musings of a hockey mom

Hockey Mom Hangs Up the Skates

2011-05-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

Well sports fans, I've proscrastinated as long as possible but HM has had to come to the difficult decision to hang up the skates. I'm hanging the "Closed" shingle out on Musings of a Hockey Mom after almost four fabulous seasons covering the Capitals and youth hockey. For those of you who've followed me along this journey (I am sending you all great big virtual thank you hugs right now), you know that I'm a single working mom of teenage twin boys - who travel far and wide with hockey, lacrosse and now golf. As the much as I loved this blog and the outlet it's provided, several realizations hit me over the course of this season, the main one being that unfortunately, I no longer have the time to dedicate to provide the type and frequency of posts that I feel Caps fans deserve. The second realization (in addition to increased responsibilities at my full-time job and adding one more sport to the mix in golf), is that the aforementioned boys are starting high school this fall. When they say kids grow up fast, believe it - I cannot comprehend that I only have four more years with the boys in the house :( That said, I want to spend as much time as I can with them because I'm sure it will fly by.

So it's with a very heavy heart that I say goodbye. My passion for the Capitals and this blog has taken me places I never thought I'd go and actually helped me get through some tough times in my personal life. I'd like to think my blog provided a unique (and snarky) voice amongst the many who do such an outstanding job in covering our beloved Capitals. During my time in the press box, I've met so many wonderful people and have become fast friends with many including the gang at On Frozen Blog, Storming the Crease, Homer McFanboy, Capitals News Network, Ed Frankovic, Caps Girl and so many others who I will miss seeing on game nights. And countless thanks to Japers Rink for the link love over the years as well. Through my involvement with Scarlet Caps, I've met so many awesome women whose passion for the Capitals and the NHL is contagious.

In addition to my awesome readers, I also owe the growth of this blog and the opportunities it presented to the Capitals organization, starting with Ted Leonsis. I also want to send a heartfelt thanks to former Caps Communications guru Nate Ewell as well as Paul Rovnak, Kelly Murray and Sergey Kocharov for all of their assistance and support. I'd also like to thank the Caps' marketing staff for letting me share my love for the game as an integral part of their women's initiative.

I hope that someday soon, I'll be able to see the Capitals hoist the Stanley Cup (meanwhile, am rooting for my second team, the Canucks this year). I've loved every minute and every pixel that went into Musings of a Hockey Mom and I will always adore this team. But now I'll be watching from the stands and waving to my pals up high in the press box. So as I ride my zamboni into the sunset, I thank you all again for your patronage and if you see me at a game, the rink or the yoga studio (I have to have some stress relief with twin boys in high school, right), be sure to say hi!

Another Heartbreaking Early Exit for the Washington Capitals

2011-05-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

It's happened again. This team, loaded with more talent than it knows what to do with, got run out of the second round of the playoffs, quicker than this hockey mom can bandage a boo boo. Speaking of boo boos, everyone in Caps nation is feeling that old, sinking feeling in their hearts today after another stunning exit. The boys simply did not show up - especially those "young guns" - who get paid the big bucks to do just that.

Stanley Cups are won by a combination of talent, luck, team work, work ethic and probably most important of all - heart. The Lightning had much less offensive talent (and were missing a big key in the cog with the injury of Simon Gagne) but their heart and soul guys Sean Bergenheim and the pesty Steve Downie came up big when it mattered. Guy Boucher totally outcoached the affable Gabby and the Bolt's stars Lecavalier, Stamkos and St. Louis were game killers. So after a second season of finishing number one in the East and not getting to Conference Finals, what to do? Here are some of my thoughts (just a thought, not a sermon folks):

Unfortunately, I think Bruce Boudreau's stint as bench boss should come to an end. They need a hardass in there who scoffs at the mere thought of an "optional" skate. Yes, Gabby was successful in transitioning the game plan to a more defensive style of play, but he apparently lost their attention as that plan went out the window in the Tampa series.
Alex Semin too - he's proved time and time again that he is ineffective in post-season play.
Young guns: No more pictures of you partying all over D.C. during the season- agree wholeheartedly with PucksandBooks of On Frozen Blog who touched on this earlier- if you're seen out the night before a game, bag skate.
Yes, Sidney Crosby might be a total nerd who stays home with his milk and cookies but in the playoffs (when he's healthy and all hockey fans hope that is soon), he schools opponents. Plain and simple.
On aforementioned note, more bag skates in general.
Ovi should not be the captain. I said it when they gave him the 'C' and say it again. Just because he is one of the most elite talents in the world, does not mean he is the guy to hold fellow players accountable for not stepping up. I hope that in the aftermath of yet another post-season undoing, the team can manage to hold onto Jason Arnott - who would be the perfect guy to wear the "C", or Mike Knuble.

Here are some other thoughts on the aftermath from some of the Caps most recognized scribes: Tarik El Bashir, Stephen Whyno, Homer McFanboy and of course, the boss himself.

I'm sure you're with me when I say I'm pretty tired of hearing "wait til next year".....

Lightning Strikes Down Caps in Game Two

2011-05-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

After a lackluster performance resulting in a Game One loss (despite the fact that Tampa Bay suffered the loss of Simon Gagne and Pavel Kubina during the course of the game), the Capitals got a chance to even the series on home ice last night.

The offense was bolstered by the return of Mike Knuble to the lineup and fans hoped to see the net-crashing action that was amiss Friday night. Apparently John Carlson was questionable after getting dinged up in Game One, but the defensive dynamo was ready and raring to go. The Caps came out with much more energy than we saw in Game One but the floundering power play continued to plague them. The first period alone saw three consecutive power plays for the home team, of which they converted zero. Despite outshooting the Bolts 11-6 in the opening 20 minutes, the Caps could not permeate the crease of grizzly old timer Dwayne Roloson. Roly the goalie, in his elderly state, proves to be as nimble as kids half his age and kept the Caps off the board in the first. It was a penalty-filled affair, including several missed calls. Martin St. Louis, who’s already lost three pearly whites thus far these playoffs, was again hit right in the choppers. The speedy right-winger helped get his team on the board first at 19:01, with a sweet pass to captain Vinny Lecavalier, whose slap shot earned the Bolts a power play goal.

End of first period: Lightning 1 – Capitals 0

The Caps had a few prime opportunities in the second period, including shot that went wide, attempted by Marco Sturm as he took advantage on a breakaway. His mates continued to go hard to the net though and their efforts paid off at 14:52. St. Louis failed to clear the puck and John Erskine redirected it to a waiting Nicklas Backstrom. Backstrom, who has yet to score a goal of his own these playoffs, got the puck to Brooks Laich who beat a solid Roloson to tie the game. The Caps continued to pour the pressure on Roloson, directing 11 shots his way as Neuvirth only faced three from the Bolts.

End of second period: Capitals 1 – Lightning 1

The third period saw another swing in the Bolts’ favor at the 7:35 mark as St. Louis flipped the puck across the net, and Mike Green was in the right place at the wrong time. As Green tried to ensure nothing went into the Caps' net, St. Louis's shot deflected off of Green's skate to give Tampa Bay the lead.

At 8:32, Green found himself again at the center of attention as he went to hit Steven Stamkos and raised his elbow. The nasty impact resulted in a roughing call against Green. Meanwhile, Stamkos ans crew had the better chances in the third period, outshooting the Caps 11 to 5.

Gabby made the decision to pull Neuvirth with 1:43 left in the final frame and Alex Ovechkin took a feed from Jason Arnott and crashed the net, scoring to tie the game with 1:07 left on the clock.

The crowd unleashed the fury once again as this one was headed into a nail-biting OT.

As sloppy as the Caps were at many points during this contest, it was the sloppiness of a poorly timed line change that proved to be their undoing. While Caps players were scrambling for the change, Vinny Lecavalier went top shelf off a wide pass from Teddy Purcell to give the Bolts the win and their fifth road victory in a row (as Jeff Schultz totally missed his coverage doing his best scarecrow imitation).

Final Score: Lightning 3 - Capitals 2

Now the Caps are down 2 games in the series and have lots of making up to do - starting Tuesday night in balmy Florida.

Here are some other takes on the loss from Caps News Network, Japers Rink, CBC and Capitals Insider.

As disappointing as this loss was, the mood in the nation’s capital changed from frustration to jubilation as shortly after the game, the news of the death of Osama bin Laden at the hands of U.S. forces was announced. On Frozen Blog has some commentary on the contrast, while RMNB has photos of Caps fans joining the celebration in front of the White House.

This news certainly brings the playoffs (and really, sports in general) into perspective as in light of this historic event, we remember those who’ve lost their lives – both military and civilians- as a result of 9/11 and other terrorist acts across the world.

Round Two of the Quest Starts Tomorrow

2011-04-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

After a week of rest and watching their fellow Eastern Conference teams battle it down to the wire, the Capitals will be itching to hit the ice tomorrow against a familiar foe - the Tampa Bay Lightning. The NHL released the schedule for Round Two late last night after the Habs/Bruins and Pens/Lightning games wound up. Here goes, folks:

Friday, April 29, 2011 7 p.m. TB Lightning at Washington VERSUS, TSN

Sunday, May 1, 2011 7 p.m. TB Lightning at Washington VERSUS, CBC
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 TBD Washington at TB Lightning CSN, VERSUS, TSN
Wednesday, May 4, 2011 7 p.m. Washington at TB Lightning CSN, TSN
*Saturday, May 7, 2011 12:30 p.m. TB Lightning at Washington NBC, TSN
*Monday, May 9, 2011 TBD Washington at TB Lightning CSN, VERSUS, TSN
*Wednesday, May 11, 2011 TBD TB Lightning at Washington CSN, VERSUS, TSN

The Lightning held their own against a Penguins team that has suffered offensively since losing Crosby and Malkin. The Penguins' faithful actually booed their own team's pitiful power play last night - poor form people, obviously those fans have not read the Blonde Girls' Guide to fandom. Never.Boo.Your.Team....

Nonetheless, the Pens are toast and we can look forward to more colorful conversation between Bolts bad boy Steve Downie and Caps hero in residence Matt Hendricks. Steven Stamkos has regained his scoring touch, notching seven playoff points, while the pocket-sized but dangerous Martin St. Louis was just named a finalist for the NHL's Hart MVP Trophy. Sean Bergenheim has netted three goals thus far this playoffs, while the Pens series saw the first ever playoff tally from agitator Downie. Lightning netminder Dwayne Roloson (who at the ripe old age of 41, must be taking his vitamins indeed) earned the shut out last night and boasts a .949 save percentage. You'll recall the old man gave the Capitals fits earlier this season. Familiar indeed, but certainly not an opponent the Caps can take lightly as they learned during the regular season.

The Caps hope to see the return of both Mike Knuble and Dennis Wideman at some point in the series, but though both guys have been participating in practice, that remains to be seen. Get ready for Round Two action - a little more than 24 hours away!

Capitals Head for Round Two with Solid Win over Rangers

2011-04-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

Caps fans welcomed the boys home to Verizon Center with a sea of red and chants of “We are louder” as they cheered the Capitals on in a potential close out Game Five.

The Rangers opened the contest with their thug line of Avery, Prust and Boyle against top line of Ovechkin, Backstrom and the always dashing Brooks Laich, who was tapped to replace the still ailing Mike Knuble. Dan Girardi blocked a sizzler from Marco Sturm as the Rags tried to elude an onslaught of shots by the Capitals in the first five minutes of the opening period.

Green scored a power play goal from a wide angle at 5:59 as Dan Girardi slid into New Yorks goal crease to try and deflect yet another shot in a brave effort to help his goaltender out. After the goal, the pesky Brandon Dubinsky started an all-out melee in front of the net. Ovi and Arnott were on the side of the ice hugging in celebration, but quickly sped over to help out their mates in the line brawl. Penalties were doled out to Semin and Laich for the Caps and Drury and Dubinsky for New York. Vinny Prospal joined his fellow Blueshirts in the bin after he decided to mouth off to an official and drew a bench minor.

At around the six minute mark, Mike Green courageously laid out the body to block a shot from Matt Gilroy and appeared to take a puck in the head (screws from his helmet went flying on impact) – eerily reminiscent of the injury he suffered against the Pens in February that kept him sidelined for so long. Both Girardi and Green emulated the intensity that is the NHL playoffs – sacrificing the body and playing through injury for the ultimate goal. Green went off to the dressing room while Girardi (who went missing after the mid-period scrum) returned to New York’s bench with about a minute left in the opening period. Meanwhile, Marc Staal’s frustrations of being unable to contain the Caps (shots were flying from everywhere, though not making the net), were evident as he threw Matt Hendricks into the side of the net after a whistle. The Caps directed 13 shots at Lundqvist while Neuvirth stopped all six from New York.
End of First Period: Capitals 1 – Rangers 0

At 7:04 of the second period, Alex Ovechkin blew by the Rangers' defense (specifically Marc Staal) to net an absolutely lovely backhanded goal, sure to make highlight reels on sportscasts across North America. The Rangers’ frustration reached the boiling point as Brandon Prust made a late hit on big John Erskine less than a minute after Ovi’s goal. The Caps were not able to convert on the man advantage.

It was the home team down a man at the ten-minute marker when Matt Bradley got whistled for interference. The penalty unit took care of business but things got ugly in front of Michal Neuvirth. After the whistle, uber-pest Sean Avery took a blatant slash on Neuvy’s hand prompting Brooks Laich to step in. In the ensuing scrum, Avery ripped off his glove and yipped at the ref “He bit me” when we all really know he just wanted to show off his freshly lacquered playoff nails. John Erskine took the second Capitals penalty when he annihilated Brandon Prust in the corner and was slapped with interference. The great news is that Mike Green returned to the Caps bench towards the end of the period, even though he saw no action.
End of Second Period: Capitals 2 – Rangers 0

The Caps continued to do a good job of keeping New York hemmed in their zone during the final period as they held onto a 2-0 lead with 20 minutes separating them from advancing to the second round. The Rangers did have a few odd break outs with Brian Boyle and Erik Christensen having the best scoring chances that were absolutely stonewalled by Michal Neuvirth. Neuvy has been stellar and came into the game having played the second-most minutes among goaltenders in the playoffs (289:11).

It was Alex Semin who stuck the fork in the visitors and added the insurance the boys needed to go forward. His line mate Marcus Johansson evaded Dan Girardi and Semin picked up MoJo’s cross-ice pass and proceeded to roof it over Lundqvist, sending an already jubilant Verizon Center crowd into a frenzy. With their playoff hopes quickly fading and their goal tender on the bench for the extra man, the Rangers had a solid last minute shot to get on the board from Derek Stephan. But Neuvy made yet another incredible save in an attempt to preserve the shut out. Despite Neuvy's extraordinary performance, the Rangers finally lit the lamp courtesy of Wojtek Wolski with under a minute left in the game. Tempers flared once again as Ruslan Fedotenko tried to take on John Erskine.

Final Score: Capitals 3 - Rangers 1

The Caps shook the monkey of last season’s first round exodus off their collective backs and celebrated the hard-earned victory with their fabulous fans. The new emphasis on 'defense first' hit a few bumps in the road during the season but was key to victory against a hardworking and physical New York team. Speaking of Rangers, former Ranger and longtime Capital's enforcer Donald Brashear is focusing on a new career path where he can employ his finely-tuned "work skills."

In the meantime, Hockey Mom is off to celebrate this fabulous win with a glass of “red” wine as we await our next opponent and give the boys some much needed rest. Please join me in a toast – to the Caps!

Caps Headed Back to Big Apple for Crucial Game Four

2011-04-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

The Caps are preparing to return to Madison Square Garden tomorrow night to face the New York Rangers for what's shaping up to be another hostile meeting between these two clubs. New York will most certainly have Gabby's recent comments dissing its landmark rat-poo infested arena (along with its accompanying Rangers fans) posted as bulletin board fodder. Washington's bench boss, in what seems to be an attempt to diffuse the focus from his players, also accused the thugnasty Rags of deliberately targeting Mike Green's recently healed melon and wanted the league to review Staal's late hit on Green. Never one to keep mum, Ranger's coach John Tortorella stuck to the "we just have to stay focused" party line when asked about Boudreau's comments.

HM expects New York to continue the thuggery we witnessed on Sunday and the Caps will have to remain focused on keeping their cool. That and I'd have John Erskine, Matt Bradley and Matt Hendricks ready to smack down Brandon Prust, Brian Boyle and Vogue intern/runway model wannabe Sean Avery from the first face off. Though not nearly as offensively talented as the Capitals, the Rangers enter Game Four with a 198-214-8 record all-time in 420 playoff contests, including a 110-82-2 mark at home. New York has posted a 39-28 record all-time in Game Fours of playoff series, including a 5-0 mark in Game Four since 2007.

Of course this is the playoffs folks and with teams fighting for the coveted chance to battle for Lord Stanley's chalice, things are bound to get ugly. The NHL handed down two suspensions today to Tampa Bay's poster boy for bad behavior, Steve Downie, and Pittsburgh's Chris Kunitz. HM was watching the Vancouver/Chicago game and can attest that the Torres hit on Brent Seabrook was absolutely brutal - the debate on that one will continue for some time and Seabrook did not take the ice in tonight's Game Four in Chicago.

Finally, all you members of the Mike Milbury Fan Club (okay, all one of yuz) can rejoice! The NHL announced a new broadcast deal with NBC/VERSUS for the next 10 years - meaning that Mad Mike and Pierre McGuire will be gracing our airwaves for at least the next decade. The good news is that we hopefully get to see more of the funny and overemotional Jeremy Roenick - along with the ongoing evolution of Brian Engblom's fabulous mullet.

Rangers Beat Caps in Broadway Battle

2011-04-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

Michal Neuvirth has been one of the feel good story lines of this series so far and he started today’s game strong with a sweet save early on Matt Gilroy, as Gilroy took advantage of a pass from Ruslan Fedotenko in the opening moments of the first.

The Rangers were hitting hard with the irritating line of Prust-Boyle-Avery making the most noise. Brooks Laich had some choice words for the nail-polish wearing Avery after a late whistle. He later broke the bad boy’s stick during a face off, making the agitator even more agitated. The first Caps’ power play came at 15:01 when Matt Gilroy went off for a hook. The boys took 2 shots during the man-advantage but they fell back on some bad habits, shooting with most of those coming from well outside the circles instead of crashing the net.

The Caps didn’t have much luck on the power play but the penalty killers came up huge about two minutes later, when they had to kill of a Rangers’ 5-on-3. Matt Hendricks was whistled for goalie interference (even though it appeared he was pushed in by a Blueshirt) and in trying to clear the puck during the first kill, Mike Knuble swept it into the stands and joined Hendricks for some coffee and conversation in the MSG sin bin. The defense was sharp while down two mates, but Michal Neuvirth (who made 22 saves for his first career postseason shutout in the last meeting) remained cool and collected as he kept the Rangers off the scoreboard. Rangers’ sniper Marion Gaborik’s drought continued into the first period and he completely missed the net during their power play. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, New York’s Erik Christensen took an interference penalty and the Capitals would go on the power play again at the start of the second period. End of first period: Scoreless

The man advantage to start the second period didn’t last long. Mike Green was called for tripping, the boys played a bit of 4-on-4 and then the Rags went on their second power play. Marcus Johansson had a fabulous short-handed opportunity as he swept the puck and used his speed to get a shot off on Lundqvist, who swiftly gloved it. The action came to a halt when a referee had a mishap behind the net and fell awkwardly. The injured ref apparently hurt a knee and play stopped until the replacement stripes could get to the ice. Once play resumed, both teams were still playing hard with a chip on their shoulders. John Carlson lost his cool early on and cross-checked Marc Staal. The Rangers’ ailing power play found some life and New York lit the lamp first on a difficult shot from the side by Erik Christensen.

The Capitals seemed to lack the discipline that helped them win the first two contests. Ovechkin took the Caps’ fifth penalty of the game as he hooked Gaborik at the 8:50 mark. The refs weren’t calling it both ways though, as Scott Hannan got pegged with a pretty bogus holding call, giving the Rags their second 5-on-3 of the game (if only for 9 seconds). Meanwhile, the dastardly duo of Prust and Avery took runs at Michal Neuvirth after virtually every whistle. Ovechkin scored the tying goal with less than one minute left in the period, a tip-in right in King Henrik’s grill. Right before the play, Mike Green went down and appeared to be hit high – causing Caps fans around the country to hold their collective breath (glad to say he returned to the game).

New York thought they had taken the lead at literally the last second of the period but after heading up to Toronto for review, the officials ruled that the puck crossed the line as the clock hit the 0.00 mark. The call will certainly be the subject of much controversy amongst Rangers fans and other Caps haters but it stood at 1 -1 at the end of the second period. It even stirred controversy in my own house as one of my own kids (wearing a Hendricks shirt, mind you) kept quipping “that was a goal.” Nice…

Vinny Prospal gave New York the lead off an uncharacteristic Neuvirth rebound midway through the third period while the Caps trod a familiar path to the penalty box. Nick Backstrom took the team’s seventh penalty for tripping at 9:13. Bruce Boudreau commented on the officiating, angrily stating he thought there were some “ticky tacky” calls were made throughout the opening periods. Hockey Mom can only imagine what was going through Gabby’s hot head in the third – f-bombs galore I’m sure.

The penalty killers saved the day once again. This game got so chippy that even the normally serene Marion Gaborik got busted for a cross-check. The tempo changed once again as Mike Knuble scored a power play tally with help from Ovi and Backstrom to even the score. The rough stuff was by no means over, as John Carlson (who along with Mike Green, seemed to have a bulls-eye tacked to his sweater) tussled with Brian Boyle. But in the end, the Rangers emerged victorious in today’s battle, as a shot from Brandon Dubinsky (who I deem runner-up in the cheesy mustache contest – Sid is always first) scored on a deflection with under two minutes on the clock. Final Score: Rangers 3 – Caps 2

A disappointing day for Caps fans, but we’ve been in this spot before and Wednesday brings yet another opportunity to take a 3-1 series lead. The Hockey 101 key to victory: stay out of the box (even though some of those Rangers are as abrasive and annoying as fingernails on a chalkboard).

Caps Take Game One in OT Thriller

2011-04-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

The Caps waited 82 games – some beautiful and some needing to be permanently banished from memory –to get to tonight: Game One of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Tonight saw the sixth postseason series between the Rangers and Capitals, with Washington having won three of the first five series, owning an all-time 15-14 playoff record against New York. The two teams last met in the 2008-09 Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals, with Washington winning in seven games.

Michal Neuvirth shook off any rookie playoff jitters early in the first period when he did his best Mary Lou Retton imitation, going to the splits to stop a shot from Erik Christensen. Shortly after, the Blueshirts went shorthanded after being whistled for too many men. The Rangers displayed their shot blocking prowess by negating several of the quality shots taken by the warmly welcomed Mike Green (his first game back since suffering a concussion in February) and company during the power play. One of the things new hockey fans will note is the energy and physical play that goes along with playoff puck. Alex Ovechkin embodied the spirit of the playoffs with a tooth-rattling hit against Brandon Dubinsky in the first ten minutes – those two have a bit of a history and Dubinsky is like the annoying booger-eating kid at the sixth-grade lunch table.

The hitting ramped up significantly in the middle of the period and Mats Zucarello went a little overboard and went to the box for boarding at 10:13. The Caps’ power play was bolstered by the return of Mike Green but despite the boys’ best effort, King Henrik (with lots of help from his BFF – the goal post) ensured they stayed off the scoreboard. It was the Caps’ penalty killers’ turn to go to work in the final minutes of the period as Alex Semin put on his Bad Sasha mask (unbelievable – I know) and took a seat for one of his signature hooking moves. The boys kept the Rangers at bay and went into the dressing room with a 9-5 shots on goal advantage. End of First Period: Caps 0 – Rangers 0

The boys continued the pressure into the second period but struggled to hit the net, with Jason Arnott dinging yet another post and Nick Backstrom missing a wide-open net. Neuvy matched Lundqvist’s heroics by stopping sniper Marion Gaborik stone cold at around the 12:00 point. Marco Sturm, who had his share of shots on net in the first period, threw a couple more at Henrik in the middle stanza. Meanwhile, Nick Backstrom had one of the better chances of the night as he had a clean breakaway and deked out Lundqvist. This time it wasn’t the post, but Henrik’s goalie pads, that swiped the puck from within millimeters of crossing the red line. Both the Caps and the Rangers would need some frozen pea bags during the break after their second period shot blocking extravaganza. End of second period: Caps 0 – Rangers 0

The Rangers lit the lamp first at 1:56 in the final period as Matt Gilroy beat Michal Neuvirth with a slap shot. The Caps got the equalizer 12 minutes later on an ugly goal that was the source of much controversy. Ovechkin and posse were hacking and whacking in front of the crease and the captain managed to push the puck through Lundqvist’s pads, then the net came loose. The Rangers thought the ref blew the whistle prior to the puck crossing the line but after review, the call went in the Caps’ favor.

End of shaking and baking third period: Caps 1 – Rangers 1

As if we needed more drama between these two foes, Game One required extra minutes. I almost forgot how my sleep total goes down and Starbuck’s consumption goes up during playoff OT games – often times running into the wee hours of the morning. Neuvy had to make a quick save early in OT on the dangerous Artem Anisimov. Marco Sturm and Marcus Johannson had a splendid scoring chance a little less than five minutes into OT as they both turned on the afterburners speeding towards the Rangers crease. King Henrik had his work cut out with him as multiple Caps, including Jason Chimera, Ovi and Jeff Schultz, peppered his crease. On the other end, Gaborik thought he’d netted the game winner with six minutes left, but he was stonewalled by a sharp Neuvirth. Both teams battled hard, with Brian Boyle blocking a Carlson slap shot, into the waning minutes of overtime. The playoffs have not been historically kind to Alexander Semin, who has seemingly disappeared in playoffs past. But the Russian sniper has been solid of late, especially under the mentorship of confident vet Jason Arnott, and tonight Semin finally shook off the playoff demons that have plagued him in seasons past. Sasha blasted a rocket (with help from pal Arnott) at 18:24 past a dog tired Marc Staal and beleaguered Lundvqist to win a thriller and take Game One!

Final Score: Caps 2 – Rangers 1

Capitals First Round Playoff Schedule

2011-04-11T05:39:00.000-07:00

The moment we've been waiting for all season is finally here - the chance to undo all the bad memories from last year's abrupt first round playoff exit. As far as my own personal playoff preparations: Caps flags on car - check; nails freshly laquered in OPI 'Russian Red' - check; the boys' playoff beards started - check, well maybe not so much (but even at 15 years old, I bet they beat Sidney Crosby in a beard growing contest)!

And finally, first round playoff schedule entered into the smartphone - check. For those of you who haven't marked your own calendars yet, here's the schedule the NHL released last night:

Wednesday, April 13, 2011 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington (CSN) (VERSUS)

Friday, April 15, 2011 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington (CSN)

Sunday, April 17, 2011 3 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers (NBC)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 7 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers (CSN)

*Saturday, April 23, 2011 3 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington (NBC)

*Monday, April 25, 2011 TBD Washington at NY Rangers (CSN)

*Wednesday, April 27, 2011 TBD NY Rangers at Washington (CSN)

The boys will practice today at 10:30 a.m.and tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

In anticipation of the much anticipated first round, Hockey Mom was asked to join several other Caps media types in a playoff roundtable over at On Frozen Blog. Check it out here. The Sporting News' Craig Custance shares his thoughts on why he thinks the Caps will take the first round over the Rangers - makes for some good Monday morning reading!

For the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs:

2011-04-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

The Washington Capitals will face the New York Rangers, after the Carolina Hurricanes were eliminated in a 6-2 rout by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Hockey Mom is rocking the fresh, red pedicure and the Caps flags will go on the car first thing tomorrw. Stay tuned for the completed playoff sched but Game One will be this coming Wednesday or Thursday. Will this be the year?

And Then There Was One....

2011-04-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

Regular season game left, that is. The Caps are headed to the sun and sands of South Florida for their final game prior to the start of the long-awaited post season. The Florida Panthers proved to be no match for the Capitals on Wednesday and with the probable return of Mike Green to the line up and the Cats' Stephen Weiss and Tomas Vokoun on the shelf, the boys should be able to win another one and head into the playoffs on a high note. Gabby is playing his cards close to his chest in terms of saying who will be sitting out to "rest" tomorrow night. Meanwhile, the playoff picture is still murky as teams are scrambling for the final spots in the East.

Here's how it stands right at this very minute:

7th Spot: Buffalo Sabres (92 pts)
8th Spot: New York Rangers (91 points)
9th Spot: Carolina Hurricanes (89 points)

The Rangers lost a stinker last night (3-0) to the non-playoff bound Atlanta Thrashers. They'll get a chance to rest a bit then face another non-playoff bound team, New Jersey, tomorrow. Buffalo meets the Flyers (who are having their own mini-meltdown as of late) tonight, then close the season out against Columbus. The Hurricanes are hoping for two regulation wins against their final opponents, Atlanta and Tampa Bay, to grab that last dance card.

Meanwhile, Vancouver Canucks fans are celebrating their President's Trophy win and #1 in the West seed by tossing...salmon. Yep, in a game that saw Ryan Kesler hit the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career with a hat trick, some over jubilant fan decided to chuck a rather large salmon onto the ice. Dude, I could use that on my grill!

Seriously? (s/t to Puck Daddy)

Caps Clinch Southeast Divsion Title and Another Milestone for Great Eight

2011-04-06T07:13:00.000-07:00

Despite a spectacular performance by Toronto's net minder, James Reimer, the Capitals clinched their fourth consecutive Southeast Division title last night in a 3-2 shoot out win against the Leafs. You'll recall that the Division title looked to be clasped rather firmly in the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning when the Caps were struggling back in the dark days of December. Toronto came out hard against the visitors last evening, but our big, bad d-man John Erskine came out even harder, with some bone-crushing hits and a rare second period tally.

Much to the delight of Capitals fans, Alex Ovechkin seems to be peaking at exactly the right time. The Great Eight notched yet another milestone with his 300th career goal - a power play sizzler in the first period. Reaching the 300 mark also signifies that Ovi has averaged around 50 goals over his first six seasons as a Capital. He's on fire as of late, accruing points in 17 of his last 20 appearances - lighting the lamp 10 times and kicking in 16 assists during that time frame!

Of course, the game winning goal came at the hands of the trusty veteran Mike Knuble, when Gabby decided to line up the shoot out roster according to age. Yes sir, those elder statesmen Knuble and Arnott are aging like fine wine - Knuble has 23 goals on the season and both have vast playoff experience (with Arnott having actually hoisted Lord Stanley's vessel).

The Caps return to a playoff-ready Phone Booth tonight to meet the Florida Panthers. Rumors are swirling that tonight's game may see the return of Mike Green to the lineup. The race to the playoffs continues and the boys now occupy the top spot as the Flyers continue their late season struggles, falling last night to 14th place Ottawa. Philly has only two games left (against the Sabres and Islanders) to make up a two point deficit.

Though we love to loathe this team, HM has to applaud the Penguins (take note as this happens maybe once in never) for their new initiative to test local youth hockey players for concussion symptoms. The issue of head injuries has come front and center with Mike Green, Sidney Crosby, Marc Savard and a host of other NHLers suffering with the results this season, so it's vital that youth players, parents and coaches are aware of the signs and symptoms of concussions - which can be especially debilitating to youngsters.

Monday Musings: Three Regular Season Games to Go

2011-04-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

There are only three regular season games left, against Eastern Conference teams who don't have a chance in H-E-double-hockey-sticks of making this year's playoffs (Toronto and Florida). The Stanley Cup playoffs will commence on April 13, with the memory of last year's abrupt first round exodus front and center in the players' minds. We can only hope that we see the return of Tom Poti and Mike Green (after they've had a chance to shake off the rust of course) for the first round. But what we hope not to see once that playoff puck drops, is an opponent skating through multiple Caps players to light it up, as did Les Canadiens last year. It took awhile for we fans to get used to, but the boys have had success with the two-way game and with the exception of an ugly, learning curve, have tightened up the defensive play and boast the lowest number of goals against in their division (192). But as these last few games have proven, the Caps still have some tweaking to do - longtime Caps' scribe Taril El-Bashir breaks it down best. Thankfully, the old guys in the room Mike Knuble and Jason Arnott, are taking the lead in addressing the areas needing improvement.

Until the first faceoff against the lowly Leafs tomorrow, here are some miscellaneous Monday musings:

On a very sad note, the hockey world sends condolences for the loss of Yale player Mandi Schwartz, who lost her long battle with leukemia yesterday, at the much too young age of 23.
Another youngster battling the insidious disease, William Shannon, got a smile and a signed sweater from Sasha during Fan Appreciation Night. (stick tap to Kings of Leonsis).
Alex Ovechkin has been on the celebrity circuit of late, first meeting the First Lady and most recently, the often jailed rap star Lil Wayne. In the words of my teens: That is SO chill.
Caps get some coverage for being tops in the East from the Canadian press.

Caps Face Sabres with Depleted Blue Line

2011-04-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

Jason Chimera had the last laugh against his old team last night with his overtime game-winning goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the win came at the expense of another Capitals blueliner. John Erskine took part in a pretty pointless fight in the first period, then left the game due to injury. Erskine is now listed as day-to-day, not good news for an already overtasked defense corps. Despite getting the win and surpassing the 100 point mark, thoughts in the post-game locker room were with team mate Dennis Wideman. TSN's Bob McKenzie reported late yesterday that Wideman (who's been one of the ice time leaders and a much needed cog in the power play since Mike Green's been out) is in a D.C. hospital with a serious hematoma. The injury was a result of the brutal collision between Wideman and Tuomo Ruutu on Tuesday. HM joins her fellow fans in Capsland in wishing him a speedy recovery and keep our fingers crossed that he's back (along with Mike Green) for the playoffs.

Speaking of Mike Green, there is good news to report on that front. Green has been skating with the team and may take on a full practice as early as Monday. Meanwhile, the boys take on the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow (in what may turn out to be a first round playoff match) without Green, Wideman and possibly Erskine. The Sabres are without their star netminder, Ryan Miller, who has been bitten by the injury bug himself. A win tomorrow could propel the Caps to the top spot in the East, as the Flyers fell to the Devils in a 4-2 loss this evening. Overseeing tomorrow night's festivities for his final night wearing stripes will be veteran NHL referee Bill McCreary. The site will be appropriate as McCreary began his four-decades-spanning NHL career by working a Capitals home game. McCreary’s debut as an NHL referee was on November 3, 1984, when the Caps hosted the New Jersey Devils at the Capital Centre in Landover, Md. Tomorrow night’s game will be the 1,737th of his accomplished career.

McCreary’s long list of accomplishments includes refereeing 15 Stanley Cup Final series (13 consecutive from 1994-2007), the 1991 and 1994 Canada Cups, the 1994 NHL All-Star Game (New York), and the Winter Olympics in 1998 (Nagano), 2002 (Salt Lake City) and 2010 (Vancouver) -- drawing the gold medal game assignment each time.

And as we count down the hours until tomorrow's 7 p.m. puck drop, I leave you with some fun stuff courtesy of some of favorite Caps peeps:

Just one more reason to love the guys who represent this organization, get ready to break into a huge smile when you watch Semyon Varlamov minding the net against the adorable William. Thanks to Russian Machine Never Breaks, @rinkrebel and @itallfallsdwn.
Ovi is truly the man about town, hanging out with DJ Pauly D and now, Michelle Obama. Thanks to Capitals Outsider.

Caps Lose to Fiery Canes in Shootout

2011-03-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

Last night’s game saw the return of Caps’ stars Alex Ovechkin and Jason Arnott after missing more than a few games due to undisclosed injuries against a rabid Carolina Hurricanes team, holding to a thread of hope for grasping the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

The rough stuff started early in the first period and both teams tread a well-trodden path to the sin bin through the opening 20 minutes. Bryan Allen got a bit too feisty with the large man known as Jason Arnott (not smart) and both fellas took a seat at the 8:23 mark. Mere seconds later, Brooks Laich was whistled for interference for giving a Canes player a love tap in the back (with his stick). The boys came up huge on the resulting PK with help from Semyon Varlamov. With the focus on head hits, Carolina’s Chad LaRose made a bonehead (no pun intended) hit on Dennis Wideman, high in the noggin against the boards, and it was his turn to feel shame. Despite a slew of power play opportunities for both teams in the opening period, the scoreboard remained dark with no score going into the break.

Early in the second period, Canes captain Eric Staal was high-sticked by Karl Alzner and came out of the incident looking much like an extra from Saw 4 and giving Matt Bradley a run for his money in the bleeder department. Staal was incensed by the lack of a penalty call against the Caps and vocalized his displeasure to the refs all the way to the bench. It was the Canes who lit the lamp first, with a power play goal from Jussi Jokinen.

The fireworks continued as Tuomo Ruutu (yes, his bro is none other than Sens thug Jarko) hit Dennis Wideman late and high midway through the period, drawing the ire of Alex Ovechkin. Ovi wasted no time avenging the action (and was on Ruutu’s tail the rest of the game dishing out bone-jarring hits). Team mates and Caps fans will be holding their collective breath to hear any injury news about Wideman, who didn’t return to the game. Alex Semin scored first for the Caps at 14:18 with a scary, sick goal from the odd angle of the far right side of Cam Ward. Three minutes later, it was Marcus Johansson displaying some slick stick work to give the home team a 2-1 lead.

The Canes, fighting for that last playoff spot with everything they had, got on the board at the start of the third period courtesy of a goal from baby-faced Jeff Skinner, who leads the pack as far as top NHL rookies (along with our own John Carlson of course).

With less than 30 seconds left in regulation, Ovi appeared to have a clear path to Cam Ward but was rudely taken down from behind with a cross check by Brandon Sutter. During the 4-on-4 overtime, Alex Ovechkin seemed to have never skipped a beat after being out of commission, shooting one puck so hard at Cam Ward that the shot broke Ward’s goalie stick. This contest couldn’t be settled in OT, and despite outshooting the Canes for during regulation and OT, and these two heated Southeast rivals were going to the shootout. Gabby didn’t put shoot out guru of late Matt Hendricks in the lineup and both Ovechkin and Backstrom were thwarted in their attempts. For the Canes, the young Skinner beat Varly for the second goal of the night but it was the game’s key antagonist, Tuomo Ruutu with the game winner, beating the Caps at home 3-2.

Up next, the boys face their final Western Conference opponent of the regular season, the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. On the opposing bench will be former Caps’ captain Chris Clark along with the very opinionated RJ Umberger. Let’s hope Thursday’s game has a more positive outcome and that Dennis Wideman is on the healthy list!

Countdown to Playoffs and Caps on the Mend

2011-03-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

The Capitals had mixed results in the last two Canadian stops on their 11-game road trip this weekend, with a loss (with lots of help from the heinous officiating crew) in Ottawa and a 2-0 blanking of the chippy Canadiens (which saw Braden Holtby notch his second career shut out). And note to self, the win in Montreal came as a result of increased defensive pressure on the Habs' steely shooters and again, without having stars Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green and Jason Arnott in the lineup.

Now the boys come home to face the Carolina Hurricanes, who are still clinging onto shards of hope that they can earn that 8th place playoff spot. Rumour has it that Ovi and Arnott are expected to participate in full practice tomorrow and may return to action this week. Good timing, as the team can now look forward to perfecting the chemistry and nailing down the lines for the playoffs, which are less than three weeks away. Start prepping for the post-season by checking out the very witty and resourceful Blonde Girl's Guide for your comprehensive guide (in blondespeak) to understanding the NHL playoff seedings. Here's how things shake out if the playoffs started today.

But before we get too caught up in playoff frenzy and Hockey Mom places her Caps car flags on the red rocket (prompting people to mistake me for the pizza delivery dude this time every year), be sure to get your tickets for the third annual Capitals Convention. The 2011 Capitals Convention will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, September 24, 2011.

The popular event will return to the Washington Convention Center for the second straight year. Caps Con has been a tremendous success in its first two years, attracting sold-out crowds of more than 6,500 to the day-long interactive and informational celebration of the Capitals, which features the entire roster of current players and a number of prominent alumni. The day will include player autographs and photos with fans. There will be a wide array of activities on hand such as hockey interactives, panel sessions, hockey displays and much more.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10 am, to season-ticket holders and Tuesday, March 29 at 10 a.m. to the general public at WashingtonCaps.com. Ticket prices are $40 for adults and $25 for children 14 and younger if purchased by May 31 (adult price increases to $45 on June 1). Two other ticket options are available: a $600 golden ticket with special access to every autograph session and VIP room and a $30 ticket without autograph access. Be sure to get your tickets soon as they sell as fast as Alex Semin on a sick breakaway!

Monday Musings: NHL Throws the Book at Matt Cooke and More....

2011-03-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some miscellaneous Monday musings from around the rinks as HM gets set for another week of work/hockey/laundry/making lunches, well, you get the picture:

The NHL sent a huge message today as they threw the book (well, the whole series of Encyclopedia Britannica actually) at repeat offender Matt Cooke for his irresponsible and dangerous elbow to the head of Ryan McDonagh. For his most recent trangression, Cooke was suspended today for the remainder of the NHL's regular season and the first round of the playoffs. Finally, the league got it right when it comes to sending the message of no tolerance in regards to head hits.
More on the Cooke hullabaloo from renowned hockey journalist Mike Brophy.
The Capitals will face the conference-leading Flyers tomorrow night minus their marquee star, Alex Ovechkin. Ouch, but definitely worth sitting him to be good and fresh for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Flyers are still without their rough and tumble defenseman Chris Pronger. Puck drops tomorrow night at 7:30 on VERSUS.

NHL Focuses on Concussions and What to Do About Matt Cooke

2011-03-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

Some of the biggest names in the game, including the Capitals’ own Mike Green, have fallen victim to the debilitating effects of concussions this season, forcing the NHL to take a hard look at ways to prevent player concussions resulting from dangerous hits to the head.

The good news for Mike Green is that he getting much closer to returning to the ice and Caps fans could possibly welcome him back this week. Green took a puck to the face in a game against the Penguins in early February and then was hit in the head by Rangers rookie Derek Stepan just a few weeks later. The scary thing about concussions is that there is no projected “timetable for recovery” and many concussed players are sidelined for months while dealing with symptoms such as headaches, light sensitivity, dizziness and even depression. Boston’s Marc Savard’s season was cut short due to recurrent concussion symptoms after being the recipient of head contact during consecutive games. Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby – one of the league’s poster boys alongside Alex Ovechkin – just started to skate for the first time last week since he suffered a major concussion back in January.

In light of the rash of concussed players thus far this season, league General Managers made the issue of head hits/concussion prevention one of their hot topics during their recent meetings in Florida. The GMs have already taken a stance in banning blindside hits to the head. The most recent debate failed to result in a ban on all head shots but will take a closer look at hits to the head as a result of boarding or charging.

And as hockey players are some of the most competitive athletes you’ll ever see, most are understandably hesitant to take themselves out of a big game after they’ve received a blow to the noggin. Thus the NHL implemented a stricter concussion protocol that went into effect last week in which a player suspected of having a concussion will have to be removed from the bench and examined by a physician (versus the team trainer as was previously the case) in a quiet place. Another possible solution to cutting down on the number of concussions would be to enforce stricter punishment to players guilty of targeting opponent’s heads – especially in the case of repeat offenders.

For fans, the speed and physicality the game are part of what makes hockey so captivating. So let’s hope that the league is heading in the right direction as far as protecting the players of this phenomenal game that moves at the speed of light! Unlike sprained ankles, tweaked groins, or broken bones, concussions are preventable injuries that can unfortunately, have lifelong negative health effects and can prematurely end a player’s career.

And while we're on the topic of head shots, one of the league's dirtiest players (why Matt Cooke, of course) displayed his dirty work on national television as he took a deliberate elbow to the head of the Ranger's Ryan McDonaugh:

In HM's opinion, suspending this repeat offender for anything less than the remainder of the season (throw in a few playoff games for good measure) would be an absolute joke.

Caps Blank Hot Devils at the Rock

2011-03-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

After a hard-fought battle resulting in a loss to the Detroit Red Wings (who sit in a solid second place spot in the uber-tough Western conference), the Capitals were off to New Jersey to face the Cinderella story Devils tonight. The Devils are still without poster boy Zach Parise and have been the buzz of the hockey world since working their way up from the bottom of the barrel in terms of NHL standings. After the two teams traded players in the forms of Jason Arnott and David Steckel (neither of who dressed this evening), the Devils won six of their last eight in the month of March.

Tonight the home team skated in their retro red and green uniforms, bringing back memories of Christmases past. Legendary goaltender Martin Brodeur manned the net for Devils donning a throwback red mask (which was knocked clear off by his own defense man in the second period). The Capitals welcomed back Nick Backstrom, who'd been on the shelf with a fractured thumb. Meanwhile, to say the Caps had a slow start would be an understatement. The boys only threw 2 shots towards Brodeur (compared to New Jersey's 12) in the first period - luckily one of those two (a slap shot from yes, Jeff Schultz) lit the lamp. Michal Neuvirth continues to plead his case for the number one spot, stopping all 12 shots he faced to hold the Devils scoreless. End of first period: Capitals 1 - Devils 0

The boys didn't exactly pick up the pace as far as shots on goal in the middle stanza either - recording a whopping 6 - in addition to handing the Devils two power play opportunities. Again, Michal Neuvirth's heroic saves kept the Caps in the game, which included a jaw-dropper of a stop against a rocket from FOO (friend of Ovi) Ilya Kovalchuk. Despite the low number of pucks being directed towards Marty (who must have had Red Bull in the Gatorade bottle to keep from dozing), Mike Knuble tallied for the Caps at 15:58, a result of a beautiful feed from Jersey-born rookie John Carlson. *Fans, we many have to thank Carlson's mom for his outstanding performance - apparently Mama Carlson fed the boys like champs on Thursday night! This PSA brought to you by: Thank a Hockey Mom...

With 3:09 left in second period, Matt Hendricks of blue mouthguard and black eye fame, inadvertently lifted his stick, hitting Rod Pelley in the face. Hendricks drew a double minor and the Caps were on a four-minute penalty kill. The stellar penalty kill unit finished off the second period by denying the Devils and had under a minute left on the kill to open the third. End of second period: Capitals 2 - Devils 0

The PK unit went straight to work to open the final period, shutting down New Jersey's power play. Having already notched an assist and a goal, veteran Mike Knuble got on the scoreboard again with under 9 minutes left in the period. Knuble was the recpient of a nice pass from Ovechkin and banked it over Brodeur's glove while parked in his tradtional fishing grounds - right in front of the net. Carlson continued to shine, capturing an assist on the last tally in front of his beaming friends and family. Michal Neuvirth made yet another outstanding save against Kovalchuk as the final seconds ticked off the clock, leaving the highly compensated winger shaking his head in frustration. Neuvy further cemented his status as frontrunner for the starting gig by denying a total of 33 shots on the evening - a brilliant performance overall. Final Score: Capitals 3 - Devils 0

After claiming their 20th road win of the season, the boys face a tough test (emphasis on "tough" as we are talking about Philly after all) on Tuesday as they'll enter a hostile Wachovia Center to face the Flyers. As always, it's sure to be a feisty affair, especially considering both teams are neck and neck in the race for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Foil up your knuckles Caps fans...

Braden Holtby Shines as NHL's First Star

2011-03-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

In what's been a whirlwind of a success story, Capital's goaltender Braden Holtby recieved high honors from the NHL today, being tapped as the First Star of the Week! He joins Vancouver's Daniel Sedin and Anaheim's Corey Perry atop the list of outstanding league performers for the week ending March 13.

From the NHL press release:

FIRST STAR – BRADEN HOLTBY, G, WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Holtby posted a 4-0-0 record, 1.05 goals-against average, .965 save percentage and one shutout as the Capitals (40-20-10, 90 points) moved into second place in the Eastern Conference. Holtby stopped 110 of 114 shots last week, beginning with a 20-save performance in a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning Mar. 7. He recorded 22 saves in notching his first career shutout, backstopping Washington to a 5-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers Mar. 9 and stopped 40 shots as the Capitals defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 on Mar. 11. Holtby finished the week by recording 27 saves as Washington defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime, Mar. 13. The 21-year-old native of Lloydminster, Saskatchewan has appeared in 11 games for Washington, posting a record of 7-2-2 with a 1.84 goals-against average, .934 save percentage and one shutout.

During an NHL conference call, Braden said he was "told this morning and am thrilled about it" and admitted "it's nice to be recognized but at the same time, I have to keep focused and help keep this winning streak going." He said he's looking forward to taking in all the excitement that surrounds playing in Montreal's Bell Centre (having never played in the legendary arena before) but has not been told whether or not he'll get the official nod as of this afternoon.

Congrats and a standing ovation to the Caps' very talented and grounded youngster, I have a feeling we'll be seeing him around these parts for awhile! As if Bruce Boudreau didn't already have a tough enough job nailing down the #1 goalie spot for the playoffs...

Caps Defeat Blackhawks in Overtime Thriller

2011-03-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

The defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks paid a rare visit to a sold out Verizon Center today in a nationally televised showdown between two powerhouse hockey clubs. Corey Crawford guarded the net for Chicago while youngster Braden Holtby got the nod for the Caps. Holtby has yet to lose in regulation at Verizon Center, going into today's game with a record of 0.94 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage.

Penalty woes plagued the Caps in the early part of the first period as Mike Knuble was slapped with interference just 26 seconds into the contest. The Blackhawks got on the board first, courtesy of one Nick Leddy. Soon after, Marcus Johannson took the second Caps' penalty for a hook and the guys were back on the PK. Then it was the men in red's turn to light the lamp as Boyd Gordon beat Patrick sharp for the shorty - his third goal of the year - at 6:11 of the period.

Things got rather chippy with under six minutes left in opening period as Brooks Laich took a high stick in the face from Brian Campbell (which drew no call), leading the boys to take matters into their own hands with some exhuberant pushing and shoving.

With 1:39 left on the first period clock, the Caps went on the power play resulting from a holding call on the Hawks. Jason Arnott blasted a rocket from the blueline past a bewildered Crawford to give boys a 2-1 lead at 19:46 (assisted by Alex Semin and Dennis Wideman). End of first period: Capitals 2 - Blackhawks 1

The second period opened with a Chicago goal early from Tomas Kopecky - an ugly one for Holtby that he certainly wished he had back. Then, at the 8:09 mark, Boyd Gordon took a seat for a hook. The boys had another golden opportunity for a shorthanded goal as Jason Arnott broke away with the puck as the Caps kept up the pressure on Crawford. Meanwhile, the penalty kill continues to shine as they kept the Hawk's power play off the board on yet another huge kill.

With 4:22 left in the middle stanza, Tomas Kopecky took a seat for a heinous boarding of Dennis Wideman (which Hockey Mom thinks should have been a four-minute penalty but what do I know). With the seconds ticking off the clock, speedster Jason Chimera took exception to a nasty hit from Chicago's Brent Seabrook and the two settled their differences by dropping the gloves. Unfortunately, Seabrook had the better showing in this one, though Chimera snuck in a few hard rights when Seabs went down. By the end of two periods, the home team had the advantage in hits with 23 to Chicago's 14, as well as shots (24-21).
End of second period: Capitals 2 - Blackhawks 2

Brooks Laich gave the Caps the lead at 6:23 of the third period with his dashing good looks and a sizzling five-hole goal (helped along by Eric Fehr). The crowd chanted "HOLTBY" as Braden stopped a direct Hawks snipe under the three-minute mark. The Caps then went on the most nerve-wracking penalty kill of the day as Marcus Johannson took a seat for high-sticking. With 38.5 seconds left, the Hawks tied the game on a goal fom their captain Jonathan Toews, as Dennis Wideman fell onto Holtby, impeding his ability to stop the puck. Poor Braden got twisted up like Gumby as he scrambled to regain his footing.
End of regulation: Capitals 3 - Blackhawks 3

A national televised audience got to witness an extended battle as this game went into OT. But it was the Caps capturing the big win as Mike Knuble redirected a pass from Marcus Johannsen as #22 had his large frame parked in front of Crawford's crease. Final score: Capitals 4 - Blackhawks 3

After the game, Gabby noted that the boys "played better than them - may not happen the next time we play them. They might be tired from being on the road but I thought today we were the better team." The win gives the team a total of 90 points and their eighth consecutive victory, inching them closer to the Flyers for the top spot in the East. An added bonus for the boys, DJ Pauly D was in the locker room chillin' wit' Ovi and pals - fist pumps for everyone!

The Caps don't have much time to savor the victory as they head out of town for an extended road trip where they'll face some of the hottest teams in the East (and West as well when they meet the Red Wings on Wednesday). Let's hope the boys keep up their winning ways on the road!

Hockey Mom Weighs in on Head Hits

2011-03-12T07:09:00.000-08:00

In light of the recent uproar over Boston Bruin Zdeno Chara's damaging hit on the Habs' Max Pacioretty, Hockey Mom has decided to throw her two cents into the debate (along with Daniel Sedin, Joe Thornton, Air Canada and legendary net minder Ken Dryden, among others).

But before I climb up onto my soapbox, a toast to the Caps for a hard-fought victory over the tenacious Carolina Hurricanes last night. Ovechkin tallied and Matt Hendricks swooped in to bunt in Jason Arnott's leave behind in a 2-1 win, aided by the hot hand of young Braden Holtby, who stopped 40 shots. No rest for the weary though as the boys take on the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow (the Hawks haven't been so successful thus far in their swing down South).

Now back to my box. If you haven't seen the Chara/Pacioretty hit, I must warn you it's absolutely cringeworthy (video credit to Hockeyfights.com):

The hit left Pacioretty with a severe concussion and two displaced vertebrae. Many hockey fans are appalled that the league did not dole out any additional punishment to the towering Bruins defenseman. And the historic bad blood between the two teams just adds fuel to the fire. In my opinion, Chara may not have had intent to injure, but clearly he had the elbow up and made contact with Pacioretty's head. Now Chara is not known as a dirty player and is often cited for his global humanitarian work off the ice. But in my opinion, it was an obvious head shot (and not one occuring as a result of an unfortunatecollision, as was the case of the Steckel/Crosby hit - of which I'm sure many Penguins fans would opt to differ) and should have incurred a suspension if the NHL really wants to enforce a zero tolerance stance.

In keeping with its inconsistent punishment of hits to the head, the league doled out a three-game suspension to Tampa Bay Lightning d-man Pavel Kubina for his elbow to the head of Chicago's Dave Bolland in a game three days after the Chara incident (Bolland is suffering from a concussion and most likely won't suit up against the Capitals tomorrow).

What concerns me about this lack of consistency regarding hits to the head (intentional or not) aside from the obvious disasterous impact such hits have on NHL players (just ask Marc Savard), is the message it sends to youth players. The more youth players see there are no consequences for knocking a fellow player in the noggin in the professional arena, the more likely they are to test crossing the line in their own game (especially when you're dealing with Bantam level players and up, who are often times pushing the limits fueled by surging testosterone levels). Granted my own two are sometimes guilty, but watching NHL games together offers me a prime opportunity for teaching lessons they can incorporate at the youth level. But when the NHL is sending mixed messages, it certainly makes those teaching moments for us hockey parents a heck of a lot harder. We can only hope that the GMs come to some sort of concrete resolution on the issue during their upcoming annual meeting...

Ovechkin to Make Wish Come True

2011-03-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

Alex Ovechkin is known for his insane talent on the ice, his gregarious personality and that infectious gap-toothed smile. But those closest to him, including Capitals majority owner Ted Leonsis, frequently talk about Ovi's big heart when it comes to helping others. Tomorrow he'll be making a dream come true for 13-year old Ryan Rowlinson, who is courageously battling neurofibromatosis. Ryan has asked to meet his hockey hero as part of the wonderful Make-A-Wish Foundation® program.

Ryan will meet the Great8 at the Caps' morning skate at Kettler Capitals Iceplex where he'll sit between the benches to watch and then get a tour of the locker room led by the captain himself. Then tomorrow night, he'll attend the game where he will sit in “Ovi’s Crazy 8s” seats along with his parents and younger brother. He will watch the pregame warmups from the penalty box, ride the Olympia ice resurfacer during the first intermission and meet Ovie after the game. Ryan is from Duncan, British Columbia, and has long wanted to meet Ovechkin and watch him play in person. Hockey Mom joins my fellow Caps fans in wishing this brave young man the best as he continues his fight against neurofibromatosis.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world.

For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, including how you can help refer a local child from Maryland, Northern Virginia, Delaware or the District of Columbia for a wish as well as sponsor a wish or donate in-kind gifts of goods, services or airline frequent flier miles, please call (301) 962-9474 or visit www.midatlantic.wish.org.

The BC & Yukon chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation was formed in 1983. Since inception, this chapter has made more than 1,400 wishes come true for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Caps Zap Bolts in 2 -1 Shoot Out Win

2011-03-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

As expected, tonight's meeting between Southeastern Conference rivals Washington and Tampa Bay was a chippy affair from first puck drop (thanks to Bruce Boudreau calling out Stamkos and Downie for diving, perhaps?). Michal Neuvirth took a hit to the head and lost his lid right after the first faceoff and play was stopped momentarily until he could get his old mask on. At 12:30 of the first period, Matt Hendricks went to the box for a slash. Meanwhile, pint-sized sniper and perennial Lady Byng winner Martin St. Louis netted the power play goal to get the Bolts on the board first (the tally was later credited to Sean Bergenheim).

Throughout the first period Ovi was on Mattias Ohlund like white on rice - hitting him at every opportunity. It was Ohlund who gave the Caps their first man advantage late in the period, the result of a lazy hook against Alex Semin (who once again was showing much more spring in his step- I'm loving it!). As the final seconds of the boys' power play ticked off the clock, Ovi cleared the puck from the defensive zone and it surprisingly flew above the glass, drawing the Great8 a delay of game call. At the end of the opening stanza, the captain was in the sin bin and shots on goal were even at seven apiece.

End of first period: Lightning 1 - Capitals 0

After killing the penalty during the opening minutes of the second period, the Caps were called for too many men. Braden Holtby, who came in to relieve Neuvirth (Neuvy apparently was feeling the effects of being hit in the head in first period - hope for a speedy recovery), made a sizzler of a stick save against the Lightning's Simone Gagne. On the other side of the ice, Dwayne Roloson continued to be a thorn in the Caps' side for most of the evening.

And bad news for Caps' fans, Nick Backstrom left the game in the second period and did not return. As adept as he is at line-juggling, Gabby adjusted by placing Jason Arnott in between the two Alexes. Despite an excellent scoring chance on the part of Jason Arnott, the Caps didn't light the lamp in the second period.

End of second period: Lightning 1 - Capitals 0

The third period saw an early goal from Vincent Lecavalier waved off as a tripped up Bolt knocked down Holtby, impeding his ability to make any kind of save (turned out to be a bit of a controversial call on the part of the stripes). Meanwhile, Alex Semin was playing out of his mind and almost got into a skirmish with Dominic Moore in front of the Caps' crease. Whatever Sasha is doing these days, keep it up!

Of course it was #28 who tied up the game at 14:28 with help from Ovi and Dennis Wideman. The tie wasn't broken in the final period and we were off to OT.

End of third period: Lightning 1 - Capitals 1

Braden Holtby exhibited the coolness of a seasoned vet and the boys crashed the net on the other end during OT but this hard-fought battle required a shoot out to settle the score. For reasons unknown, Bolts bench boss Guy Boucher didn't go with stars Steven Stamkos or Marty St. Louis in the shoot out while Gabby stacked his line with both Alexes. It was Alex Ovechkin who saved the day, blowing a rocket past Roloson so fast it not only rattled the net minder, but his water bottle as well.

Braden Holtby was spectacular in the OT and stumped Dominic Moore, Adam Hall and Vinny Lecavalier in the shoot out, earning a big win for the Caps as we head down the stretch. The boys clinched the first place spot in the division and sit just below Boston at third the East with 84 points. Nice win and another toast to a rejuvenated Alex Semin - next up, the Edmonton Oilers pay a rare visit to the Phone Booth on Wednesday.

Capitals Surge to Chase Away the Blues

2011-03-03T19:15:00.000-08:00

It hasn't taken long for the new faces in the room to develop some chemistry with their new team mates, as evidenced by tonight's hard-fought win against the St. Louis Blues on Military Appreciation Night. But it was the young Blues club who got on the scoreboard first after a somewhat slow start by the Caps.

The game's tempo took a turn for the better when Matt Bradley KO'd Tyson Strachan towards the end of the first period. The Blues always play a rough and tumble game and were quite generous in doling out the hits. But one of the newest Capitals, Dennis Wideman, had at least five tooth-rattling hits of his own (in addition to a few key blocked shots in front of the net). Wideman is fitting in quite nicely thank you - and led the boys in ice time with more than 22 minutes in action. It was his fellow defense man, Scott Hannan, who lit the lamp first for the home team. Hannan was the recipient of a beautiful pass from Ovechkin, and notched his first tally as a Capital at 3:08 in the second period. Matt Hendricks, who was grinding it out in the corners for much of the evening, also had a hand in Hannan's goal. Two minutes later, St. Louis reclaimed the lead as BJ Crombeen stunned the boys, scoring right off the face off.

The Caps were skating harder than we've seen in quite some time and their consistent energy paid off. Alex Semin turned up the heat on the occasion of his 27th birthday, taking several quality shots and mucking it up on the boards. Nicklas Backstrom tied the game with a goal resulting from a lacrosse-like swing (sure to be on many of tomorrow's highlight reels) at 6:28 in the second, giving Ovechkin his second assist and Mike Knuble his first on the night. End of second period: Caps 2 - Blues 2

The atmosphere at Verizon Center was electric going into the final period, reminiscient of last year's President's Trophy winning season. To put the finishing touches on one of the more exciting games we've seen in some time, new Capital Jason Arnott notched the GWG at 14:41 in the third - his first as a Washington Capital. The Arnott-Laich-Semin line seems to meshing well thus far - GMGM was quite the sneaky genius with his most recent additions. Final score: Caps 3 - Blues 2

Finally, a huge Hockey Mom high five to Michal Neuvirth, who broke a team record earning his 21st win - the most ever by a rookie goalie! The boys are busy packing the swim trunks and fishing poles for this weekend's trip to the Sunshine State but there will be no rest for the weary as they'll face two tough opponents in back-to-back games.

Caps Make a Splash in the Trade Pool

2011-02-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

The calculating GMGM should be relaxing in a leather recliner enjoying a cold adult beverage of choice right now after a long day at the office. George McPhee was hard at work making several key trades at today's deadline to fill in the missing pieces on the Caps' roster. As our Eastern Conference rivals the Bruins, Flyers and the Penguins, bolstered their benches in early trading, GMGM waited until the waning minutes to pick up veteran center Jason Arnott.

The beauty of today's actions on the part of GMGM is that he didn't give away the farm (literally, considering all the talent the team has housed in Hershey) and only traded one roster player (popular face off guru David Steckel). Yet he still made the moves he felt necessary to take the boys deep into the Cup race by plugging the second-line center hole and adding another defense man in the form of former Bruin and Panther Dennis Wideman.

While Tom Poti is still on the injured list, Mike Green's head injury may keep him out of action for longer than was initially thought. Thus the pick up of Dennis Wideman (who played in Boston with another new Capital, Marco Sturm), provides some added insurance on the blue line and will hopefully help resuscitate the ailing power play. Wideman was brought in as part of a trade that sends prospect Jake Hauswirth and a third round draft pick to the Sunshine State. Wideman, 27, is a seven-year NHL veteran who has played for the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins and the Panthers. The 6’, 200-pound defenseman has appeared in 439 career NHL games, recording 55 goals, 143 assists and 325 penalty minutes. This season, he has 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists) and 33 penalty minutes while playing in 61 games for the Panthers.

Wideman, who will wear No. 6 with the Capitals, set career highs in assists (37), points (50) and tied his career-high in goals (13) during the 2008-09 campaign with the Bruins. He also registered a career-high +32 rating and helped lead Boston to first overall in the Eastern Conference.

Of course the other big news of the day was the addition of veteran center Jason Arnott from the New Jersey Devils. The bad news is that the team had to part with fan fave David Steckel as part of this deal (in addition to a second round pick in 2012). Arnott, who is in the twilight of his career, brings veteran leadership and lots of playoff experience to a young Capitals team. This big guy (6’5’’, 220-pounds) is a 19-year league vet with 1,161 career NHL games under his belt. He's recorded 369 goals, 501 assists and 1,208 penalty minutes during regular season games throughout his career. In addition, he has collected 66 points (30 goals, 36 assists) and 74 penalty minutes in 106 career playoff games. A two-time NHL All-Star (1997, 2008), he won the Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2000, scoring the game-winning goal in the second overtime period. This season, Arnott has 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) and 32 penalty minutes while playing in 62 games for the injury-depleted Devils.

I for one can't wait to see the newest additions hit the ice tomorrow against the Islanders and am hoping these moves bring the consistency and energy this team has been lacking thus far this season. Welcome to Washington boys!

Trade Deadline Eve - What will the Caps Do Tomorrow?

2011-02-27T18:02:00.000-08:00

HM is finally sitting down to write after a whirlwind weekend that marked our final two games of travel hockey. I got to watch Friday night's blowout at the hands of the Rangers (unfortunately, I might add), while I listened to the Caps/Islanders game en route home from a rink more than two hours away.

While the boys walked away with the "W" last night, they still struggle with consistency (5 shots in the first period, really!?) and the power play is just plain dreadful. Tomorrow at 3 p.m. marks the end of the NHL's trade deadline and Caps fans are waiting with baited breath to see what GM George McPhee will do. He made his first move yesterday by putting enforcer DJ King on waivers, while claiming Marco Sturm from the Los Angeles Kings. So who is Marco Sturm?

The German-born winger is a 14-year veteran of the league and has scored 20-or-more goals in each of his last seven full NHL seasons. He played in 17 games with the Kings this season, collecting nine points (four goals, five assists) and 17 penalty minutes. He began the season with the Boston Bruins and missed the first 32 games of the year (27 games with Boston, five games with Los Angeles) while recovering from a lower body injury. Sturm has appeared in 872 games with San Jose, Boston and Los Angeles, registering 475 points (238 goals, 237 assists) and 415 penalty minutes. In addition, he collected 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 52 career playoff games.

Is the acquisition of Sturm the first of several? Mike Vogel shared his thoughts on the trade deadline as it relates to the Caps over at Dump n'Chase. Either way, the hours leading to the 3 o'clock deadline are sure to be action-packed as the experts track player movement and deal-making around the league! HM will have her ears to the ground for sure!

Matt Hendricks Signs Two-Year Extension with Capitals

2011-02-23T11:17:00.000-08:00

While we still haven't seen any movement in the trade realm, Caps fans got some great news today as the team announced the extension of gritty Matt Hendricks to a two-year contract extension for $1.6 million. The former member of the Colorado Avalanche quickly gained a rep as a fan fave with his gregarious personality, ability to score and his willingness to drop the gloves at a moment's notice to take care of business. I for one am thrilled to pieces to see this guy sticking around for awhile - he is the epitomy of a heart and soul team player. Cheers to you, Hendy!

Here's the official release from the team:

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed forward Matt Hendricks to a two-year extension, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Hendricks, a 6’0’’, 215-pound native of Blaine, Minn., has recorded a career-high 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) and 84 penalty minutes in 57 games this season with the Capitals. He also registered 121 hits this season, which ranks third on the team and second among forwards. Hendricks, 29, registered nine goals, seven assists and 74 penalty minutes in 56 games for the Avalanche during the 2009-10 NHL season.

Hendricks, who made his NHL debut in 2008, has appeared in 117 career NHL games with Washington and Colorado, posting 35 points (16 goals, 19 assists) and 171 penalty minutes. He also appeared in six postseason games with the Avalanche during their 2010 playoff run.

Hendricks played for Capitals’ head coach Bruce Boudreau as a member of the Capitals’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hershey Bears in 2006-07. He recorded 18 goals and 26 assists for a total of 44 points in 65 regular season games that year. Hendricks also appeared in 19 AHL playoff matches that season, scoring eight goals and registering four assists.

Hendricks, who was invited to the Capitals’ training camp on a tryout basis and signed a one-year deal on Sept. 27, 2010, was originally drafted by the Nashville Predators in the fifth round (131st overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

Is GMGM Going to Make a Move Soon?

2011-02-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

As we see more Eastern Conference foes (including the dirty birds we saw last night) make a move prior to next week's NHL trade deadline, GMGM is sitting on his hands for now.

More on that later, but first things first:

Because you can never see enough of THAT! Fans around the league certainly tipped their hat to Professor Bradley after he annihialated uber-villain Matt Cooke last night.

Back to the trade deadline.

For hockey fans, the weeks preceding the annual NHL trade deadline set off more rumors than the latest cover of the National Enquirer. Several Eastern Conference rivals have already made a splash with pre-deadline trades, including the Bruins, Flyers, Lightning and most recently the Penguins, with the trade of Alex Goligoski for former Dallas players James Neal and Matt Niskanen. We’re now less than one week and counting until the official trade deadline, which will mark the end of all trade activity for the season. Whether rebuilding with young players or wheeling and dealing for grizzled vets to aid a deep playoff run, all teams must have their trades in place by 3 p.m., Monday, February 28.

Caps fans are following the latest hockey happenings to see if GMGM makes any moves prior to the deadline. The rumors regarding potential trade targets and current Caps players at risk of being dealt are flying around like cherry blossoms in a March wind storm - HM has heard rumors of Semin, Laich, Perreault and others on the trade block. The majority of Capitals fans agree that despite the talent of youngsters Marcus Johansson and Mathieu Perreault, the team has an obvious need for an experienced second line center. Another veteran who’s got a Stanley Cup under his belt would also be a welcome addition. The Capitals currently have a max cap hit of approximately $6.3 million, so there is some room to trade for the right piece(s) that will get this team closer to the Cup. So as we sit and wait to see if (or even when) the Capitals may make a move, you may want to follow TSN’s Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) and Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) on Twitter for the up-to-the-minute trades and rumor-busting - and happy shopping George McPhee!

Mid Week Musings: Caps Face Another Tough Test in Cali

2011-02-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

First to all my readers, my apologies for no live blogs this week during the Caps' West coast swing. The late start times just don't work with my crazy, 6 a.m. wakeup, boys to school and me to work, sports, etc. schedule. I was able to catch most of Monday's game against Phoenix, but truth be told, I needed toothpicks to hold my eyelids open because once again, the boys just played yet another uninspired game. The Caps face another roadblock when they face the Anaheim Ducks tonight, and they'll do so without the services of Mike Green. Green is still having inner ear issues resulting from the puck to the ear he took against the Pens. But on the other end, the Ducks will be without their starting net minder, Jonas Hiller. Hiller is dealing with recurrent lightheadedness, which is a little concerning.

Maybe if I don't watch tonight, the Caps will miraculously dig up their power play from whatever rock it's been hiding under since last season. Caps Nation is one divided these days, as the team continues to struggle. Some fans and media think a personnel shake up of some sort is in order (HM is among those who think the team needs to make some moves before the February 28 trade deadline) while others are content to wait until the playoffs to see if the boys can ramp it up. My other opinion, for what it's worth, is that there should be NO optional practices as long as the spark remains missing in action. And in his role as captain, Ovechkin should be at all practices unless he's injured or sick. Don't even get me started on Alex Semin taking the "option" - the hardest worker on the assembly line he is not. For cripes sake, I've watched my boys do "bag skates" (also dubbed 30-second drills) after losses, and they aren't playing hockey for a living.

Here are just a few items of discourse regarding the current state of the Capitals that I found interesting, and am very much in agreement with much of OFB's assessment:

Taking a Wrecking Ball to Capitals Country Club, Parts I & II (OFB)
Who Is Leading the Boys in the Locker Room? (Puck Daddy)
The Owner's Thoughts on Adversity (Ted's Take)
More on George McPhee and the Impending Trade Deadline (Puckhead's Thoughts)
Hockey's Best Mullet Talks About the Caps (Barry Melrose on 106.7 The Fan)

So even though things aren't going as planned, we need to keep things in perspective and find a way to smile (even through tears). Well, several of the Caps brought smiles to the faces of disabled children through Hockey for Hope last Friday at Kettler Capitals Iceplex as they took to the ice with the kids for a hockey clinic. USA Hockey also had a feature on this extraordinary program.

Kings Rule Caps on Home Ice

2011-02-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

On the joyous occasion of my twin boys 15th birthday, we cheered on the Caps with high hopes of a big win on home ice in today's matinee showdown. The Caps came out with a spark with Ovi schooling L.A.'s Drew Doughty and sniping a rocket top shelf over Jonathan Bernier 66 seconds into the first period. Though we didn't see anything like the epic line brawl of last night’s Penguins/ Islanders buffoonery, DJ King did have a first period bout with the Kings' Kevin Westgarth. HM is certain that the hulking Caps enforcer would've been the victor had he not had an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction. The Caps held on to a 1-0 lead at the end of first, outshooting L.A. 8-4. Unfortunately the boys were taking too many of those shots from the perimeter and didn't light the lamp for the remainder of the first or into the second.

The Kings tied the game at 10:41 in the second period as Anze Kopitar broke out of a 20-game scoring slump with some help from his pal Wayne Simmonds. Varly got caught low and couldn't recover while his help apparently lost all sight of the puck. Though the second period saw no additional scoring, the hitting ramped up with both teams tallying 22 hits by the period's final horn. L.A.'s Dustin Brown found out what it's like to run into a brick wall when he attempted to hit Ovechkin and was bounced off rudely by the Russian Machine. The boys ended the period shorthanded as Mike Green took a roughing penalty against Wayne Simmonds, knocking off his lid in the process.

The Caps killed off the penalty opening the third period but the Kings scored again minutes later at even strength. The Kings eluded the Caps' defense and Kyle Clifford had a direct path to Varlamov's crease. Varly made the quick save but was unable to hold onto to the rebound. Andrei Loktionov made haste of swooping in and beat Varlamov to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.

The boys had two more power play chances, but in the end were 0 for 4. There are still no solid answers for the Caps' lack of success with the man-advantage despite being blessed with the same players that led the league last year. And any gusto that was evident in the first period flew out the doors of the Verizon Center with two more unanswered goals from the Kings. Michal Handzus lit it up at 13:28 while Jarett Stoll tallied a mere two minutes later. Bruce Boudreau was not pleased to say the least about his team's effort- or lack of- in the final stanza, and sat Brooks Laich and Alex Semin for the last six minutes.

Final score: Kings 4 - Caps 1

The Caps now head off on a long road trip in which they'll face the feisty Coyotes, the sizzling Flames, the always physical Ducks, the streaking Sharks, the Ryan-Miller led Sabres and of course our good pals the Penguins. The boys gathered for a players-only meeting after the game in hopes of regrouping and creating some much-needed synergy ahead of the crucial stretch run.

Let's hope that everyone got to speak their piece and we see the urgency and effort in what looks to be a tough stretch ahead.

Hockey for Huggies

2011-02-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

As a mom of twins (who will be 15 on Saturday - eegads, when did that happen), I can attest to how expensive diapers are - times two. So of course Hockey Mom is loving the new Hockey for Huggies initiative and I encourage my fellow Caps fans to join me in helping the team collect diapers during the game against the L.A. Kings this Saturday.

The team will be collecting new packages of diapers in the concourse of section 119 at Verizon Center, where Huggies will have a booth. Here fans can play games like Plinko by donating $10 or diapers to Hockey for Huggies to win Capitals prizes including hats, player autographed items and other fun items.

All of the diapers collected will be donated to the Capital Area Food Bank, in partnership with the Washington, D.C. Diaper Bank, who will distribute them throughout the Washington, D.C., area. One in three American mothers struggles to provide diapers for their babies so let's help keep those little tushes clean and dry while chipping in for those in need!

Fans can also text CAPS to 501501 to donate $5 to babies in need in the area or visit NHL.com/huggies. CLICK HERE to watch the Caps Hockey for Huggies PSA with Karie Erskine, wife of Capitals defenseman John Erskine.

About Huggies Every Little Bottom
Huggies Every Little Bottom has a single mission – to help get diapers to babies in need in the U.S. and Canada. The program was developed in response to a groundbreaking new study commissioned by Kimberly-Clark that revealed the critical issue of diaper need. Diaper need is the struggle to provide babies with diapers. Today, one in three American and one in five Canadian mothers struggle with diaper need, and have had to cut back on basics – food, utilities such as heat or electricity, or even childcare – in order to provide enough diapers for their babies. With the support of partner organizations, grassroots efforts and moms across the country, this program will build awareness of the issue and work to create a long-term solution.

Brawl Night in Boston

2011-02-10T19:03:00.000-08:00

Hockey fans were taken back to the days of old time hockey and bench-clearing brawls last night as the historic rivalry between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens reached the boiling point. I was listening to the game as I drove home from a work function and tuned in to an all-out fracas that saw the officials dole out a mind-blowing 13 fighting majors, three misconducts and four game misconducts.

Even the netminders got into the act, with Carey Price and Tim Thomas dropping the mitts. Puck Daddy has the video of each of the bouts, with the Habs' Tom Pyatt getting the worst of the beatdown doled out by Gregory Campbell, who of course happens to be the son of the NHL's top disciplinarian dog, Colin Campbell.

Speaking of Colin Campbell, he's been a busy bee, handing down a couple of key suspensions this week. Caps fans will rejoice in the news that repeat offender Matt Cooke finally got a bit of a hand slap with a four-game suspension for a nasty hit from behind on Fedor Tyutin. With the league's emphasis on banishing head hits, this is a step in the right direction but I think it's going to take much more for Cooke to get the message (he who directly contributed to Marc Savard's current season-ending concussion troubles). On the topic of concussions, Sidney Crosby still has no concrete date for a return. While we as Caps fans love to diss on the Penguins' captain, Crosby is a huge draw for the game and no one wants to see a player suffer permanent injury, no matter what team you cheer for. And though the hit on Crosby from David Steckel was an unintentional collision, we are still seeing too many hits to the head this season that do carry intent to injure. And Matt Cooke is a poster boy for such malice - next time, the league needs to throw the book at him.

Busy Few Off-Days for the Caps

2011-02-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

As the Capitals prepare for a rare meeting with the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, many players will be busy off the ice as well. Last night D.J. King, Mathieu Perreault, Tyler Sloan and Semyon Varlamov joined more than 200 enthusiastic female hockey fans for yet another sold-out Hockey ‘n Heels at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

DJ King demonstrates shooting technique at Hockey n' Heels.

The current Caps joined former Capitals Paul Mulvey and Alan May on the ice to show the ladies how to shoot a slapshot and assistant coach Dean Evason demonstrated the finer points of how to take a faceoff. Meanwhile, Varly showed the women some of his many goal tending tricks to help them try to stop Perreault’s shot in net. While waiting for their turn on the ice, participants were able to see and try on different hockey equipment. Hockey ‘n Heels used both sheets of ice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, giving the women an opportunity to spend more time on the ice.

The second session featured Caps’ strength and conditioning coach Mark Nemish explaining the fitness routines the players go through. After the explanation, Nemish had the ladies doing lunges and taught them the proper way to do squats. Feel the burn, ladies, feel the burn...ouch.

The third session was a “chalk talk” with Caps alumni Alan May with Mix 107.3’s Chilli Amar serving as moderator. The ladies had lots of questions for the current Comcast SportsNet analyst.

The fourth and final session was head coach Bruce Boudreau’s famous film talk. As always, the chatty Gabby helped the women understand how to dissect and analyze different aspects of the game. The head coach used this current season’s game videos and put the ladies through a typical video session. At the end of the session participants were able to ask the coach questions about the game and the team. A good time was had by all!

To learn more about Club Scarlet, the Capitals’ female fan club, go to http://scarlet.capitals.com/.

Matt Bradley, Tom Poti, David Steckel and coaches Bruce Boudreau and Bob Woods will be at Kettler tomorrow from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m to work with Dreams for Kids (DFK) for Extreme Recess Hockey. The players and coaches are surely looking forward to this chance to help children with physical and developmental disabilities and give them the opportunity to play hockey, many for the first time. HM is sure there will be lots of beaming smiles on the faces of these great kids as they learn about the wonderful game of hockey from the pros!

The clinic is completely free for participants and is organized by the volunteer staff at DFK, which consists of young adults, all under the age of 25, who are working to empower youth of all abilities in our nation’s capital. There will be 75 children and their families along with 75 volunteers – one volunteer to each child – giving the children more hands on experience.

Extreme Recess allows this often isolated group of children to engage in the types of physical activities that other children their age experience daily. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, children with physical and developmental disabilities will have the opportunity to be the sports stars. The empowerment and self-respect learned at the clinic will carry over into the children’s lives at home, in the classroom, in the community and will help them realize that their disability need not hinder them from reaching their dreams. Extreme Recess celebrates the unique ability in all children and helps them turn the adversity in their lives into opportunity. With more than 12,000 children currently living with disabilities in D.C. and similar stats for surrounding counties, it is vital that we spread awareness about the importance and power that athletics can play in the lives of children with disabilities.

About Dreams for Kids
Dreams for Kids is an international youth organization and 501(c) (3) children’s charity, with a mission to empower young people of all abilities through dynamic leadership programs and life-changing activities. By helping others find their dreams, they can realize their own. For more information about Dreams for Kids DC, visit www.dreamsforkids.org/dc.

A Win-Win Weekend for the Capitals

2011-02-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

Prior to Friday night's game against Tampa Bay, many Caps fans - myself included- were wondering when the boys would find their scoring touch to compliment their much improved defensive work and their stellar 86.3 percentage on the PK. Turns out, this weekend was a winner if you tend to sport Capitals' red, white and blue as Washington stunned the Lightning on Friday and shut out the hated Penguins in a Winter Classic rematch (and a bloody messy one, at that).

In Friday's fisticuff-filled 5-2 win against the Lightning, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom found their mojo with both players recording four-point games. The joyous occasion marked the first time that both players had four points in the same game. Caps fans (my little brother included - he was sitting directly behind the Bolt's penalty box in his #8 Caps sweater) were also treated to something we haven't seen in far too long - a Brooks Laich crash-the-net lamp lighting. Semyon Varlamov and the multitude of Capitals players clogging the neutral zone stymied the Lightning's offense and made for a miserable night for Steven Stamkos and pals. Of course this rivalry wouldn't earn up to its name without a bout between Matt Hendricks and Steve Downie - those two duked it out as did Matt Bradley and Adam Hall. The role player that he is, Hendricks got under the skin of Dwayne Roloson by invading his space in a big way, and Roly proceeded to pound Hendricks in the back of the head in frustration. At the end of the night, Roloson was still frustrated as he and his mates could not contain the Caps rejuvenated offense.

Friday's win was key for a team that has struggled to find the back of the net lately and all were hoping they'd carry that regained confidence into today's Super Bowl Sunday showdown with the Penguins. Of course the Pens were without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin (who suffered a torn ACL and MCL) but they've been winning their games without their scoring leaders. Brooks Laich got the party started with second goal in as many games - tallying late in the first period. It was your typical gritty, get in the goalie's grill type goal that we've always seen from Laich and it's nice to see him back on the score board! The first period lead came at a price though, as Mike Green was hit in the head and bloodied by a Brooks Orpik shot that went high - glad to report that Green seems to be okay despite not returning to the game.

Marcus Johansson scored a beautiful shorty in the second period to give the Caps a 2-0 lead. Mike Knuble, who has now scored a total of 30 goals - including today's empty netter- against the Penguins, took a high stick to the face (which drew no call) and returned the ice bloody but determined. History repeated itself in the third period when things between these two enemies turned even uglier. David Steckel dropped the gloves against recent AHL call-up Tim Wallace, most likely in direct regards to Steckel's unintentional hit on Crosby on January 1. And Matt Cooke was being the typical - well, Matt Cooke- meaning that I can't say what I truly mean on this family-friendly forum. In his usual thugnasty manner, Cooke went straight for Ovechkin near the end of the period and sent the Great8 flying with a thunderous knee-on-knee hit. The resulting free-for-all saw Ovi, Backstrom and Shultz go after #24 and HM is sure there would have been mass chaos had the refs not gotten control so quickly.
Thankfully it was the Caps who got the last word in where it mattered - on the board- as the grizzled Mike Knuble nailed it down with the empty net goal. A big day for Michal Neuvirth as well who recorded 22 saves and notched the shut out! So the boys can now relax and enjoy a few cold ones as they take in tonight's Super Bowl - a nice end to a winning weekend for the Caps.

On another note, check out this fun interview of yours truly on a new blog from a fellow hockey mom, Sylvia, who is still digging out from last week's snow in the Windy City!

Finally, a sad farewell and best wishes to the Capitals' Media Relations Director Nate Ewell, who is leaving this week for a new post within the College Hockey ranks. He will be truly missed by all in the mainstream and new media alike and his shoes will be hard to fill!

Another Fight Night in the NHL

2011-02-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Things got nasty in more than one game last night as the Maple Leafs went head-to-head with the Carolina Hurricanes and the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins kickstarted their bout with three fights in four seconds!

Another thing that riled up Dallas players was this illegal head hit on the part of Boston's Daniel Paille on Ray Sawada. Word was just handed down that Paille recieved a four-game suspension for this ugliness. HM was appalled to hear Bruins coach Claude Julian defend this hit (while Paille's team mate Andrew Ference boldly proclaimed the hit as a "bad hit"). Meanwhile, Bruins forward Marc Savard is still undergoing tests related to several hits he recieved a few games back that may have resulted in further concussion damage and may prematurely end his career. You'll recall that Savard's initial concussion was a result of the same type of blindside hit blow dealt by Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke. Personally, I am in agreement with Ference when it comes to calling it both ways regarding dirty head shots. Here's what he had to say about the issue (with a little dig at Sidney Crosby):

“It’s a bad hit, right?" said Ference. "You hear it from every player after they do it, they feel bad, and same thing, I talked to Danny [Paille] and he feels bad.

“You can’t be a hypocrite about it, though. I’ve thought about this a lot and had plenty of time to put things in perspective over the last year. Sidney Crosby has been very vocal about the head shots and blindside hits since he suffered one in the Winter Classic, but what did Crosby say after Cooke hit Savvy last year? Nothing.

“I thought a lot about that. You want to be a good teammate, but you shouldn’t be a hypocrite about it.”

Here's the hit:

Meanwhile, I'd like to see the Capitals come out against the Lightning with a lot of piss and vinegar tonight. Who knows if a few fisticuffs at the opening face off may provide that much-needed spark? HM isn't sure what the lack of spark can be attributed to, but Storming the Crease says the team needs a culture change if they want to recapture last season's winning ways.

Things Get Ugly on the Island: Goalie Brawl

2011-02-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Now HM loves a good, old-fashioned goalie brawl a la Ron Hextall, and former Capital net minder Brent Johnson (now over on the dark side) started one of his own last night when he dropped the mitts with Isles goalie Rick DiPietro. The person behind the initial fracas was (hold your breath people), none other than Matt Cooke...

Check it out (stick tap to HockeyFights.com):

Caps Have Tough Road Ahead with Bolts and Pens Looming

2011-02-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

A busy work schedule, kids' hockey road game and lacrosse tryouts kept me from blogging about most of the All-Star festivities, but I got back in the groove and caught the Caps as they faced the Montreal Canadiens for their second meeting this season. And for the first 20 minutes, it seemed like the Caps finally found their groove as they saw two lovely first period goals from Mathieu Perreault and Mike Knuble. Today is officially Groundhog Day, but the second and third periods of last night's game seemed like Groundhog Day to the legions of weary Caps fans, witnessing yet another disappointing Washington loss. Brooks Laich earned himself a penalty trifecta (though one of them was most questionable on the part of the dudes in stripes) and miscues on the part of the Caps' defense allowed the speedy Habs captain, Brian Gionta, to light the lamp twice on breakaways. As we've seen too many times this season, the boys took their foot off the gas and dropped yet another game in a shoot out loss. Other than a pretty solid effort on the part of Semyon Varlamov, one of the few highlights of the game was this epic hip check from Ovi on the smack-talking rookie PK Subban:

Well fasten your seat belts boys because the road ahead is gonna be tough with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday and the hated Penguins paying a visit on Sunday. The Lightning "lit up" the Eastern Conference leading Flyers on Tuesday in a 4-0 whupping. Bolts' veteran goalie Dwayne Roloson continues to flabbergast offensively-loaded teams, making 38 saves against a hot Flyers club. HM's brother will be seated second row center at St. Pete Times Forum on Friday, rocking the Ovechkin jersey he just got for his birthday. So yet another selfish reason to hope the boys can shake off their malaise and for Pete's sake, put together a solid 60-minute performance.

Of course I don't have to tell you who's rolling into the Phone Booth for a Super Bowl Sunday matinee. While the Penguins have been without two of their top scorers with Geno Malkin and Crysby on the injured list, they've won their last four outings (and are beating the Isles as we speak) - they are as dangerous as ever.

So will getting Alex Semin back on the bench jumpstart the Caps' offense? No telling - as Sasha is as streaky as cheap drugstore mascara. While I'm not sure that a coaching change is the answer to the Capitals' woes, something's got to give this incredibly talented squad a square kick in the bum. My hopes are to see a new face or two in the room after the free agent deadline passes at the end of this month...Jason Arnott anyone? Speaking of the trade deadline, TSN's Darren Dreger is a must-follow is you're not already and he's just introduced his new daily Dreger Report this week. Check it out with your morning cuppa joe!

Caps Extend Alex Semin for One Year; Send Three Down to Farm

2011-01-27T08:22:00.000-08:00

The Washington Capitals have signed right wing Alexander Semin to a one-year contract extension, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Semin, 26, is in his sixth season in the NHL, all with the Capitals. He has 35 points (18 goals, 17 assists) in 39 games this season, second on the team in goals and third in points. In 366 career games the 6’2”, 209-pound native of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, has recorded 335 points (166 goals, 169 assists) and already ranks 11th in Capitals history in goals and 19th in points.

This season Semin is tied for the league lead with three hat tricks, which came in a 35-day span from Oct. 23 to Nov. 26. His 16 goals at home rank third in the league. While he has been hampered by injury lately, he ranked second in the league in goals (18) and fifth in points (30) in the first two months of the season. His three hat tricks in 35 days were the fastest by an NHL player since 2002 (Marian Gaborik) and his natural hat trick in 4:29 on Nov. 26 was the NHL’s fastest since Jan. 8, 2009 (Bobby Ryan, 2:21).

Semin, who is coming off his first 40-goal season and a career-high 84 points, ranked seventh in the NHL in goals and 13th in points in 2010-11. His 30 even-strength goals ranked third in the league and he was tied for fifth with a +36 rating.

A first-round choice of the Capitals in the 2002 NHL Draft, 13th overall, Semin has 313 points in 314 games during the last five seasons, ranking 17th in points per game in the NHL in that time (0.997). He ranks 10th in goals in that time (156) and is one of only 12 players league-wide to score more than 25 goals in each of the last four seasons. He is on pace to hit that mark again this year. He is a combined +69 in the last three seasons, best of any Capitals forward and fifth-best in the NHL.

Now if he can just get healthy, get back to some consistent scoring and stay out of the penalty box (so maybe he can drop the nickname assigned to him by many Caps fans - "Sasha Minor").

Meanwhile, three of the youngsters are headed back down to Hershey. Jay Beagle, Mathieu Perreault and goaltender Braden Holtby will be making the slushy drive back to Chocolate Town to rejoin the Hershey Bears, the team just announced.

The move, coinciding with the NHL All-Star Weekend, will allow Holtby to participate in the AHL All-Star festivities set for Sunday and Monday in Hershey (and televised live on Comcast SportsNet).

As you know, all three players have spent time in both Hershey and Washington this season. Perreault has eight points (five goals, three assists) in 24 games with the Capitals, while Beagle has scored twice in 19 games. Holtby is 4-2-2 in eight appearances, with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.

Two of Capitals Brightest En Route to 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend

2011-01-26T19:20:00.000-08:00

After a lacklustre and disappointing shut out at the hands of the Atlanta Thrashers and Ondrej Pavelec, two of the Washington Capitals are on their way to Raleigh to join the NHL’s elite for the 2011 NHL All-Star Game presented by Discover. Alex Ovechkin will be playing in his fourth All-Star Game, having recorded a total of 6 points in his ASG appearances to date, while Mike Green will be hitting the ice in his first ASG experience (as an alternate captain). Just for giggles, the two may very well end up on opposing teams.

Green, a two-time member of the NHL’s end-of-season NHL First All-Star Team and a two-time Norris Trophy runner-up, has led NHL defense men in goals for three years in a row. He has also been tops among NHL defense men in points for the past two seasons and is one of only two active defense men with a 70-point season in his career – the other being Lidstrom, the opposing Captain. This season he ranks fourth in ice time per game among NHL defense men.

To add a little more excitement to this year’s game, the league has implemented a bit of a different format. Players will still get to show off their niftiest dekes and shooting tricks along with their blazing speed during the always-entertaining Honda All-Star Superskills Competition on Saturday, January 28 (who can forget Ovi’s props and goofy getup during the 2008-2009 exhibition – always the personality)!

But the new addition of the NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft may bring back memories of being selected by their childhood pals in preparation for shinny on the backyard frozen pond for many. The two team captains, Raleigh fan fave Eric Staal and future Hall of Fame Detroit defense man Nick Lidstrom, will be picking their teams by selecting among the uber-talented roster of players voted in by the fans. The captains will be assisted in the selection or “draft” by their alternate captains: our own Mike Green and Vancouver’s Ryan Kessler will be help select “Team Staal” while Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis and Chicago’s Patrick Kane will serve as judge and jury in drafting “Team Lidstrom.” One of the exciting aspects of this new system will be watching to see if any of the team leaders leave their real-life team mates off of their bench and the big question, will the Sedin twins finally be separated? The All-Star Fantasy Draft will take place on Friday, January 28 at 8 p.m. and will be televised on VERSUS.

All of these events lead up to big game pitting the best of the best against each other. The 2011 NHL All-Star Game will be broadcast on VERSUS on Sunday, January 30 at 4 p.m. and we hope our boys will represent us well!

Capitals News to Note

2011-01-25T18:38:00.000-08:00

If you're like me - missing my weekly episode of HBO's 24/7, Capitals Red Line returns to Comcast SportsNet on Saturday, February 5 at 9 a.m. for your Caps behind-the-scenes viewing pleasure (minus the locker room expletives - this show's family-friendly). New episodes will air on Comcast SportsNet every Saturday at 9 a.m. through March 26.

In addition to the new, consistent time each week, CRL features three new segments this season; a special segment following Caps defenseman John Carlson’s rookie season, One on One with Mike Vogel and Cap to Cap. Host Guerin Austin returns for another season as well as Elliot Segal from Elliot in the Morning and the long-awaited return of “Professor” Bradley (can I get a "beat dat beat up fist pump for the return of Professor Bradley). Now if we can just get Matt Bradley healthy and back on the ice!

In other news, the Capitals will honor 2010 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Dino Ciccarelli at Turn Back the Clock Night when the Caps host the Canadiens at the Phone Booth on Tuesday,
Feb. 1. The Caps will wear their NHL Winter Classic-style throwback jerseys – which will be available in a silent auction during the game – and all fans in attendance will receive a limited edition Ciccarelli Upper Deck trading card, courtesy of Comcast SportsNet.

Fans are encouraged to be in their seats early for the 7:30 p.m. game, as Ciccarelli will be honored and will participate in a ceremonial puck drop. Select Capitals alumni will be signing autographs for fans on the concourse. Entertainment throughout the evening will focus on Ciccarelli’s era with the Capitals (1989-92) and will include tribute videos and an appearance by the Capitals’ former mascot, Winger.

Ciccarelli spent 19 seasons in the NHL, four of them in Washington. He recorded 112 goals and 97 assists (209 points) in 223 career games with the Capitals. He joined the team via trade March 7, 1989, and scored 12 goals in 11 games to close out that season. He led the team with 41 goals and 79 points in 1989-90 and had a team-high 38 goals in 1991-92, his final season with the Caps.

All four of Ciccarelli’s Capitals teams made the playoffs and he was among the top two playoff goal or point scorers on the team each year. Only Alex Ovechkin (1.29) has a better career playoff points per game for the Capitals than Ciccarelli (35 points in 32 games, 1.09).

Ciccarelli joined Mike Gartner (2001), Rod Langway (2002), Larry Murphy (2004) and Scott Stevens (2007) as Capitals in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

And in other news and notes, here are some other happenings around the rinks:

Homer McFanboy expounds on the scoring slumps of Brooks Laich and Mike Knuble.
Ravings of a Rink Rebel previews some of the best in women's hockey happening here this weekend during the Women's Junior Hockey League Challenge Cup.
A funny take on the scoresheet from last night's loss at the hands of the Blueshirts from Capitals Outsider.
On a sad note, the Boston Bruins' Marc Savard may have some tough decisions to make in terms of his future as he suffered yet another concussion this weekend.
Speaking of concussions, Sidney Crosby has bowed out of this weekend's NHL All-Star Game, as has his team mate Geno Malkin.
Injury will also keep Atlanta Thrashers d-man Tobias Enstrom off the ice against the Caps tomorrow in addition to missing the All-Star festivities.
Talk about a goalie controversy - the New York Islanders have suspended former Sharks and KHL net minder Evgeni Nabokov after he said "nyet" to reporting to the Isles after they claimed him off waivers.

Capitals Raise More than $45,000 for Our Military Kids

2011-01-25T17:51:00.000-08:00

Washington Capitals forwards Matt Hendricks, Mike Knuble and David Steckel presented Our Military Kids with a check in the amount of $45,836.99 – a new record – from the money the team raised through Courage Caps today at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

Matt Hendricks has quickly become a Caps fan hero, especially with his super-sick goals against Toronto and the Rangers this week, but today he helped the team give back to the families of our true heroes - the men and women serving our country in uniform.

Today Hendricks joined team mates Mike Knuble and David Steckel to present Our Military Kids with a check in the amount of $45,836.99 – a new record - from the money the team raised through Courage Caps at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. The Capitals sold 1,850 Courage Caps and 871 Courage T-shirts during the team’s 2010 campaign.

Courage Caps is in its fourth season and has raised more than $135,000 in its first four years. The Washington Capitals have sold more than 6,500 Courage Caps in four years and more than 1,200 Courage T-shirts in just two years.

Our Military Kids provides grants to the children of deployed National Guard and Military Reserve personnel, as well as children of all Wounded Warriors. The grants pay for participation in activities such as sports, fine arts and tutoring, which nurture and sustain the children while a parent is overseas serving our country. Our Military Kids grants are made to honor the sacrifices military families make and to ensure the children have access to activities and support that help them better cope with challenges arising during a parent's deployment or recovery.

Mike Green Named as Alternate Captain for NHL All-Star Game

2011-01-22T13:03:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Capitals defenseman Mike Green, who was selected as an alternative captain for next week's NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh. Green and fellow alternate captain, Ryan Kessler of the Vancouver Canucks) join the team of Captain Eric Staal from the host Carolina Hurricanes. Chicago's Patrick Kane and Martin St. Louis (Caps fans are all too familiar with this guy) were also tapped as alternates and will join future Hall of Famer Nick Lidstrom's team.

The four Alternate Captains were selected by the NHL and the NHLPA, considering input provided by the NHL All-Stars. The Alternate Captains will help with the team selection process during the new NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft powered by Cisco on Jan. 28. These four All-Stars will help their Captains set their team rosters and lineups for the Honda NHL SuperSkills® on Jan. 29 and the 2011 NHL All-Star Game presented by Discover on Jan. 30.

Green, a two-time member of the NHL’s end-of-season NHL First All-Star Team and a two-time Norris Trophy runner-up, has led NHL defensemen in goals for three years in a row. He has also been tops among NHL defensemen in points for the past two seasons and is one of only two active defensemen with a 70-point season in his career – the other being Lidstrom, the opposing Captain. Green this season ranks fourth in ice time per game among NHL defensemen.

Meanwhile, Green and his team mates are in the legendary hockey town (and Gabby's home town) of Toronto for tonight's bout with the Maple Leafs. The hockey-mad Toronto media have already descended upon the Cap's bench boss and apparently the Crosby concussion-gate topic just won't die.

Caps Strike First in Win against Islanders

2011-01-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

Prior to tonight, the Caps had won four in a row at Nassau Coliseum and were 5-0-1 here since the start of the 2007-08 season. Four of those six games were decided in overtime, two of them on overtime goals by Alex Ovechkin. Well wouldn’t you know that the Great8 had a hand in getting his team on the board first, feeding the puck to an awaiting Jason Chimera in front of the crease at 3:41 in the opening period. The super speedy Chimera was moved up to play between Ovi and his pal Nick Backstrom and HM is hoping that is a permanent assignment.

End of First Period: Caps 1 – Islanders 0

Meanwhile, Nicklas Backstrom had assists in eight of the last 11 games prior to tonight, reaching the 300-point plateau. Only two Capitals all-time have reached 300 points faster than Backstrom (293 GP): Alex Ovechkin and Mike Gartner. The polite Swedish center had been in a goal-slump of late, which he burst out of by slapping in the rebound off of an Ovechkin shot on the other side of a sprawling Rick DiPietro. The Caps’ celebration didn’t last for long as Michael Grabner flew up the left side and beat Braden Holtby, who was minding the net for the ailing Varlamov and Neuvirth dynamic duo. Speaking of goaltenders, the oft-injured Rick DiPietro was healthy but channeling his best Patrick Roy imitation for much of the middle stanza. Unfortunately, the Caps did not take advantage of the many leisurely jaunts Ricky took out of the crease, leaving the Isles’ wide open. Despite the long-awaited return on talented youngster Kyle Okposo, the Isles did not add another tally in the second.

End of Second Period: Caps 2 – Islanders 1

The always scrappy Islanders picked up the tempo in the third period, ramping up the physical play. Midway through the period, Jack Hillen took exception to a clean (but wrecking) check from the gregarious Matt Hendricks and tempers flared and expletives flew. The Capitals kept up their tight forechecking pressure and the penalty kill unit squashed two more Isles’ power play attempts (the boys killed all six of New York’s power plays on the evening). Braden Holtby played a big role in defending the Islanders on the man advantage and kept Okposo, Tavares and crew off the scoreboard for the remainder of the period.

Final: Capitals 2- Islanders 1

The boys head across the border for a bout with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Leafs were literally blown away last night by the New York Rangers, who saw a four-goal night from sniper Marian Gaborik in the 7-0 rout. Surely the Capitals will be thinking about former team mate Tomas Fleischmann, who will miss the remainder of the season with a scary pulmonary embolism illness (via Adrian Dater of the Denver Post). I know Caps and Avs fans join me in sending Flash and his family prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery...

Monday Musings: Hockey & Heels Tickets On Sale Tomorrow

2011-01-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

After another disappointing loss at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks on Friday (and yes, the Sedin twins were mesmerizing on the ice - my twins kept commenting how "sick" their passing was), the Capitals looked a bit lethargic in the opening period of yesterday's game against a struggling Senators club. On a day when many were focused on the NFL's big stars (Mark Sanchez and Tom Brady showdown), the Capitals' brightest star, Alex Ovechkin, was again held scoreless. But the boys got a bit more zip in their step in the final period, when Brooks Laich lit the lamp against the Sens' Brian Elliott. Laich's tally marked a team-leading fifth time that he scored the Caps’ first goal of the game. And mere seconds later, Milan Michalek cross-checked Karl Alzner dangerously into the boards. As Alzner left to get checked out, his defensive partner John Carlson gained revenge on a power play blast from the blueline. Thankfully, Alzner returned and had an assist on Jason Chimera's marker, giving the Caps a 3-1 victory (and certainly adding more fuel to the hot seat that's sizzling under Sens coach Cory Clouston). It certainly wasn't the prettiest victory, but nice to be back in the win column for sure.

On another note, Hockey & Heels is back on February 9 and tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m. Tickets fly out the door faster than shoes at the Nordstrom Once Yearly Sale so ladies, sign up for Club Scarlet and get them early!

The event will take place on Wednesday, February 9, at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington and is exclusively for Scarlet members. Tickets to Hockey ‘N Heels cost $100 and will include a ticket to the event on February 9 and a ticket to the March 1 game against the New York Islanders with a special pregame happy hour in the Dewar’s 12 Clubhouse at Verizon Center. Ladies, you can sign up for Club Scarlet at ScarletCaps.com. The Scarlet Web site has been totally redesigned - check it out for the latest news, social media, blogs and events!

The first two sessions are on-ice demonstrations which will include current and former Capitals. The ladies will have an opportunity to use both sheets of ice and learn how to shoot, pass and catch pucks during the course of the evening. While the ladies wait in line for the on-ice demonstration, they will be able to see and try on different hockey equipment.

The third session will be with Caps’ strength and conditioning coach Mark Nemish explaining to the ladies what fitness routines the players go through. The fourth session is the famous film talk with coach Bruce Boudreau (always complete with his signature dash of salty humor). Gabby will help the women understand how to dissect and analyze different aspects of the game. The fifth and final session will be a chalk talk with Capital alum Alan May.

Meanwhile, the boys travel to Philly for a Tuesday meeting with the Eastern Conference leading Flyers - always a spirited affair with that bunch. Check out the shenanigans that went down during yesterday's Flyers/Rangers match up as thugnasty Scott Hartnell and that sneaky little Danny Briere punched Brandon Prust from the bench:

Good times....

A Look at the Red-Hot Vancouver Canucks: In the Now by Lisa Ovens

2011-01-13T13:22:00.000-08:00

First, I would be irresponsible to look towards tomorrow's game against the sizzling Sedin snipers and their merry band of brothers without acknowledging last night's lacklustre loss against the Bolts. I must be honest, for the first time in forever, I flipped off the game (almost literally) and buried my head in a book. Now I am well aware that there is plenty of time left and we are nowhere near being out of playoff contention, but for realz boys? Where is our offense? How many lovely rebounds were left in front of tribal elder Dwayne Roloson's net last night with nary a Cap in sight? RMNB pretty much sums that game up to a tee here. If the Caps want to get past league-leading Vancouver and Roberto Luongo tomorrow night, they are going to have to grasp the concept of crashing the net and clearing the puck out of their zone for cripe's sake! HM will be there with my Bantam twins taking notes on those other twins for sure.

Anyone who's been reading along for awhile knows that Vancouver is my second favorite NHL team. In preparation for the big game, I wanted to provide some insight on the Canucks from someone who knows them best - author of Hockey & High Heels and For the Love of Empty Net Goals and life-long Vancouver fan Lisa Ovens. Here's her breakdown of her beloved Nucks:

“The past you cannot change, the future will never come so live in successive moments of now” (guru, Kirpal Singh Maharaj). That’s a mantra I discovered ten years ago and have applied it to my life ever since. Though sometimes it’s not the easiest thing to do.

So if there is one mantra I could apply to the Vancouver Canucks right now that would be it. They aren’t getting ahead of themselves and they are leaving the past where it belongs. They are focused, so focused I don’t think they realize they are currently 14-0-3.Much has been said about the winning, their place at the top of the standings, but by everyone else; the Canucks themselves, not so much. Tonight they play the Rangers, and most likely aren’t even thinking about the Capitals game on Friday night. A game I am really looking forward to, even though I am going against the whole successive moments of now thing! (Can’t help it, but I am one of many that enjoyed HBO’s 24 7 take on hockey, and was appreciative of the Capitals (and the Pens) for letting us get inside their workplace and inner sanctums. Naturally I want to see more of the thrill ride that is the Caps!)

Although they are playing great as a team, there are a few Canucks that have upped their game; and two in a quiet sort of way…

First time All-Star, Ryan Kesler isn’t as “pest-like” and mouthy as he used to be. Less talk from the center, more of practically everything else. Kesler is right behind Canucks currently leading scorer, Daniel Sedin (Kes has 24 goals). Same goes with winger, Alex Burrows. He’s also chosen to stifle himself, and let his play alongside the Sedins become top priority. As a fan that is somewhat drawn to pests and agitators, it’s okay…I’ll get used to this ;o)

And that guy that always seems to be on the trade block, blue liner, Kevin Bieksa has really improved after a few wonky years. I could go on and on about every player that’s pushing their game to new heights, so I’ll just leave it at this…

The Canucks are playing with a maturity and that’s making fans weak in the knees: we love it. The Sedin twins continue to dazzle us: so far Daniel’s scored the first goal of the game ten times this season, and Henrik’s leadership has permeated the locker room.

Watching this team do so well during these successive moments has been a treat. Seeing all of them raise their level of play almost leaves this long time Canuck fan a little speechless. And I guess Canuck nation should also thank the Chicago Blackhawks: according to a recent Vancouver Sun article, a late November 7-1 spanking at the hands of the Blackhawks drove the Canucks into a meeting, obviously a powerful one, because they haven’t been the same team since.

Here’s to an exciting game on Friday. I expect it will be a speedy, emotional affair from these two hot teams. There’s something about Caps Nation and the RED that gets “rocked” in Verizon Center. On the coast, we can feel the heat, the atmosphere all the way out here! And what will it be like on the ice? One of those games you know both teams will be completely up for. The Canucks will be fresh off an evening with the Rangers, and hopefully they don’t run out of gas in the third period, something that was a little evident during last Saturday’s tilt with another top team, the Detroit Red Wings (the Canucks blew out the Oilers the night before). I think this game will be decided in overtime. But that’s as far as I can go if I plan to stay in the now…at least until Friday :o)

Many thanks to Lisa and let's hope for all's sake that it's a great game! Speaking of the Sedins, I caught this version of the identical bros (and people have trouble telling my two apart - eegads) playing "The Newlywed Game" on NHLN as I was getting ready for work this morning.

Meanwhile, Puck Daddy is on a mission for the NHL All-Star game to see what would result if the Sedins fought each other if they end up on separate teams. Very funny stuff but a little too close to home for HM as I pretty live the twin fighting scenario out in my living room on a daily basis.....sigh.

Finally, HM gives a big stick tap of gratitude to the Washington Post's Dan Steinberg over at DC Sports Bog (one of my daily must reads) for the mention in his post on new Caps blog Puck Buddies. Much obliged for the link love!

Caps Fall to Cats in Overtime Loss

2011-01-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

After beating the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, the Capitals met them again for the second time in as many days – this time in sunny (but not so warm) Florida. The Caps were without the services of Alex Semin, Matt Bradley, Boyd Gordon and DJ King. 32-year old Brian Willsie, who has 12 goals and 21 assists with the Hershey Bears, got the call up on Monday. Meanwhile, defensemen Tom Poti and Tyler Sloan were also scratches with John Erskine suiting up. Speaking of Tom Poti, he has to worry about more than his opponent on road trips. The veteran player suffers from a slew of food allergies and has to make special arrangements to accommodate his dietary needs when he’s on the road or he could become gravely ill. As if taking a puck to the face isn’t enough to deal with.

The boys didn’t get off on the right foot in the opening period with two damaging penalties (Mike Knuble for interference and an uncharacteristic boarding call on Nick Backstrom). That gave the Panthers a rare 5-on-3 and resulted in a power play goal from familiar face Mike Santorelli. Merely two minutes later, Marty Reasoner tallied again for the Cats, giving them a 2-0 lead. Michal Neuvirth had to stand on his head for the period as his team was outshot by the Panthers 20-7 – a dismal number for the visitors that surely had Gabby ranting and raving during the intermission.

End of first: Panthers 2 – Caps 0

The Caps opened the second period on the power play after a first period holding call on Bryan Allen. They got an added bonus of a 10-second 5-on-3 when Mike Weaver took a seat for boarding. The boys could not convert on the power play despite picking up the pace as far as shots on goal. Perhaps the Caps were looking ahead to the Lightning, but whatever the case, they certainly weren’t focusing on avoiding costly penalties. With Jason Chimera already in the sin bin, he was joined by John Carlson, giving the Cats their second two-man advantage of the game. Always stationing his big frame in front of the net, Hockey Mom fave David Booth netted the power play marker to give Florida a three-goal lead.

Thankfully, the Caps weren’t far behind, as Marcus Johansson lit the lamp with help from Laich and Willsie. Then came a lovely pass from Ovechkin to Mike Knuble, who was parked on the right side of the net. Knuble roofed it over the glove of Tomas Vokoun and cut the deficit to one goal.

End of second: Panthers 3 – Caps 2

Marcus Johansson tipped one in from behind the net at 7:12 in the third to tie it up at 3 apiece. The young Swede came -oh so close- to notching a hat trick minutes later but was stopped by Vokoun. The boys got their sixth power play opportunity midway through the final stanza when Evgeny Dadonov (who happens to be on the NHL All-Stars Rookie roster) took a penalty. The Caps’ power play, which propelled them to the top of the league last year, has all but disappeared despite much tinkering on the part of Bruce Boudreau. As the clock ticked below the 60 second mark, the Caps amassed in front of Vokoun’s crease trying to poke in the puck.

At the four-minute point of the OT period, Corey Stillman had a stellar shot on Neuvy and was tripped up by Mike Green (I must point out that he made a dive worthy of at least a bronze medal to get the whistle – drama). As the clock ticked down, the Capitals found themselves short-handed. Neuvirth made some outstanding saves but Dennis Wideman was successful in evading Scott Hannan to roof the game winning goal. Not a great way to start a road trip – a 4-3 loss, especially with the dangerous Lightning flashing on the horizon.

To leave you on a lighter note, if you didn’t make it to Caps Care Casino Night (where the team raised more than $300,000 for charity), Capitals News Network has some fabulous photos of the festive evening. In the meantime, here’s hoping the Caps come out much stronger tomorrow night…

Ovi and Green to Represent Caps on NHL All-Star Team

2011-01-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

Big stick tap to Alexander Ovechkin and defenseman Mike Green, who will represent the Washington Capitals on this year's NHL All-Star team. You can see the complete roster, along with rookies who will participate in skills competition here.

HM Happy That Capitals' Youth Shoot Out Winner On Our Side

2011-01-09T11:34:00.000-08:00

Each year, the Washington Capitals host a youth shoot out contest that pits a goalie/shooter duo from Maryland against two youth players from Virginia. Hockey Mom is pleased as punch to report that this year's winning goaltender, Colin McNelis, minds the net for my twins' Bantam team. (Congrats to Brian, the winning shooter as well - we've also played on tournament teams with this fine young man).

In July, Colin tried his luck at a shootout competition held at Ashburn Ice in the D.C. suburbs of Ashburn, Va. Colin was one of eight goalies taking three shots each from 16 shooters. Colin had the best score and moved on to the semi-finals.

At the semi-finals, Colin was one of four goalies who were taking three shots from eight shooters. Once again, he stood on his head to earn the best score (only being scored on by one of the eight shooters).

Last Tuesday night, Colin took to the Verizon Center’s ice during the 1st period intermission of the Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning game to compete in the finals of the Washington Capitals Shootout Competition. Colin was asked to bring his home and away jerseys from his hockey team to wear out on the ice during the shootout. Colin hung his jerseys and equipment in a locker room across from the Capitals' room. Colin's proud hockey parents took some pictures and went to grab a bite to eat and watch the Caps practice. They came back to the locker room to find Colin’s jerseys gone, but replaced by an official Washington Capitals jersey with his name and number on it. Colin was thrilled to find this surprise from the Caps!

He and his team mate Brian made their way to the ice while the proud beaming dads made their way to the players' bench to shoot pics and video. The two teams made up of one goalie and one shooter represent the best in the Bantam division (13 and 14 year olds) from Maryland and Virginia.
Colin stopped all three shots and Brian sunk his third shot (sorry no video of Brian’s shot). Their team won! His dad interviewed Colin and Brian afterwards in the locker room just before they were given pucks used during the shootout as gifts. This was in addition to the gift bags they were given by the Caps.

A huge Hockey Mom tap o' the stick to Colin (and Brian) for winning (and in front of a packed and noisy Phone Booth, no less) and also to the Capitals staff involved with their community youth hockey initiatives - a first class effort all the way! I'm glad to report that Colin displayed his winning ways in our 6-3 victory yesterday afternoon.

Monday Musings

2011-01-03T17:51:00.000-08:00

Well the holiday hoopla and the Winter Classic win is behind us - it's back to work, back to school, back to the grind. To ease the transition, there just happens to be some excellent hockey viewing on the telly tonight in the form of USA versus Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championship. Tomorrow night, the Capitals return to action and face a streaking Lightning team who just acquired veteran goaltender Dawyne Roloson from the Islanders. Roloson is expected to get the nod against Washington tomorrow night. The super swift Martin St. Louis leads the Bolts (and sits atop the league) in assists, while superstar Steven Stamkos has 56 points and has lit the lamp 31 times. Bad boy Steve Downie, who has been sidelined by injury, may suit up for the first time since early December against their division rivals.

Other hockey happenings on this January Monday:

A Hockey Mom high-five to Semyon Varlamov, for being named First Star of the Week by the NHL. Varly is the first Capitals goaltender to be first star or player of the week since Olie Kolzig on 2/22/04. Varlamov stopped 55 of 56 shots in backstopping the Capitals to a pair of victories,
including the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic. He began the week stopping 25 shots for his second shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens Dec. 28. Varlamov recorded 32 saves in Washington's 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in front of 68,111 outdoors at Heinz Field Saturday night. The 22-year-old improved his career regular-season record to 26-8-8 in 45 appearances.
More Winter Classic notes - Saturday's Caps/Pens showdown was the most-viewed NHL regular season game in 36 years with an average of 4.5 million watching in primetime.
A big stick tap to one of my fabulous Twitter tweeps (@elizamcgraw) for sending me this terrific piece on the joys of being a hockey parent, especially watching your kid fall in love with the game.

Sportsmanship is Part of Being a Captain

2011-01-02T07:42:00.000-08:00

Hockey Mom is still reveling in the aftermath of the wet and wonderful win by our Caps in the Winter Classic (and re-watching CBC's broadcast - sorry NBC, but they did a mucho better job). And as if Caps fans needed another reason to dislike Sidney Crosby, last night's refusal to shake hands after the game (one of the cool things about hockey) added one more to the list. Since we've been playing travel hockey, no matter how bad you get your butt handed to you, it's a tradition to line up and shake hands. Of course I hear stories from my boys about how opponents mutter obscenities under their breath while shaking hands but hey, at least it appears that they are exhibiting good sportsmanship from our view in the stands.

I came across this piece this morning from The Hockey Writers about the Penguins not participating in the handshake and I had to share. Monica McAlister is right on here - what kind of message does this send to young hockey players who are told by their coaches that they must engage in the handshake line, no matter how badly their pride may be hurt? Sorry Sid - but that was not a smart move...

Caps Beat Penguins in Wet Winter Classic

2011-01-01T21:20:00.000-08:00

The Washington Capitals took the ice tonight in one of the most highly anticipated games in team history as they faced down the uber-rival Penguins in the 2011 NHL Bridgestone Winter Classic. Under the lights at Heinz Field in front of close to 69,000 rabid hockey fans (the majority of them rooting for the home team), the rivalry between captains Sid and Ovi was once again dissected under a microscope on a national stage.

The story lines in this epic battle were many, but none more so than the mutual dislike between the Sid and Ovi. And though neither captain registered any points on the night, Ovechkin doled out one of the games' first big hits, resulting in the ice crew having to adjust the glass.

The Pens were charged with the first penalty - a hook by Paul Martin. Jordan Staal, playing in his first
game of the season (what a night to debut, eh?) gave the Pens a boost on the penalty kill against Washington. The first period also saw an old-time hockey bout (kind of went along with the retro jerseys) between Mike Rupp and big John Erskine (who I'm quote sure noted Rupp's elf ensemble seen on HBO's 24/7). Rupp appeared to throw up the white flag before the guys in stripes could intervene.

Semyon Varlamov made the key stops when called upon and John Carlson came to his aid swiping a puck shot by Tyler Kennedy out of mid-air. Despite an awkward tumble by the Great8 mid-shot and getting acclimated the wet ice conditions, the boys played a strong first period

End of first period: Capitals 0 - Penguins 0

The second period began with several choice scoring opportunities from Alex Ovechkin. But it was another Russian talent, Geno Malkin, notching the game's first tally for the Penguins. His goal was a result of an unfortunate line change on the part of the Caps.

As both teams became more comfortable in the outside environs, the game got even more physical. Brooks Laich was whistled for interference (quite bogusly I might add as he was so obviously pushed
into Marc-Andre Fleury) at 2:59. Then it was the trash-talking Max Talbot's turn to sit after a hold on
Ovechkin. The Caps struggling power play unit went to work and the havoc they created in front of the net paid off big. Mike Knuble poked the puck through the pads of Fleury at 6:58 to light the lamp for the visitors. But the Caps weren't done there. Fleury was playing the puck quite a bit and was on the slow side in getting back around to the net. Jason Chimera almost beat him with a clear wrap around and Eric Fehr succeeded with help from Marcus Johannson to give the boys a 2-1 lead at 14:45. The Pens thought they'd tied it up in the waning minutes of the period but the call was no-goal (after Mike Rupp deliberately ran over Varlamov in the midst of trying to cover the puck). As the period came to a close, Sidney Crosby got shaken up after a hit from big David Steckel - one that the Pens thought should have been penalized.

End of second period: Capitals 2 - Penguins 1

The weather became a factor in the third period as rain began falling harder and appeared to be pooling in areas around the ice (particularly around the goal creases). The precipitation didn't slow down the Capitals and especially Semyon Varlamov as he stood on his head with an eye-popping series of saves
starting at around the 15:21 mark. After killing off a delay of game penalty, the teams switched ice sides at the ten-minute mark. Brooks Orpik decided to rough up an already injured Mathieu Perreault after
checking him to the ice- always a class act, that Orpik. Write him in for the Lady Byng, will ya?

The man of the hour, Eric Fehr, made haste of a give and go started by John Erskine and Jason Chimera and netted his second goal of the night. After taking a 3-1 lead as the seconds ticked off the clock,
the weather wasnt the only thing deteriorating. After every whistle, bitter scrums had to be broken up by the officials and even Ovi got involved in a tussle with Chris Kunitz at game's end. As the Capitals celebrated an incredible statement win in the Penguin's backyard, the appointed hosts refused the traditional post-game handshake.

For the Capitals and their phenomenal fans, what an incredible way to ring in 2011-a huge statement win in primetime in one of the NHL's most spectacular showcases and onward to the remainder of the regular season!

Winter Classic Showdown Pushed Back to Primetime

2010-12-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

The official word has come down from league offices that the impending weather situation in Pittsburgh has resulted in a decision to postpone the game until 8 p.m. tomorrow night.

From the NHL:

NHL ANNOUNCES NEW 8 PM (ET) START TIME FOR 2011 BRIDGESTONE NHL WINTER CLASSIC ON NEW YEAR'S DAY DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER FORECAST

PITTSBURGH (December 31, 2010) – The National Hockey League announced today the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will change the original 1 p.m. (ET) start time on New Year's Day to 8 p.m. (ET). The decision was based on the latest meteorological reports, which have advised an approaching front of potentially steady rain expected to fall through the afternoon and taper off by early evening, and after consultation with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Washington Capitals, national broadcast partners (NBC, CBC, RDS), the Pittsburgh Steelers, the National Hockey League Players' Association, and local officials.

We have been further advised that cooler and drier air conditions are expected in the evening with the passing of the front. The NHL feels that it was important to make this announcement at this time so as to minimize the inconvenience to all parties associated with the event, especially our fans.

All 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic tickets will continue to be honored and all ticket holder agreement language remains unchanged.

The following is a list of changes for FANS based on the new 8 p.m. (ET) start time:

Gates to Heinz Field will now open at 5:30 p.m. (ET)
Pre-game entertainment now begins at 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Heinz Field Parking Lots will now open at 2:30 p.m. (ET)
Spectator Plaza will now open at 3 p.m. (ET)

The following are the weather-related GAME procedure contingencies for the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic:

Once the game has begun, it may be subject to one or more temporary stoppages due to unplayable weather conditions, at the discretion of the Commissioner.

Period and game format may be reconfigured to accommodate temporary stoppages as determined appropriate by the Commissioner.

The clubs will switch ends at the 10:00 minute mark of the third period as signaled by a "hard whistle." The face off will take place where the play was whistled dead. This identical procedure will take place at the 2:30 minute mark of an overtime period, if needed.

In the event of a shootout, each club will determine what end they prefer to defend, which could be the same end.

If the game is started, then stopped permanently due to unplayable weather conditions, it will be deemed "official" once two periods have been played. The team leading at the time play is stopped will be declared the winner and will be awarded two points in the standings.

If the game is tied at the time play is stopped permanently, any time after two periods of play, each team will be awarded one point in the standings, with an opportunity to earn an additional point in a standard shootout format.

If weather conditions permit, the shootout will be conducted at Heinz Field immediately after regulation play has been stopped. If weather conditions make it impossible to conduct a shootout safely at Heinz Field, the shootout will take place at Verizon Center on Sunday, February 6 prior to the regularly scheduled Pittsburgh-Washington game.

If the game is started, and stopped permanently due to unplayable weather conditions, and fewer than two periods of regular time has been played, the game will be officially "postponed" and, if possible, will be played in its entirety at Heinz Field on Sunday, January 2, beginning at 12 p.m. (ET). If the game cannot be replayed at Heinz Field on January 2, it will be rescheduled at CONSOL Energy Center for a date to be determined later in the season.

Ticket holders must retain their tickets to gain re-entry to Heinz Field in the event the game is to be played Sunday, January 2. There will be no refunds for ticket holders unable to attend Sunday's postponement date. If the event is canceled on Sunday, a refund of the ticket's face value will be issued.

Caps in Pittsburgh Counting Down the Hours Until Classic

2010-12-31T07:30:00.000-08:00

HM got to take in a bit of Caps practice yesterday, and you could sense the excitement in the air as the players prepared for their journey to Pittsburgh and their first appearance in NHL's Bridgestone Winter Classic. The boys worked on their struggling power play while wearing their WC red lids and star-spangled pants. Alex Ovechkin talked about the power play in an interview after practice and noted the significance of the game for both Washington and Pittsburgh. He surmised: "It's a big game for us and a bigger game for them. We just have to win - we have a good system and just have to play how we have and how we can play."

Meanwhile, you can catch a glimpse of Ovi's fancy skates for the big event over at DC Sports Bog. On Frozen Blog also takes a look into the sweat equity the Caps' equipment crew undertakes in getting everything ready for the big day (OFB also has a crew on the ground in da 'Burgh all weekend so they'll be providing lots of updates).

Other Winter Classic related links to peruse while we count down the hours:

The Examiner is hosting a Caps on Tap Winter Classic viewing party.
So much in the timing of the event is up in the air due to the rainy forecast for tomorrow but GMGM is confident that the show will go on (be it Saturday or Sunday).
Everything you wanted to know about the Winter Classic and then some from Japers.
What would a Caps/Pens matchup be without the ever present Sid/Ovi comparisons?

For all of you who travelled to Pittsburgh for the Classic, here's wishing you a rain-free Caps victory and to all of you out there, have a very happy and safe New Year's Eve!

Capitals Raise More than $24,000 for Charity Through Happy Hockey Holiday Auction

2010-12-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

Karie Erskine, wife of Capitals defenseman John Erskine talks to fans while they bid on their favorite basket at the Washington Capitals’ Happy Holiday Hockey Silent Auction Dec. 23 at Verizon Center.

Kudos to the Capitals and the team's Wives Club for raising $24,925 through their Happy Hockey Holiday Silent Auction on Dec. 23, at the game against Pittsburgh. All the money raised will benefit Washington Capitals Charities, which used the funds to adopt 25 local families for the holidays through The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. The players’ wives and girlfriends went shopping for books, clothing and toys for the children while their parents or guardians received gift cards from local grocery stores and Target. In light of the struggling economy, Hockey Mom is sure that these gifts brought much-appreciated holiday cheer to so many families (especially the children) in need during this season.

Players’ wives created gift baskets with their husbands’ favorite items. Each basket included at least one autographed puck along with an autographed, game-used piece of equipment, with some baskets featuring two players’ items. Baskets were made for Bruce Boudreau, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Matt Bradley and Mike Knuble, Jason Chimera and David Steckel, John Erskine and Matt Hendricks, Eric Fehr and Jeff Schultz, Tom Poti and Tyler Sloan and a special Winter Classic basket.

Fehr’s and Schultz’s basket – which included an autographed premier Winter Classic jersey signed by the 2010-11 team, a team signed Redskins football, an Under Armour Package, tickets to the Capitals game on Jan. 8 against the Florida Panthers, exclusive cooking class certificate at Culin Aerie, where Fehr and Schultz learned to cook, three free personal training session with William Sorrentino at Sport & Health Club and other items – raised the most money at $3,350. The Winter Classic basket went for $3,200, while Semin’s basket went for $3,100. All 11 baskets went for more than $1,000: Bradley and Knuble ($2,500), Ovechkin ($2,250), Erskine and Hendricks ($2,000), Backstrom ($1,950), Green ($1,850), Chimera and Steckel ($1,725), Boudreau ($1,500) and Poti and Sloan ($1,500).

Washington Capitals Charities
Created in 2000, Washington Capitals Charities is the nonprofit entity of the Washington Capitals. The Washington Capitals and Washington Capitals Charities are dedicated to the enhancement and development of the community that has supported them for so many years. Washington Capitals Charities offers unique resources and programs to other charities and organizations on behalf of the Washington Capitals.

The Angel Tree Program
The success of The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program depends on volunteers who agree to adopt and purchase gifts for an angel. For many of the families who turn to The Salvation Army for help, the toys and clothes they receive through the Angel Tree Program are the only gifts their children will have to open on Christmas morning. Last year, more than 20,724 individuals received emergency holiday assistance through the Angel Tree Program throughout the National Capital Area. Of that number, 5,266 children from 2,226 families were in the District. This year, The Salvation Army’s goal is to help a total of more than 25,000 individuals throughout the National Capital Area and they anticipate providing holiday assistance to more than 6,000 children through The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program within the District.

Capitals Shut Out Habs in a Critical Win

2010-12-28T20:41:00.000-08:00

Work, kids and other miscellaneous duties have kept Hockey Mom from the press box high in the rafters of the Verizon Center. Thanks to holiday vacation, I was able to witness the first meeting between the Capitals and the Habs since the latter so rudely bounced the former from the first round playoffs last season. One of the key differences between then and now is the absence of Montreal net minder Jaroslav Halak, who single-handedly gave the boys fits in the post-season. Carey Price now serves as number one in net for Montreal's finest.

Washington saw the return of Jeff Schultz after suffering a broken thumb, while Mathieu Perreault, Marcus Johannson, Boyd Gordon and Tyler Sloan are still recovering from various bumps and bruises. The ultra confident young Canadiens defense man P.K. Subban was getting involved early and often, while the Caps saw stellar first period energy from the Chimera-Steckel-A. Gordon line. But it was a youngster from Hershey, Jay Beagle, who lit the lamp first for the home team with an absolutely spectacular doozie backhand at 16:20 of the opening period. The guys in stripes drew the ire of Caps faithful late in the first as they whistled off a puck that crossed behind Price as a no-goal. But Mike Green got the last word as he scored with less than 40 seconds left in the period, on a lovely shot he made as he fell to the ice. Shortly thereafter, Travis Moen got called for boarding, tempers flared and the Habs started the second period a man down. End of the first period: Caps 2 - Canadiens 0

One of the Habs best scoring chances came in the opening minutes of the second, but fell short as the stick of P.K. Subban broke mid-shot. Shortly after, Thomas Plekanec took a seat for slashing and the Caps power play went back to work (unsuccessfully to this point I might add, 0-4). Then the boys played a bit of 4-on-4 as Eric Fehr and Max Pacioretty both shuffled to the sin bin for roughing after an all-hands skirmish in the corners. Carey Price stifled several opportune chances by the Caps with consecutive snappy glove saves mid-air. The visitors were called for too many men with a little over seven minutes left, giving the Caps their fifth power play. Unfortunately, the boys continued to struggle on the power play and minutes later, Montreal found themselves a man up thanks to an Alex Semin signature hook. The penalty killers got it done and kept the Habs off the board. Despite not scoring any goals in the middle stanza, the boys gave a good effort with special props to Jay Beagle - who was here, there and everywhere with a few more chances of his own. End of the second period: Caps 2 - Canadiens 0

Thirty seconds into the final period, Montreal's Roman Hamrlik went to the box for slashing. The men in red still could not convert, making them 0-for-6 on the power play for the evening. Seconds later, HM is sure one of her boys was jumping up and down as P.K. Subban got wrecked by Johhny Erskine (the boy is not a fan of the smack talking Habs youngster). Erskine went to the box for interference. The Caps were the recipients of a four-minute power play when Thomas Plekanec took a high-stick to the face of Mike Green. Again, despite a few nice set ups from Ovi and company, the red light remained dark. And the boo birds came out in force in the third every time P.K. Subban touched the puck - new enemy number one, eh? Nah, I think that guy with the cheesy stache that we'll see in a few days still holds that special title but Subban is certainly not making any friends in the nation's capital.

Alex Ovechkin put the icing on the cake with an empty net goal with less than 32 seconds left and for tonight, a small slice of revenge was achieved (stick tap to Semyon Varlamov for an outstanding performance as well). Final Score - Capitals 3 - Habs 0

The mood was light in the locker room (though we didn't witness the fist pump dance) and Mike Green summed up his feelings on the significance of beating the Habs by saying how the team really took this game to heart. He said "they broke our hearts last summer and we all had to live with it for two or three months. You don't forget those things." In the coach's post-game presser, Gabby praised the efforts of the youngsters recently called up (high five to Jay Beagle for winning the hard hat) and admitted he has a hard task ahead of him in putting together Saturday's final roster against the Pens.

Ovi Breaks Out of Goal Slump in Win Against the Canes

2010-12-27T06:19:00.000-08:00

Alex Ovechkin scored his first goal in eight games last night in a highly-charged contest against the conference rival Carolina Hurricanes. The captain also netted a nice assist on David Steckel's second period goal.

Maybe they embibed in a bit too much holiday cheer, but both teams slogged through the first period with some sloppy play. But it was the Capitals who lit the lamp first, courtesy of the team's signature sparkplug, Mathieu Perreault. Matty P. certainly seems to have an innate sense for scoring opportunities and took advantage of a rebound to beat Cam Ward. Five minutes after celebrating his tally, Perreault was lying prone on the ice bleeding profusely from the nose after taking a brutal hit from Canes defenseman Tim Gleason. At some point during the collision, Perreault's visor apparently broke resulting in the cuts. Caps fans watched in dismay as one of the team's fan favorites was escorted off the ice. Also quickly becoming a fan fave, Matt Hendricks did not hesitate to come to Perreault's defense and retaliated against Gleason. The hit will be the topic of much conversation today as hockey fans and pundits speculate as to where there will be additional supplemental discipline doled out against Gleason. Puck Daddy believes the hit was clean and also disagrees with the lack of an instigator penalty for Hendricks. John Carlson also tweeted the "after" photo of MP85 - glad to see the spunky lad smiling after suffering a broken nose (stick tap to Alex Ovetjkin - love the Lil Ovi reference).

The boys come home to face the Canadiens tomorrow at Verizon and we all know what big event awaits them in a few days. HM got a text this morning from her father-in-law in Pittsburgh (we jokingly call him "Accuweather Storm Tracker" due to his fascination with tracking snow events), providing me with the latest New Year's Day forecast for the 2011 Winter Classic. Uh oh, this is not looking cool....time to start doing the snow dance now sports fans!

Happy Hockey Holidays

2010-12-24T17:47:00.000-08:00

On this Christmas Eve (and after an exciting edge-of-your-seat Caps/Pens game), Hockey Mom wants to wish all of you who celebrate a joyous holiday and much love to you and yours! I'll be back on the beat in a few days...enjoy the season!

Mid Week Musings: Caps Getting Ready for First Showdown with Pens

2010-12-23T05:59:00.000-08:00

The Caps appear to be back on track after their rousing defeat of the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, which saw youngster Andrew Gordon net his first NHL goal. Gordon wasn't the only young gun aiding the offense, Jay Beagle and John Carlson also kicked in markers for the 5-1 win. Gordon was so pumped up about his goal, he planted a kiss on the cheek of fellow rookie Marcus Johansson! The win gave the boys an added confidence boost but unfortunately saw another player knocked out of action due to injury. Everyone's favorite grinder, Matt Bradley, suffered a broken thumb and will be sidelined from 2-4 weeks. Get well sooner than later Brads - you will be missed...

And unless you've been hiding under a rock in fear of the holiday madness, every sports fan in D.C. knows that Sidney Crosby and his band of hooligans will be rolling into the Verizon Center tonight (every sound bite is sure to be well-documented for next week's episode of HBO's 24/7). As much as Caps fans love to hate this villain from the Dark Side (who's trying to do his best bad boy look with the growth of that pretty cheesy mustache), the guy is a work horse who's on a scoring roll. The Pens are coming off a big win against the Florida Panthers and "The Kid" matched the second longest NHL scoring streak in 18 years at 22 games with a first period goal. Peerless and Japers have more insight on tonight's rival game and Caps News Network gets thoughts from the players on the importance of this contest. Meanwhile, last night's 24/7 was another outstanding production, ending on a much lighter note than last week's episode (if you're a Caps fan) with the boys celebrating the end of the losing streak with a Jersey Shore fist pump dance in the locker room (everyone with the exception of the shy Nick Backstrom who needs some help from the "Situation" in the dancing department). HM is hoping the boys get to do some more fist-pumping after tonight's game - the Bog has the complete run down on episode two of 24/7.

HM is attending a holiday get-together with the boys tonight but was reassured prior to accepting the invitation that, yes, the game will be on during the soiree (it is Caps/Pens after all). As we count down the hours until puck drop, I leave you with some other news from around the rinks:

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, a new hockey stick and a Rock' em Sock 'em video. On Frozen Blog talks about Christmases past with some of the Caps.
With the World Juniors tournament right around the corner, American Hero John Carlson reminisces on last year's GWG.
Please send bunches of prayers and positive thoughts to Yale player Mandi Schwartz as she continues her fight with cancer...
HM has had her fill of crazy hockey parents (and some folks may well lump me in that category at times) but this "hockey dad from hell " takes the cake (stick tap to Kukla). I've got three words for him: GET A LIFE...

Happy hockey everyone and Let's Go Caps!

New Ovi CCM Commercial Appears to Feature HM's Cat

2010-12-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

Huge stick tap to Greg Wyshinski (the uber-funny Puck Daddy himself) for sharing the latest installment of the Ovechkin CCM commercials - this one features a playful kitten that closely resembles HM's very own feline (who just happens to be named Gabby after, well you-know-who). As my own two hockey players sometimes spend wasteful time of their own surfing YouTube videos and such, you'd better believe HM will be passing on this message from Ovechkin's floating head! Enjoy - view video by clicking on the title within the video frame:

CCM's Alex Ovechkin vs. Silly Videos: Kittens from Greg Wyshynski on Vimeo.

Meanwhile, the boys get ready to face an angry New Jersey Devils team tonight looking to avenge a 7-1 loss. The Caps most likely will be without the services of Alex Semin and darn it all - Matt Hendricks when the puck drops tonight at 7 p.m. in the Phone Booth.

Rejoice with Holiday Cheer! Caps End Losing Streak with Win Over Sens

2010-12-20T06:10:00.000-08:00

HM had a feeling in her gut that last night would be the night the Caps would break out of the dreadful losing streak - and lesson learned, don't mess with a woman's intuition. Of course the opening period sent many a Capitals fan into a tailspin as the Senators took a 2-0 lead, something we've seen a few too many times during the course of the slump.

Young spitfire Mathieu Perreault returned from his brief bout with the flu with a vengeance, scoring two of the Capitals' three tallies. And he did so from the nasty zone right in front of the net, something we haven't seen in quite some time (though Mike Knuble had a few scoring chances of his own in the nasty zone himself). Meanwhile, Eric Fehr, who was promoted to the top line along with #8 and #19, also had a stellar performance. Fehr had a goal of his own and the assist on the game winner that came in the second period. He also recorded a season high in shots with seven and also in ice time (16:56). The boys could not contain their jubilation at the final horn as they captured their first win since December 1. So Capitals fans can look forward to some happy television drama for a change when HBO's 24/7 airs this Wednesday.

We can only hope that this hard-fought-for win gives the boys back their confidence and that it carries over into tomorrow's contest against an injury-depleted Devils squad. New Jersey is coming off of a 7-1 "thrashing" at the hands of Atlanta and will be looking for redemption on a nationally televised stage.

A huge Hockey Mom stick tap to the Capitals for last night's efforts - now keep playing like the winners you are boys!

Bruins Present Big Test for Slumping Capitals

2010-12-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

Looking to break out of a losing streak that's been documented for even the non-hockey fan to see thanks to HBO's 24/7 series might be an even bigger challenge looking at the Capitals' next opponent - the bruising Boston Bruins at TD Bank Garden. The B's will be looking to bust out of their own three-game losing skid, the latest a loss to their uber-rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, which saw Boston center David Krejci drop the gloves against the Hab's Mike Camalleri in an unlikely bout. Boston leads the league with a 2.00 goals against average, which has been boosted by the return of Marc Savard - who had a goal and an assist against Montreal. The Caps will have to hope that Santa's elves return their missing offense if they have any hopes of beating super-hot Tim Thomas, who reigns atop all goaltenders with a .951 save percentage and 1.63 GAA. Keep your fingers crossed that tonight's results will keep next week's episode of 24/7 fairly family friendly in terms of the number of f-bombs flying from Bruce Boudreau's mouth (but again, it is hockey and not cricket sports fans). HM hopes to cover tonight's contest but the boys' late practice may prevent me from doing so - you can catch me over on Twitter.

Speaking of Gabby's profanity-laced locker room rant, his mom was none too pleased. Speaking of moms, the Globe and Mail's Roy MacGregor dishes on how NHL teams need to organize an annual mom's trip in addition to the traditional dad's trip, which is usually replete with golf and fishing. Right on mister!

Here are some other items for your leisurely Saturday over coffee perusal:

Congrats to big, bad John Erskine who signed a two-year extension with the Caps yesterday! The 30-year old defenseman with the magnificent mustache is having a stellar season with seven points (three goals, four assists) and 43 penalty minutes in 31 games for the Capitals so far. His three goals are a career high.
Mike Brophy speculates on what the (bleep) may be the keys to turning around the Capitals' losing streak.
OFB offers their opinion on a variety of asundry factors leading to the current situation.
Eric Duhatschek questions if there may be a lack of leadership in the room that may not be helping the Caps' confidence and motivation (and no, no one is pointing the fingers at Brooks Laich in this department for sure).

HBO's 24/7 Capitals/Penguins: Road to the Winter Classic a Hit with Hockey Fans

2010-12-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

HM downed a one-pump, double shot Starbuck's mocha at 7 p.m. last night in an effort to stay awake for the debut of HBO's HBO's 24/7 Capitals/Penguins Road to the Winter Classic (yes folks, anything after the 10 p.m. hour is past my bedtime during the work week). It was well worth it and I am already looking forward to the next "episode" airing next Wednesday - and hoping the Capitals have better results to document. Despite the disparity between the Caps' current losing streak and the Penguins' winning streak (which was broken this week by their bitter rivals down the road in Philly), the show provides an entertaining and fascinating look behind the scenes.

I always wonder what Gabby says in between periods in the locker room, especially when the boys aren't performing up to snuff. Well, sports fans got the real deal last night as they witnessed several of Boudreau's frustrated rants with an f-bomb inserted about every other word. Yep, hide yo wife, hide yo husband and definitely hide yo kids as Gabby's cussing everybody out up in here!

We also got to see a bit of Alex Ovechkin's wit (and yes, Sidney Crosby comes off as plain as vanilla) as he argued with a ref after his BFF Alex Semin got tossed for his cross-check on Colorado's John-Michael Liles. When debating whether or not Liles was bleeding as a result of the high stick to the head, AO retorted to the ref "Well, maybe he just has sensitive skin." Priceless..

Here are a few other takes on last night's debut from Off Wing Opinion and Puckhead's Thoughts. I personally loved it and if you don't have HBO, get on the phone to your local cable provider today!

Caps Drop Seventh Straight Despite Improved Effort

2010-12-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

The Capitals returned to Verizon Center with their sights set on reversing the disturbing losing streak in front of their home crowd last night. And despite a much improved effort in shots, defense and the fact that they pretty much held the Duck’s dangerous Perry-Getlzaf-Ryan line in check for the evening (thanks to Matt Bradley, David Steckel and the man of the hour, Brooks Laich), the boys came “this close” but left the ice with their seventh consecutive loss.

Brooks Laich was very vocal this week about his feelings on the Capitals recent struggles. Laich wears his heart on his sleeve and his determination to win and frustration with losing (especially as a result of poor effort) are nothing new to the Caps faithful (many who feel that he should have been awarded the ‘C’). Last night, Laich put his words in action and scored the Caps first goal – a gritty, butt in the crease tally, with help from John Carlson and Nick Backstrom, late in the first period. He had another stellar opportunity that came millimeters from crossing the line before it was swiped away at the literally the last second by Ryan Getzlaf.

Later in the frame, the boys got their first chance on the power play from a Saku Koivu hook. They were unable to convert but outshot the Ducks 17-7 in the opening stanza.

Five minutes into the second period, Ovi had a sweet breakaway opportunity but the blasted crossbar (which has been the thorn in the side of Capitals players in the last few games) got in the way once again.

Later, the Caps had another excellent scoring opportunity on a fabulous tic-tac-toe play set up by Mike Knuble and Nick Backstrom (which started with Mike Green) but they were stonewalled by an even more spectacular stop by Ducks net minder Jonas Hiller.

With 7:52 left in second, Mike Knuble took a seat for tripping Sheldon Brookbank, giving the Ducks their first man advantage. Joffrey Lupul tied the game at 1- 1 with a goal scored from right in front of the crease.

The tight game went into overtime and HM found herself holding her breath in hopes that the streak would be broken without having to rely on a shootout. But it was the Ducks emerging with the victory when Ryan Getzlaf evaded the coverage of John Carlson and using Scott Hannan as his screen, flipped the puck over Varly's right side for the 2-1 win.

The boys now have to reiterate the positives from last night keep their chins up and prepare for their next challenge against the bruising Bruins on Saturday. This too shall pass…

Spotlight on Caps: 12/15/10

2010-12-15T13:28:00.000-08:00

The bright lights will be on the Washington Capitals tonight in more ways than one. First, a home game against the rough and tumble Anaheim Ducks, who are coming off a commanding win against the Minnesota Wild. The Caps have got to be feeling the pressure of finding a way to reverse this maddening losing streak of late - and fast! The Ducks may be without vet Teemu Selanne and they are also missing Aaron Voros, who has a fractured orbital bone he received in a fight with Vancouver's Kevin Bieksa - ouch. Corey Perry leads the team in offensive stats, with 16 goals under his belt including his first career hat trick on Sunday against the Wild. Caps rookie defenseman will be facing fellow youngster Cam Fowler across the ice. Fowler and Carlson are the top two rookies in terms of ice time (Carlson with 26:07 and Fowler with 22:12) Meanwhile, the Caps are apparently still battling illness as Alex Semin is questionable for tonight and the team has called up both Andrew Gordon and Jay Beagle from the farm. There's no question the spotlight is glaring on the Caps to quickly reverse the current skid, with some even calling for relieving Gabby of his post. The level-headed former Redskin Lavar Arrington says not so fast - here's his take on the Capitals current situation. Let's walk away with the much-needed win tonight boys!

The other spotlight on the Caps will be in the form of stagelights, as tonight is the much hyped debut of HBO's 24/7 Penguins/Capitals: The Road to the NHL Winter Classic. For the first time, sports lovers will get an upclose and personal look inside the locker rooms, personal lives, training regimens and game day experiences of NHL players, coaches and operations staffs. Be forewarned and make sure the kiddies are in bed (they darn well should be at 10 p.m.) as I've heard the language will be a bit 'salty' to say the least. Puck Daddy has even come up with a very funny drinking game (for those of you over 21 and confined to the safety of your homes of course) to add to your viewing enjoyment of HBO's behind-the-scenes look at two of the most dominant teams in the NHL (and need I add, most bitter rivals). It's pretty doggone cold out there - the perfect night to hunker down for an evening of hockey entertainment.

Caps' Slump Turns into Freefall in 7-0 Loss to Rangers

2010-12-13T06:55:00.000-08:00

HM is sure she echoes the sentiments of many Caps fans when asked to describe her thoughts on the recent losing streak, which reached "rock bottom" status after last night's blowout at the hands of the New York Rangers. Ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you this doesn't happen often, but honestly: I have no words - I am truly at a loss to attempt any rational explanation for what has happened to this hockey team we all know and love in recent weeks. Russian Machine Never Breaks is obviously feeling the same, and in addition to a list of possible "excuses" for the pitiful play of late, they've decided to stop posting until this fugly streak is reversed.

Many fans are calling for Gabby's head, saying that maybe he's lost the room. As much as I love the jovial coach, part of that may be true. But a large part also lies in the hands of the players - particularly some of our "stars" - who at times have looked as discombobulated as a Learn to Play House league kid. With the exception of a few work horses, (Matt Hendricks comes first and foremost to my mind) they don't seem to know (or desire) to play with that "piss and vinegar" (forgive my language here but it is what it is) fire under their bums that wins games by sheer grit and determination (because we all know they have the talent for crying out loud). So in light of my loss for words, here are some other takes on the current situation from Peerless, Puckhead's Thoughts, Ed Frankovic, OFB, and Corey Masisak from CSN.

In case you missed it (and count your lucky stars if you did), one of the few highlights on the night was Ovechkin dropping the mitts with Brandon Dubinsky:

The boys are sure to face a few very rough days of practice these next few days as they prepare to face the down and dirty Ducks on Wednesday. The Anaheim Ducks lit up the Minnesota Wild last night in a 6-2 win and Corey Perry netted his first career hat trick. Meanwhile, his stacked line which includes Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan contributed six goals and 11 points for the win. Time to reflect and regroup now Caps - this schedule is only going to get tougher in the days and weeks to come....

Caps Drop Fifth Straight Game in Loss to Avalanche in Hard-Hitting Affair

2010-12-12T07:24:00.000-08:00

Last night's loss was a bummer but HM walked away (as I hope did many fans) with a renewed sense of optimism. While many were clamoring that it may be time to hit the 'panic button' after the lethargical losses to Atlanta, Toronto and Florida, last night saw a Capitals team playing with the energy and sit-your-rear-in-front of the net type of shots they've been missing thus far in this losing streak. Speaking of 'panic buttons' I have to digress and relate a pretty funny experience from a local high school hockey game I attended on Friday night. I'm sure you are all familiar with Staples big red "Easy" button they feature in their ads. Well, the rowdy high school hockey fans for the team I went to watch had crafted a huge "Easy button" of their own on a ginormous piece of poster board which they held pressed up to the glass. Whenever one of their players scored (which they did quite frequently, 7 times I believe, including a hat trick) the spirited students held up the sign and the scorer skated over and high-fived the "Easy button". HM thought that was a pretty cool idea and was so excited to see so many fans get involved in high school hockey, even though it is a club sport in these here parts.

Back to the Capitals. First the positives on the evening:

Big props to Mike Knuble (who was one of the guys called out by Gabby after the loss to the Panthers) on netting the 250th goal of his career and breaking out of his own little slump with a goal and an assist!
I'm liking the grit the boys have shown this season (Matt Hendricks has helped out greatly in that regard). It was the other Matt (Bradley) dropping the mitts for the guys in red last night.
Lots of hits against a young but physical Colorado defense. The Great8 was doing his typical bull in a china shop imitation and led the team with five.
Crashing the net. Crashing the net. Crashing the net. How many times do you think they've heard that from the coaching staff this week? The boys did a much better job of getting in front of the crease and Matt Hendrick's third period power play goal was a perfect example (and he scored with a backwards between the legs shot while screening former team mate Craig Anderson no less).
Stellar third period effort. The boys outshot the Avs 17-5 in the final period and it seemed like every guy in a red sweater had the sense of urgency that we see on a nightly basis from fan fave Matty Perreault.

Now for the bad. I'm sure everyone will agree with me when I award the Bonehead Play of the Game award to Sasha Semin. Avs defenseman John-Michael Liles got under Semin's skin at 6:07 of the second period and Semin proceeded to cross-check his opponent in the head. His hot-headed actions drew a five-minute major, his tossing for a game misconduct and led to a Colorado power play goal.

Of course, the other not-so-positive note is that the loss marks the first time they've lost five in a row while under bench boss Bruce Boudreau. The team travels up to the Big Apple today to take on the New York Rangers in what is always a chippy contest. See you a 7 p.m. for that one...

In other on-ice action today, former Capitals Alan May and Peter Bondra will be on hand at the Reston Town Center Skating Pavilion to host the Mites on Ice Outdoor Classic from 8 a.m. - noon.

The event will start out with a series of cross-ice hockey games featuring mini mite teams from around the area. This is the second outdoor event the Washington Capitals have taken part in this week as the buildup continues for the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day in Pittsburgh.

Following the mini mite games Bondra and May will hold a brief skills demonstration where fans will be able to go on the ice and learn to shoot from the Caps alumni. After the skills demonstration the skating pavilion will provide a two-hour public skate at a discounted rate from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bondra and May will be in attendance during the skate to interact with fans. Throughout the skate the Red Rockers and Slapshot will hand out giveaways and provide entertainment. The rink does have an open air cover so the event will take place rain or shine (and unfortunately kiddos, looks like cold rain so bundle up and have fun)!

Caps Lose Fourth Consecutive Game to Panthers; Avalanche Awaits

2010-12-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

Any holiday cheer that was ringing through the Phone Booth last night was eventually hampered by the Capitals' fourth loss to a Florida Panthers team that sits 13 points below Washington in the Southleast Conference standings. Despite the early Santa gift of eight - yes, eight - power play opportunities, the Capitals laid a goose egg in the 3-0 loss. Though credit should be given to Florida's penalty kill efforts for stifling the talented Washington offense, the Capitals power play was horrendous and many fans expressed their frustration by booing the team (which HM thinks is in pretty poor form, but that's a whole other blog post). We've seen this before - the Capitals doing too much "cute" passing and not enough shooting - during the power play and the results were nilch, even with a few golden 5-on-3 opportunities handed their way.

While Semyon Varlamov had a more than his share of splendid saves, it was Tomas Vokoun on the other side of the ice stealing the show with 36 saves to his credit.

Gabby tempered the anger he must have undoubtedly been feeling in the post-game presser but did call out his top players for their offensive struggles of late. Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin, Mike Green, Brooks Laich, Nick Backstrom and Mike Knuble were all mentioned - though the string of losses certainly falls on the team as a whole. While fans don't want to see their team in a funk at any point, this streak seems to be coming at a particularly bad time as the hockey world's eyes will be on the Washington/Pittsburgh rivalry in the days leading up to the Winter Classic and its' accompanying hullabaloo. And wouldn't you know it, the Pens' stock is through the roof right now. Sidney Crosby has led his team to 11 consecutive wins and sits atop league leaders in both points (50) and goals (26). While we all know that this losing streak would be much worse if it occurred in say, February or March, the troubling thing is the way the boys are losing and the opponents who are beating them. Maybe the HBO cameras and all the hype are causing some uneeded distraction, but the time to right this ship and focus on winning is NOW - especially with all the pieces finally in place.

HM will have the game day preview of the Colorado Avalanche later, but for now I leave you with this rather gross image of Ottawa's Matt Carkner possibly flicking blood towards the New York Rangers bench. If this is indeed what happened, HM thinks she's pretty much seen it all and this guy needs to be reprimanded for sure:

Author of Hockey & High Heels Debuts New Book

2010-12-09T05:42:00.000-08:00

In my wonderful experience of following hockey (and my second favorite team, the Vancouver Canucks), I've had the priviledge to collaborate with author Lisa Ovens on several projects. This die-hard Canucks fan has travelled from her home in Vancouver across North America to research the game she so loves, with a special focus on the booming demographic that is the female NHL fan.

Her new book, For the Love of Empty Net Goals, debuts right in time for the holidays and makes a perfect gift for the female hockey fan on your list. Lisa documents her passion for the puck and the adventures that ensue with a refreshing wit and from a fresh female perspective. One of the coolest features of her latest book is a special supplement dedicated to women in hockey - which includes a timeline listing fun facts from women in the hockey media and blogosphere (including Yours Truly along with my pal DC Sports Chick from On Frozen Blog); the league's marketing efforts towards the female fan, the launch of the very first NHL female fan club (the Washington Capitals' Club Scarlet) and much more!

One of my favorite passages from the book sums up my view of the game just perfectly and comes from the authors' beloved late mom:

Lisa's Mom: As we get older, the numbers and stats are easier to forget. It's the feeling of joy from the game that lasts a lifetime. And I just love that.'

Stop on over to the Hockey & High Heels Web site to read an excerpt and order your copy just in time for the holidays!

Caps Fall to Leafs in 5-4 Shoot Out Loss

2010-12-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

Bruce Boudreau pinned much of the boys' loss to Atlanta this weekend on the quantity of shots taken from in front of the net - the down and dirty zone. The Caps skated into the Phone Booth tonight looking to put the brakes on a losing skid of late by defeating the struggling Maple Leafs in front of the home crowd.

There was a familiar face donning the holiday red this evening as Mathieu Perreault got the call to come on up from Chocolatetown for a spell (hopefully for good). The energetic center may have come in to the meeting late, but he certainly got the jist of what Gabby was preaching. He lit the lamp for the Caps early on from right in front of Jonas Gustavsson's net, with help from pals Tom Poti and Alex Semin. One thing's for sure when Ron Wilson's team comes to town, they always have a chip on their shoulder (and that's without the added snarl factor of their captain Dion Phaneuf, still sidelined after being cut in the leg in a game against Ottawa). The first period was a hard-hitting affair and a determined Clarke MacArthur tallied for the visitors at the 11:47 mark. But the Caps played through the hard-hitting truculence of the kids in white and blue and Mike Knuble took advantage of a rebound for a power play goal and the lead at 14:58. End of first period: Capitals 2 - Leafs 1

The boys carried their signature game into the second period, which opened with a splendid save by Michal Neuvirth against a wide open Tyler Bozak. Young Perreault was on fire, netting his second of the game off a feed from Brooks Laich (as team mate Alex Semin paid the price, getting hammered in front of the net by Mike Komisarek). Matty contributed a nifty hit or two on the night as well, cementing his case for a permanent move to the nation's capital. Meanwhile, Tom Poti had quite the first two periods of his own, chipping in three assists. Alex Ovechkin kept the fire burning by giving the Caps a three-goal lead with a blistering wrist shot that blew by the helpless Monster. Minutes before the captain lit up the Leafs net minder, Toronto enforcer Colton Orr took a few cheap shots at Ovi which was duly noted by DJ King. King went to work dropping the mitts with Orr in a heavyweight rumble. Ovi expressed his appreciation to the big guy by tapping the window of the sin bin after netting his lovely goal. End of second period: Capitals 4 - Leafs 1

The resilient Leafs always put up a good fight and cut the Capital's lead to 2 when Mikhail Grabovski scored with 15 minutes left in the final period. Mathieu Perreault continued to shine, sliding a perfect pass to Alex Semin midway through the final stanza - unfortunately, Sasha clanked it off the post. There were a few hairy moments at around the ten-minute point, as the Leafs went on the man-advantage and the boys and Neuvy were having a time getting the puck out of the zone. The Leafs refused to give up and celebrated a late goal by Tim Brent. As the final minute and a half ticked off the clock and the Monster headed to the Leafs' bench, Clarke MacArthur faked out Neuvy to tie the game. Once again, the boys gave up a commanding lead and we were headed into another nailbiter OT.

During the overtime period, Michal Neuvirth had to stand on his head and made several crucial stops against Grabovski and the dangerous Phil Kessel. Neither team got it done and this game was headed to the shoot out. Mikhail Grabovsky tricked out Neuvy with a fancy spin-o-rama move to put the Leafs on the board. Despite some lovely dekes and dangles by Matty Perreault and Alex Semin, the Leafs won the shoot out by the skin of their teeth and the Caps' trend of not holding a lead is becoming cause for concern. In any case, a huge Hockey Mom high five to Mathieu Perreault for his huge contributions this evening! Hope you're here to stay for awhile....

And before I sign off, I leave you with visions of Capitals and cute-as-a-button kids at yesterday's event at the Sculpture Garden, courtesy of Russian Machine Never Breaks. Not only does rookie defenseman John Carlson lead the pack of all NHL rookies with 22:14 average ice time, but he also takes the most adorable pictures with the youngest of Caps fans.

December Full of Festive Dates for Caps Fans

2010-12-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

As our schedules fill up with Hanukkah and Christmas celebrations, December brings even more dates for hockey holiday cheer - especially for those of us who rock the same color as that guy with the sleigh and flying reindeer. The Capitals will get into the spirit of the season this Sunday, December 5, when several players skate outside at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink for Community Day. The Community Day event kicks off at 10:30 a.m. with free hot chocolate to beat the chill and art stations set up for youngsters to show off their inner Picasso. At 11 a.m, Karl Alzner, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson and Marcus Johansson will join assistant coach Dean Evason and Slapshot on the ice with the National Gallery of Art Ice Rink School skaters for a skills exhibition. They will start by incorporating the surrounding art into their skills, then transition to a hockey demonstration focusing on stickhandling, passing, agility and speed.

At noon, after the zamboni cut, the Caps players and Slapshot will take to the ice again to skate with the fans. The first 200 fans in line will receive free admission with $3.00 skate rentals for an hour-long open skate. If you have your own skates and are one of the first 200 people in line, you’ll skate for free! What a great way to get your hockey fix and enjoy the holiday scenery at the scenic Sculpture Gardens!

Of course December also starts the countdown to the Capitals' other outdoor event: The 2011 NHL Winter Classic. The league has an abundance of events planned during the month to build the buzz and excitement for what's become a New Year's Day tradition for most hockey fans.

In anticipation of the Jan. 1 game, here are some of the dates fans can take note of and add to their already stuffed-like-a-holiday-turkey calendars:

· Dec. 2: The January 2011 issue of Vanity Fair, which includes a spotlight on Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and their face-off at the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, hits newsstands in New York and Los Angeles Thursday, December 2, and nationwide on Tuesday, December 7. Famed photographer Bruce Weber shot Crosby and Ovechkin for the magazine and VF.com, which will feature behind-the-scenes video of the shoot, additional photos and a special Q&A with Crosby on Monday, December 6.

· Dec. 3: The first recipe in a series of NHL Winter Classic-themed recipes created by Food Network star and hockey fan Duff Goldman debuts at NHL.com. The recipe series will help fans tailgating at Heinz Field or watching the live broadcast at home on New Year’s Day celebrate the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic tradition.

· Dec. 5: The special 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic commercial premieres during NBC’s national “Sunday Night Football” broadcast as the Baltimore Ravens take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium.

· Dec. 10: “24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic” billboard unveiled in New York City’s Times Square at the busy 42nd St. and Broadway corner.

· Dec. 15: “24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic,” highlighting the rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals and their preparation for the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, premieres at 10 p.m. ET / PT on HBO.

· Dec. 22: Episode 2 of “24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic” airs at 10 p.m. ET / PT on HBO.

· Dec. 23: In their first meeting of the season, the Penguins and Capitals face off at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., broadcast nationally, live on the NHL Network for fans outside of Pittsburgh and Washington.

· Dec. 23: Following the Carolina Panthers v. Pittsburgh Steelers game, the rink build for the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic officially begins at Heinz Field and the official time lapse camera coverage begins on NHL.com.

· Dec. 24: The world’s largest mobile rink refrigeration unit – the custom-built 53-foot truck that houses the specialized equipment that will be used to make the rink for the NHL Winter Classic – arrives at Heinz Field; beginning Dec. 24, fans can follow the entire rink-build process through interactive features and extensive coverage on NHL.com, NHL Radio and the NHL Network.

· Dec. 29: Episode 3 of “24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic” airs at 10 p.m. ET / PT on HBO.

· Dec. 31: Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals skate at Heinz Field for the first time for team practices.

· Dec. 31: The NHL will install a “NHL Winter Classic Legacy Classroom” at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. The NHL Winter Classic Legacy Classroom is a philanthropic partnership with The Companion’s in Courage Foundation and NHL Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine. The NHL Winter Classic Legacy Classroom will be an interactive playroom utilizing innovative communications tools (Cisco WebX and UMI, SMART Tables, SMART Boards, Flat panel televisions, etc). This classroom will replace the isolation of a hospital with a connection to family, friends and celebrities during each hospital stay. During the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, some of the game’s youngest fans with have the ability to connect with activities and players.

As the song goes, "it's the most wonderful time of the year"... happy hockey holidays everyone.

Capitals Trade Tomas Fleischmann for Avs Defenseman Scott Hannan

2010-11-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

Looks like Santa might have come a bit early for the oodles of Caps fans who've been wishing for a stay at home defenseman - the perfect piece to fill in the missing holes that were so evident in last year's premature playoff exit. Today the team announced they have acquired defenseman Scott Hannan from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Tomas Fleischmann. On a team loaded with offensive prowess, Flash was one of the go-to guys during the regular season, netting 23 goals and 28 assists last season. Unfortunately, his scoring touch seemed to disappear in the off-season, much to the dismay of his followers. We wish Flash well in his new mountain digs and will see him again when the Avs and Caps meet at Verizon Center next Saturday.

Scott Hannan, 31, is an 11-year NHL veteran who has played for Colorado and the San Jose Sharks. The 6’1”, 225-pound defensive defenseman has played 775 career games, recording 30 goals, 150 assists, 456 penalty minutes and a +22 rating. This season Hannan has six assists and a +1 rating while playing all 23 games for the Avalanche.

He has played at least 71 games in each of his 11 pro seasons, including 97.2% of the games since he made the NHL full-time in 2000-01. He has averaged 18:37 of ice time per game this season and 22:02 per game in the course of his career. His teams have made the playoffs eight times in 10 seasons prior to this one, playing a total of 73 playoff games.

A first-round pick of the Sharks, 23rd overall, in the 1997 Entry Draft, Hannan broke into the league after an all-star career with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League. He was a teammate of current Capital and everyone's favorite grinder, Matt Bradley, with the Sharks and signed with Colorado as a free agent on July 1, 2007. Let's give a hearty welcome to Mr. Hannan and show him how it's done in our hockey town!

And on a totally unrelated note, to the dirtbags who broke into Pat Burns' widow's car shortly after the hockey legend was laid to rest, shame on you. Hockey Mom joins the legions of hockey fans worldwide in hoping for your speedy arrest!

Caps Fans - Time to Rock the Vote

2010-11-30T08:52:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving - HM is back in the swing of things after my jaunt to the North Carolina mountains. And as the holiday season quickly approaches, here's one more thing to add to your "to do" list as a loyal Caps fan: Vote for our boys on the NHL All-Star ballot. Because I'm sure I'm not the only member of the Capitals fan base who feels like losing her lunch after reading this. So go in and exercise your right as a free hockey fan and vote for Ovi, Green and any of your other favorite Capitals players as many times as you can (don't forget to write in Sasha)!

Speaking of the All-Star front runner, the Kid has found himself in the midst of a controversy once again stemming from an incident against the rival New York Rangers. If I'm not mistaken, our own captain found himself facing a fine from the NHL for a similar action against the Thrashers' Rich Peverley last season. Yep, this will be interesting indeed to see if Sid gets more than a half-hearted scolding for this. My guess would be no...just sayin'.

While we're on the topic of Penguins (or detonating them at least) - check out the Caps' recent trip to the FBI Academy (h/t to Puck Daddy - head over for more fun details on the event). Blowing up a penguin - the perfect way to end a day filled with wild car chases, shooting pretend criminals and busting down doors in a crime raid. Nice work boys!

Devils Dupe Listing Capitals Team in 5-0 Loss

2010-11-23T07:38:00.000-08:00

On the third anniversary of Coach Bruce Boudreau's arrival as bench boss, the boys honored the occasion by giving him - a big, fat goose egg (the boys were shut out for the second time in less than a week - ouch). Meanwhile, the Devils who are without the services of several of their star players, including Zach Parise, Jamie Langenbrunner and future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur, found their offensive game against a listless Caps defense and rookie Braden Holtby. Holtby was given the start after Michal Neuvirth was hurt in practice. Varlamov was rushed up from Chocolatetown but his skates did not get to the arena until the second period and Gabby decided not to play him unless Holtby went down with an injury. Unfortunately, Mike Green and Tyler Sloan joined the ranks of walking wounded along with Mike Knuble andTom Poti (speaking of, #3 can you hurry up with that recovery process? The defense needs you badly - thanks). The extent of their injuries won't be known until later today when the team gets in a much-needed practice in Raleigh. HM is once again thinking that practice might need to include mandatory bag skate judging from last night's pitiful performance.

One of HM’s favorite NHLers, Patrick Elias started the party for the Devils with the first goal. Then at the 3:45 mark, Tyler Sloan obstructed Holtby's movement as he tried to get back into position (the youngster found himself out of position on too many occasions last night but I digress). But alas it was a little too late as Jason Arnott took advantage of the tomfoolery by stuffing the puck.

And the comedy of errors continued into the final minutes of the opening period. Mattias Tedenby managed a clean break and was cut down by Captain Stache, John Erskine. Erskine took out Tedenby and Holtby, giving the young Swede a penalty shot. Tedenby netted a sneaky backhanded shot against the caps goaltender to give the Devils three tallies by period's end. Not a period to remember for the visitors, quite frankly it was eerily reminiscent of Friday's blowout in Blueland.

The second period was not any kinder to the struggling visitors. At 2:43, Jason Arnott lit the lamp for the second time on the night and at 7:48, it was Ovi’s pal Dainius Zubrus' turn. To be quite honest, HM had lost patience at this point and will admit it, I flipped over the Dancing with the Stars finale. That’s a sure sign you know it was bad. Apparently Gabby tried to mix things up (to no avail) by playing with line combinations. The flustered coach moved the Great8 to play with Marcus Johansson and Matt Bradley, hoping that the change of scenery might break his four-game scoreless streak. Matt Hendricks spent some time with mates Alex Semin and Nick Backstrom (a big happy birthday to Mr. Backstrom today by the way).

The teeny highlight of the night was a fight between Matt Hendricks and Adam Mair, as Hendricks tried to energize his troops. On the subject of fighting, Down Goes Brown has a very humorous look at the NHL’s unofficial “Code” here.

Boudreau had this to say about the drubbing: "Everything's a trickle-down effect from the forwards to the defense to the goalie to the coaches. If we fail like this it's everybody's fault," Boudreau said. "It's not just [the defense's] fault. We all have to pick up our socks and find out what's gone wrong in these last three games. You go 8-0-1 and then you go for a crap. It happens, but it hasn't happened to us. I don't like it."

At times like these, HM tries to console herself by reminding herself of the dratted Penguin’s December record the year they won the Stanley Cup. On Frozen Blog makes some great points on the typical ups and downs seen in the grueling regular season as well. Let’s just count our Thanksgiving blessings and hope the boys can right the ship soon, as in starting against the Hurricanes tomorrow.

Speaking of the Canes, HM will be headed down the state of North Carolina for the holidays and I’m hoping to be able to catch the game on TV. As we’ll be in the mountains, I doubt I’ll be able to take in any other Caps action this week so please follow all the fabulous peeps on my blog roll for your up-to-the-minute hockey news.

Hope all of you have a very wonderful and safe holiday – Happy Thanksgiving to all you puckheads and your loved ones!! We all have much to be thankful for – I know I do.

Caps Fall to Flyers in Shoot Out: 5-4 Final

2010-11-20T20:01:00.000-08:00

After last night’s ugly loss at the hands of the Atlanta Thrashers, the Caps had a quick turnaround to get ready for a hard-hitting, high-scoring Flyers team. They were also without the services of the gritty Mike Knuble, who was injured during last evening’s loss. Gabby expected his troops to rebound and step up for the injured Knuble, and for the most part they did just that.

Marcus Johansson had quite an impressive game, scoring the Capitals’ first goal – as he was on his way down from getting wrecked. Later in the second period, the young Swede single-handedly skated and protected the puck through three Philly defenders. End of the first: Caps 1 – Flyers 0

The Caps power play struggled through the second period. While the team saw shots from Green, Semin, Ovi and Laich (characteristically parking his tush in front of Brian Boucher) but no success in permeating the wall of knarly Flyers crowding their crease. Semin also got whistled with his signature slash at 4:21, while John Carlson joined him in the box for hooking giving the thugnasty visitors a 5 on 3. The Caps were able to kill off the penalty with mucho help from Michal Neuvirth.

Minus his flaming red locks, the always agitating Scott Hartnell tried to poke Neuvy after the whistle resulting in a scrum and another Caps power play at 7:39.

Brooks Laich couldn’t put the brakes on fast enough with less than 7 minutes left in the second and took a seat for interference. Claude Giroux got quite the lucky break on the power play as the puck bounced off his pants for the Flyers’ goal.

Meanwhile, Eric Fehr annihilated Ville Leino after he'd dumped the puck, resulting in a boarding call and Flyers squawking for justice. As the penalty expired, Hartnell slid the puck across to PK Subban’s BFF Mike Richards, who roofed it over a sprawling Neuvirth to give the black and orange a one-goal lead. End of the second: Flyers 2 – Caps 1

At the start of the third period, AO was tripped up and the power play unit went to work. Once more, the man advantage did not yield the desired results for the boys in red. MJ90 had one of the better scoring chances as he sped through the neutral zone and shot towards an awaiting Boucher. After being scratched by Gabby earlier in the week, Tomas Fleischmann was a shooting fool but could not seem to outschool the Philly net minder.

With just under 11 minutes left in the final stanza, Jeff Carter notched his tenth goal of the
season as he deftly evaded Mike Green. The boys got yet another shot at the power play with less than 10 minutes left. The Caps set up camp in front of the crease and Nick Backstrom tallied the first power play marker of the night. As Kimmo Timmonen was set to get out of the sin bin, the Flyers’ captain tripped up a red sweater giving the Caps yet another man advantage (as Peter Laviolette proceeded to blow a gasket). Jason Chimera scored the tying goal a mere 28 seconds after Backstrom’s goal.

At the six minute mark, Andreas Nodl evaded Jeff Schultz and Mike Green to set up his toy shop behind the net and score to once again to gain the lead. Matt Bradley then took a seat for interference at 14:31.

The Caps killed off a biggie and should have had their sights set on netting the tying goal. Instead, they found themselves short-handed again thanks to another ill-timed slashing call on Sasha Semin. As the boys went back to work, John Carlson was the recipient of a high-stick, from none other than the recently suspended-for-such-nonsense Danny Briere. As the final seconds of the game ticked off the clock, Neuvy went to the bench and Eric Fehr tied the game with a rocket from the wide right angle. As if this game wasn't exciting enough, these two rivals were headed to OT. At 1:48 of the OT period, Ovi and his running mate Nick Backstrom were criss-crossing the ice attempting to set up a play when Backstrom clipped a Flyer, drawing an interference call. The boys did an outstanding job of killing off the penalty and forced the high-flying game into a shoot out.

In the shoot out, Nick Backstrom stepped up first for Washington and was stopped by a Boucher glove save. Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux tried to dipsy doodle deke Neuvy but was denied by the Caps young net minder. Next, it was Alex Ovechkin’s turn. Ovi skated wide but ended up shooting right to the glove of Brian Boucher. Then it was the villainous Daniel Briere's turn. Unfortunately his orchestrated moves worked for a Flyers goal. The game then fell into the hands of stick handler extraordinaire Alex Semin. But alas, Sasha's shot was a miss, bringing a hard-fought game to an abrupt end and giving the Flyers the 5-4 win.

All in all, a much improved effort over last night’s debacle in Atlanta. The boys rest up tomorrow and will face the injury-depleted New Jersey Devils on Monday.

Sold Out Hockey & Heels a Smashing Success

2010-11-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

More than 250 women of all ages gathered together last night at Kettler Capitals IcePlex to bond and share their mutual passion for our Washington Capitals during the team's fifth annual Hockey & Heels event. The ladies were divided into groups and took turns practicing shooting, face offs and stonewalling pucks on the ice with lots of handy tips and demonstrations provided by current Caps Braden Holtby, Marcus Johansson, John Carlson and the mustachioed Karl Alzner. Popular Capitals alumni Peter Bondra and Paul Mulvey also helped the gals with the finer points of achieving the perfect wrister and beating out your opponent for a face off win.

John Carlson supervises stick work during Hockey & Heels.

Caps alum Peter Bondra.

John Carlson during on-ice demonstrations.

Marcus Johansson jokes with the ladies while sporting his Nats lid.

Karl Alzner looking a bit like one of the Three Musketeers with his Movember stache.

This year's event was bigger than ever, with a new session conducted by Caps strength and conditioning coach Mark Nemish. My boys have participated in his off-ice conditioning drills and several ladies attested to "feeling the burn" after he put them through their paces as he showed them the kinds of exercises the players must perform.

Of course one of the most popular sessions of the evening was Coach Bruce Boudreau's film session. Gabby used a laser pointer (which my cat - also named Gabby after the beloved Boudreau - would love to borrow) to point out scripted plays, player errors and lessons learned from different game films. The jovial coach told the women to stop him if he used a term they didn't understand and drew laughs when he talked about simplifying the game. He joked that most players from Canada (himself included) didn't complete their formal education before entering the world of pro hockey, thus the need to "simplify" film breakdown. Another memorable comment from Coach when asked about Alex Semin being left off the NHL All-Star ballot was that it was "a travesty", resulting in numerous shouts from the room to write the talented forward in on the ballot ourselves. (Sidenote: You can write in Sasha and vote as many times as your heart desires for other Caps on the ballot here. Let's make sure our Caps represent!)

The event ended with a locker room look at Alex Ovechkin's Winter Classic uniform, complete with unworn gloves (the only pair of hockey gloves HM has come into contact with that didn't yet smell like the Hudson River). The women all left with some swag of course, including a Scarlet Caps water bottle and stylish logo tote bag. Hockey Mom scored with some retail therapy of her own and purchased an adorable Capitals Santa Claus from the Capitals Team Store at Kettler - they've got lots of great gifts for the Caps fan on your holiday list...

Jenn models the Winter Classic gloves - don't make her drop 'em!

Overall, a fabulous time was had by all and kudos to the Caps organization for putting together this great event dedicated to their ever-growing female fan base!

Capitals to Host Fifth Annual Hockey N’ Heels Tomorrow

2010-11-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

The Washington Capitals will welcome more than 250 female hockey fans (including yours truly) to Kettler Capitals Iceplex tomorrow night when the team hosts another sold-out Hockey N’Heels event. This year’s event, which is only open to Club Scarlet members, sold out in a record five – yes, five minutes!

MIX 107.3 radio personality Chilli Amar will emcee the event, which runs from 6-9 p.m. with check in beginning at 5:30 p.m. The fabulous female fans will be in store for a fun and enlightening evening as they participate in popular on-ice demonstrations. This year’s on-ice demonstration will be conducted by young guns Karl Alzner, John Carlson and Marcus Johansson, who’ll illustrate how to shoot a slapshot, take a faceoff, and how to stop a puck in the net. While waiting for their turn on the ice the ladies will be able to see and try on different hockey equipment.

Capitals alumni Capitals alumni Peter Bondra and Paul Mulvey will also be on hand to discuss the secrets of a perfect wrist shot or glove save. Hockey ‘n Heels will use both sheets of ice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, giving the women an opportunity to spend more time on ice. Ladies, remember to dress warmly and comfortable kickers such as tennis shoes are the suggested footwear attire as that ice can be tricky.

The second session is something new this season with Caps’ strength and conditioning coach Mark Nemish detailing the fitness routines the players go through. The third session is with head coach Bruce Boudreau and his famous film talk. Boudreau will help the women understand how to dissect and analyze different aspects of the game. The fourth and final session will include a picture in front of a locker set up with the Winter Classic uniform and equipment.

* All sessions and players are subject to change.

HM is looking forward to mingling with her fellow female puckheads tomorrow evening – this unique group of Caps fans are some of the most vibrant, vocal and passionate ladies on the D.C. sports scene and their enthusiasm continues to attract even more women to the wonderful sport of hockey!

Star for Sasha

2010-11-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

A Hockey Mom high-five to Alex Semin who has been named one of the NHL’s three stars of the week for the first time in his career.Ovi's BFF was named First Star of the Month back in Oct. 2008.

The Russian winger joined archrival Sidney Crosby atop the weekly scoring list with eight points (four goals, four assists) as the Capitals (13-4-1) won three of four games and concluded the week first in the NHL overall standings. After tallying one assist in a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers Nov. 9, Sasha recorded a five-point night in a 6-3 victory over the Lightning Nov. 11, highlighted by a third-period hat trick, a pair of assists and +3 rating. He tallied one assist in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and closed the week by scoring his 13th goal of the season in yesterday's win over Atlanta. Semin ranks among League leaders in goals (second, 13) and points (fourth, 23).

Monday Musings

2010-11-15T06:50:00.000-08:00

After a crazy run-around week, HM managed to miss both of the Capitals' games this weekend (well sort of, I actually fell asleep watching Saturday night's ho-hum effort that gave the Sabres their first win on home ice). Of course I was at a kids' game during yesterday's match against the Thrashers but sounds like it was a humdinger. Following the game on Twitter and on one of my sports apps, I saw that the boys once again gave up a fairly commanding lead only to have to fight back hard for the win. I did manage to catch bits and pieces via the Web and saw that big, bad John Erskine tallied the tiebreaker (that's two goals for #4 in six days) and got into a heavyweight throwdown with Eric Boulton. In case you missed it, here's the stache-rocking Erskine getting it done in an old time hockey bout:

Here are some other items for your Monday reading pleasure:

More on John Erskine's stache and the meaning of "Movember" from my pal at Blonde Girl's Guide.
The Hockey Writers look at what the Matt Hendricks signing has meant for the Caps.
Storming the Crease looks at the week that was and the week ahead.
Fellow hockey parents, be sure to register your young players for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be an official stick kid for the 2011 Winter Classic. HM will be hitting the Target during her lunch hour to pick up a few decks of Upper Deck cards...
Finally, the ladies are getting excited for the Capitals' fifth annual Hockey N'Heels, which takes place tomorrow at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. This year's event sold out in a record five minutes! HM will have more on the event later today, including the very important "what to wear" to all those planning to attend. Til then....

Caps Defuse Lightning 6-3

2010-11-11T18:54:00.000-08:00

The Veteran's Day meeting between Southeastern Conference rivals Tampa Bay and Washington started off fast and furious. In the opening minutes, Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier thought he had buried the puck but the stripes called no goal. Upon review, it was plain as day that the puck clinked off the post but did not cross the line behind Michal Neuvirth. As a matter of fact, the posts were Neuvy's BFF's in the early going as the Lightning later lost another goal to the iron bar. The boys welcomed back defense man Tom Poti, who's been on the shelf for weeks with a groin injury. Teddy Purcell got the Bolts on the board first at 9:27 of the opening period. Meanwhile, the visitors were the recipients of practically back-to-back power plays as Mike Knuble was whistled for roughing, then John Carlson took a delay of game. The boys killed both penalties off but they were still struggling to clear the puck away from their own goal. They were also outshot by the Lightning 13-8 with Alex Semin getting the better of any scoring opportunities.

First Period: Lightning 1 - Caps 0

As has been the trend, the Caps didn't stay off the board for long. Mere minutes into the middle stanza, Tom Poti netted his first of the season - a nifty backhand shot with the assists coming from Semin and Backstrom. Not too shabby for a first game back - welcome back sir! The Caps were then swarming Dan Ellis like the plague and Mike Knuble scored another beauty at 7:51, from BEHIND the net no less. The boys went shorthanded once again as Brooks Laich was sent to the sin bin for interference and the Capitals penalty kill unit went on to take care of business, with plenty of help from their young net minder. Tempers flared later in the period as Matt Bradley laid a clean, tooth-rattling hit on Mike Lundin, then had to answer the bell with Adam Hall (what is this, Mini Mite hockey where you can't hit? Seriously). As he always does, the Professor dropped his mitts and got the better of Hall and actually emerged without looking like he'd gone three rounds with a chain saw. Way to go Bradley!

Second Period: Capitals 2 - Lightning 1

The third period saw the lamp light up like the National Christmas tree for both teams. Former Penguin Ryan Malone opened it up for the visitors. Two minutes later, Alex Semin was tripped up by Dominic Moore and let's just say Sasha made the Bolts pay. Not only did the red hot sniper score on the resulting power play, but also notched a second tally with a sizzler at 10:46. You knew it was going to be next to impossible to keep Steven Stamkos off the score sheet and the young star brought his team to within a point with his third period goal. But three minutes later, it was lights out for the Bolts as Alex Semin got the puck to his pal Ovi who blasted Dan Ellis with the Caps' fourth goal. Sasha topped off the win with the empty net goal for the hat trick and a stellar five-point night. Salut! Nick Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin both had outstanding performances as well, with four points for #19 and three for our captain. Michal Neuvirth had another active night, stopping 38 shots against a talented Tampa Bay team. After sleepwalking through the first period, the cardiac Caps stormed back and captured a huge home win for their sixth straight victory!

FINAL: Capitals 6 - Lightning 3

Courage Caps Help Support Our Military Kids

2010-11-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

On this Veteran's Day, HM joins all Americans in thanking the brave men and women who have served and are currently serving our great nation. These armed forces members and their families make unimaginable sacrifices to preserve our freedom - leaving home for long deployments, often into hostile and dangerous combat environments. These deployments are tremendously difficult for all involved, but most especially the children of military members - who are separated from their moms or dads for extended periods of time. This year, the Capitals are reaching out to these kids by donating the proceeds of sales of the team's Courage Caps to the Our Military Kids organization.

Our Military Kids provides grants to the children of deployed National Guard and Military Reserve personnel, as well as children of all Wounded Warriors. The grants pay for participation in activities such as sports, fine arts and tutoring, which nurture and sustain the children while a parent is overseas serving our country. Our Military Kids grants are made to honor the sacrifices military families make and to ensure the children have access to activities and support that help them better cope with challenges arising during a parent's deployment or recovery.

“Unlike other branches of the military, the National Guard and Reserves are dispersed throughout the country, and often lack access to support services found on military bases,” said Linda Davidson, executive director of Our Military Kids. “We’re elated to be the beneficiary of Courage Caps, which will help us provide grants so these children have a positive outlet during a parent’s deployment.”

The Capitals kicked off this season’s Courage Caps this past Saturday, when they hosted 35 families from Our Military Kids to a two-hour long skating party and pizza lunch at Kettler Capitals Iceplex with Caps forwards Matt Hendricks, Mike Knuble, David Steckel and defenseman Tom Poti.

“Military families have to deal with so many other issues, it is nice to invite them to come out and have a little fun and enjoy skating and a pizza party,” Hendricks said of the event.

Matt Hendricks skates with children from Our Military Kids during the skating party and pizza lunch on Nov. 6 at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

Fans can purchase Courage Caps starting today - the Camouflage Courage Caps and Courage T-shirts will be sold for $20 online at WashingtonCaps.com and at the Washington Capitals Team Store at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. Courage Caps will also be sold at the Fan Gear store and at stands throughout Verizon Center for $20 during Capitals home games. There will also be a limited number of autographed Courage Caps and Courage T-shirts available for sale at WashingtonCaps.com and at the community relations table located behind section 104 on the main concourse at Verizon Center. For $50 fans can purchase a Courage Cap or Courage T-shirt signed by Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, Mike Knuble or Alex Ovechkin; for $35, fans can purchase a Courage Cap or Courage T-shirt signed by any other individual Capitals player.

The Courage Caps program is in its fourth season and has raised more than $120,000 in its first three years. This season, 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Our Military Kids - show your Capitals spirit and help these terrific kids at the same time!

Kovy Chokes

2010-11-11T05:33:00.000-08:00

As I listened to Hockey This Morning on my commute into work, the crew could not stop talking about one of the NHL's highest-paid forwards (that would be Ilya Kovalchuk of course) epic shootout fail last night in New Jersey's loss to the Sabres. So of course I had to check it out for myself:

Ooof....

Caps Look to Extinguish Lightning at Home

2010-11-10T18:41:00.000-08:00

The Capitals return home to face conference rivals Tampa Bay after earning a big 5-3 win over the Rangers on Tuesday in a wild and wacky game that could be most appropriately dubbed “Fight Night” at MSG. Funny thing is that the heavyweight bout between DJ King and Derek Boogaard never took place; instead it was Mike Green who took on Brandon Dubinsky (and landed some nice little uppercuts in the process). After falling behind the Rangers in a chippy first period (at one point, there were three Blueshirts in the penalty box), the Caps earned their fifth consecutive win courtesy of some of the more “unsung heroes.” While big guns Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green, Alex Semin and Nicklas Backstrom did not register goals on the night (though Ovi, Semin and Green did tally helpers), it was predominantly the lunch pail crew lighting the lamp for the visitors. And that my friends, was lovely to see as we all know that that’s the kind of effort that takes teams far into the playoffs (we won’t ruin the moment by mentioning Karl Alzner’s ugly giveaway here – the kid has probably reviewed the tapes of the gaffe that led to a Rangers goal several times by now).

Brooks Laich got the party started in the first period and finished it up with the empty netter. The second period saw scoring from the tough guys on both teams – John Erskine blistered a shot past a stunned Henrik Lundqvist for his first goal of the year then Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard took advantage of a Caps’ defensive breakdown to score his first goal in nearly five years! Mike Knuble finally reaped the rewards for all of his efforts (goodness knows it wasn’t for lack of trying last night) and Matt Hendricks almost had the Gordie Howe hat trick with an assist and third period goal, but he got whistled for roughing versus fighting against Michael Sauer. Darn it – but what a night for this gritty guy, eh? Kudos to my favorite player Matt Bradley as well, for chipping in with an assist on Hendrick’s goal.

Tampa Bay comes to town tomorrow with scary good Steven Stamkos leading their offense. The 20-year old phenom helped lead his team to a 4-0 victory over his hometown Maple Leafs last night, contributing two goals. Stamkos leads the NHL in both points (24) and goals (13). Puck Daddy recently spoke with the Bolts’ star, who’s sworn off Big Macs to maintain his optimal physical performance (HM tried telling that to my own boys, who weren’t buying it – does Gary Roberts run camps for teenage boys)? As always, the Caps will have to keep a body on the pocket-sized Martin St. Louis, who can skate in and out of compact spaces as deftly as a rodent running through the traffic near Verizon Center. The premier playmaker has notched six goals and nine assists for the season. Meanwhile, Simon Gagne, who was acquired from the Flyers in the offseason, is zip for zip and a -8 in six games played. Ouch…

Puck drops tomorrow at 7 p.m. – should be a good one as the Capitals try to capture six wins in a row!

Caps Face Blueshirts for First Meeting of the Season

2010-11-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's win against the rough and tumble Flyers saw rookie net minder Braden Holtby capture his first NHL victory and Mike Green remind us the origin of his nickname "Game Over." Green, who to date is on a five-game point streak, scored his fifth career overtime goal to rank tied for second in Capitals history with Peter Bondra and Kelly Miller. Only Alex Ovechkin has more career overtime goals (8) for the Caps, who have won four straight games and placed themselves into a tie with Philadelphia atop the Eastern Conference.

Tomorrow the boys head to the Big Apple to face the New York Rangers for the first time this season. Last season, the Capitals earned the "W" in two of their three meetings against the Blueshirts. It's always a spirited affair when these two teams meet, stemming from Rangers' coach John Tortorella's bottle-tossing escapades a few seasons back. New York will be without the services of their primary sniper, Marion Gaborik. The oft-injured forward is ailing again, as is Vinny Prospal and Rags captain Chris Drury. The Capitals will be facing a young front line comprised of Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov. Dubinsky is tied for second in the NHL in scoring - having tallied 10 goals in 14 games. In addition to uber-pest Sean Avery, the Rangers added more grit in the form of tough guy Derek Boogaard. Tomorrow's game will be broadcast on VERSUS, with puck drop at 7:30.

On another note, a ginormous stick tap to the parents, players and other volunteers with the Prince William Hockey Club, located here in Northern Virginia. After losing their rink to a roof collapse during last year's snowstorm, everyone banded together to donate their time, money and efforts to construct a temporary rink for use by their house and travel leagues. We had the opportunity to play there this weekend and the rink looks fantastic - what an amazing testament to volunteerism, hockey parents and above all, the love of the game!

Game Day: Caps and Bruins

2010-11-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

Today's game will actually be a doubleheader for HM as my boys' team will take the ice at Verizon Center for a game in the hours before the big boys take on the brusing Bruins tonight at 7 p.m. The Caps, coming off the shootout win over the Leafs where they blew a 3-1 early lead, will certainly have their work cut out for them against a surging Bruins club. Boston goaltender Tim Thomas has been on fire as of late and is seemingly regaining his Vezina-winning form, which was absent for much of last season. Now Hockey Mom must admit to being a big Timmy Thomas fan, the guy is the true definition of the term "journeyman" and has travelled the globe to get a shot at playing the game he so loves. That said, should he dress tonight for the Bs, here's to Timmy having a rare "off-night." Thomas has led his team to a 6-1 record thus far this season, which includes a 5-2 drubbing of the Sabres on Wednesday night. That game marked the first time this season that he allowed more than one goal to cross his crease in a single game. The Capitals are going to have to create plenty of havoc in front of his crease to beat that hot hand. The Bruins have beat the Capitals twice already - let's hope the third time is a charm for the home team. Boston forwards David Krejci and Nathan Horton lead their team in scoring stats, while the hulking Milan Lucic doesn't trail too far behind his mates with 9 goals on the season. On the home bench, Tyler Sloan and Marcus Johansson are expected to be off of the injured list but the boys will still be without the services of Massachusetts native Tom Poti.

In other news, a big congrats and toast to Brooks Laich, who is Sports Illustrated writer Michael Farber's nominee for Sportsman of the Year. Not only does this dashing forward change tires, he also answers the door personally for Halloween trick-or-treaters and poses for countless pictures after returning from a late night flight from Calgary. *HM got this information from one of the aforementioned trick-or-treaters.

Speaking of Halloween, those thugnasty guys in the orange and black sweaters that Caps fans love to hate will be paying a visit on Sunday. Here's a shocker for you - Flyers' Dan Carcillo (who was also involved later in the altercation that got team mate Daniel Briere suspended) took down the Rangers' Ruslan Fetodenko last night with an elbow to the face. Though no call was made on the ice, Carcillo may be chewing his nails today to see if there is any additional discipline handed down as he is the epitomy of a "repeat offender."

Check it out here:

While we're sharing videos - just in case you missed this one - Sidney Crosby actually dropped his mitts against Dallas Stars player Matt Niskanen is a game that turned out to be Fight Night in Dallas. The Kid actually got a few good blows in - how epic would an Ovi/Crosby fight be?

Finally, Musings of a Hockey Mom has been invited to be a part of your one-stop news and information source for all things D.C.: the TBD Community Network. Be sure to bookmark TBD for all the latest news and sports plus fabulous local blog coverage on everything from dining to shopping and more...

Caps and Kids to Kick it at Sticks N' Sneakers Thursday

2010-11-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

Young Capitals fans will join Capitals forwards Eric Fehr and D.J. King along with assistant coach Dean Evason, strength and condition coach Mark Nemish and Slapshot tomorrow for Sticks 'n Sneakers at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. 120 youngsters, ranging from 6 - 14 years of age, will gather for the sold-out event hosted by Dasani.
The evening will be divided into four sessions. The first two sessions will be on the ice demonstrations with Caps players Fehr and King. The first session is with Fehr where he will be teaching the kids how to shoot the puck.

The second session will be with King where he will be teaching the kids how to pass the puck. The kids will get hands on experience from the players themselves. Hmm, I wonder how many kids will ask DJ King for fighting tips?

The second session will focus on the various rules of the game and the importance of good sportmanship while playing the game with assistant coach Evason. During this off-ice session, Evason will break the game down and explain to the kids what is a penalty and why.

The third session will be conducted by strength and condition coach Nemish who will run the kids through a few conditioning exercises and discuss the importance of strength and conditing. Hockey is a long 82-game season which takes a toll on the body. HM's boys have trained with Nemish as part of his program and I can attest that the kids will leave with a greater appreciation for the hard work it takes to get into prime playing form and maintain it during the grueling season!
Finally, to wrap up the festivities, Slap Shot will join the kids for a pizza party. With the success of Hockey ‘n Heels and the growing number of kids joining the Caps Kids Club the Capitals wanted to reach out to their kid fan base. To learn more about the Caps Kids Club, go to http://capitals.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=59825.

Sounds like a fabulous time!

Speaking of kids, HM will be joining my boys and their Bantam team as they get the chance to play on Verizon Center ice this Friday before the Caps meet the Bruins later that night. It's always a fun and memorable event for the kids and thanks to the organization for giving area hockey players the opportunity to play on their favorite team's home ice!

Caps Edge Leafs in Shoot Out Win

2010-11-03T19:08:00.000-07:00

The beleaguered Toronto Maple Leafs paid a visit to our nation's capital this evening, hoping to stop their three-game losing streak with a win against the surging Capitals. The Leafs would have to place more defensive responsibilities on the shoulders of the baby-faced Luke Schenn, as their rough and tumble captain Dion Phaneuf is on the shelf for at least a month after suffering a cut from a skate blade (after seeing my own kiddo cut by a blade two weeks ago, HM sends heartfelt hockey healing wishes to the Leafs' leader).

Rookie of the month Michal Neuvirth manned the crease for the Caps while Jonas Gustavssson (AKA "The Monster") stood guard for Toronto. Fans knew fisticuffs were virtually inevitable and heavyweights DJ King and Colton Orr got the party started early by dropping the gloves at the 6:45 mark of the first period. Mike Knuble was visibly chomping at the bit to score and tallied four shots on goal in the opening period. While the Capitals out shot the Leafs in the opening stanza, it was the visitors who lit the lamp first as Nikolai Kulemin beat John Erskine to get his team on the board. The first penalty of the game came in the waning minutes of the period when - hold your breath in disbelief - Sasha Semin took a seat for slashing. End of first period: Leafs 1 - Caps 0

After killing off the penalty, the boys in red owned the second period. After Ovi was tripped by Schenn, Mike Green tallied a power play goal to tie the game. Funny - one of the topics of conversation on XM's Hockey This Morning centered on some fans' frustration surrounding Green's more defensive style of play thus far. Of course last year, Green was blasted for being more of an offensive d-man. Poor guy - can't please 'em all. Tonight's lovely power play goal for big 52 should quiet the haters temporarily at least. The Caps put two more on the board after the power play marker - with the goals a mere 53 seconds apart! Jason Chimera netted one assisted by his pals on everyone's favorite "grinder line" - Matt Bradley and Boyd Gordon. Then John Carlson ripped one from the blue line that was deflected right past the not-so-scary Monster. Ovechkin connected with Nicklas Backstrom who shot at what appeared to be a wide-open net, but Gustavsson may have had a hand in stopping the dangerous center. The Leafs' Schenn was having a hard time staying out of the penalty box and ended the period by boarding David Steckel. End of second period: Caps 3 - Leafs 1

The Capitals started the final period with the man-advantage but were unable to convert. And then it was the Leafs' turn to light it up seconds apart. Toronto turned the momentum as their elite defense man Tomas Kaberle scored at the 4:14 mark. Then it was former Blackhawk Kris Versteeg's turn as he evaded a sprawling Mike Green - Mike Komisarek had helpers on both goals. Eric Fehr, who was having a rather nice game, got the whistle for tripping at 6:28. On the ensuing power play, Tyler Bozak hushed a packed Verizon Center crowd as he netted a wrist shot to give the Leafs a 4-3 lead. But the visitors didn't hold that lead for long as the Capitals got the man advantage courtesy of a Brett Lebda cross check. While Caps' faithful held their collective breath, the power play unit went to work. Alex Semin battled hard to net one under the bar and tie the contest at 4-4.

In what appeared to be a surefire Capitals' win in the second period, this game was headed to overtime. The Caps were gifted with a 4-on-3 power play in the extra minutes as Clarke MacArthur served two minutes for slashing but Jonas Gustavsson lived up to his nickname in keeping the Leafs in the game. But this one wasn't over yet, no sir, not by a long shot. With no decision reached in OT, the game was headed to a hand-wringing shoot out. Michal Neuvirth was spectacular in keeping sniper Phil Kessel off the score sheet and later denying Nikolai Kulemon. But in the end, the two Alexes saved the day as both Ovechkin and Semin beat the Monster. Not the brilliant performance we saw from the boys in Calgary by any means and Semin was maddening but stellar at the same time. In any case, the boys walked away with the win and will face the bruising Bruins on Friday. Final score: Caps 5 - Leafs 4

Neuvirth Named NHL's Rookie of the Month

2010-11-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

Hockey Mom is slowly catching back up with my life and the hockey buzz after being in Mickey and Minnie's backyard in sunny Florida all last week for a work conference. And apparently I missed a humdinger of a win by the boys against the Flames on Saturday - those are the Caps we all know and love!

And to start the new week off right, please join me in a festive toast to our own Michal Neuvirth, who was named the league's Rookie of the Month for October. Neuvy currently boasts a .926 save percentage and has performed brilliantly in the crease while Semyon Varlamov has been sidelined with nagging injuries.

Speaking of injuries, hopefully some of the Capitals nursing bumps and bruises might be back in action soon. The injury bug is biting several teams around the league, with New Jersey Devils star Zach Parise the latest to go down - three months with a knee injury. And the Penguins' Jordan Staal just can't catch a break. Staal has been recuperating from complications that emerged after having off-season foot surgery only to finally return to practice and suffer a fractured hand.

And thankfully no injury was suffered by Frans Nielsen of the Islanders after Danny Briere's latest act of spineless thuggery (the aforementioned pint-sized Flyer has never been particularly high on HM's list of favorite players). The incident has been front-page news in the hockey media the past few days and Briere was slapped with a three-game suspension, after which he denied deliberately cross-checking Nielsen. Yeah right Danny Boy - go tell it to the judge. Briere should be back on the bench when our friendly pals from Philly visit the Verizon Center on Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Capitals are preparing for a visit from the Toronto Maple Leafs tomorrow night. The Leafs may be without the services of their captain Dion Phaneuf, who left tonight's battle with Ottawa with an undisclosed injury.

Southeastern Conference Showdown: Thrashers Visit Capitals

2010-10-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

Depleted by the injury bug (which the past few weeks seems to be as hard to erradicate as those pesky bed bugs), the Capitals called up reinforcements Mathieu Perreault and Jay Beagle from Hershey to face the Atlanta Thrashers at home. Both teams were coming off of a two-loss streak and the Caps were without the services of Tom Poti, Boyd Gordon, Marcus Johansson, Matt Bradley and as we learned right before the game, Semyon Varlamov. A healing Mike Green was dressed but used in limited capacity (as in, only on the power play) And as added motivation to turn this ship around, the boys were called out by owner Ted Leonsis yesterday after Thursday's debacle in Boston.

The Thrashers got on the board first with a power play goal from former Blackhawk Andrew Ladd. Unfortunately, the home team managed a few too many trips to the sin bin and were unable to get on the scoreboard in the opening period. End of first: Thrashers 1 - Capitals 0

2nd period:
38 seconds into the second period, Thrashers goaltender Chris Mason errantly tried to clear the puck, directly to a waiting Alex Semin who ripped it in net for the Caps' first goal.

Shortly after, it was Atlanta's offense getting it done. Rich Peverly set up Evander Kane from behind the net. Kane then proceeded to go five-hole on Neuvirth to take the 2-1 lead.

And the much anticipated return of an injured Mike Green came at 9:41 when Jim Slater took a seat for interference. Green still appears to be somewhat less than 100% but set up what looked to be the tying goal. However, the stripes sent it to review and the hockey gods in Toronto deemed it to have been "kicked in" and called it as no goal to the vocal disagreement of the home crowd.

Neuvirth made an eye-popping save on what would've been a clean breakaway goal for sure but the headturning action for him came later in the period.

At the 17:32 mark, Dustin Byfuglien bolted from his seat in the penalty box (where he was banished for tripping) and instead of putting on the brakes, took a full force run at Michal Neuvirth. Neuvirth flew into the goal, stick and legs flying, as a result of the impact. An infuriated John Erskine wasted no time in making Byfuglien pay, pounding the big guy into the ice.

Erskine recieved two minutes for roughing but Byfuglien paid the ultimate price, slapped with a five-minute major and exiting with a game misconduct. Thankfully, Neuvy seemed to be shaken up but appears to have survived the collision no worse for wear. What is with the craziness involving goaltenders each time these two teams have met thus far? For the love already....

Third Period:
So the boys started the third period with 2:32 left on their power play.

Seconds into it, Brooks Laich was whistled for hooking- negating the remaining time on the man advantage.

The Caps took advantage of a bad Atlanta pass which was intercepted by the energizer bunny that is Mathieu Perreault. Number 85 was well on his way to a clear breakaway when he was tripped. On his way down, Perreault managed to get the puck over to Alex Semin, who netted his second goal on the evening at 5:09 of the period.

Then at 13:28, Alex Semin earned the hat trick courtesy of a beautiful pass from Mathieu Perreault. Congrats to Sasha and another outstanding play by the hard-charging Perreault!

To the dismay of Capitals' fans, this one wasn't over just yet. With 32 seconds left, Evander Kane sliced the puck out of mid-air to tie the game at 3-3.

So this one could not be decided in regulation and required overtime. With 1:37 left in OT, Tomas Fleischmann sniped one over Chris Mason to win the game.

Final Score: Capitals 4 - Thrashers 3

Not a perfect performance by any means, but the boys won a tough one at home and several of the role players including John Erskine had terrific games. Mathieu Perreault made a resounding case for why he deserves a permanent spot on the roster.

HM will miss all of the Capitals' action next week as I'm travelling for work but be sure to check out all the fabulous blogs on my blogroll for the latest and greatest. Happy hockey watching!

Cheerleaders in the NHL Finally Make it to Canada - To the Despair of Hockey Traditionalists

2010-10-23T15:40:00.000-07:00

Many of the Southeastern Conference teams have had them for years - cheerleaders, spirit girls, whatever you want to call them. As if NHL fans need any more spirit. The Capitals debuted the Red Rockers a few seasons ago, much to the chagrin of many fans that don't fall into the 14-year old boy demographic. But we've come to accept them as part of the in-game entertainment, even though the process took awhile.

Well now the hockey cheerleader phenomenon has crossed the border into Canada as the Edmonton Oilers announced the addition of a cheer squad to the dismay of hockey purists across the country. HM heard from a male hockey fan on the new Oilers' pom-pom shaking addition, who had this to say: "I'm there to see brawls not broads." Enuff said. But for a unique perspective on the Oilers' recent announcement from a tried and true Canadian female fan, check out this post from Hockey & High Heels author Lisa Ovens. From the reaction HM is gauging from around the hockey blogosphere, mainsteam media and Twitterverse, Lisa is not the only one of our hockey-loving neighbors to the North wanting to "just say no" to "spirit squads"...

Editor's Note: Hockey Mom will be previewing Lisa's new book For the Love of Empty Net Goals on this blog in the very near future. Sure to be a very fun read - be sure to pre-order yours from her Web site.

Caps Host Hockey Fights Cancer Night

2010-10-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

When the puck drops tonight against the Atlanta Thrashers, the Capitals will be looking to fight more than just the foe on the ice as they participate in Hockey Fights Cancer night at Verizon Center. Several players have had their own personal experiences living with family members diagnosed with cancer. During tonight's pre-game ceremony, players Matt Bradley, Mike Knuble and Tyler Sloan, whose mothers have all battled cancer, will help recognize 30 very special Caps fans. This group includes the true heroes who have battled, beaten, helped treat or been personally touched by leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s Disease or myeloma. Each participant will be rocking the red in a T-shirt with the Caps logo on the front, the Hockey Fights Cancer logo on the back and the LLS (The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) logo on the sleeve. During tonight's game Mike Green (Green’s Gang) and Alex Ovechkin (Ovi’s Crazy 8’s) are donating their seats to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s National Capital Area Chapter. Attendees sitting in these sections will be blood cancer survivors and patients and will also be included in the on-ice ceremony.

During tonight's game, the Caps will also raise vital funds in the fight to erradicate cancer by hosting a jersey auction at the community relations table located at section 104 in Verizon Center benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s National Capital Area Chapter. These autographed home jerseys will be worn by players during warmups and will feature Hockey Fights Cancer patches on the front with the players’ names and numbers stitched in grey on the back. The red and grey jerseys are the same colors as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s logo.

The team is partnering this year with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The mission of LLS is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services. The Caps are encouraging fans to text HFC to 90999 to make a $5 donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and help find a cure for cancer. Fans can also donate specifically to the National Capital Area Chapter at http://www.lls.org/capsfans.

Hockey Fights Cancer is a joint charitable initiative founded in December 1998 by the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association. It is supported by players, NHL member clubs, NHL alumni, the NHL Officials’ Association, professional hockey athletic trainers and equipment managers, corporate marketing partners, broadcast partners and fans throughout North America. The goal of Hockey Fights Cancer is to raise money and awareness for national and local organizations involved in cancer care and research. To date, Hockey Fights Cancer has raised more than $11 million. Hockey Fights Cancer is a component of The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice, the National Hockey League’s and National Hockey League Players’ Association’s social responsibility program that builds on hockey’s long-standing tradition of addressing important social issues in North America and around the world.

About The National Capital Area Chapter
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has 58 U.S. chapters, and the National Capital Area Chapter is one of the highest revenue-generating chapters in the nation. The National Capital Area Chapter serves Washington, D.C.; the Maryland counties of Prince George and Montgomery; and the Virginia Counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria and Prince William. More than 2,500 patients and families are served by the chapter each year.

In other charitable news, one guy that really knows how to get under the skin of Capitals' faithful, has cut his signature flame-red hair and donated it to Locks for Love. Philadelphia Flyer forward Scott Hartnell, will look a little less like the GEICO Caveman from now on without his trademark mane flying out of his helmet. How about that new do, eh? Good for him though - a very, very worthwhile cause.

Preventing Concussions and Hockey Parent Meltdowns

2010-10-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

As the Capitals took to the ice at TD Bank Gardens tonight (in their second ugly – emphasis on ugly- loss in a week to the boys from Beantown), the Bs were once again without one of their key offensive players. Marc Savard is still suffering from the lingering effects of post-concussion syndrome, months after being leveled by Pens goon Matt Cooke – who received not as much as a slap on the hand for the dangerous hit. These kinds of hits, along with the brutal head hits seen in several NFL games this past weekend, are once again bringing the issue of damaging concussions and how to prevent them to the forefront of both amateur and professional sports.

The renowned Mayo Clinic conducted a summit this week to further discuss this issue, which is becoming an all too common occurrence at both the youth and professional levels. The New York Times Slap Shot blog had comprehensive coverage of the summit, which brought together hockey officials, physicians and former players who’ve experienced the detrimental effects of concussions. For the pros, the Mayo Clinic wants to see a ban on all head contact in addition to the new league rule outlawing blindside hits. To protect the vulnerable heads of youth players, several new measures were recommended, including re-training coaches and adding education on head injuries to the USA Hockey curriculum. HM has seen several young players sidelined by concussions, a very scary injury. The Capital’s Karl Alzner recently spoke to Dan Steinberg of DC Sports Bog about his own experiences with concussions – some very serious stuff.

And now on to hockey parent meltdowns (Editor’s note: HM just suffered a hockey parent meltdown of her own after watching the Caps drop another game to a hot Tim Thomas and the Bruins – sloppy work boys). Hockey Calgary wants to keep hockey moms and dads from behaving badly at the rink by implementing mandatory anger management courses. From my own personal experience, if a kid on the ice is acting like a goon or mouthing off to officials, chances are the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Judging by some of the heated exchanges I've witnessed between parents during games (cough cough, especially some of those from the city of Brotherly Love), this program should be made mandatory for hockey parents in the States as well. Speaking of anger management, HM is off to get her blood pressure back in check after the 4-1 loss in which the Caps' power play continued to be a non-factor. Up next: The Atlanta Thrashers come to town Saturday.

Capitals Donate $25,000 to the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association

2010-10-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

A huge stick tap to the Washington Capitals organization for their continued support of youth hockey in the D.C. region, which has helped the sport grow like gangbusters among area kids of all ages. Today the Capitals helped ensure the continued growth and program excellence for hockey in this area by making a $25,000 donation to Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association (PVAHA) to help fund the 2010-11 John Crerar Hockey Development Grant.

Organized amateur hockey in the Washington, D.C., area developed in large part through the perseverance and dedication of John Crerar. Crerar was one of the founders of the Cap Boys youth hockey program, served as the president and co-founder of the Capital Beltway Hockey League, was the president of the Southeastern Amateur Hockey Association, and served for many years as a director of USA Hockey. Crerar was also the director of operations for off-ice officials for the Washington Capitals for a number of years. Crerar passed away on Oct. 14, 2006. To honor his contribution to the hockey community, the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association established the John Crerar Hockey Development Grant Program.

“The Washington Capitals are partners and great supporters of youth and amateur hockey within our area,” said John Cole, president of the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association. “The grant funds awarded to PVAHA by the Washington Capitals allow us to promote new membership at our younger age levels, and to support disabled hockey and American Development Model initiatives.”

The purpose of the John Crerar Hockey Development Grant Program is to assist the member associations within PVAHA to increase participation and promote hockey development within Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Nonprofit 501(c)(3) member associations within the Potomac Valley Amateur Association are eligible to apply for affiliate grants. Member associations are asked to come up with ideas to grow the sport at the local level and can seek financial assistance from PVAHA to help support their efforts.

“One of the main goals of Washington Capitals Charities is to support programs that encourage participation in hockey,” said Elizabeth Wodatch, director of community relations for the Washington Capitals. “This grant shows our dedication to amateur hockey in the D.C. area and commitment to grow the sport locally.”

Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association
The Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association is an Affiliate of the Southeastern District of USA Hockey. The Affiliate is the governing body of all amateur hockey within the District of Columbia and the states of Maryland and Virginia (including HM's boys' travel team).

Washington Capitals Charities
Created in 2000, Washington Capitals Charities offers unique resources and Caps Care programs to other charities and organizations on behalf of the Capitals. Its mission is to create, maintain and support community programs in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area that encourage participation in hockey, serve to educate youth, assist those who are less fortunate and focus on health and wellness. Washington Capitals Charities is also committed to supporting the charitable endeavors, initiatives and foundations of the team’s players and alumni.

During the 2009-10 season, the Washington Capitals Charities provided support to the following programs through the John Crerar Hockey Development Grant: Baltimore Saints Special Hockey, Bennett Blazers Sled Hockey, Kids On Ice, Montgomery Cheetahs Hockey Club, Montgomery Youth Hockey, National Rehabilitation Hospital, Nelson Hockey Association, Northern Virgina Cool Cats Special Hockey, The Northern Virginia Hockey Club Youth Program, Reston Raiders, Southern Maryland Sabres Hockey Club, Inc., Tri-City Youth Hockey Club, USA Warriors Ice Hockey Program, Washington Ice Dogs and Whaler Nation.

Scary Day at the Rink

2010-10-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

Up until yesterday, HM's twins had managed to play five years and umpteen games of hockey with no serious injuries (knock on major wood). Our luck ran out during an early morning game, and despite some hairy moments, I'm glad to report that my Bantam is going to be okay. With about 54 seconds left in a tied house game, it appeared that he'd taken a puck to the shin or somehow gotten hit in front of a crowded net. He proceeded to skate off limply but there was no cause for concern until his dad was summoned to come to the bench from the penalty box.

Knowing how mortifying it is for a teenage boy to have his mom overreact to every injury, I stayed put in the stands - that is until I heard Dad yell "Call 911" to the officials. Then of course I ran (as calmly as I could) and crossed the ice myself to our bench. When I got there, I found the coach applying serious pressure to his leg and holding the leg above his heart. That's when I realized he'd been cut in the part of the leg between where the top of the skate starts and the bottom of the shin pad ends. I cannot give enough praise to our USA Hockey-trained coach, who was cool as a cucumber and knew exactly what to do.

The paramedics were called and he was taken by stretcher into a waiting ambulance, where I was told his nasty gash was about two inches wide and pretty deep. After five hours in the ER, I am happy to report that he walked away (with the aid of crutches) with 15 stitches and narrowly missed any tendon damage. He'll be on "injured reserve" for about 10 days but we are so very thankful that it was not any worse. He did have a little fun with a bad situation as he left the hospital with some cool scrub pants (he arrived in full smelly hockey gear) and knocked down a few cans in the grocery while riding on the motorized cart. Which brings me to the importance of properly fitting equipment. While there's no need for the kevlar socks that Joe Corvo wore after having his tendon slashed by a Nick Backsrom skate, kids need to make sure they are wearing shin pads (and everything else) that fits as it should. In our case, he was sporting his old shin pads (that were obviously outgrown) that left a gap between the skate and the pad.

So after all of that excitement and manning the penalty box for the late game, I have to admit I was "done" and missed the Capitals come from behind win over the Predators. The good news out of that game is that Michal Neuvirth continues to shine, establishing quite a nice reputation in his last few outings. From what I've read this morning, the bad news is that the absence of Tom Poti and Mike Green was pretty obvious in a mediocre defensive effort by the players who dressed for Washington. Up next, the Boston Bruins pay a visit on Tuesday.

And before signing off this morning, just another note on preventing injuries - NHL-style. Most puckheads remember last season's devastating hit on Florida's David Booth, that kept him away from the ice for several months. With more than 12 NHLers already sidelined by concussions this season, Booth is urging his peers to play smarter in an effort to eliminate head shots in the game. In addition to the league's more stringent rules on head contact, Booth says players at this elite level know the difference between a legal hit or one designed to maim an opponent and in hockey mom speak, need to "make the right choices." On a positive note, it looks like this young man may be back to his pre-injury form as he lit the lamp twice for the Panthers in yesterday's 6-0 drubbing of Tampa Bay. Nice work....

Capital's New Group of Young Guns Turning Some Heads

2010-10-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

Semyon Varlamov's return from injury gives the Capitals one of youngest goaltending duos in the league. Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth, both 22, have played just 58 career NHL games between them. Neuvy played splendidly against the Islanders on Wednesday night and he's garnered lots of attention from some of the hockey media, as has fellow team mate John Carlson. Though Carlson made a few rookie mistakes against the Isles, which is bound to happen along the season's long road, his performance against New Jersey last week gave hockey fans a glimpse of what is bound to be a bright future for the lad dubbed "Captain America."

USA Today's Kevin Allen recognized Carlson's abilities when he picked him as his top NHL rookie for this season, placing him ahead of other highly-touted youngsters such as top draft picks Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin and Cam Fowler. And Carlson's not the only kid in a red sweater on the list - Michal Neuvirth is listed at number five with a mention of the coveted "Calder" trophy consideration alongside his name. We look forward to many years with these young talents as well as watching some of the other future stars of league cited as ones to watch!

Speaking of youth, HM will most likely miss part, if not all, of the Capital's game against the Nashville Predators tomorrow night. Based on the fact that neither of my frequently penalized boys made a trip to the sin bin when yours truly was doing box duty during our recent tournament, apparently the penalty box is going to become my second home. As the Caps take the ice in the Music City, I will be opening and closing the penalty box door for our team's offenders, of which the coach is hoping will not include either of my twins due to my glaring presence.

Hard Working Boys from the Island Visit Capitals Tonight

2010-10-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

Hockey Mom has a previous engagement this evening and won't be blogging during the game but let's take a peek at tonight's opponent, the New York Islanders. The Isles have certainly been in the news the past two days, not because of their play but due to the crude gesture James Wisniewski made towards Ranger's antagonist extraordinaire Sean Avery. Of course my boys thought the gesture was hilarious - but that goes without saying as they're almost 15-years old. Word of warning: If I ever see something like that on the ice from you two, you won't have to worry about Gary Bettman. I can assure you the wrath of HM is punishment enough! After suspending Avery himself for his deragatory comments towards Dion Phaneuf and Avery's former girlfriend last season, the league sent a message and suspended Wisniewski for two games. (Unrelated: Niklas Hjalmarsson of Chicago was also suspended yesterday - he'll sit out two games for his nasty from behind hit on Buffalo's Jason Pominville).

The Islanders are a gritty bunch of lunch-pail hockey players and always give the Caps a hard-fought battle. But they've been bitten hard by the injury bug of late and will be without the contributions of several key players: Kyle Okposo, John Tavares and top defenseman Mark Streit. Tomas Fleischmann will get to see his old pal and former Capital Milan Jurcina wearing an Isles sweater for the first time this season in Verizon Center. On the Capital's bench, Tom Poti, Matt Bradley and youngster Marcus Johansson are all battling various injuries.

Despite being without Tavares, Streit and Okposo, the Islanders still won a high-scoring Columbus Day contest against their rivals from down the road. Blake Comeau has really stepped up and was responsible for two of the six goals against the Blueshirts on Monday. The Isles also saw goals from PA Parenteau, Josh Bailey, Matt Moulson and Frans Nielsen with the empty netter. In addition to getting a lovely snow shower from who else but Sean Avery, a finally healthy Rick DiPietro stopped 29 of the 33 shots he faced.

I would expect that the boys from Lawng Island won't go down without a fight but still predict a win for the men in red in front of their home crowd.