That’s 12! Caps rally to down Rangers, extend win streak

By Bud L. Ellis

A dozen, the dirty way.

Down two goals late in the second period Thursday night, the Washington Capitals found a way to keep their franchise-record win streak alive.

In an up-and-down affair at Madison Square Garden, the Caps rallied from a 5-3 deficit, scoring three times in a 5:42 span to grab a 6-5 victory over the New York Rangers.

That makes 12 consecutive wins for the Caps (39-12-6, 84 points), pushing Washington’s lead over New Jersey in Eastern Conference to 12 points. The Devils made a big move Thursday night, trading for Atlanta winger Ilya Kovalchuk.

The Caps’ streak is the longest in the NHL since New Jersey won 13 in a row in 2000-01.

Ironically, the Caps go for No. 13 Friday against the Thrashers, in Atlanta’s first game without Kovalchuk.

The Caps had to battle back twice Thursday. Down 2-1 after one, Washington found itself down 5-3 with time running low in the second period.

But Alex Ovechkin, who scored twice on a three-point night and reached the 500-point career plateau, scored his second of the night with 8.5 seconds left in the period to make it 5-4 after two. Tom Poti tied the game at 5-5 with a power-play goal 59 seconds into the third period.

Nicklas Backstrom gave the Caps the lead for keeps at the 5:34 mark with a power-play goal.

Boyd Gordon scored Washington’s first goal with 3:20 left in the first, tying the game at 1-1. Down 2-1 after one, Mike Knuble’s goal 4:41 into the second tied it. Ovechkin’s first of the game came on a power play at 7:16, but the Rangers scored three times off Jose Theodore in a 6:29 span of the second to take a 5-3 lead.

Theodore made the 6-5 lead hold up, making 33 saves (and stopping all six Rangers’ shots in the final 20 minutes). Backstrom finished with a five-point night (four assists).

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Friday, February 5, 2010 at 6:33 am by bud

Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Atlanta Thrashers, Boyd Gordon, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jose Theodore, Madison Square Garden, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, Nicklas Backstrom, Tom Poti, Washington Capitals

11 and counting for streaking Caps

By Bud L. Ellis

The calendar has changed. The Washington Capitals haven’t.

With Jose Theodore back in net Tuesday night and playing for the first time since ending January with a club record for wins in a month, the Caps pulled away for their 11th consecutive victory, downing Boston 4-1.

With the victory, the Caps set a new franchise record for longest winning streak, set during the 1983-84 season. It’s the longest win streak in the NHL since San Jose won 11 in a row two years ago.

The Caps (38-12-6) extended their Eastern Conference lead on New Jersey to 10 points, and moved one point ahead of San Jose for most points in the NHL (82 points).

Theodore, playing for the first time in more than a week, allowed an early goal but nothing more, making 41 saves. And the high-flying Washington offense, the runaway NHL leader in goals, brought the Caps back yet again.

Mike Knuble tied the game at 1-1 with a goal 2:04 into the second period. The Caps broke the tie 5:04 into the final period, Brooks Laich scoring off an Alexander Semin feed to make it 2-1.

Boyd Gordon pushed the lead to 3-1 at the 7:51 mark of the third, and Alex Ovechkin added an empty-netter in the final minute.

Washington goes for 12 in a row when it plays Thursday at the New York Rangers.

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 5:58 am by bud

Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Boston Bruins, Boyd Gordon, Brooks Laich, Jose Theodore, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals