Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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November 7

Washington Times

"Playing without Alex Ovechkin is one thing, but the Washington Capitals were losing a player a period Friday night. Thanks to a three-point night from Brian Pothier, 28 saves by Jose Theodore and some excellent late work on the penalty kill, the short-handed Caps ended a three-game skid with a 4-1 victory against the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center. "You can't replace Alex Ovechkin, and you can't really replace Mike Green - there's only two guys in the league that do what they do," Pothier said. "We had to play a different style of hockey tonight. We had to play really intelligent hockey. We couldn't give up chances, and our goaltender had to be good. I thought we did all those ..."

Pothier carries Capitals past Panthers

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November 7

Washington Times

"Playing without Alex Ovechkin is one thing, but the Washington Capitals were losing a player a period Friday night. Thanks to a three-point night from Brian Pothier and 28 saves by Jose Theodore, the short-handed Caps ended a three-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory against the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center Ovechkin missed his second game with an upper-body strain, but the Caps lost defensemen Mike Green, Jeff Schultz and Shaone Morrisonn during this contest. Green took only four shifts in the first period before leaving with an undisclosed injury. Schultz went to the dressing after two shifts in the second and also did not return. To make matters worse, Morrisonn was ..."

Blown chances end Florida Panthers' win streak

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November 7

Miami Herald

"Alex Ovechkin was the biggest name out of the Washington lineup Friday night, but the Capitals also lost Mike Green and Jeff Schultz to undisclosed injuries in the first two periods. Didn't seem to slow the Capitals even a little bit. Washington took advantage of two scoring chances in the first 31 minutes and held off the Panthers in the third for a 4-1 victory. Florida came into the game with wins in three consecutive games. Washington had lost three in a row. The two teams meet again Saturday night in Washington. ``The key to the game was they won every loose puck battle,'' coach Pete DeBoer said. ``They were a desperate team: they lost three in a row, had some players out. We've been ..."

Panthers' win streak snapped against Capitals

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November 7

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"Jose Theodore stopped 28 shots, Brian Pothier had a goal and two assists and the Washington Capitals beat the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Friday night to break a three-game losing streak. Brendan Morrison scored twice and Tyler Sloan added a goal for the Capitals (9-3-4) in the opening contest of home-and-home series with the Panthers."

Short-handed Caps end three-game skid

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November 7

Washington Times

"Playing without Alex Ovechkin is one thing, but the Washington Capitals were losing a player a period Friday night. Thanks to a three-point night from Brian Pothier, 28 saves by Jose Theodore and some excellent late work on the penalty kill, the short-handed Caps ended a three-game skid with a 4-1 victory against the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center. "You can't replace Alex Ovechkin, and you can't really replace Mike Green - there's only two guys in the league that do what they do," Pothier said. "We had to play a different style of hockey tonight. We had to play really intelligent hockey. We couldn't give up chances, and our goaltender had to be good. I thought we did all those ..."

Pothier carries Capitals past Panthers

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November 7

Washington Times

"Playing without Alex Ovechkin is one thing, but the Washington Capitals were losing a player a period Friday night. Thanks to a three-point night from Brian Pothier and 28 saves by Jose Theodore, the short-handed Caps ended a three-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory against the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center Ovechkin missed his second game with an upper-body strain, but the Caps lost defensemen Mike Green, Jeff Schultz and Shaone Morrisonn during this contest. Green took only four shifts in the first period before leaving with an undisclosed injury. Schultz went to the dressing after two shifts in the second and also did not return. To make matters worse, Morrisonn was assessed a ..."

Capitals win, lose Green and Schultz

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November 7

Washington Post

"Just when it seemed Washington's injury woes couldn't get any worse, they did. With the team already missing two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin, defensemen Mike Green and Jeff Schultz both went down with injuries Friday night at BankAtlantic Center, where the short-handed Capitals gutted out a 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. Brendan Morrison scored twice, Tyler Sloan and Brian Pothier each tallied once and goaltender José Theodore was occasionally spectacular in making 28 saves to snap Washington's three-game losing streak. But the Capitals' collective health was their biggest concern as the players and coaches headed back home for Saturday night's rematch against Florida at Verizon Center. ..."

Caps forward Bradley using a special helmet to avoid concussions

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November 6

Washington Examiner

"For Capitals forward Matt Bradley, it is simply a matter of substance over style. He knows his new helmet looks different. But if it helps him avoid a concussion that doesn't really matter. He'll take the abuse. Bradley is one of six NHL players who began the season using a Cascade M11 helmet. It is endorsed by NHL Hall-of-Famer Mark Messier, who started a grassroots project to protect hockey players at all levels from debilitating head injuries by using safer equipment. Part of doing that is convincing NHL players to wear it first. So far, six have chosen to do so. Bradley's helmet is definitely different -- "I think he's got a CIA transmitter up there," joked teammate Brendan Morrison. ..."

Ovechkin skates, but Caps focus on mistakes

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November 6

Washington Times

"It certainly looks as if the Washington Capitals will be without Alex Ovechkin for at least two more games, so they're going to have more chances to show they can play well without him. A shot to prove Wednesday's third-period meltdown in New Jersey was an aberration is probably a good thing. "Our game plan going in was 'be patient, don't give up much and capitalize on our chances,' " forward Brendan Morrison said. "In the end, it was the same old story here the past couple of weeks - we shot ourselves in the foot by taking dumb penalties. If you take three penalties in the final 10 minutes of a 1-1 game, you're not going to win those games." Ovechkin returned to practice Thursday - a ..."

Ovechkin is not ready to return

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November 6

Washington Post

"Alex Ovechkin was one of the first Washington Capitals on the ice for practice at BankAtlantic Center and was wearing his full complement of equipment and carrying his stick. It took only a few minutes for the two-time MVP to realize that he's not quite ready to return to the lineup. After tapping a teammate's pass into an empty net, Ovechkin, who was practicing for the first time since suffering a strain near his left shoulder Sunday, jokingly began to celebrate. But he couldn't raise his arms much above his chest, and moments later, he put his stick on the bench. Ovechkin later conceded that he doesn't expect to play in this weekend's back-to-back games against the Florida Panthers, but ..."

Penalties plague Caps in loss

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November 5

Washington Times

"The Washington Capitals are going to struggle to win games without Alex Ovechkin if they continue to end up with more penalties in the offensive zone than goals. New Jersey scored a pair of power-play goals in the final period, and the Devils benefited from another parade to the penalty box by the Caps in a 3-2 victory Wednesday night at Prudential Center. "This has to be on the players," forward Mike Knuble said. "Veteran guys like myself the other day and Brendan [Morrison] tonight and Alex [Semin] - it is not young guys who are letting us down, that's for sure. It is the guys who are supposed to have experience. You have to take ownership of the dumb things you're doing, and you've got ..."

Penalties plague Ovechkin-less Caps

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November 5

Washington Times

"The Washington Capitals are going to struggle to win games without Alex Ovechkin if they continue to end up with more penalties in the offensive zone than goals. New Jersey scored a pair of power-play goals in the final period, and Semyon Varlamov lost a regular-season game in regulation for the first time as the Caps fell 3-2 in their first contest without the two-time MVP at Prudential Center on Wednesday night. Nineteen seconds after Alexander Semin was tagged with his second of three offensive-zone penalties on the evening, New Jersey's Nicklas Bergfors gave the Devils the lead in the third period with a shot from the right faceoff circle. Forty-four seconds after Brendan Morrison went ..."

Without Ovechkin, Capitals come up short against Devils

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November 5

Washington Post

"With Alex Ovechkin sitting in the press box Wednesday instead of buzzing around the Prudential Center ice, the Washington Capitals needed their other top players to fill the void. Instead, they took "dumb" penalties and were conspicuously absent from the score sheet in a 3-2 loss to Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. The Capitals, who have dropped three straight (0-1-2), were assessed four penalties -- including two offensive-zone penalties taken by Alexander Semin and another by Brendan Morrison -- and the Devils struck twice on the ensuing power plays to break open a game that was 1-1 at the start of the third period. Semin, in fact, took three offensive zone penalties. "They're ..."

No star treatment for Ovechkin

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November 4

Columbus Dispatch

"Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock appreciates the rare blend of talent and nastiness that Washington's Alex Ovechkin brings to the game. Not many stars take equal pleasure in scoring goals and throwing big hits. But Hitchcock's admiration did not stop his team from targeting the NHL's two-time most valuable player on the ice. Yesterday, Hitchcock pleaded guilty as charged to accusations made by Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau, who told the Washington Post that the Jackets were attempting to "run" and "hit" Ovechkin every time he touched the puck in Sunday's game. "That would be correct," Hitchcock said. "That's the name of the game. Why, is that against the rules now?" The Capitals winger ..."

Boudreau, Capitals prepare to play without Ovechkin

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November 4

Washington Examiner

"For just the fifth time since 2005, the Capitals will take to the ice without forward Alex Ovechkin. Tuesday morning during a practice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, his teammates took the first step towards learning to play without their star left wing. Ovechkin is listed as "week-to-week" with an upper-body strain suffered during Sunday's 5-4 overtime loss to Columbus. Team officials don't know for sure how long he will be out of the lineup. So Washington's players may have to deal with that uncertainty for some time. Are they up to that challenge? "We're not a one-man show," said Caps defenseman Brian Pothier. "[Ovechkin] brings something to the team that nobody else can bring -- nobody ..."

Caps play on without Ovechkin

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November 4

Washington Times

"With Alex Ovechkin on the mend, the Washington Capitals need several players to increase their production in order to supplement the offense. That doesn't mean there isn't a player in the dressing room capable of carrying the club alone, a la Ovechkin, in the two-time MVP's absence. There is, and he uses the stall right next to Ovechkin's and shares his first name. Ovechkin's recovery time from an upper-body strain presents a prime opportunity for "the other Alex" - Alexander Semin - to prove he can produce consistently and that he is worthy of a long-term contract at season's end. "I welcome [the extra pressure] because that means I will have more tests and probably more ice time," Semin ..."

Caps play on without Ovechkin

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November 4

Washington Times

"With Alex Ovechkin on the mend, the Washington Capitals need several players to increase their production in order to supplement the offense. That doesn't mean there isn't a player in the dressing room capable of carrying the club alone, a la Ovechkin, in the two-time MVP's absence. There is, and he uses the stall right next to Ovechkin's and shares his first name. Ovechkin's recovery time from an upper-body strain presents a prime opportunity for "the other Alex" - Alexander Semin - to prove he can produce consistently and that he is worthy of a long-term contract at season's end. "I welcome [the extra pressure] because that means I will have more tests and probably more ice time," ..."

Ovechkin week-to-week with upper-body strain

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November 3

Washington Times

"Alex Ovechkin has never missed more than two consecutive games in his five-year career, but that certainly looks like a possibility this week. The Washington Capitals announced Monday that Ovechkin is week-to-week with an upper-body strain. He will travel with the team this week and continue to receive treatment, but the Caps don't typically place the week-to-week status on a player unless the injury is serious. Ovechkin spent less than an hour at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on the team's off-day, the morning after leaving Washington's 5-4 overtime loss to Columbus in the second period. "We have to buckle down," Boudreau said of taking the ice without the two-time Hart Trophy winner. "You ..."

Strain puts Ovechkin on shelf

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November 3

Washington Examiner

"Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin will not play in Wednesday night's game at the New Jersey Devils and is listed as "week-to-week" by the team after undergoing an MRI exam on Monday afternoon. According to team officials, Ovechkin suffered an "upper-body strain" during Sunday's loss to Columbus. He will travel with the club to New Jersey and Florida to continue his treatment. Monday was an off day for Washington's players after a busy stretch of four games in six nights. Ovechkin, however, did appear at the organization's Arlington County headquarters to meet with athletic trainer Greg Smith. Ovechkin was hurt in the second period against Columbus -- either during a scrum in front of the Blue ..."

Strain puts Ovechkin on shelf

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November 3

Washington Examiner

"Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin will not play in Wednesday night's game at the New Jersey Devils and is listed as "week-to-week" by the team after undergoing an MRI exam on Monday afternoon. According to team officials, Ovechkin suffered an "upper-body strain" during Sunday's loss to Columbus. He will travel with the club to New Jersey and Florida to continue his treatment. Monday was an off day for Washington's players after a busy stretch of four games in six nights. Ovechkin, however, did appear at the organization's Arlington County headquarters to meet with athletic trainer Greg Smith. Ovechkin was hurt in the second period against Columbus -- either during a scrum in front of the Blue ..."

Busy day for Ovechkin

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November 3

Washington Examiner

"Noon Alex Ovechkin's injury. There will be a story up on our website soon with reaction from Caps coach Bruce Boudreau. Ovechkin, who suffered an "upper-body" injury during Sunday's 5-4 overtime loss to Columbus, is not expected to play Wednesday night against New Jersey. But Boudreau guessed he could return Friday or Saturday. The Caps play the Florida Panthers both nights - on the road Friday and back at Verizon Center on Saturday. The Caps had a day off on Monday and Ovechkin only showed up at Kettler Capitals Iceplex to see athletic trainer Greg Smith. But it was a busy day for Ovechkin off the ice, anyway. Management powerhouse IMG announced it has signed Ovechkin as a client. The ..."

Ovechkin is listed as week to week

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November 3

Washington Post

"One day after suffering an upper-body injury, Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin had his status downgraded to week to week after he was treated by the team's medical staff and underwent an MRI exam. "Ovechkin suffered an upper-body strain in Sunday evening's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and his status is week-to-week," the team announced in a news release late Monday afternoon. Ovechkin, the league leader in goals and points with 14 and 23, respectively, is not expected to play Wednesday in New Jersey. The 24-year-old all-star is, however, going to travel with the Capitals on their upcoming trip while he receives medical treatment. The team has not yet ruled him out of ..."

Ovechkin remains day-to-day; doubtful for Wednesday's game

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November 2

TSN.ca

"Washington Capitals head coach confirmed to TSN on Monday that Alex Ovechkin remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and is doubtful for Wednesday's game against the New Jersey Devils. Appearing on Off the Record with Michael Landsberg, Boudreau said that Ovechkin is "probably more probable for the weekend." Ovechkin left in the second period of Sunday's 5-4 overtime loss to Columbus after getting tangled up with Blue Jackets forward Raffi Torres and falling to the ice. He skated to the bench in pain and didn't return. "I can't tell you how I got hurt," Ovechkin said following the contest. "It's day-to-day.""

Caps lose Ovechkin, game

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November 2

Washington Times

"The main early-season problems - discipline and blown third-period leads - were back Sunday for the Washington Capitals, but a more pressing issue was their hurting superstar. R.J. Umberger finished off a wild 5-4 victory for the Columbus Blue Jackets at Verizon Center by scoring on a power play in overtime to end a game in which Alex Ovechkin left in the second period and did not return. Ovechkin left with what appeared to be an arm/shoulder/chest injury in the second period. Officially, the team is calling it an upper-body injury, and he is day-to-day. "You can say, 'Woe is me, and our best player is out,' or you can say, 'Pull together and get the job done,' " Brooks Laich said. "I ..."

Blue Jackets top Caps in OT, 5-4; Ovechkin injured

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November 2

Washington Examiner

"Around the NHL, top stars are dropping like flies thanks to a rash of injuries. Sunday afternoon, it was the Capitals' turn to experience that dreaded feeling. Star left wing Alex Ovechkin – who leads the NHL in goals (14) and points (23) - left the ice at 13 minutes, 50 seconds of the second period, minutes after a physical confrontation with Columbus forward Jason Chimera. His absence overshadowed a wild, 5-4 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets at Verizon Center. Washington (8-2-4, 20 points) lost leads of both 3-2 and 4-3 in the third period. Columbus forward Raffi Torres scored with an extra attacker on the ice with just 22.4 seconds left to tie the game at 4. R.J. Umberger then added ..."

Caps lose Ovechkin, game

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November 2

Washington Times

"The main early-season problems - discipline and blown third-period leads - were back Sunday for the Washington Capitals, but a more pressing issue was their hurting superstar. R.J. Umberger finished off a wild 5-4 victory for the Columbus Blue Jackets at Verizon Center by scoring on a power play in overtime to end a game in which Alex Ovechkin left in the second period and did not return. Ovechkin left with what appeared to be an arm/shoulder/chest injury in the second period. Officially, the team is calling it an upper-body injury, and he is day-to-day. "You can say, 'Woe is me, and our best player is out,' or you can say, 'Pull together and get the job done,' " Brooks Laich said. "I ..."

Ovechkin is hurt in Caps' OT loss

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November 2

Washington Post

"The Washington Capitals suffered their second straight overtime defeat Sunday, this one a 5-4 decision against the Columbus Blue Jackets. But it was the loss they suffered early in the second period that might prove to be much more significant. Alex Ovechkin was hurt during a scrum and missed the final 33 minutes 50 seconds of the game. Ovechkin said afterward that he had suffered an upper-body injury and that he was day-to-day. The two-time MVP refused to say how the injury occurred or where he was hurting. And when asked if he feared the injury to be serious, he said, "I don't know." Ovechkin did not appear to be in pain when he spoke to reporters in the dressing room wearing a suit. ..."

Capitals' Ovechkin gets another shot at Jackets' Mason

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November 1

Columbus Dispatch

"Alex Ovechkin's inability to score on 18 shots against Steve Mason last season helped the Blue Jackets goaltender win NHL rookie of the year honors. Mason wisely avoided the topic when meeting the Washington Capitals star in June at the NHL awards ceremony in Las Vegas. The two players made small talk, nothing more. "That's the last guy I'm going to talk (smack) about because it will come back to haunt me," Mason said. The goalie and his teammates return to the scene of one of the franchise's proudest moments today to face the Capitals. Mason shut out the Capitals twice last season, stopping 71 total shots, but it was the 3-0 win in Washington on Jan. 9 that ranks among his most memorable ..."

Lofty aspirations for healthy Caps

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November 1

Washington Times

"There is no doubt about the Washington Capitals' ultimate goal this season: It begins and ends with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman handing the Stanley Cup to captain Chris Clark. Along the way, there are other goals for the Caps to cross off their checklist, including capturing a third consecutive Southeast Division title and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. As the season moves into its second month, the Caps have put themselves in position to challenge for the top spot in the East and could make a move in November. "We want to be in that race," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We want to be mentioned with the good teams. That has to be your goal, because you can't set goals that are ..."

Capitals' Fleischmann finds form in a flash

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November 1

Washington Post

"When Tomas Fleischmann returned to the Washington Capitals' lineup Thursday night after missing the preseason and first 11 games, Coach Bruce Boudreau expected him to need "a few games" to readjust to the speed and intensity of an NHL game. It took Fleischmann about five minutes. In his first game back at Atlanta, the 25-year-old winger did not record a point but was around the net all night and put three shots on goal. Then on Friday, Fleischmann was the Capitals' lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal 4-3 overtime loss to the lowly New York Islanders. Fleischmann, who is almost 10 pounds heavier than last season, notched his first two-goal game in more than a year, fired four shots on ..."

Boudreau has quite a story

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November 1

Washington Post

columnist Mike Wise

"The day of his first signing, Bruce Boudreau is already learning today's unfortunate truth about pushing books -- and newspapers, for that matter: Our crawl-line culture is so averse to spending time with the printed word that we end up glomming onto the most titillating item while sailing straight past the journey. Even before 400 copies of "Gabby: Confessions of a Hockey Lifer," sold quickly at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Saturday afternoon, as the long autograph line for the Capitals coach and his co-author, Tim Leone, snaked inside the team's practice facility, the buzz wasn't about the incredible tale of how a career minor leaguer ended up coaching the game's most breathtaking player ..."

Islanders sink Caps 4-3 in OT

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October 31

Washington Times

"Mark Streit converted John Tavares' beautiful centering pass, and the New York Islanders beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 in overtime Friday night at Verizon Center. Tavares had several chances to put up points in the game, and even slammed his stick in frustration at one point, but the first pick in the 2009 draft made the key play, outworking Nicklas Backstrom and Shaone Morrisonn behind the net and feeding Streit 53 seconds into the extra session. Alex Ovechkin gave the Caps a 1-0 lead 4:41 into the first period. Washington had a four-minute power play after New York's Kyle Okposo was tagged with a double minor for high sticking, and Ovechkin's blast from the top of the offensive zone ..."

Tavares breaks through in OT to halt Caps' streak

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October 31

Washington Times

"John Tavares hit two posts, was robbed on a one-timer and thought for sure he had an assist on a beautiful backhand pass. Through 60 minutes, the latest "Next One" was one of the best players on the ice but couldn't crack the score sheet. No worries; Tavares kept working and delivered an upset for the upstart New York Islanders in overtime. Tavares hit Mark Streit with a beautiful centering pass as the Islanders defeated the Washington Capitals 4-3 on Friday night at Verizon Center. "Good players make the plays," Caps center Brendan Morrison said. "He's a young kid, but you can tell he's highly skilled. He's going to be a good player in this league." The first pick in June's draft had ..."

Mistakes cost Capitals against lowly Islanders

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October 31

Washington Post

"For the better part of two weeks, the Washington Capitals had been eking out wins over opponents they should have beaten convincingly. On Friday night, it caught up to them on home ice against one of the league's worst clubs. The Capitals surrendered a one-goal lead late in the second period, then defenseman Mark Streit of the New York Islanders hammered a shot past goaltender José Theodore 53 seconds into overtime to hand the Capitals a humbling, miscue-riddled 4-3 defeat. The victory was only the Islanders' third of the season and it halted Washington's six-game wining streak, stunning a capacity crowd at Verizon Center. "A lot of these games we've escaped," veteran center Brendan ..."

Isles Capital-ize quickly in overtime

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October 31

New York Post

"The Islanders have quickly become experts at playing overtime. Last night, they became the first NHL team to play seven overtime games before Nov. 1. In their first six, they had just one win. Thanks to Mark Streit's goal 53 seconds into the extra period, the Islanders had their second overtime win and their third overall victory -- 4-3 over the Capitals. It was the second straight win for New York. The Islanders also ended the Capitals' winning streak at six. "We were right on the cusp of getting some wins," Isles coach Scott Gordon said. "A lot of things have been coming together." One of those things was Streit's goal. He beat Washington goalie Jose Theodore from about 10 feet for his ..."

Islanders snap Capitals winning streak

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October 31

New York Daily News

"Mark Streit scored 53 seconds into overtime to give the Islanders a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Friday night. It was the second straight win for the Isles and third of the season. The Islanders also ended the Capitals winning streak at six. Streit beat goalie Jose Theodore from about 10 feet for his second goal of the season. Seven of New York's games have gone to overtime this season. Washington lost despite dominating the action. The Capitals outshot the Islanders 40-30 and failed to convert numerous third-period scoring chances. The Capitals opened the scoring on Alex Ovechkin's NHL-high 14th goal of the season. It came late in a 4-minute high-sticking penalty on ..."

Ovechkin nets pair as Caps hold on against Thrashers

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October 30

Washington Times

"The Atlanta Thrashers clearly missed their top Russian player, and they saw more than they cared to of the Washington Capitals' guys from that country. Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist, and Semyon Varlamov made 38 saves to lead the Caps past the Ilya Kovalchuk-less Thrashers 4-3 at Philips Arena on Thursday night. For about the first 35 minutes, Washington dominated and appeared to be en route to a laugher. But in a turn of events that has been a theme this season, the Caps let up and ended up having to sweat out the final minutes of their sixth straight victory. "I thought with about seven minutes to go in the second period we thought this was going to be easy," Caps coach Bruce ..."

Early jump extends Capitals' streak

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October 30

Washington Post

"The Washington Capitals won their sixth game in a row and earned two points on the road against a Southeast Division opponent Thursday night. But you wouldn't have known it after seeing the scowl on Coach Bruce Boudreau's face as he emerged from the visitors' dressing room at Philips Arena, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Boudreau had just watched his team build a three-goal lead against the Atlanta Thrashers, let up late in the second period, then hang on for a frantic 4-3 victory that got much too close for comfort in the waning moments. Although the Capitals' effort was good enough to beat the Ilya Kovalchuk-less Thrashers, Boudreau knows it probably wouldn't have been good enough ..."

Ovechkin too much for Thrashers' third-period flurry

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October 30

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Yes, Alexander Ovechkin is that good. The Washington forward scored two first-period goals to lead the Capitals to a 4-3 victory over the Thrashers on Thursday at Philips Arena. Ovechkin, the NHL's leading goal scorer this season, just might be on track for his third straight MVP award. He scored his 12th and 13th goals to put the Capitals ahead to stay. "You can see he can score two goals every single game," Thrashers goaltender Ondrej Pavelec said of Ovechkin. "It's very hard to play against him. Every time he's on the ice, he's a danger. Well, a little bit more." Ovechkin also assisted on the Capitals' third goal, a power-play tally by Brendan Morrison in the second period. Mike Knuble ..."

Capitals' Laing diagnosed with swine flu

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October 29

Washington Times

"Swine flu is seeping into NHL locker rooms, and the Washington Capitals are now on the list of the teams dealing with the virus. Forward Quintin Laing was sent home before the team's morning skate Tuesday, and a team spokesman revealed Wednesday that Laing has been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus. "He's currently at home being treated and is isolated," team spokesman Nate Ewell said. "No one else on the team is currently showing any symptoms. The proper terminology is that he was diagnosed but not tested. He was tested for the seasonal flu. That turned up negative, but he was showing symptoms for H1N1, so he's being treated as such." Laing was not tested for swine flu, but Ewell said that is ..."

A storied rise to the NHL for Caps' Boudreau

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October 29

Washington Times

"There are plenty of what-ifs and unforeseen twists in any hockey coach's life. Considering the odyssey Bruce Boudreau traveled to reach the Washington Capitals, he probably had more than most. Still, it is crazy to think there was an afternoon in the summer of 2005 when fate (or, more specifically, Anaheim general manger Brian Burke) could have intervened and Boudreau might never have coached the Hershey Bears or eventually the Caps. Before offering the Hershey job to Boudreau, Washington general manager George McPhee asked him not to answer the phone for 24 hours - he knew Boudreau was a candidate for Portland's coaching vacancy. As Boudreau remembers in "Gabby: Confessions of a Hockey ..."

Caps' Laing has swine flu

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October 29

Washington Post

"Washington Capitals left wing Quintin Laing has received a diagnosis of H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, a team official confirmed Wednesday. Laing, who was sent home upon arriving at the team's Arlington practice facility Tuesday morning and missed his first game of the season that night, is taking anti-virus drug Tamiflu and resting, a team spokesman said. He is being kept isolated from his wife and two infant sons and won't return to the team until he is symptom-free in an effort to prevent the spread of the flu, which has become a concern nationally for sports leagues in both the amateur and professional ranks. Laing is believed to be the fourth NHL player with the virus. ..."

Caps dealing with Swine Flu

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October 28

Washington Examiner

"Caps forward Quintin Laing has been diagnosed with swine flu, according to team officials. Laing was sent home from Tuesday's morning skate and did not play against Philadelphia last night. He will not travel with the team to Atlanta for Thursday night's game and is being isolated from his wife, Aimee, and his two young boys. Laing was tested for the seasonal flu and that turned out negative. But because he still showed three of the four most common symptoms doctors consider him positive for the H1N1 virus. Laing will stay away from the team until he's deemed symptom free. He is at least the third NHL player so diagnosed, according to Caps officials. Laing just can't catch a break. The ..."

Backstrom's efforts erase Capitals' two-goal deficit

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October 28

Washington Times

"The Washington Capitals didn't see a two-goal deficit in their first nine games, but they have in each of the past two. It has been just the right situation for them to flourish. Nicklas Backstrom shrugged off a recent slump with a four-point night, and Jose Theodore counted a third-period stop on a penalty shot among his 41 saves in a 4-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night at Verizon Center. "The first two periods [we] were down 2-0 and didn't play good at all," Backstrom said. "After [not scoring] on the five-on-three, we got a little angry and a little pissed off. It was good for us and good for our line especially." Alexander Semin had missed the previous two ..."

Theodore, Caps defeat Flyers

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October 28

Washington Examiner

"For the second game in a row, the Capitals trailed by two goals and fought back for a victory. That's not the blueprint for coach Bruce Boudreau - at all. But he'll take it. Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Semin - reunited together on the top line - each scored a goal and combined for nine points as Washington rallied for a 4-2 victory at Verizon Center on Tuesday night. It was just another fun chapter in what has become one of the NHL's most entertaining rivalries. "It was very competitive," Boudreau said. "When they outworked us they had a 2-0 lead. I thought the last half of the second [period] we outworked them. We tied it up and got a lucky goal in the third and hung on. But ..."

Backstrom's efforts erase Capitals' two-goal deficit

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October 28

Washington Times

"The Washington Capitals didn't see a two-goal deficit in their first nine games, but they have in each of the past two. It has been just the right situation for them to flourish. Nicklas Backstrom shrugged off a recent slump with a four-point night, and Jose Theodore counted a third-period stop on a penalty shot among his 41 saves in a 4-2 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night at Verizon Center. "The first two periods [we] were down 2-0 and didn't play good at all," Backstrom said. "After [not scoring] on the five-on-three, we got a little angry and a little pissed off. It was good for us and good for our line especially." Alexander Semin had missed the previous two ..."

Capitals' top line puts it together in comeback

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October 28

Washington Post

"Ray Emery knelt on the ice, bowed his head and slumped his shoulders after Alexander Semin's wrist shot beat him over the blocker pad. It's almost as if the Philadelphia Flyers' goalie had just realized there's little the opposition can do when the Washington Capitals put it all together like they did in the third period Tuesday night at Verizon Center. Semin scored the go-ahead goal early in the third, goaltender José Theodore stopped all 20 shots he faced in the period and Alex Ovechkin scored his second goal of the night into an empty net to clinch the Capitals' fifth straight victory, 4-2, before a sellout crowd. "That was two teams that really wanted to win," Coach Bruce Boudreau ..."

Capitals rally to beat Flyers

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October 28

Philadelphia Daily News

"The optimist looks at last night's game, applauds the effort and says the Flyers deserved better after outplaying Washington for all but 10 minutes.The pessimist looks at the game and harps on the breakdowns, the blowing of a two-goal lead and wonders how the Flyers could lose sight of the league's most lethal scorer in Alex Ovechkin with the game on the line.The realist looks at the 4-2 loss to the Capitals at the hostile Verizon Center, considers it two points squandered, and says it's still October.It was the Flyers' first regulation loss in Washington since 2007."I'm happy with the effort but we can't be satisfied with what's going on," Flyers coach John Stevens said. "We're not ..."

More late goals sink Flyers against Caps

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October 28

Philadelphia Inquirer

"On a night when they lost on a bizarre goal that deflected off a bewildered defenseman, the Flyers continued a disturbing trend.They failed to score when they were at even strength, allowed two late goals in a period, and dropped a 4-2 decision to the Washington Capitals last night at the Verizon Center.Alexander Semin, who had missed the two previous games because of the flu, snapped a 2-2 tie by firing a shot that caromed off defenseman Kimmo Timonen's knee and changed direction. The puck went into the upper left corner past startled goalie Ray Emery with 14 minutes, 36 seconds left."I don't know what I should do or what I'm doing wrong, but every time something bad happens, I'm on the ..."

Ovechkin and Caps beat Flyers

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October 28

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers blew a 2-0 lead, failed to connect on a penalty shot and dropped a 4-2 decision to the Washington Capitals tonight at the Verizon Center. Alexander Semin, who missed the previous two games with the flu, snapped a 2-2 tie with 14 minutes, 36 seconds left to spark the Caps. Goalie Jose Theodore made a pad save on Darroll Powe's penalty shot with 13:13 remaining, protecting a 3-2 lead. That made the Flyers 18 for 42 in regular-season penalty shots in the franchise's history. Coincidentally, the Flyers' last penalty-shot goal was scored by Powe, who connected April 4 in Ottawa. Alex Ovechkin scored his second goal of the game, an empty-netter with 46 seconds left, to seal it. Jeff ..."

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