plus-minus. Braden Holtby picked up his 2^nd shutout of the 5^th of his young career. He had 33 saves in the game with the most notable one against Alex Semin on a shorthanded breakaway. Holtby is 5-2 with a 2.00 GAA, and .937 SV% in his seven game start streak.

Nicklas Backstrom seems to be coming out of his slump with each game; he had a goal and assist in the win. He the 1^st goal of the game on the PP with two nice passes from Mike Ribeiro and Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals have scored a PP goal in 9 of the last 10 games which is why they are currently 2^nd in the NHL in that category. The Caps only took 2 penalties in the game and were able to kill both of them. They need to continue to stay out of the box in games to come because there is room for improvement in the PK. If the Caps can stay disciplined they will have a hard time losing because of the recent improvements in goal tending and scoring. The Caps were also able to hold Alex Semin scoreless in his return to Washington; he had an -1 ice rating.

The Capitals gave Cam Ward and the Canes everything they had, logging 40 shots which is the most they’ve had this season. Jason Chimera led the team with 7 shots, but seems to be snake bitten still unable to score his 1^st goal of the season. John Carlson had 6 shots on net and scored the final goal of the game off a rebound for his 2^nd goal of the season. Carlson was supporting his new hair cut after getting rid of all the flow and it seemed to pay off with a goal, assist, and +2 ice rating. He also led the team in ice time once again with 22:30. Eric Fehr continues to play well; even without scoring he too had a +2 ice rating. He is well deserving of the RW position on that 2^nd line.

Alex Ovechkin didn’t have a shot on goal, but still played a solid game, and logged an assist. It was the first time The Great Eight hasn’t logged a shot since the 2^nd round of the playoffs last year against the Rangers. It is not the game we expected Ovechkin to have after his hat trick Saturday, but the win is the most important thing in the captain’s mind. Ovechkin and Ribeiro seemed to focus on their play making abilities trying to end Chimera’s drought because Ribeiro also didn’t log a shot in the contest. If Chimera doesn’t tickle the twine soon, Adam Oates will probably move him from the top line because he has stated before that the LW position on the top line has to perform when you’re playing with the super stars.

Washington has less than 24 hours to rest with the Philadelphia Flyers waiting tomorrow. They will take a train overnight and probably will hold an optional skate tomorrow morning. While the Philadelphia Flyers have not had a successful season so far, but they have a lot of talent with the return of Scott Hartnell, and the recent acquisition of Simon Gagne. The Caps prevailed over the Flyers in their 1^st match up this season 3-2 . We will see if Zac Rinaldo or another Flyer will take a run at John Erskine for the elbow he delivered to Wayne Simmonds in the last game. I would welcome the challenger with how Erskine has been playing as of late. Adam Oates hasn't named a starting goaltender yet, but I wouldn't doubt to see Holtby between the pipes again. The puck drops at 7:30 in the Wells Fargo Center. Keep the Faith. Rock the Red. Unleash the Fury.

Player of the Game: Braden Holtby (33 saves, SO)

Stat of the Game: PP goals in 9 of 10 games

Unsung Heroes: John Erskine and John Carlson

Caps ink Holtby and Erskine

George McPhee announced earlier today that the Washington Capitals have signed Braden Holtby and John Erskine to two year contract extensions. Despite the season the Capitals are having both Erskine and Holtby have proved their worth in the shortened season.

Braden Holtby

Braden Holtby was inked to a 2 year, $3.7 million contract. He is now 23 years old and this contract stands as an extension off his rookie contract. Holtby’s has played the last six games for the Caps and has picked up four wins for the team. He has a made a statement in the past few games which is no doubt why GMGM decided to make the deal this early in the season. Michal Neuvirth is also a restricted free agent at the end of the season, but with his play this season who knows if they will trade him or resign him. The Caps now have at least one young goaltender that they have trust in.

Holtby has many attributes in his arsenal which makes him so valuable to this Washington team. He has a very quick glove and is one of the most talented puck-handling goalies in the league. Adam Oates has acknowledged those abilities this year, implementing a system where Holtby is encouraged to come out to move the puck around for breakouts. We all remember the power play goal that Troy Brouwer scored this year after Braden Holtby sprung him with a long saucer pass. Holtby had the lone assist on that play and posted a shutout against the Florida Panthers in that game.  

Braden Holtby’s save percentage and goals against average do not show how well he has played this year. He has improved a lot since the first few game of the season and both stats are climbing with each game. We all know that Holtby can make this team better with proof from last year’s playoff when his name was called because of the injury suffered by Tomas Vokoun. He played in all fourteen games between the pipes with a record of 7-7. Holtby logged a very respectable .935 save percentage and 1.95 goals against average. He played like a seasoned veteran in his first playoff appearance after only playing seven regular season games with the Caps. He is our goalie of the future and we are glad to have him for another two years.

John Erskine

John Erskine was also signed to a two year contract extension for $3.925 million contract. Erskine is 32 years old and is currently in his seventh season with the Capitals. Erskine has faced some diversity over the past few seasons dealing with three different coaches and their styles of play. Last season was his least favorite one of his career and  he was noticeably upset only playing in 28 games under Dale Hunter. He clearly didn’t fit Hunter’s system, but he came into this season with optimism and has been in the lineup the majority of games under Adam Oates.

Erskine brings a lot to the table for Washington and isn’t afraid to drop the mitts to fire up his team. He has 71 career fights in the NHL and one this season against known tough guy George Parros. In case you didn’t catch it, he won the fight and started the momentum for the 5-0 win over the Panthers. Erskine was suspended for the first time in his career this season when he elbowed Flyers’ forward, Wayne Simmonds, causing a concussion. He was suspended three games which is the only thing to keep him out of the lineup despite some early season scratches.

Erskine has always been a well-admired player in Washington because of his toughness and toothless smile. He is the only defenseman on the team that is physical on a nightly basis and he leads all Caps D-men in hits this season. He and Mike Green are the only two blue-liners that have a positive plus-minus for the Caps this season. Erskine is a fan favorite and deserves this contract. Now that he is locked up for the next two seasons he will be the next Caps jersey that I buy. We are lucky to have Erskine as our “tough guy”, and to the next player who indulges in fisticuffs with him, may God have mercy on your soul.  

Ovechkin's Hat trick takes down New Jersey

On Saturday afternoon all of Caps nation experienced something that we have not seen in a long time. Alex Ovechkin logged his first hat trick since January 22, 2011. It looked like The Great Eight from the past that we all know and hope is here to stay. He scored two of his three goals in the third period to seal the deal on the Devils 5-1. Troy Brouwer and Eric Fehr would add the other tallies in the third period. Eric Fehr would score his fourth goal of the season shorthanded which was the Caps first one of the year.

The Capitals would go two for three on the power play making them currently second in the league with a 28.8%. The PK also saw great success killing all three of the penalties. Braden Holtby proved consistent again in his sixth straight game saving 21 of 22 shots. He also stopped a penalty shot from Steve Bernier in the second period that definitely built some momentum for the red sweaters. The only goal allowed was a Ilya Kovalchuk wrist shot that hit off the post and beat Holtby.

The Caps played their best third period of the year logging four of their five goals. Alex Ovechkin played his best game of the year on Saturday logging four points. His three goals and one assist is what this team needs to get back on their feet. He logged seven shots and played his season low 16:40 minutes in the game. I keep saying that with the amount of shots he is getting and playing with Mike Ribeiro the goals will eventually come. Well they definitely came Saturday and we finally saw Ovi excel at his new position. Each game we have seen progression from Ovi at the right wing and his second goal against the devils was bold proof of his transformation. He entered the zone from the right side, dangled a little, and shot it between the defenseman’s legs to beat Johan Hedberg. My first response was, “That’s vintage Ovi”!!! Ovi now has eight goals and 14 points on the season.

All the Caps players played well in this contest making it a very important team win. Yes, Ovi had his first hat trick in two years, but that game meant a lot more to this struggling team. They saw their captain that is capable of anything succeed and lead the team to a victory. Mike Ribeiro continues to play exceptional and Ovi is benefitting from that as well as the rest of the team. Troy Brouwer scored his eighth goal of the year on the PP from a beautiful pass from Ovi. Boruwer and Ovi are now tied for the team lead in goals. Nicklas Backstrom also continues to improve his game even though we don’t see it on the stat sheet every game. Backstrom logged one assist in the game for his 12^th of the season.  

It was a great defensive game played by the Caps, allowing only one goal on 22 shots. Mike Green missed his third consecutive game, but he will return tomorrow night against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Capitals are always a better team with him the lineup because of his offensive presence and puck moving abilities. Look for Tom Poti to be a healthy scratch because of Green’s return. George McPhee also revealed that the Caps will probably call up a forward from the Hershey Bears soon because of the injuries to Brooks Laich and Marcus Johansson. Stay tuned to see who it will be. Keep the Faith. Rock the Red. Unleash the Fury.

Player of the Game: Alex Ovechkin (3 goals, 1 assist)

Stat of the Game: Ovi’s 1st hat trick in 2 years

Unsung Hero: Braden Holtby

Penalties punish the Caps

The Capitals let one slip away from them last night in the third penalty because of penalties. The guys in red sweaters held a 2-1 lead entering the third period, but the referees would soon change that. Six penalties in the third period would give the Devils plenty of opportunities to tie the game and then take the lead. With a couple of 5 on 3 chances Ilya Kovalchuk would take the lead from the Caps late in the third period. Washington would be unable to draw even in the remaining minutes falling to New Jersey 3-2.

The Caps only goals were scored on the power play by Mike Ribeiro and Mathieu Perreault. They would convert on two of their four chances. The PP continues to succeed while the PK has started to improve. The Capitals were able to kill five of the six penalties despite the frequency of them in the third period. Braden Holtby aided Washington’s performance saving 34 of 37 shots. He continues to face well over 30 shots in the game, but this time it was because of the penalty parade once again.

Alex Ovechkin didn’t play a bad game despite his -2 ice rating. He created many chances for the Caps and had several good breakouts which lead to power plays. I keep hearing that the goals will come for Ovi and with the scoring chances he has been getting lately from the right wing position I have to believe that. Ovi lead the team with four shots and was second in ice time playing nearly 23 minutes.

The penalties were definitely the main reason for the loss, but the most meaningful goal in the game was the shorthanded goal given up to Patrik Elias in the second period. The Caps were careless with the puck in their own zone and the Devils made them pay for it. Even though the Caps were able capitalize later on that power play with Ribeiro’s goal, a short-handed goal can be very demoralizing to a team.

I thought that John Carlson played a decent game replacing all the minutes that Mike Green usually plays despite his turnover that lead to the shorty. He was the only player that logged over 30 minutes in the contest. Mike Green’s presence is still greatly missed and he is expected to return on Saturday against the Devils. Troy Brouwer and Nicklas Backstrom were the past Washington forwards on the ice logging a total of three assists. That offensive pairing is clearly working and should pay off in the long run.

The Capitals are digging themselves a bigger hole with each careless loss they suffer. Adam Oates needs to find some discipline and Alex Ovechkin needs to find the stat sheet fast. He currently has five goals and ten points in 16 games and the Caps need their Captain to lead the way. Holtby has finally found some consistency in his game and the PP is booming. It’s time to build off the positives, stop feeling sorry for each other and start getting the W. Keep the Faith. Rock the Red. Unleash the Fury.

Player of the Game: Troy Brouwer (2 assists)

Stat of the Game: 34 saves on 37 shots (Braden Holtby)

Mr. Irrelevant: Jason Chimera