Caps Beat Rangers in Overtime!
By Rodger M. Wood
Remembering last year’s first game loss against 8th seeded Montreal, the Caps came out strong, hitting everything in sight, and doing all the little things necessary to beat the New York Rangers 2-1 in overtime of the first game of the 2011 quarterfinals Stanley Cup playoffs.They played good defense, blocked opponent shots and waited for the right opportunity tocome back from a 1-0 deficit late in the third period.Ovie set the tone, crunching Rangers all over the ice, and his teammates soon followed suit with 17 hits in the first period and a total 35 hits for the game.Although the Rangers are notorious for keeping their offensive zone clean, Caps were the better of the two teams, blocking 32 shots to the Rangers’ game total of 28.The game was scoreless until Rangers Matt Gilroy scored on a slap shot from the slot at 1:56 mark of the third period.Sticking to the game plan, Alex Ovechkin crashed the nets to even the score up 1-1 with his first goal against the Rangers this season at the 13.44 mark of the third period.Both teams played cautiously until Alexander Semin broke into the open in front of the Rangers net to take a perfect pass from line mate, Jason Arnott and score the game winner at 18.53 of overtime.Throughout the game, Rangers veteran goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist dueled Capitals rookie goaltender Michal Neuvirth, who in his first NHL playoff game, matched the old pro stopping 24 of 25 shots, many of which were taken from point blank range. The Caps 23-year old net minder made several unbelievable stops.Coming back from a concussion, defenseman Mike Green played 24:45 minutes and assisted on Alex O’s goal in the third period.The Caps take on the Rangers in the second game in 7:30 PM game at the Verizon Center Friday night.See you there!
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Playoff Hockey Wins Two Games in Florida
By Rodger M. Wood
Displaying a patient, dump the puck, four - line balanced attack and good defensive playoff hockey on the road the past two nights, the Caps beat Florida 3-2 and Tampa Bay 2-1 to take sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division.When the Caps found themselves down a goal early in the first period at Florida, assisted by line mates Alex O and Mike Knuble, Niklaus Backstrom tied the score on a mighty slap shot at 17:16 mark of the first period.Midway through the second period, on a sweet backhanded shot from in front of the net, Boyd Gordon beat Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen to put the Caps ahead 2-1.The Caps kept the lead until Panthers forward, David Booth, on a 5 on 3 advantage at 17:24 of the third period, scored the 2-2 equalizer.
Playing like a man possessed, Alexander Semin, assisted by Karl Alzner and Marcus Johanssen, slapped the game winner in at only 43 seconds into overtime.Off a faceoff, Sean Bergenheim put the Lightning ahead 1-0 at the 12:30 mark of the first period at Tampa.The game stayed 1-0 until again Semin, assisted by Ovie and defenseman Dennis Widemann, tied the game at 14:28 mark of the third period.Regulation and overtime ended in a 1-1 tie and it took Alex O’s dramatics to win the overtime shoot out, when he put the sole goal past Lightning net minder Duane Roloson, who had shutout the Caps in two previous outing this season.Replacing Michal Nevirth at the start of the second period, #1 star of the game, Caps backup goaltender Braden Holtby sensationally stopped all 21 Stamkos, Lecavalier, St. Louis, and other Lightning sharpshooters shots in two periods of regulation, overtime, and the shootout.Without a doubt, the 21-year old goaltender played like a #1 NHL goalie, if Varlamov or Neuvirth were out of the lineup for any time.Plus the youngster looked like a pro and was more articulate than most athletes and politicians I’ve seen in the Versus interview after the game.Versus Ed Olyck commented last night, it was the best he has ever seen Caps forward Alexander Semin play. The Caps forward proved his worth, scoring his winning 23rd goal of the season in overtime at Florida, and 24th tying goal in the third period of the Tampa game.Hit in the face-mask by the slap shot, Neuvirth and injuring a finger, Backstrom both left the Tampa game, but Coach Boudreau announced after the game, both players were held out only for precaution and are all right.Forward Eric Fehr’s shoulder is healthy again and is ready for duty.The Caps return home to the Verizon Center Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers.
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Finding His Game, Alex Semin Helps Avert A Lightning Strike
"Semin was the best player on the ice sheet last night, and his game-tying goal late in the final frame seemed in its virtuosity and swagger to assure the Caps of leaving town with two points. The Capitals are a vastly different looking hockey club when Sasha skates with swagger." OnFrozenBlog.com
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Caps Take Off Night against San Jose
By Rodger M. Wood
Coming off successively strong two way wins against conference rivals Tampa and Pittsburgh, the Capitals once again decided to take a night off Monday to lose at home to a hustling Western Conference challenger, San Jose Sharks 2-0.As in the other seven games they were shut out this season, the Caps showedvery little of the infamous rhyming game virtues, spark and heart.It’s also a possibility they just weren’t tough enough after two days rest to cope with the very big tough defensemen protecting the Sharks blue line.Highly rated rookie defensemen, John Carlson, Kurt Alzner, and the Caps first line forwards, Ovie, Niklaus Backstrom, and Jason Chimera were on the ice for both the Sharks goals from the Caps blue line midway through the third period.In any event, they lost again with only the excuse that coming off a six game injury, $6.2 million dollar man, Alexander Semin, was not yet in game shape.If that was case, why did they send Jay Beagle, who gave the Caps 100% spark and heart all of the time for lots less money, back to Hershey the day before.Penguins Matt Cooke Suspended Four GamesPenguins Matt Cooke, who tried to injure Alex O with a knee to knee check in Saturday’s game, was suspended by the NHL for the 4 games for a hit from behind on Columbus’ Fedor Tyutin on Tuesday night.
Is Stars Brad Richards Coming to the Caps?There are some wild rumors circulating around the Caps are considering a trade of right wing Matt Bradley, one of the rookie goaltenders, Semyon Varlomov,Michal Neuvirth, or Braden Holtby, and a #1 draft pick, for Dallas center and leading scorer, Brad Richards. Richards leads the Stars in scoring with 22 goals and 39 assiststhe 2010-2011 campaign.
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Alexander Semin Powers By Maple Leafs Phil Kessel
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