Showing posts with label Mike Vogel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike Vogel. Show all posts

January 18, 2013

Washington Capitals 2012-2013
NHL Season Preview - Part 2

Happiness returns, when the puck finally drops on Saturday - January 19, 2013.
Photo via a tweet from Capitals' Twitter -> @washcaps .

The hollow existence, the seemingly eternal void of so-called life without NHL hockey, it's finally over. We get just over half a season of our beloved sport, but at least we don't have to wait any longer.

For those team owners and players thinking the negative connotations should go away, now that -2012--2013 is under way, it's not going to happen. If you didn't want any reminders included in conversations about this season, you should have gotten the deal done last summer.

In Part 1 of my season preview, I summarized the challenges of the shortened preseason situation. Links to important and informative blog posts from local independent new media legends and mainstream media outlets were also included.

In Part 2 of my season preview, I'll concentrate on the offerings from the talented media members within the Washington Capitals organization itself.

Caps senior writer and media host Mike Vogel, along with radio voice John Walton, watched camp and conducted lots of interviews. Tons of videos (Thanks to James Heuser and Chris Liotta) have been posted at the Washington Capitals website since training camp started (video) last Sunday morning - January 13, 2013. Those conversations and observations are well documented in video, blog and twitter posts. Here is a small sampling.


01-13-13 Adam Oates: Caps head coach Adam Oates addresses the media after the first day of training camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.


01-13-13 George McPhee: Caps vice president and general manager George McPhee addresses the media after the first day of training camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.


01-13-13 Rinkside Update: John Walton and Mike Vogel with the Sunday Rinkside Update after the first day of Caps training camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.


Of Curves And Lies
By Mike Vogel at Dump 'N Chase

There were many attributes that made Adam Oates an attractive hire as the Capitals’ next head coach last summer. During a 19-year Hall of Fame career as a player, Oates was known as a cerebral player who made his linemates better. He was a top-notch offensive player throughout his career, but he also became a noted defensive specialist, penalty-killer and face-off man during his latter years. Oates’ broad based knowledge of the game and experience in it as well as his thinking man’s approach enabled him to stand out among other candidates...


01-15-13 Rinkside Update: John Walton and Mike Vogel with the Tuesday Rinkside Update after the Caps scrimmaged against the Reading Royals on the third day of training camp at KCI.


01-16-13 Capitals Report: Check out this week's Capitals Report with John Walton and Mike Vogel answering your fan questions.


01-18-13 Rinkside Update: Mike Vogel with the Friday Rinkside Update after the Caps final day of training camp before opening up the 2012-13 season tomorrow in Tampa Bay.


Well, I think that will do it, for now. There is so much more that could be added, but I suggest you go to the Capitals web site and the blogs linked above for more. Otherwise, catch me on Twitter, where I may add a couple more links.

August 31, 2012

Washington Capitals Summer Review:
June Through August Of 2012

Photo via ULoop blog.

Summer, both the temperate season (Northern Hemisphere) and the NHL hockey offseason, are coming to a close (hopefully) in a couple weeks. There may not have been as much activity during the last three months as many fans would have liked, but a few events and newsworthy stories did take place.

In June, after the playoffs, we had the 2012 Entry Draft. July 1, free agency started. Intermittently, there have been trades and various transactions throughout the summer.

Washington Capitals fans said goodbye to a few newly minted free agents, including veteran crease invader Mike Knuble, and enigmatic winger Alexander Semin. We also said hello to new acquisitions, like the consistent forward Mike Ribeiro.

For those Caps fans who work and live locally, I'm sure watching the prospects play at development camp was exciting. Currently, we're all tracking the new CBA negotiations.

More detailed information, and related feature stories, are available via the archives of the following popular sites.


July 1, 2012

2012 NHL Free Agency Links


Today's (July 1, 2012) the day, at 12:00 PM EDT, NHL Free Agency commences. It's the day where uncommitted players start to seek out a new home, with a new contract for the big bucks (hopefully), and teams try to acquire the guys they think will make their team better.

This post includes a list of some of the best sites to visit online for coverage of the relevant transactions, both free agent signings and trades.

The Washington Capitals are my favorite team, so some of the links below are to Caps themed sites.


June 22, 2012

2012 NHL Entry Draft Links


The 2012 NHL Entry Draft is being held at at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Round one starts at 7:00 PM EDT tonight, June 22, 2012. The rest of the draft rounds will take place tomorrow.

This post includes a list of some of the best sites to visit online for NHL draft coverage. These blogs, twitter accounts and various websites are also going to be accurate and timely in the reporting of any trades that may happen this weekend. Most trades occur in the offseason these days, and there are bound to be a few major transactions between now and July 1st, when free-agency starts.

The Washington Capitals are my favorite team, so some of the links below are to Caps themed sites and pre-draft videos.


Washington Capitals Review: May 1 - 31, 2012

Capitals celebrate EC Semifinal Game 6 win in Washington, DC on May 9, 2012.
Photo by Mitchell Layton / Getty Images via WashingtonCaps.com.

Obviously, I've been out of commission for a while. Therefore, I was not able to post updates on the Washington Capitals for the month of May 2012. With my limited (and unpaid) time, I think it would be utter madness for me to even try, at this point. So, you'll soon see new blog posts starting with June 2012 updates

However, I would like to suggest you visit the archives of the following popular sites, to catch up with or review what happened last month. The end of Washington's second round NHL playoff series against the New York Rangers, and unfortunately their 2012 playoffs run altogether, is well documented by these sources.


WashingtonCaps.com - Game recaps by Mike Vogel, highlights
videos at team's site. Click on calender dates for menu of choices.

Dump 'N Chase - Mike Vogel's blog

Capitals Insider - Katie Carrera at The Washington Post

Japers' Rink - Jon Press and various blog contributors

The Peerless Prognosticator - Blog by The Peerless

February 27, 2012

Links For The 2012 NHL Trade Deadline

Washington Capitals locker room. Photo by Mitchell Layton from Getty Images.

The NHL trade deadline for the 2011-2012 season is 3:00 PM EST today, Monday - February 27, 2012. This post includes a list of some of the best sites to visit for online coverage. Live streams, twitter accounts and various websites that are among the first to report trades (and are the most knowledgeable / accurate) are linked below.


September 23, 2009

Olie No Longer A Goalie

Photo found at A Tapestry Of Yarns.

Former Washington Capitals goaltender Olie Kolzig has decided to retire. After spending most (711 0f 719 games) of his 14 NHL seasons playing for Washington, fans of the Caps and "Olie the Goalie" are sad, though not surprised to see him go. Some of the places on the web to visit for an in depth retrospective of this NHL hockey great also known as "Godzilla", are surely soon going to include Dump 'N Chase, A View From The Cheap Seats, Japers' Rink, Love The Game, Don't Like Puck Bunnies, The Peerless Prognosticator and of course WashingtonCaps.com. Until then, you can check out today's official press release at either NHL.com or NHLPA.com.

July 1, 2009

NHL Free Agency Coverage For Washington Capitals Fans

Brent Johnson makes poke check save on Chris Drury penalty shot.
November 8, 2008 photo from AP Photo.

Now that the 2009 NHL Entry Draft is behind us, the next big thing on the schedule for hockey fans is Free Agency. Just like with the Entry Draft, fans of the Washington Capitals will want to check out the reliable local sources of good coverage for the free agency madness.

What will Washington do, if anything? Will they sign a free agent or two? Will they make a good trade instead? Will GM George McPhee bring goaltender Brent Johnson back? To see if the Capitals sign an available player you want on the team, use the links below.


March 25, 2009

Capitals Vs Maple Leafs 03/24/2009 Review

Curtis Joseph celebrates shootout win over the Capitals.
Photo by Chris Young - AP Photo / Canadian Press.

Capitals 2 - Maple Leafs 3 SO

All hail goaltender Curtis Joseph. He stole the show last night, after replacing his Toronto Maple Leafs teammate Martin Gerber in net with 57 seconds of regulation left on the clock. The Washington Capitals showed no mercy, bombarding Joseph with shots, but CuJo was impenetrable.

Capitals goalie Jose Theodore was sharp in net too, but the team overall were not the overpowering force they should've been, while facing a team that hasn't been very good this season. Most of the first 59 minutes of play were not awe inspiring. Neither team brought their fans more than a few moments of excitement until the very end.

The game tying goal by Washington's forward Brooks Laich came at 19:03 in the third period. The crease in front of Toronto's net was very crowded when Laich jammed the puck through Gerber, or maybe i should say with Gerber, across the goal line and into the net. Gerber thought he had the puck stopped, and there should've been a whistle. He was so mad about the goal being ruled good, that he started shoving his way though everybody. While he was flipping out, he earned himself a game misconduct, for making contact with a referee and a linesman. That's when he was replaced by Joseph.

CuJo only played a total of 5:57 including overtime, before the game went to a shootout. He stopped nine quality shots during that time. Five of those shots came in immediate succession, from the area just in front of the goal. I can't lie, my daughter Chelsea and I found that sequence rather thrilling. We are both fans of Joseph. He was her favorite goalie when he played for Detroit. The Red Wings used to be her favorite team as well. Still, it's a shame his heroics came against our beloved Capitals. The shootout that followed also proved fruitless for Washington.

With another chance to move closer to the top of the conference thwarted, it's a good thing the Caps have a bit of a cushion within their division. The team has until Friday to make adjustments, when they'll face the Tampa Bay Lightning at home.

March 24, 2009

Annual Washington Capitals Winter Classic

2009 NHL Winter Classic.
Photo from
Army.mil .

There's an idea that's been rolling around in my relatively empty head for a while now. How about having an annual 'Washington Capitals Winter Classic'? I don't mean an NHL controlled event, but one overseen by the Capitals team organization itself.

I'm talking about doing something that includes a visual experience quite different from the fine outdoor spectacle the league has given us over the last couple hockey seasons. What I'm suggesting will be very different for the players as well. As a matter of fact, what I'm suggesting doesn't even involve any NHL players at all. Well, at least they wouldn't be playing in the game. Not current players anyway. So this would also not be similar to the annual outdoor practice at the Chevy Chase Country Club.

No, what I'd like to see involves some serious role reversal. The plan is to have Chairman and majority owner Ted Leonsis, joined by hockey operations and communications personnel, trading in the suits for hockey uniforms. That's right Mike Vogel (senior writer) and Brett Leonhardt (web site producer), this includes you too. Don't worry guys, skating ability won't matter that much. This is for fun, right? Your team roster would look something like the following.


"Washington Capitals Suits":

Ted Leonsis (C) - Center
Mike Vogel (A) - Left Wing
Sean "Spike" Parker - Right Wing
George "The Undertaker" McPhee (A) - Defense
Nate Ewell - Defense
Brett "Stretch" Leonhardt - Goaltender


Of course, there would have to be an opposing team to play against, which could be different from year to year. A similar group from the Hershey Bears organization would be the obvious choice, but there are others. Why not enlist the local sports news media?


"Washington Media Mob" or maybe "Washington PapaRusty":

Corey Masisak - Center
Lisa Hillary (A) - Left Wing
Craig "Locker" Laughlin (C) - Right Wing
"Smokin" Al Koken - Defense
Tarik El-Bashir (A) - Defense or Goaltender
Joe Beninati - Goaltender


Oh yeah, remember when I said "... skating ability won't matter that much." Turns out, it won't matter at all, because you won't be skating on ice. Instead, you'll be driving small cars on a surface of mostly snow like the guys at "Top Gear" (BBC TV car show) have done in honor of the Winter Olympics. They didn't use goaltenders, so I suppose that position would be optional.



049 Top Gear - Suzuki Swift Car Ice Hockey

Top Gear - Suzuki Swift Car Ice Hockey


For referees and announcers, you might call on youth league refs, the Caps' radio guys Steve Kolbe and Ken Sabourin or some of the more knowledgeable hockey bloggers. Hopefully, the whole thing could raise money for a deserving charitable cause such as AIDS, Alzheimer's, Autism or Cancer. Cars that are still road worthy could be donated after the event if they aren't kept for the next year. It would be great if this could really happen starting next winter. What do you think?

March 6, 2009

Maple Leafs Vs Capitals 03/05/2009 Review

Martin Gerber poke checks Michael Nylander on wrap around attempt.
March 5, 2009 photo by Nick Wass / AP Photo.

Maple Leafs 2 - Capitals 1

The Washington Capitals suffered their third straight loss at home last night. This time, it was at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs. As the score indicates, it was much closer than the two previous losses.

On Sunday, the Capitals lost to the Florida Panthers 6-2. Then on Tuesday, they fell to the Carolina Hurricanes with a score of 5-2. Losing by a score of 2-1 makes it seem like they must have played at least a little bit better, and they did. They also did it without their best offensive player and best defensive player.

Forward Alex Ovechkin suffered a minor injury (bruised heel) during practice on Wednesday and did not play. Defenseman Tom Poti only lasted one very short shift in last night's game before he was out with a reoccurring groin injury.

Even without the services of Ovechkin and Poti, you would think Washington had enough offensive fire power to overcome the Leafs. The only one to get the puck into the net for the Caps was Alexander Semin, who has now scored a goal in five straight games. There were plenty of other chances, but trade deadline acquisition goalie Martin Gerber was sharper than he's been in a long time during his first game playing for Toronto. The Leafs' defensive core also did their job well.

Sergei Fedorov played very well again. Both forwards Fedorov and Eric Fehr spent some time playing defense in this game to help make up for the missing Tom Poti. The Capitals sure could have used Fedorov more in the face off circle, but you have to play the cards you're dealt. Perhaps the mixed up lines led to communication problems. After the game, Mike Vogel said they looked out of sync and asked Fedorov if the problem was that they weren't used to playing together on those jumbled lines. Sergei's response was "Don't you think it's too late in the season to think that way?". With all the different line combinations that head coach Bruce Boudreau has used throughout the season, that's mighty hard to argue with.

It's just a slump, and the Caps' play will improve. Let's hope it improves before Sunday, when the Pittsburgh Penguins waddle into town.

March 2, 2009

Odd Weekend For The Caps, Indeed

It was an "odd weekend" indeed for the Washington Capitals, as majority owner Ted Leonsis put it in his blog review today. Washington faced the Boston Bruins early on Saturday afternoon, and performed incredibly well against the only team above them in the Eastern Conference at the time. Then on Sunday, the Capitals gave us a "total stinker" as Mark of Mark's Musings put it, while facing the Florida Panthers. Florida being the next team behind Washington in the Southeast Division of the NHL.

The intense level of focus the Caps showed against the Bruins in Boston had disappeared by the time they went up against the Panthers at home yesterday. Maybe they used up all of their adrenaline in the first game, coming home with an empty tank. Who knows?

The deflating feeling that comes following such a let down has Caps fans and bloggers turning their attention to other things. CapsChick of A View From The Cheap Seats and Dave Nichols of Capitals News Network take aim at a fun hating old clown. Meanwhile, Mike Vogel looks back at past trade deadline deals at Dump 'N Chase, and pucksandbooks wonders about dealing players within the present countdown over at On Frozen Blog. Let's all just move along, shall we?

August 1, 2008

8-01-08 SnapShots - Jose Theodore Part 2

The Washington Capitals posted the SnapShots - Jose Theodore Part 2 video on WashingtonCaps.com today. The first part was released Wednesday, July 30th. These videos are of an interview that Mike Vogel conducted to help introduce Capitals fans to their new number one netminder. Both Part 1 and Part 2 are currently on the team's homepage. They are also archived and available via Caps TV.

July 30, 2008

7-30-08 SnapShots - Jose Theodore Part 1

If you're not too familiar with the Washington Capitals' new number one goalie, luckily WashingtonCaps.com is happy to help change that. The Capitals posted a video today that is the first part of a great interview by senior writer Mike Vogel. In just over six minutes, Mike covers a lot of ground with Jose Theodore. Jose seems like a nice guy. Like everything I've seen and read so far, he appears genuinely happy to be a part of the Washington Capitals. Part 1 is currently available on Washington's home page and Caps TV. Part 2 is scheduled to be released Friday, August 1st.

July 29, 2008

Summertime Hockey Deprivation

Yes, this is it. We have now officially hit the dead part of summer, as far as hockey is concerned. This is the time of year we NHL Hockey fans get the blues. We feel a little lost, and we're desperate for any news about our favorite sport. We miss watching our heroes give it their all out on the ice, and feel like we just can't wait another day for the new season to begin.


If those back yard barbeques, family reunions and beach vacations aren't chasing away the summertime blues, then check out your favorite web sites and blogs to get the latest news or just to share your ideas about the upcoming season.


If you're a Washington Capitals fan like me, you might want to check out the following. Mike Vogel posted an interesting article at WashingtonCaps.com which touches on what Brent Johnson has been up to. It also includes an interview of Brooks Laich. Aneesa hits a Snag at Love The Game, Don't Like Puck Bunnies. Mark of Mark's Musings discusses salary cap issues, including a couple that were thankfully avoided. The Peerless Prognosticator covers what Shaone Morrisonn's arbitration decision might mean for Milan Jurcina. Meanwhile, DMG (Caps Blue Line) goes through various scenarios of what Washington will do to fix the fact that they are currently over the Salary Cap. On Frozen Blog has fans sharing their personal hockey memories. If you want to get to the "bottom" of things, visit CapsChick at A View From The Cheap Seats.

July 14, 2008

Capitals Announce Preseason Game Schedule

The Washington Capitals have finished Development Camp 2008 and finally officially signed future Hall Of Fame center Sergei Fedorov to a one year contract. With only defenseman Shaone Morrisonn left to sign (as far as we know, anyway), the Capitals released their 2008 preseason schedule.


2008 Washington Capitals Preseason Schedule (and Sergei Fedorov photo) from Washingtoncaps.com

Date / Opponent / Location / Time

Wed., Sept. 24 at Carolina RBC Center, Raleigh, N.C. 7 p.m.
Thurs., Sept. 25 Carolina Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 27 at Boston TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Mass. 4 p.m.
Mon., Sept. 29 at New Jersey TBD 7 p.m.
Wed., Oct. 1 at Philadelphia Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, Pa. 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 3 Philadelphia Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. 7 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 5 Boston Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. 5 p.m.

All Times Eastern


It sure would be nice to be able to watch some of these games on TV, but I doubt that's going to happen. I remember getting giddy listening to them online last season. We got to watch via the intermittently working NHL Live Center Ice Video Portal (temporarily free), but preferred our own Steve Kolbe and Mike Vogel as far as the audio. All of us Cap's fans and bloggers commenting back and forth during the games was a good time. I anticipate it being exciting this year too.

May 9, 2008

Say Goodbye To Olie Kolzig

It looks like goaltender Olie Kolzig will not be playing for the Washington Capitals anymore. After 19 years of mostly excellent service to the organization that drafted him, it appears he will be playing elsewhere if at all next season. The Washington Post's Tarik El-Bashir was first to break the news. Comcast SportsNet's Jill Sorenson has since interviewed Kolzig as well. You can watch the video on Washington Post Live tonight. Also, Mike Vogel's article on the end of the fantastic Kolzig era is a must read.

The news is a little hard to take for many of us, although we all probably knew it was coming. You can't carry three goalies forever, even if all three are good. Kolzig wasn't at his best for much of the season, but don't forget that his teammates weren't much help early on. Around the time of the trade deadline, when the Cap's picked up netminder Cristobal Huet, Olie's play really picked up. Huet played as well as he has ever played in his entire career, though some of his wins came with a good bit of help from his teammates, especially in the playoffs. I'm being serious when I say that Kolzig was just as good as Huet down the stretch. However, I agree that Kolzig's effectiveness is never going to be as consistent as it used to be. At 38 years of age, you've got to expect that.

It's heartbreaking to think about how Olie stuck around through the hard times, and when the Capitals finally raise the Stanley Cup sometime within the next couple seasons, he won't be around to share in what he has rightfully earned. There have been many other great hockey players who never won the cup, and there will be plenty more. When Huet faltered in the playoffs and Kolzig wasn't even given the chance to play in one game, it became very clear that his time in Washington was over. Sad that it had to end this way, but it's "Time To Say Goodbye".



Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman - "Time To Say Goodbye"




Skid Row - "I Remember You"


Thank You Olie!

March 13, 2008

Cake Time For Godzilla

The Washington Capitals beat the Calgary Flames last night, giving Olie Kolzig (a.k.a. Godzilla) his 300th career NHL win in net for the Cap's. With that in mind, I thought I'd post an E-Mail I sent Mike Vogel and the guys over at Washingtoncaps.com's Capitals Report Podcast three weeks before this (2007-2008) season started. The idea was that there were people within the Capitals organization that deserved some kind of special reward or acknowledgement, and that it would be good marketing for it to end up on national television.
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Hi guys,
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Have you ever heard of Charm City Cakes in Baltimore? They have a show on the Food TV channel called "Ace Of Cakes" on Thursday nights at 10:00 & 10:30 PM. Owner Duff & his staff make some incredible one of a kind creations. They've made many cakes involving pyrotechnics, including a car engine for Jay Leno. They make lots of cakes shaped like sports stadiums - Camden Yards, Ravens Stadium, etc. It's neat to see how detailed and almost realistic they get on cakes shaped like ships, cars, buildings, some guys head with his brains being eaten by zombies & so on.
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I keep thinking someone in the Caps Organization / Team deserves one. It would be nationwide exposure to possibly new fans as well as current ones. I'd really like to see a giant fire-breathing Godzilla cake for Kolzig's birthday. It could be a game against Pittsburgh with Zilla's fire melting Crosby's uniform exposing his pink Penguins thong panties, as he (Canadian Diving Team Captain) dives into the melting ice to put out the fire. Don't worry, those lips make a good floatation device.
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Thanks,
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Dan, Jr.
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There's no need to wait and order the cake for Kolzig's birthday. With Olie getting number 300, it's time for that cake now. Hopefully, the Capitals, the team's fan club, or somebody else with money, already has the order in at Charm City Cakes. If I had the cash, it would be on the way now!
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The podcast itself is still currently available for free download via iTunes. It was the September 13, 2007 show. Mike read my comments just after "last call" at about 58:23, shortly before the end of the show.

January 31, 2008

Canadiens Vs Capitals 01/31/2008 Preview

Photo - Getty Images
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Okay, so this is the last time the Washington Capitals will face the Montreal Canadiens this season. Regular season, anyway. Who knows what the playoff schedule will look like at this point. Oh yeah, I'm counting the Cap's still in the race. Way too soon to panic yet.
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I know, I know. That game in Montreal on Tuesday night wasn't pretty. I know, I know. Where has all the scoring gone? The last few games have probably made some fans nervous. Maybe, you think the wheels are ready to fall off again. Well, calm down. It ain't gonna happen. Watching that last game did make me think of something George Carlin would say, though. "It was like getting snot on you. Somebody else's ...... BBBLLLLAAAAAAAHHH!!!.....You'd do anything to get it off. You'd wipe it on flaming wood if you had to!" Obviously, there were a few breakdowns in the system.
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Washington rarely wins a game after having so much time off. I said I didn't like the idea at the end of my last post. It seems to kill any winning momentum they may have going on. The only positive thing that can come out of it is maybe the extra time allows for someone to heal up enough to come off the IR list. According to WashingtonCaps.com's senior writer Mike Vogel's game preview, Shaone Morrisonn may be one who's ready to do that for tonight's game.
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If Mo gets back into the lineup, it could free up Capitals' defenceman Mike Green for some much needed secondary scoring power. Without Morrisonn, Green has had to spend all his time defending. He even seemed to be a little rusty back there, too.
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The main thing the Cap's need to do is stay out of that freakin' penalty box. That's true when facing any team. But, especially when they're up against the team with the league's second best Power Play. Another thing to concentrate on is cutting off passing lanes going toward the net, so goalie Olie Kolzig doesn't have to spend all his energy shifting back and forth from one side of the net to the other. Also, it would be nice to be able to slow down any Hab hitting the neutral zone with the puck. We don't need any 2 on 0 breakaways this time, do we?
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Photo - Getty Images
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Just keep reminding yourselves that Washington hasn't lost two consecutive games in regulation since Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach. If they can beat the Ottawa Senators four times this season, surely they can split the season series against the Canadiens.

January 15, 2008

Senators Vs Capitals 01/15/2008 Review

Senators 2 - Capitals 4
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Both the Ottawa Senators and the Washington Capitals entered this match without some of their players. WashingtonCaps.com's senior writer, Mike Vogal listed them in his game preview. The Capitals are once again without their Captain - Chris Clark, who reinjured his groin in his comeback against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. Worse yet, Michael Nylander is now out for the season because of a shoulder injury he received in a game several weeks ago. He has been playing through the pain. He has now decided to have rotator cuff surgery, and he's off to a hospital in Cleveland where he will have the operation tomorrow morning.
.

Overall, the first period wasn't terribly exciting. The Senators did start off strong as expected. After all, they were trying to keep from getting swept by a team that most didn't think would defeat them in the other three times they faced Washington this season. The one thing that did get some reaction from the Caps was when Ottawa's Chris Neil ran right over goalie Brent Johnson at the top of the crease. Apparently, it was decided that Johnny was fair game since he was (just barely) outside the crease. But, the team and the fans thought there should've been a penalty called anyway, since he didn't have the puck at the time. The period ended with no score.

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Just 47 seconds into the second, Mike Green got the first goal before time ran out on the Power Play left over from the first period. Washington's Viktor Kozlov passed the puck from the far corner, and Green put it past Ottawa's Ray Emery. Alexander Semin also assisted. The Cap's defence was working pretty well for a while. John Erskine's name came up a few times, as he made some nice defensive plays. Almost at the mid point of the game, the Capitals had killed off two consecutive penalties, as Boyd Gordon cleared the puck from their end of the ice. But then, the Senators scored twice in less than a two minute span. Both were of the ugly ricochet variety. The first, from a Dean McAmmond backhand deflection at 13:41. The second was a Wade Redden wrist shot at 15:03. The Senators appeared to be overcoming whatever spell that the Capitals have had on them. However, 23 seconds later, Alexander Semin put them right back under. He was hanging out at the blue line. When Joe Corvo made a cross ice pass heading out of the Senator's zone, Semin picked it off. He deked past Redden, then strolled in and sent a wrister to the roof of the net. The second ended tied 2-2.
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The third period was pretty intense. It was obvious both teams wanted the win. Washington's Nicklas Backstrom was named one of the NHL's Young Stars earlier today. The Young Stars will compete next weekend in Atlanta, as will the All Stars. He will be joining teammate Alexander Ovechkin, who was previously added to the Eastern Conference's 2008 NHL All Star Team. However, neither the Senators or the referees were showing him any respect. Backstom was upended while driving to the net, no call - typical. Later on, Ottawa's Chris Neil found himself between a rock and a hard place - Washington's John Erskine and Donald Brashear. The Senator's Antoine Vermette didn't seem to get the message. He was called for tripping Mr. Backstrom at 8:33. It worked out for the best though. At 9:11, Alex Ovechkin sent a Brooks Laich rebound past Emery via seven hole, while heavily screened. That PP goal put the Caps ahead for good. It was Ovie's 34th goal of the season. Then, just over two minutes later, Tomas Fleischmann passed the puck from behind Ottawa's net to Alexander Semin, who sent the puck into the net for the final tally. Tom Poti and the rest of the Caps' defence did a fine job holding off the Senators the rest of the way. Daniel Alfredsson "accidentally" high sticked Quintin Laing within the last minute. But, the teeth that might have been knocked out, have already been gone for a while.
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So, the Caps sweep the Sens for the first time since the 1995-1996 season. There's a lot of shocked and most likely angry fans in Ottawa tonight. The crowd in Washington, DC however, showed how happy they were with a standing ovation.
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All Photos - Getty Images

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