Game #8 Recap - Capitals 6 Stars 5 (OT)

In dramatic fashion the Caps pull out an overtime victory in Dallas. The final score 6-5 was indicative of the lack of defense by both teams. For the Caps a patented toe drag wrist rocket by Alexander Semin ended the game at 2:17 of overtime. The overtime heroics was set up by a defensive gaff that allowed Dallas' Mike Madano to score the tying goal with 56-seconds left in regulation time.

Sergei Fedorov scored 2 goals to become the leading Russian-born goal scorer in NHL history. He has amassed 475 goals in 1,204 career games. Fedorov has 3 goals this season placing him 2nd among Capital Russian-born goal scorers this season. Alex Ovechkin's 2 goals is good for third on the team and Semin is first with 7 goals.

This was a big win for the Caps who had come in with losses in their last 3 games. The defense has been riddled with injuries but needs to address the deficiencies that were very evident on this road trip. Tom Poti is expected back in the next couple of games and Ovechkin is having a tough start. Hopefully, the return of Victor Kozlov will help settle down the top line and Alex can get back to being Alex.

Of Note:

• Alexander Semin played his 200th career NHL game. He got his 11th career game-winning-goal and recorded assists on both of Sergei Fedorov's goals. The 3-point night was the 5th time in 8-games Semin has recorded multiple points. He is tied for the NHL lead in points with 14 and is tied for 3rd in the league with 7 goals. With the 3-points Semin tied Chris Simon for 40th place on the Caps All-Time Points list with 151 points.
  
• Tomas Fleischmann scored 2 goals and Tyler Sloan scored the first goal in his NHL career.
• Both team scored 1 goal in four attempts on the power play. The Caps held the edge in faceoffs 32-30. Boyd Gordon led the way winning 13 of 17 draws. He also made the play to set up the game-winner by Semin.
• In an interesting stat, Dallas out hit the Caps 35-12. It just didn't seem that lopsided to me.
• Michael Nylander assited on both of Fleischmann's goals. Nicklas Backstrom, Brooks Laich, Viktor Kozlov, Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green picked up assists in the victory.
• Donald Brashear administered a second period, beat down on former Caps draft pick Krys Barch. Barch was in need of repairs after that scrap.
  
• The last five games the Capitals have played have been decided by 1-goal. The Caps are 2-2-1 in those five games.

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