Caps Deadline Acquisitions Pay Early Dividends

Capitals News

Mar 7

Written By Thom

By Rodger M. WoodVeteran acquisitions at the trade deadline, Jason Arnott, Dennis Widemann, and Marco Sturm ignited the Caps in home wins against the Islanders and Blues last week and the Caps appeared to be headed in the right direction for the playoffs.The Caps were trailing the Islanders 1-0 at the 19:12 mark of the third period, when Jason Arnott passed the puck out to line mate, Brook Laich, who buried it in the net for the tying 1-1 goal.Two minutes later in the overtime, given a chance to win the game, Alex O.fought past Islanders forward Fran Nielsen to score a highlight game winning 2-1 goal.Starting to take hold as the Caps #1 goalie, Michal Neuvirth kept the Caps in the game, stopping 28 of 29 shots, many from point blank range.While he lost, Islanders goalie Nathan Lawson was also sensational in the nets, stopping 40 of 42 shots and truly deserving better than an overtime loss.Thursday night against the Blues, the Caps battled back from behind twice to win3-2. Scoring his first goal in 118 games, stay at home defenseman, Scott Hannan, tied the score up at 1-1 at the 3:08 mark of the second period.Three minutes later, Niklaus Backstrom tied the game up a second time, 2-2 before, Arnott rifled the game winner past Lawson at the 14:41 mark of the third period.The new players are helping in other ways. Center Arnott has made the second line a potent force. As a role model of disciplined play, he is making line mates Alexander Semin and Brooks Laich better players. Coach Boudeau is starting to station 6-5, 250 Arnott in front of the net with Ovie and Semin in must score situations.He showed veteran leadership on the bench and ice, talking vociferously to teammates. With him on the ice, the Islanders and Blues had trouble shutting down both Caps top lines.Arnott, and Sturm also give the Caps four solid lines. The Johanssen, Chimera, and Sturm line created opportunity after opportunity with their speed in both games. In his first time on the ice for the Capitals against the Islanders, Sturm missed an open net goal opportunity.The fighting line of Matt Bradley, Matt Hendricks, and Boyd Gordon played tough both games. Hendricks checked the puck free for Hannan’s goal in the Islanders game and Bradley beat the pee pee out of Tyson Strachan in the Blues game to open up and spark the Caps’ in the Blues game.Defenseman, Dennis Widemann led the Caps in ice time with 22.12 In the Blues game. He moved the puck well, took three shots, and replacing right handed point man, Mike Green helped to make the power play move the puck and look sharp again.