Game #10 Recap: Caps 1 Wild 2

The Caps remained win-less in Minnesota with a 2-1 loss to the Wild last evening. The game was the complete opposite of the game in Carolina. The Caps gave up an early goal and looked to be a step behind all night long. Michael Nuevirth put up another good effort in the net for the Caps but had little support from the rest of the team. Minnesota scored again in the last minute of the second period. With the Wild on the power play, Karl Alzner was called for another penalty and in the commotion the Caps stopped skating and the Wild put the puck in the net. So the Caps started the third period on the penalty kill and proceeded to take two more penalties in the frame. The Caps then put up a furious pace in the final five minutes. Alex Ovechkin cut the lead to 1 with a little over a minute remaining. Unfortunately that was all the offense they could muster. The Capitals failed to score in the first period for the 6th time in 10 games. This trend has been a major reason the Caps have been unable to play their game.Simply put the team needs to be better prepared to start each game.

Of Note:

• Ovechkin's goal broke a five game goal drought for the left winger. Mike Green got the only assist on the play.
• Nicklas Backstorm had a strong game but was robbed twice by the Minnesota goalie of the same name. Backstrom led everyone in face-off wins and percentage, winning 17 of 24 draws (71%).
• Matt Bradley was making his presents felt. He delivered a game high 5 hits.
• The Caps killed 4 of the 5 power plays they faced and have allowed 5 goals on 44 chances in the first 10 games. The Caps power play was anemic again going 0 for 2. The Caps have not scored a power play goal in the last 5 games.
• Nuevirth stopped 15 of the 17 shots he faced. He has played in all of the Capitals first 10 games.
• The teams 22 shots on goal was a season low.
• The Caps travel to Calgary to face the Flames on Saturday.

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Game Summary
Event Summary

Game #10 Preview: Washington Capitals at Minnesota Wild

Where: Xcel Energy Center, St Paul, MN

When:  October 28, 2010 8:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 6-11-1-0

Caps Game 10 Record: 12-17-5-0

All-Time vs. MIN: 4-5-0-1

All-Time at MIN: 0-4-0-1

Last Season vs. MIN: 1-0-0

Last Meeting: 11/13/09, WAS 3 MIN 1

This Year:

WAS Record: 6-3-0

Standings Points: 12

Division Rank: 2nd

Conference Rank: 4th      

Last Game: 10/27/10, WAS 3 CAR 0

Streak: Win 2

MIN Record: 3-3-2

Standings Points: 8

Division Rank: 4th

Conference Rank: 13th    

Last Game: 10/25/10, MIN 2 LA 3 (OT-SO)

Streak: Loss 2

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 22 KNUBLE

Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 85 PERREAULT, 28 SEMIN

Forward Line 3: 25 CHIMERA, 14 FLEISCHMANN, 16 FEHR

Forward Line 4: 10 BRADLEY, 39 STECKEL, 26 HENDRICKS

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 52 GREEN

Defense Pair 2: 4 ERSKINE, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 27 ALZNER, 89 SLOAN

Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Back-up Goalie: 70 HOLTBY

Minnesota

Forward Line 1: 15 BRUNETTE, 9 KOIVU, 20 MIETTINEN

Forward Line 2: 48 LATENDRESSE, 7 CULLEN, 24 HAVLAT

Forward Line 3: 23 NYSTROM, 11 MADDEN, 22 CLUTTERBUCK

Forward Line 4: 12 KOBASEW, 21 BRODZIAK, 16 STAUBITZ

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 8 BURNS

Defense Pair 2: 5 ZANON, 3 ZIDLICKY

Defense Pair 3: 4 STONER, 41 FALK

Goalie: 32 BACKSTROM

Back-up Goalie: 60 THEODORE

Injuries:

Washington – 15 GORDON (undisclosed) IR, 1 VARLAMOV (groin) IR, 3 POTI (lower body) DTD, 90 JOHANSSON (hip flexor) DTD

Minnesota – 96 BOUCHARD (concussion) IR, 37 HARDING (knee) IR, 51 SHEPPARD (knee) IR

Caps Milestones:

Nicklas Backstrom needs 8 assists to reach 200 in his career.

Brooks Laich needs 6 points to reach 200 in his career.

Preview:

After a 3-0 whitewash of the Carolina Hurricanes the Caps turn right around and face the Minnesota Wild on the second stop of their road trip. As a franchise, the Caps have not won a game in 5 tries at Minnesota. The team will look to duplicate their effort from last night where they played the most complete game of the season. They will need to keep up the defensive awareness and attach the offensive zone more to create turnovers and havoc in the Minnesota end of the rink. The Wild have had a tough start to the year but are starting put things together. I’m thinking this will be another low scoring affair with lots of up and down action. If the Caps get the early lead they will win this game. If they don’t it will be a dogfight.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 3 MIN 1

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Game #21 Recap - Capitals 3 Wild 4

The Capitals were down and out or so it would seem. The Wild were up 4-0 and Capitals had lost Jeff Schultz, Boyd Gordon and John Erskine to injury. But the one thing this team does not do is give in. In an impressive individual effort, Eric Fehr out battled a Wild defender all the way down the left wing and pushed a pass to Matt Bradley who somehow put the puck into the Minnesota net. Next Alex Ovechkin ripped a wrist shot through the five-hole and the Caps came storming back. Nicklas Backstorm scored a power play goal and they were within one. However, even with their net empty the Caps could get no more and fell to the Wild 4-3.

The Western road trip is now complete with disappointing 1-3-0 record. With that it is easy to deride the team and call for heads but the one thing I saw was a lot of heart on this team. The team could have easily packed it in and went home but they battled hard and even though they didn't prevail they may have learned a little something about themselves. This may be too little too late for this road trip but they have another stretch of 3 games in 4 nights beginning tomorrow and maybe the confidence to turn things around.

Of Note:

• Alex Ovechkin scored his first career goal against the Wild. Ovechkin now has 25 points on the season tying him for sixth place in the NHL. He has scored points in eight consecutive games.
• Nicklas Backstrom's goal gives him points in nine consecutive games.
• Jose Theodore stopped 29 of 33 shots including a sweet glove save on a Minnesota 2-on-none breakaway.
• To help the ailing defense Brooks Laich was playing shifts on the back end and assisted on the Backstrom goal.
• Eric Fehr contributed 2 assists and Matt Bradley got his 3rd goal of the season.
• Tomas Fleischmann and Milan Jurcina picked up the assists on the Ovechkin goal.

Official Recap
Game Summary
Event Summary

Game #21 Washington Capitals at Minnesota Wild

Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN

When: November 24, 2008, 8:00 PM

History:
Caps Record on this Date: 4-9-2-0
Caps Game 21 Record: 16-10-7-0
All-Time vs. MIN: 8-14-1-1
All-Time at MIN: 3-7-1-0
Last Season vs. MIN: 1-0-0
Last Meeting: 2/26/08, WAS 4 MIN 1

This Year:
WAS Record: 11-6-3
Standings Points: 25
Division Rank: 2nd
Conference Rank: 6th
Last Game: 11/22/08, WAS 2 SAN 7
Streak: Loss 2

MIN Record: 11-6-1
Standings Points: 23
Division Rank: 1st
Conference Rank: 1st
Last Game: 11/22/08, MIN 1 STL 2
Streak: Loss 2

Probable Line-Ups:
Washington
Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 25 KOZLOV
Forward Line 2: 14 FLEISCHMANN, 92 NYLANDER, 17 CLARK
Forward Line 3: 21 LAICH, 39 STECKEL, 16 FEHR
Forward Line 4: 87 BRASHEAR, 15 GORDON, 10 BRADLEY
Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 26 MORRISONN
Defense Pair 2: 89 SLOAN, 3 POTI
Defense Pair 3: 23 JURCINA, 4 ERSKINE
Goalie: 60 THEODORE
Back-up Goalie: 1 JOHNSON

Minnesota
Forward Line 1: 15 BRUNETTE, 9 KOIVU, 11 NOLAN
Forward Line 2: 8 BURNS, 25 BELANGER, 20 MIETTINEN
Forward Line 3: 11 VEILLEUX, 51 SHEPPARD, 96 BOUCHARD
Forward Line 4: 24 BOOGAARD, 67 POULIOT, 22 CLUTTERBUCK
Defense Pair 1: 5 JOHNSSON, 55 SCHULTZ
Defense Pair 2: 3 ZIDLICKY, 41 SKOULA
Defense Pair 3: 2 REITZ, 47 BERGERON
Goalie: 32 BACKSTROM
Back-up Goalie: 29 HARDING

Injuries:
Washington – 2 POTHIER (concussion) IR, 91 FEDOROV (ankle) DTD, 28 SEMIN (upper body) DTD, 52 GREEN (shoulder) DTD
Minnesota – 10 GABORIK (back) IR, 26 FOSTER (leg) IR

Caps Milestones:
Matt Bradley needs 2 points to reach 100 in his career.
Chris Clark needs 4 penalty minutes to reach 600 in his career.
Brooks Laich needs 2 shots on goal to reach 400 in his career.

Preview:
After two disastrous outings in LA and San Jose the Caps can get a split on their current West Coast road trip with a win in Minnesota. Unfortunately, they will not have the services of Alexander Semin, Mike Green or Sergei Fedorov to help them do it. Each is injured and not ready to return to the lineup. Minnesota is a team that does not score a lot of goals but they play a stifling defensive system and have an elite goalie in Niklas Backstrom (no relation to the Cap’s center). In his last 7 games, Backstrom is sporting a 1.55 GAA and 0.943 save percentage but has seen his team only go 4-3-0 in those games. Watch the start of this game as the Caps were blown out in the first period of last two games. It is critical for the Caps to get a good start or they will face a huge uphill battle in this one. Look for the Caps to simplify their game and the forwards need to support the defense as much as possible. The Caps have given up 22 goals in their last four games after giving up 9 in the previous 6. I think the team will pull together and play like we know they can. It will be a hard fought game but hopefully a building block.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 2 MIN 1

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Game #64 Recap - Capitals 4 Wild 1

There was excitement around Washington Capitals Hockey yesterday. Management cemented its position of wanting to make the playoffs this year by trading for Cristobal Huet, Sergei Fedorov and Matt Cooke. The teams came out fired up and took it to the Western Conference's 6th place team. The Caps got the secondary scoring it was sorely missing the last couple of week. Brooks Liach, who has been playing very well of late, put up a 4-point night. The Caps big line was not given any room to run and the line of Laich, Tomas Fleischmann, and Eric Fehr took advantage. The Caps also took care of their own. After Chris Bourque was driven into boards from behind, David Steckel immediately came to his aid and fought Aaron Voros of the Wild. Later in the game Matt Bradley would fight Voros again for good measure. Olie Kolzig allowed only 1 goal on 35 shots and that was a deflected puck. The Caps need to keep up the intensity as Carolina won in overtime against New Jersey.

Of Note:

• Brooks Laich was the #1 Star of the game scoring the first Caps goal, assisting on the next 2, then scoring the final goal in route to a 4-point night. Laich now has 13 goals and 10 assists on the season.
• Tomas Fleischmann assisted on both Laich goals and now has 19 assists and 27 points on the season.
• Alex Ovechkin has not scored a goal in 6 consecutive games matching the longest stretch in his career.
• David Steckel was masterful in the face-off circle winning 8 of 9 draws.
• The win was the 298th in Olie Kolzig's career.
• Eric Fehr and Shaone Morrisonn each scored their first goal of the season. For Morrisonn it was his first Game-Winning-Goal in his career.
  

Official Recap
Game Summary
Super Stats

Game #64 Washington Capitals Vs. Minnesota Wild

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When: February 26, 2008, 7:00 PM

History:
Caps Record on this Date: 8-5-1-0
Caps Game 64 Record: 15-11-3-2
All-Time vs. MIN: 69-55-8-5
Last Season vs. MIN: 1-3-0
Last Meeting: 10/12/06, WAS 2 MIN 3 (OT-SO)

This Year:
WAS Record: 28-27-8
Standings Points: 64
Division Rank: 2^nd
Conference Rank: 11^th
Last Game: 2/24/08, WAS 1 NJ 2 (OT)
Streak: Loss 3

MIN Record: 34-23-5
Standings Points: 73
Division Rank: 2^nd
Conference Rank: 6^th
Last Game: 2/23/08, NJ 4 NYI 2
Streak: Loss 3

Probable Line-Ups:
Washington
Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 43 FLEISCHMANN
Forward Line 2: 28 SEMIN, 25 KOZLOV, 18 PETTINGER
Forward Line 3: 53 LAING, 39 STECKEL, 10 BRADLEY
Forward Line 4: 87 BRASHEAR, 15 GORDON, 21 LAICH
Defense Pair 1: 26 MORRISONN, 52 GREEN
Defense Pair 2: 23 JURCINA, 4 POTI
Defense Pair 3: 4 ERSKINE, 44 EMINGER
Goalie: 37 KOLZIG
Back-up Goalie: 1 JOHNSON

Minnesota
Forward Line 1: 38 DEMITRA, 9 KOIVU, 10 GABORIK
Forward Line 2: 12 ROLSTON, 25 BELANGER, 96 BOUCHARD
Forward Line 3: 19 VEILLEUX, 15 SHEPPARD, 92 RADIVOJEVIC
Forward Line 4: 17 FEDORUK, 83 FOY, 21 PARRISH
Defense Pair 1: 5 JOHNSSON, 8 BURNS
Defense Pair 2: 41 SKOULA, 55 SCHULTZ
Defense Pair 3: 26 FOSTER, 6 HILL
Goalie: 32 BACKSTROM
Back-up Goalie: 29 HARDING

Injuries:
Washington – 17 CLARK (groin) DTD, 92 NYLANDER (shoulder) IR, 2 POTHIER (head) IR, 55 SCHULTZ (knee) DTD
Minnesota – 24 BOOGAARD (back) IR

Caps Milestones:
Donald Brashear needs 2 Points to reach 200 for his career
Matt Pettinger needs 1 Point to reach 100 for his career
Tom Poti needs 9 Shots on Goal to reach 1,100 for his career
Alex Ovechkin needs 2 Goals to reach 50 for this season

Preview:
The Caps take on the Minnesota Wild this evening in a contrast of styles. The Wild are a defensive team first and have scored just 167 goals this season for an average of 2.69 goals per game. On the flip side they have only given up 165 goals for a 2.66 goals against per game average. The Caps have their work cut out for them, they need to score and they have not done that well in their last couple of games. No scoring has come from the 3^rd and 4^th lines and they have given up leads late in games. The Caps are need of a run of wins if they want to get into the playoff picture. No better place to start than right here.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 3 MIN 1

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