After Game 1 loss, Caps look to relax, regain footing

By Bud L. Ellis

The weight of expectation is a burden every No. 1 seed carries into the NHL playoffs. Maybe that weight was too much for the Washington Capitals in their postseason opener.

The Caps, who steamrolled the Eastern Conference in the second half of the regular season, looked tight and tentative throughout Thursday night’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. The eighth-seeded Montreal Canadians took full advantage, upsetting the Caps 3-2 in overtime to take a surprising 1-0 series lead.

Facing a Game 2 Saturday night at the Verizon Center that isn’t a must win, but is close, the Caps seek to relax and regain their free-flowing style that saw the Caps finish the season with more points than any team in the standings.

It starts with Alexander Ovechkin, Washington’s leading scorer who was held without a goal, an assist and a shot on goal in the postseason opener. It’s the first time in 417 NHL games that Ovechkin was shut out in all three categories on the scoresheet.

Washington finished 0-for-4 on the power play and could not break through against Montreal’s defense. The Caps can ill afford a repeat performance Saturday, as the series will shift to Montreal for Game 3 on Monday and Game 4 on Wednesday.

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Friday, April 16, 2010 at 10:49 pm by bud

Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

Stunning loss in OT for Caps in playoff opener

By Bud L. Ellis

The Washington Capitals dominated the first season. But the second season is underway, and the President’s Trophy winners suddenly find themselves one game down in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Tomas Plekanec scored 13:19 into overtime Thursday night at the Verizon Center, sending No. 8-seed Montreal past the Caps in stunning fashion in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, 3-2.

This certainly wasn’t the type of start envisioned by the Caps, who ran away with the Eastern Conference regular-season title and top seed following a scorching second half of the regular season. But Montreal, which won a spirited battle with several teams for the final playoff spot in the East, took the fight to the heavily favored Caps all night long.

Now Washington has work to do.

Joe Corvo scored in the first for the Caps, and Nicklas Backstrom added a goal in the third period. Jose Theodore made 45 saves, but he gave up the game-winner to put Washington in a 1-0 hole.

Game 2 is Saturday night in Washington. The Caps will have to be better on special teams, after going 0-for-4 on the power play in the opener. It also would help for Alexander Ovechkin to get on track. The Caps’ superstar not only didn’t register a point in Game 1, he didn’t even get off a shot after Montreal’s defense.

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Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 10:40 pm by bud

Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Joe Corvo, Jose Theodore, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Tomas Plekanec, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

Caps take historic win streak north of border

By Bud L. Ellis

The Washington Capitals take their historic surge north of the border starting Wednesday night.

The Caps, winners of a franchise-record 14 games in a row, take on Montreal on Wednesday. A win would tie the 1981-82 New York Islanders for second-longest streak in NHL history at 15 games in a row.

But winning at Montreal and then again at red-hot Ottawa (which just had an 11-game win streak snapped) won’t be an easy task.

Washington is 3-0 against the Canadians this season, having won the last meeting on Jan. 5 in D.C., 4-2. One week after that game, the Caps lost at Tampa Bay, but haven’t tasted defeat since. Starting with the win on Jan. 5 over Montreal, the Caps have won 17 of 18.

It’s been three days since the Caps pushed their win streak to 14 games in dramatic fashion, rallying from a three-goal deficit to down archrival Pittsburgh in overtime, 5-4.

The Canadians are 5-3-2 in their past 10 games. It’s been an unsettling week in Montreal, as Bob Gainey stepped down as general manager on Monday.

The Caps lead New Jersey by 14 points in the Eastern Conference standings.

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 6:48 am by bud

Tags: Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals

Caps work overtime for dramatic 14th win in a row

By Bud L. Ellis

As remarkable as their nearly month-long winning streak has been, nothing topped the way the Washington Capitals pushed their way to a 14th consecutive victory on Sunday.

Down three goals in the second period to one of their most hated rivals before a national TV audience, the Caps roared back and gave the fans who trudged through a blizzard to the Verizon Center a memory to last a lifetime. Alex Ovechkin scored a hat trick, and Mike Knuble banged home a rebound in overtime, the Caps extending their win streak to 14 games with a show-stopping 5-4 victory over Pittsburgh.

Knuble poked home a rebound after Ovechkin hit the post at 2:49 of extra time, capping a furious comeback and sending the home crowd into a state of delirium. The 14 straight wins extends Washington’s franchise record, and is the third-longest streak in NHL history, behind the 17 consecutive games won by the 1992-93 Penguins and the 15 straight reeled off by the 1981-82 Islanders.

The win also pushed the Caps’ lead over New Jersey to 14 points in the Eastern Conference standings.

It certainly didn’t appear the streak would continue, not after Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal each scored twice in the first 33:07 of the game to stake Pittsburgh to a 4-1 advantage.

Ovechkin scored the first goal for Washington at the 9:01 mark of the second period, then came Staal’s two tallies 1:27 apart to make it 4-1. Eric Fehr made it 4-2 at the 17:12 mark of the second, then came the memorable third period and overtime.

Ovechkin scored his second of the game at 6:51 of the third to bring the Caps within one, then finished off his hat trick and tied the game at 4-4 at the 11:06 mark. Into overtime the game went, and a penalty on Pittsburgh gave the Caps a power play, setting up Knuble’s heroics.

Washington guns for No. 15 in a row Wednesday at Montreal.

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Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 4:30 pm by bud

Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Eric Fehr, Jordan Staal, Mike Knuble, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby, Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

Caps ride historic wave of success into New York

By Bud L. Ellis

It started with a 4-2 victory over Montreal on Jan. 5. Now, nearly one month later, the Washington Capitals have just lost one time in that 15-game stretch.

The great work has carried the Caps from the middle of the Eastern Conference to the top of the NHL. And as the Caps get ready for Thursday’s visit with the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, Washington truly is working on some history.

The Caps beat Boston Tuesday 4-1, setting a franchise record with their 11th straight victory. That’s the longest streak in the NHL since the lockout five seasons ago. With five games to go until the Olympic break, the Caps could really put some more breathing room between them and the Eastern Conference if they can continue their good work for another nine days.

Washington’s offense has been crazy-good during the streak, outscoring the opposition 51-22. The top line of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Knuble have teamed up for 14 goals in 20 assists during the 11-game win streak.

Since this time last month, Washington’s only loss came Jan. 12 at Tampa Bay, 7-4. The Caps return home Friday to face Atlanta.

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Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 6:43 am by bud

Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Mike Knuble, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, Nicklas Backstrom, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals