Caps continue home dominance, down Rangers

By Bud L. Ellis

Jose Theodore slammed shut the door. Eric Fehr and newcomer Eric Belanger provided all the support. Roll it together, and it’s another win at home for the Washington Capitals.

The Caps made it 13 straight at home on Saturday, Theodore making 30 saves to whitewash the New York Rangers 2-0 at Verizon Center.

The win moves Washington to 44-13-8 on the season, good for 96 points and a 14-point lead over Pittsburgh for top honors in the Eastern Conference. The Caps lead San Jose and Chicago by five points each in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy for most points in the NHL.

Washington has not dropped a game at home since falling to Carolina on Dec. 28. The Caps improved to 25-3-3 at home, best in the NHL.

Fehr scored in the first period at the end of a 5-on-3 to stake the Caps to a 1-0 lead. Belanger, one of four players acquired by the Caps during the trade deadline this week, lit the lamp in the second period. That was more than enough for Theodore, who improved to 12-0-2 in his past 14 decisions.

Washington plays host to Dallas on Monday.

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Sunday, March 7, 2010 at 1:19 am by bud

Tags: Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Star, Eric Belanger, Eric Fehr, Jose Theodore, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

Eight not enough: Caps make it nine straight

By Bud L. Ellis

Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The Washington Captials got plenty of offense and solid goaltending Friday night.

It’s a recipe the Caps have shaken, stirred, served and repeated throughout a torrid January that’s vaulted the team to the top of the Eastern Conference. And it was more of the same Friday, the Caps extending their winning streak to nine with a 4-1 victory over Florida at the Verizon Center.

Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Knuble each has three-point nights, Knuble scoring twice, as the Caps improved to 12-2 in January. A win Sunday at Florida, on the final day of the month, will set a franchise record for most victories in a month (the Caps also won 12 games in December 1984), and will tie the team mark for longest winning streak, 10, set in 1983-84.

Washington (36-12-6) leads the East with 78 points, six ahead of New Jersey and seven ahead of Buffalo. The win ties the Caps for second in points earned this season with Chicago, one behind San Jose.

Backstrom opened the scoring 7:26 into the first period with his 22nd goal of the season. The Panthers tied it at 4:22 of the second, sneaking a shot past rookie goaltender Michal Neuvirth.

But Neuvirth stopped Florida from there, making 35 saves. And the Caps’ high-powered offense took care of things the rest of the night.

Knuble tipped in an Alex Ovechkin shot just 25 seconds after Florida tied the game. Jeff Schultz scored 4:46 into the third to make it 3-1. Knuble scored later in the third to put it away, his 11th goal in his past 12 games.

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Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 11:38 am by bud

Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Jeff Schultz, Michal Neuvirth, Mike Knuble, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Nicklas Backstrom, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

Caps push win streak to six as white-hot January continues

By Bud L. Ellis

Nobody has been hotter in 2010 than the Washington Capitals. Saturday night, the Phoenix Coyotes tried their best to slow down the NHL’s most torrid team.

No dice. Michal Neuvirth shined in goal, Eric Fehr scored the go-ahead tally and the Caps made it nine wins in 11 tries in the new year, downing Phoenix 4-2 at home.

The win moves the Caps to 72 points on the season, tops in the Eastern Conference and just four behind San Jose in the race for best record in the NHL (Chicago leads the Caps by two points).

Winners of six in a row, Washington improved to 18-3-3 at home. And the Caps did so by rallying from an early 1-0 deficit, tying the game on Brooks Laich’s power-play goal in the first period. Fehr scored on the power-play with 6:38 left in the second period, and Alexander Semin pushed the Caps’ advantage to 3-1 with a goal four minutes later.

Neuvirth made it stand up from there. Alexander Ovechkin scored his 33rd goal into an empty net with six seconds remaining.

Washington now gets two days off to rest up for a busy final week of what’s been a nearly perfect month. The Caps play Tuesday at the Islanders, then finish the month with three consecutive games on home ice.

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Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 10:09 pm by bud

Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Brooks Laich, Chicago Blackhawks, Eric Fehr, Michal Neuvirth, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals

Caps finish January with four of final five at home

By Bud L. Ellis

It couldn’t set up more perfectly for the Washington Capitals.

Already sitting atop the Eastern Conference and running away with the Southeast Division, the Caps play host to Phoenix on Saturday, opening up a stretch where Washington plays four of their final five games in January on home ice.

And home has been a very comforting place so far in 2009-10 for the Caps. Washington, which led New Jersey and Buffalo by three points each for first place in the East entering Friday, is 17-3-3 at home so far this season. Only Chicago (21), Vancouver (20), Phoenix (19) and Ottawa (18) have won more games at home to this point of the season.

Washington will play 18 of its final 32 games this season at home. Barring a total collapse, the Caps will win the Southeast Division and figure to be in the hunt for the top seed out of the East heading into the playoffs.

Winning at home is a big part of the equation, but the Caps have been winning everywhere of late. Washington comes into Saturday’s contest on a five-game winning streak and has won seven of its last 10. Thursday, the Caps pulled away in the final 30 minutes for a big 6-3 road win at Pittsburgh.

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Friday, January 22, 2010 at 9:27 pm by bud

Tags: Chicago Blackhawks, National Hockey League, Ottawa Senators, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals