Devils Vs Capitals February 23, 2013 Game Review

Capitals players celebrate Alex Ovechkin hat trick against Devils in Washington, DC on February 23, 2013.
Photo © Alex Brandon / AP Photo.

Washington Capitals 5 Vs New Jersey Devils 1 = Home Game Win

The Washington Capitals bounced back into winning form, in a big way, on Saturday afternoon - February 23, 2013. Facing the New Jersey Devils at home, for the second consecutive time, the Capitals' offense came alive.

The offense of superstar winger Alex Ovechkin definitively came alive. Though he had been starting to create scoring chances more often in recent games, he had "only" five goals in the first 16 games of the -2012--2013 NHL season.

Ovechkin scored his sixth goal, the first of this game, five minutes into the second period. He would then go on to score another at the beginning of the third, and then yet another goal about five minutes before the end of the game. The hat trick, the eleventh of Alex's NHL career, is his first since January 22, 2011. It's also the first time he has scored a hat trick on home ice in over three years.

Capitals center Mike Ribeiro and forward Jason Chimera assisted on the first goal of the game, while forward Matt Hendricks and defenseman Jeff Schultz helped out on the next one. Ovechkin's eighth goal of the season came about with the assistance of Ribeiro again, along with fellow centerman Nicklas Backstrom.

Ovie's three goals (on seven shots) would have been enough to beat New Jersey's lone goal, which came from the Devils' own superstar forward Ilya Kovalchuk, but Washington also got a nifty wrap-around short-handed goal from Eric Fehr (RW), early in period three. About three minutes before the end of the game, Alex Ovechkin and young Caps defenseman Tomas Kundratek combined to help Troy Brouwer (F) score the fifth and final goal for the Capitals.

Special-teams came up big for the Caps, at both ends of the ice. Not only did they get a shorty from Eric Fehr (RW), while killing off a penalty, but the last two goals came while on power-plays. In the end, Washington killed off four penalties in all, while scoring on two of their three power-play chances.

While the Capitals were blasting Devils goaltender Johan Hedberg, they kept the Devils to only one tally, and minimized their opponents scoring chances overall. Washington outshot New Jersey 26 to 22. The Caps had been outshot in 11 of their first 16 games. They had also lost 11 of those games. Maybe there's a connection, well with most of those games, anyway.

Braden Holtby was excellent in net, for the Capitals. He only failed to stop one shot, out of 22, including a penalty shot by Steve Bernier (RW). After a shaky season start, much like last season, he seems to be well settled in now.

Mike Ribeiro may be the current scoring leader in Washington, with (6 G, 15 A) 21 points, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Alex Ovechkin (8 G + 6 A = 14 points) catch up with him real soon. Meanwhile, offensive defenseman Mike Green, who missed his third straight game with a groin injury, would surely like to just get back in play.

This was the last time the Capitals and the Devils were scheduled to meet, for this regular season, anyway. That's really too bad, since this win marks the only time Washington has beaten a top eight, playoff contending team this season.

Game Highlights: New Jersey Devils At Washington Capitals On February 23, 2013

Caps Postgame Locker Room 02/23/13: Caps players Braden Holtby, Nicklas Backstrom, Troy Brouwer and Joel Ward address the media after a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.

Alex Ovechkin Postgame 02/23/13: Caps captain Alex Ovechkin addresses the media after scoring a hat trick in the Caps 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.

Adam Oates Postgame 02/23/13 Caps head coach Adam Oates addresses the media after a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.

Thrashers Vs Capitals 04/05/2009 Review

Eric Fehr celebrates his third period goal with Brooks Laich.
April 5, 2009 photo by Alex Brandon / AP Photo.

Thrashers 4 - Capitals 6

In their final home game of the 2008-2009 NHL season, the Washington Capitals win combined both secondary and even strength scoring. With those features, so rare during the second half of the season, they defeated the Atlanta Thrashers and stay two points ahead (with 104 points) of the third place New Jersey Devils (102 points) in the Eastern Conference.

Tomas Fleischmann scored the first goal of the game early in the first period. Fleischman swatted down a bad clearing attempt by Atlanta's Nathan Oystrick, and sent the puck past netminder Johan Hedberg for his first ever goal against the Thrashers and his 18th of the season. Colby Armstrong answered back at 7:48 with his 20th goal of the season, getting one by goalie Jose Theodore, after Eric Fehr turned over the puck in the neutral zone.

Jim Slater put the Thrashers ahead at the beginning of the second period, while the Caps continued to play sluggishly, as they did for almost the entire first period. Just before the midpoint of the game though, they got a little boost when Keith Aucoin tipped in a cross ice pass from Alex Ovechkin, that went right through the crease to Aucoin for the back door goal. About six minutes later, Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk sent the puck over Theodore's glove side and into the net for his 42nd of the season, making the score 3-2.

By the start of the third period, Washington had gotten back into gear. They started heating it up, the red light, that is. Four of their six goals came in the final frame. The only wrinkle in the third was a clearing attempt blunder by Theo, less than a minute before the end of the game. The mistake resulted in Slava Kozlov netting the Thrashers' fourth and final goal.

The rest of the scoresheet for the third period was all Caps. Michael Nylander started the relentless assault, when he fired one in from the top of the left faceoff circle for his ninth goal of the season, and only his second at home. It was an astonishing sight, somewhat because he shot the puck toward the goal on purpose instead of passing. But the most shocking and wonderful thing to see was the rather enthusiastic celebration he exhibited right afterward. Eric Fehr battled hard to get the next one for Washington, thwarting a tripping attempt while making his way toward the net, and then getting knocked down immediately afterward. Alexander Semin put in his 31st of the season at 8:20. I can't help but wonder how many he could've had, if he were able to avoid injury this season. Brooks Laich scored the final goal of the game, with an empty netter 12.8 seconds before the final horn sounded.

The Thrashers looked like they had a good chance at taking one from the Capitals in the first half of the game, but by the third period, Washington had switched into domination mode. They really should try to play more like that for the whole 60 minutes. They can do it. I've seen it before. Focusing on what they're supposed to do, forechecking, backchecking, driving to the net, clearing the crease in front of their own goalie. They will face the Thrashers one more time, when they hit Atlanta on Tuesday.