Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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November 20

Washington Times

""Hershey Corner," as Jay Beagle affectionately dubbed it, is the fastest-growing community in the Washington Capitals' dressing room. John Carlson, a 2008 first-round pick and one of the organization's prized prospects, joined the Caps on Thursday and is likely to make his NHL debut Friday against the Montreal Canadiens. Carlson's stall at Kettler Capitals Iceplex is next to Mathieu Perreault's, and his is beside Michal Neuvirth's. Three lockers to Carlson's right is where Beagle calls home. All four of them began the year with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League but have been called up because the Caps are besieged by injuries. "It is kind of nice to be sharing the experience ..."

Status of Capitals' Theodore remains unclear

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November 20

Washington Times

"Jose Theodore practiced with the Washington Capitals for the second straight day Thursday, but when he will return to game action remains to be determined. Theodore left the team after Monday's practice in Newark, N.J., and did not dress for Tuesday's game against the New York Rangers because of a personal matter in Arlington. General manager George McPhee said Wednesday that Theodore might miss this weekend's games, but no further timeline was revealed a day later. "Something personal happened that I had to attend to in D.C., so I came back here," Theodore said. "From there, I am just trying to get the focus back and working hard." Theodore's infant son died this summer from complications ..."

Carlson hopes to prove he's up where he belongs

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November 20

Washington Post

"John Carlson had no idea they were talking about him, but as the Washington Capitals' 2008 first-round draft pick was doing shooting drills following Thursday's practice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, assistant coach Bob Woods and forward Tyler Sloan stood behind the action, discussing the team's newest member. They wondered out loud: Will Carlson, a 19-year-old defenseman with just 33 professional games under his belt, be able to hold his own when he makes his NHL debut Friday at Verizon Center against the Montreal Canadiens? "It's always interesting when you see guys get their first taste and see how they react to a situation because some guys, they look like deer in the headlights," Woods ..."

Caps coach Boudreau races to the century mark in victories

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November 19

Washington Examiner

"No one had any idea what to expect when Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach of the Capitals almost exactly two years ago. All general manager George McPhee knew was that he couldn't stick with then-coach Glen Hanlon as his promising team went into a free-fall. All Boudreau knew was that he was going to coach the team his way or fail trying. That first game -- a win at Philadelphia the day after Thanksgiving -- was the beginning of a brilliant stretch of hockey. Boudreau took the Caps from the worst record in the Eastern Conference to a Stanley Cup playoff spot that season -- the team's first in five years. Tuesday night in New York, Boudreau earned his 100th career NHL victory. It's a ..."

Morrison paying big dividends for Capitals

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November 19

Washington Times

"When the season began, Brendan Morrison was slotted as the Washington Capitals' No. 2 center, but coach Bruce Boudreau needed some time to warm up to his new pivot. In about one-quarter of the season after signing with the Caps as a free agent, the 34-year-old Morrison has become one of the team's most valuable players. His ice time has continued to rise as he gains more responsibility, and he's producing at levels unseen since his best years in Vancouver. "When we were talking about him this summer, I know we've always liked him as a player," general manager George McPhee said. "The question this summer was, 'Is he done as a player? Has Father Time caught up with him, or have the injuries ..."

Laing, Bradley show Caps' toughness in 4-2 victory

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November 18

Washington Examiner

"Matt Bradley skated to the dressing room with blood streaming down his face. No surprise there. It seems to happen every time the veteran forward gets into a fight. Capitals forward Brooks Laich clomped back down the corridor at Madison Square Garden to make sure his teammate was okay. Finding out Bradley was fine – "A few stitches so no big deal. Seems my skin is pretty paperish," Bradley joked. Laich foresaw a game-winner from Washington's unsung winger. Somehow, that off-the-wall prediction came true. In the third period, Bradley stripped New York defenseman Wade Redden of the puck, beat rookie defenseman Matt Gilroy up ice and flipped a shot over goalie Henrik Lundqvist with 4 minutes, ..."

Caps, Ovechkin too much for Rangers

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November 18

Bergen Record

"It wasn't so much Alex Ovechkin's offense that kept the Rangers from their first winning streak in over a month. It was their lack of opportunities. Not even the Rangers' typically strong third period could overcome tying their season low for shots. Ovechkin scored a power-play goal as he returned to the lineup after a six-game absence and the Capitals beat the Rangers, 4-2, Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers (11-9-1) have not won consecutive games since Oct. 14-17, which came at the end of a seven-game winning streak. Matt Bradley, who needed stitches after a first-period fight with Aaron Voros, scored the winner at 15:09 of the third period for the Capitals (13-4-4) off ..."

In Ovechkin's Return, a Teammate Is Key

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November 18

New York Times

"The Rangers got another taste of how good the Russian Olympic team may be Tuesday night when Alexander Ovechkin burned them for a goal and was instrumental in setting up another in Washington's 4-2 victory at Madison Square Garden. It was Ovechkin's first game back after missing six because of injury. Last Thursday, Atlanta's Russian star Ilya Kovalchuk also returned from a six-game injury absence and had a goal and two assists in a victory over New York. "Unbelievable - I waited for this day a long time, two weeks, so I'm happy to come back," Ovechkin said. The Rangers, of course, have Olympians of their own. Marian Gaborik, who will lead Slovakia into the Vancouver Games, scored two ..."

Ovechkin returns, Bradley shines

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November 18

Washington Post

"For one night, at least, Matt Bradley stole the spotlight from Alex Ovechkin. Bradley got into a momentum-turning fight midway through the first period, then scored the go-ahead goal with 4 minutes 51 seconds remaining to lift the Washington Capitals to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Ovechkin also tallied on Tuesday in his anticipated return from a six-game absence with an injury, but it was Bradley's clutch, Ovechkin-like goal that everyone was toasting in the visitors' dressing room at Madison Square Garden afterward. "Bradley was our MVP of the night," said defenseman Brian Pothier, whose empty-net goal with 17 seconds left clinched the win. "His fight changed the momentum of ..."

Rangers roughed up as offense fizzles

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November 18

New York Post

"It has been more than a month since the Rangers have been able to win back-to-back games. It only seems that long since they scored more than two goals in a game or the power play operated with a flourish. The score of last night's match at the Garden was 4-2 Washington, with the Blueshirts failing to chin up to the three-goal bar for the seventh time in the last nine games, the first five of which were played before Chris Drury and Brandon Dubinsky were hurt in Calgary. So injuries are no excuse. Indeed, these injuries have only exposed the Rangers' lack of depth up front, for let's be honest, neither Drury (two goals) nor Dubinsky (three) was exactly lighting it up. Without them on the ..."

Ovechkin gives Caps a boost in return

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November 18

Washington Times

"Matt Bradley was battered and bloodied, but Brooks Laich knew he would earn vengeance. Bradley had the game-winner late in the third period Tuesday night after leaving in the first with a cut above his left eye from a fight, and the Washington Capitals celebrated the return of Alex Ovechkin with a 4-2 victory against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. "I went and saw him [during [JUMP]the first intermission] because I thought he was hurt, but he said he was going to continue to play," Brooks Laich said. "I told him, 'The hockey gods are on your side tonight. You're going to score a goal.' " Added Caps coach Bruce Boudreau: "That's what he's got - he's got oodles of character. ..."

Ovechkin appears set to return

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November 17

Washington Examiner

"He was gone for six games with an upper-body injury. But take a look at the NHL leaderboard and Alex Ovechkin's name still sits atop the goals scored category. That's how good a start the 24-year-old left wing had in October. That's what the Caps hope they're getting back tonight when they face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. Ovechkin participated in his first full practice since the injury on Monday morning at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, where Washington lost to the Devils on Saturday night, 5-2. He wore his familiar red practice jersey -- the one that allows him to take part in contact drills -- and skated on the top line with teammates Nicklas ..."

Ovechkin set to return to action

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November 17

Washington Times

"On Tuesday night, the Washington Capitals will play on national television and in "The World's Most Famous Arena." The Capitals' meeting with the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden has one more thing going for it: the return from injury of the two-time defending league MVP. Alex Ovechkin practiced Monday with the Caps at the smaller rink inside the New Jersey Devils' Prudential Center, and barring a setback he will be on the ice against the Rangers. "As of today, he is [playing]," coach Bruce Boudreau said of his franchise player. "I think he's fine, but I haven't gotten the 100 percent word. But he practiced today, and there is a good probability that will happen." Ovechkin was ..."

Ovechkin expected to play Tuesday

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November 17

Washington Post

"The NHL's most electrifying player is set to make his anticipated return in a most fitting place: under Broadway's bright lights. Alex Ovechkin wore his familiar red jersey during practice Monday morning, the surest sign yet that the two-time MVP, who is tied for the league lead in goals with 14, is ready to return to the Washington Capitals' lineup after being sidelined for six games. "As of today he is," Boudreau said when asked if Ovechkin would play Tuesday at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers. "I think he's fine. "He practiced today [so] there's a good probability of it happening." Ovechkin was similarly noncommittal when asked about his playing status, saying: "I ..."

Ovi eyeing return?

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November 16

Washington Examiner

"The Caps remained in the New York City metro area this weekend after Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Devils in Newark. They take on the Rangers at Madison Square Garden tomorrow night and held practice this morning across the river at Prudential Center. The big news? Forward Alex Ovechkin was wearing his red - i.e. contact - practice jersey. So is he playing for the first time since Nov. 1? "We'll see tomorrow," Ovechkin told reporters in New Jersey on Monday. "I feel good, excited. Again, we'll see tomorrow how I'm going to feel." Ovechkin was on the top line with center Nicklas Backstrom and right wing Chris Clark - who replaced the injured Mike Knuble, out three-to-four weeks with a broken ..."

Devils score five unanswered goals to down Caps

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November 15

Washington Times

"The Washington Capitals have proved they can win games without Alex Ovechkin, but they haven't shown they can beat the New Jersey Devils with or without him. Five straight goals by the Devils nullified a fast start for Washington, and the Caps were soundly defeated for the first time this season in a 5-2 loss Saturday night at Prudential Center. It was their third loss in as many tries against the Devils. On Friday night the Minnesota Wild were a tired bunch, but Josh Harding kept his team close with some great goaltending. The Caps, playing their second game in as many nights, did not receive such an effort from Jose Theodore. The Caps' veteran netminder yielded five goals on the first 18 ..."

Devils score five unanswered goals to down Caps

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November 15

Washington Times

"The Washington Capitals have proved they can win games without Alex Ovechkin, but they haven't shown they can beat the New Jersey Devils with or without him. Five straight goals by the Devils nullified a fast start for Washington, and the Caps were soundly defeated for the first time this season in a 5-2 loss Saturday night at Prudential Center. It was their third loss in as many tries against the Devils. On Friday night the Minnesota Wild were a tired bunch, but Josh Harding kept his team close with some great goaltending. The Caps, playing their second game in as many nights, did not receive such an effort from Jose Theodore. The Caps' veteran netminder yielded five goals on the first 18 ..."

Devils continue dominance against Capitals

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November 15

Washington Times

"The Washington Capitals have proved they can win games without Alex Ovechkin, but they haven't shown they can best the New Jersey Devils with or without him. Five straight goals by the Devils nullified a fast start for Washington, and the Caps were soundly defeated for the first time this season in a 5-2 loss Saturday night at Prudential Center. New Jersey is now 3-0 against Washington this season. "We're disappointed - these guys had already beaten us twice, and we wanted to come in here and make a statement, but it didn't happen," Brendan Morrison said. "It is not a good feeling." On Friday night the Minnesota Wild were a tired bunch, but Josh Harding kept his team close with great ..."

First-line winger is expected to miss three to four weeks

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November 15

Washington Post

"The Washington Capitals knew they were going to need scoring from everywhere in order to withstand a week or two without Alex Ovechkin, and on Friday night they got more of it. Defensemen Mike Green and Brian Pothier scored the first two goals, and goaltender Semyon Varlamov bounced back from a bad goal to lift the Capitals to a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild at Verizon Center. The win was the Capitals' fourth in a row and gave them a two-point lead in the Eastern Conference over the New Jersey Devils, their opponent Saturday. But the win came with a high cost: First-line right wing Mike Knuble broke a finger and will require surgery. The injury appeared to be to his left hand. A ..."

Theodore, Caps fail to slow down streaking Devils

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November 15

Washington Post

"With Alex Ovechkin and Mike Knuble sidelined, the Washington Capitals needed a near-perfect performance Saturday night to beat the red-hot New Jersey Devils. The effort, however, was far from textbook. They scored the game's first two goals less than a minute apart early in the first period. But the disciplined Devils exploited the Capitals' penchant for penalties and turnovers and a sub-par showing from goaltender José Theodore to rip off five consecutive goals in a thorough 5-2 victory at Prudential Center. "We needed to play a real sound defensive game with almost no turnovers, and we weren't able to do that," defenseman Brian Pothier said. They had a lot of three-on-twos tonight. ..."

Devils Add to Surge by Winning 8th in a Row

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November 15

New York Times

"The Devils tend to do things quietly, and their latest rise to the top of the Eastern Conference is no exception. They had a slow start to the season, with two losses, then surged to success while everyone was looking the other way. That is also how their game went Saturday night in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. The Devils fell behind, 2-0, on goals 47 seconds apart in the game's first 5 minutes 2 seconds, but surged back to win their eighth straight game and boost their record to 14-4. "I think we expect to be successful," said Jamie Langenbrunner, the Devils' captain, whose power-play goal 5:44 into the second period tied the score at 2-2. "It doesn't matter what happens ..."

Capitals dominate the Wild, 3-1

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November 14

Washington Examiner

"The late lead held this time in a game the Capitals dominated for the final 40 minutes. Two defensemen scored, rookie goalie Semyon Varlamov shook off a soft goal to stop the other 29 shots he faced and Brooks Laich sealed the win with an empty-netter in the final minute. It all added up to a satisfying 3-1 win for Washington over the Minnesota Wild on Friday night at Verizon Center. The two points did come at a cost, however. Forward Mike Knuble will miss three-to-four weeks with a broken finger suffered in the first period. The Caps (12-3-4, 28 points) moved back into first place in the Eastern Conference. Afterwards, they immediately jumped on a plane for the short flight to Newark ..."

Josh Harding raises his stature in Minnesota Wild's loss

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November 14

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Josh Harding had something to prove. He did just that. Goalies like to talk about playing with amnesia, forgetting about what happened previously. But Harding, who had appeared in three games this season and had a 4.73 goals-against average and .761 save percentage, knew that after two poor starts he needed a good one. Stopping 38 of 40 shots by the powerful Washington Capitals on Friday night was the No. 1 reason the Wild stayed within a goal until an empty-netter made the final score 3-1 in Minnesota's loss. "Josh, I thought, was tremendous in the nets," Wild coach Todd Richards said. "That's what you want from your goalie. It's nice to see him off of his two previous games that he ..."

Road-weary Wild can't keep up with Washington

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November 14

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"The Wild finally wore out Friday night. Credit the play of the Washington Capitals, one of the premium teams in the NHL, but also credit the fact that it was Minnesota's third game in four nights on the road. Only a stout performance by Wild goaltender Josh Harding prevented the Capitals from running away with this one. In the end, the Caps needed an empty-net goal in the final minute to secure a two-goal margin in a 3-1 triumph in front of 18,277 at the Verizon Center. "I'm pretty sure we gave it all we had," said Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck, who scored his team's only goal and had several other chances. "I don't think we held anything back; I think the guys in here are pretty ..."

Offense from defensemen lifts Caps past Minnesota Wild, 3-1

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November 14

Washington Times

"Goals by a pair of defensemen for the first time this season helped the Washington Capitals survive a valiant effort from Minnesota goaltender Josh Harding and secure a 3-1 victory Friday night against the Wild at Verizon Center. Brian Pothier gave the Caps the lead two minutes into the third period. He took a drop pass from Mathieu Perreault and snapped a shot into the top-right corner for his second of the season. Perreault continues to play well in his first taste of NHL action. He has a goal and four points in five games and is a plus-5. Eric Fehr, who earned a secondary assist on the play and helped create a screen near the crease, has a point in each of his three games since ..."

Defensemen carry offense in Caps' win

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November 14

Washington Times

"Minnesota goaltender Josh Harding tried his best to carry his tired club to an upset Friday night. But the shots kept coming, and eventually the Washington Capitals, rested and rolling despite not having Alex Ovechkin, squeezed out just enough offense to secure their fourth straight victory. Getting goals from a pair of defensemen for the first time this season, the Caps survived a valiant effort by Harding for a 3-1 victory at Verizon Center. Washington moved back atop the Eastern Conference with 28 points - two more than the Caps' foe Saturday night, the New Jersey Devils. "[Minnesota] played [Thursday] night, so we knew that if we could hang on for the first 10 minutes that it would ..."

Capitals top Wild but lose Knuble

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November 14

Washington Post

"The Washington Capitals knew they were going to need scoring from everywhere in order to withstand a week or two without Alex Ovechkin, and on Friday night they got more of it. Defensemen Mike Green and Brian Pothier scored the first two goals, and goaltender Semyon Varlamov bounced back from a bad goal to lift the Capitals to a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild at Verizon Center. The win was the Capitals' fourth in a row and gave them a two-point lead in the Eastern Conference over the New Jersey Devils, their opponent Saturday. But the win came with a high cost: First-line right wing Mike Knuble broke a finger and will require surgery. The injury appeared to be to his left hand. A team ..."

Ovechkin is 'getting closer' to his return

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November 13

Washington Post

"While Alex Ovechkin still can't say exactly when he'll return to the Washington Capitals' lineup, this much is no longer up for debate: The franchise winger will be back soon. Ovechkin practiced with his teammates Thursday for the first time since suffering a left shoulder strain on Nov. 1 and did not look encumbered at all by the injury. He raced up and down the ice, swinging his arms comfortably and carrying his stick in his left hand. He effortlessly zipped passes across the ice to teammates in drills. And, most important, Ovechkin fully wound up on slap shots, sending pucks pinging off goal posts and crackling off the glass behind the net. "Today was the first day that I could really ..."

Cap space opens if Nylander's gone

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November 12

Washington Examiner

"With the expected subtraction of forward Michael Nylander's $4.875 million salary-cap hit, the Capitals will have a little bit of money to get by the rest of this season under the NHL's $56.8 million limit. Washington entered the season about $75,000 or so under the ceiling. That effectively handcuffs general manager George McPhee's ability to improve his club later in the year. With Nylander gone, however, wiggle room opens up. A healthy 23-man roster would put Washington about $4.2 million below the cap ceiling at this point in the season. That won't get you a star player, but at the very least the Caps could add a quality defenseman as teams fall out of the playoff chase and dump ..."

Caps edge Islanders in shootout, 5-4

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November 12

Washington Examiner

"Again, they faltered after a fast start. Again, late penalties cost them a lead in the third period. Less than seven minutes into the game, starting goalie Jose Theodore was sitting on the bench, his night done before it ever really started. All the discouraging trends that have hampered the Capitals early this season were on display Wednesday night at Verizon Center. Yet they still found a way to win. They almost always do these days. Chris Clark scored in the 11th round of the shootout and rookie goalie Semyon Varlamov made the game-ending save as Washington managed a 5-4 victory over the New York Islanders. So despite the sloppy first period - "I still have no idea what happened in that ..."

Islanders lose in 11th round of shootout

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November 12

New York Post

"The Islanders didn't have to face Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals top scorer, but it didn't matter, because Washington keeps finding different ways to win. Chris Clark scored the deciding goal in the 11th round of the shootout, and backup goalie Semyon Varlamov came on in relief and carried the Capitals to a 5-4 comeback victory over the Islanders last night. "Alex is the best player in the league, and he's going to get the ice time that he deserves," Clark said. "But if he goes down, there's a lot of ice time to share. So I think the guys are definitely putting the effort in and showing that they can do it when you give them a chance." Ovechkin has missed four games because of an upper body ..."

Capitals beat Islanders in 11-round shootout

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November 12

Boston Herald

"Chris Clark scored the deciding goal in the 11th round of the shootout, and backup goalie Semyon Varlamov came on in relief and carried the Capitals to a 5-4 comeback victory against the New York Islanders last night in Washington. Alexander Semin scored two regulation goals and one in the second round of the shootout for the Capitals, who played their fourth straight game without top scorer Alex Ovechkin (upper body strain). Semin gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead just eight seconds in, but the Islanders ended starting goalie Jose Theodore's night with three quick goals. New York scored three times on five shots against Theodore. Varlamov stopped 24-of-25 shots and then sealed the win by ..."

Clark lifts Capitals to shootout victory

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November 12

Washington Times

"Captain Chris Clark scored in the 11th round of the shootout -- after Semyon Varlamov made eight consecutive game-prolonging saves -- to help the Washington Capitals shrug off late penalty trouble in a 5-4 victory against the New York Islanders at Verizon Center on Wednesday night. Trent Hunter sent the game to overtime with a power-play goal from the right circle with 2:08 left in the final period. This was only Hunter's third game of the season and first since Oct. 8 because of a chest injury. Alexander Semin put the Caps on the board first with a rocket from the top of the right circle eight seconds after the opening faceoff. It tied Gaetan Duchesne's goal on March 14, 1987 for the ..."

Capitals capture 11th-round knockout

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November 12

Washington Post

"With each passing day, Alex Ovechkin gets closer to rejoining the Washington Capitals' lineup. His teammates, however, seem to be doing just fine without him at the moment. Alexander Semin scored twice in regulation and again in penalty shots, and Chris Clark netted the shootout winner to lift the Capitals to a third straight win, 5-4, over the New York Islanders at Verizon Center. Clark's wrist shot past Dwayne Roloson ended an epic, 11-round shootout and provided a fitting conclusion to a game that began with the Capitals trailing, 3-1, before the seven-minute mark of the first period and starting goaltender José Theodore heading to the bench. "Even when we were down, I never thought ..."

Better living through chemistry for Capitals

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November 11

Washington Times

"Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison were the two significant offseason additions for the Washington Capitals, and to this point their offensive production has met - and maybe even exceeded - expectations. Knuble is on pace for 68 points (which would be a career high) and leads the team with a plus-12 rating, while Morrison actually has one more goal (six) than his former teammate at Michigan and has made last year's 31-point effort look like an anomaly in an otherwise successful career. They have made the Caps deeper and more formidable on offense - but that's only a portion of why they have been such valuable additions. Knuble and Morrison have proved to be just as important commodities off ..."

Perreault makes a splash

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November 11

Washington Post

"The moment the puck sneaked between the goalie's pads, the diminutive Washington Capitals prospect dropped to one knee and did a two-armed fist pump, lifting his stick high in the air. "I blacked out," Mathieu Perreault joked about his first NHL goal celebration during last Saturday's 7-4 win over the Florida Panthers. "I never did that before." It was exuberant and conspicuous -- just like Perreault's play since joining the Capitals last week. In three games since being recalled from the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears as an injury replacement, he's amassed a goal, two assists and a plus-minus rating of plus three, despite receiving only modest ice time on the fourth line. "He's ..."

Forward Nylander clears waivers

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November 10

Washington Examiner

"Capitals forward Michael Nylander cleared NHL waivers on Monday, moving one step closer to leaving the team for good. Nylander still must approve any move -- either a loan to a team in Europe, a trade to another NHL team or an assignment to AHL Hershey. But if he agrees, then he no longer would count against Washington's salary cap, which stands at $56.7 million for NHL teams this season. Nylander, 37, has not played a game for the Caps since last year's playoffs, yet his cap hit of $4.875 million is third highest on the team. "Some decisions have been made," said Caps general manager George McPhee. "There are just some things that are going on. I'd rather see what develops with that and ..."

Wizards, Caps among sports' best bargains

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November 10

Washington Times

"The District is home to two of the best bargains in professional sports, according to recent surveys of prices on tickets and merchandise. The Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards are among the least-expensive teams for fans of the NHL and NBA with ticket prices well below the league average even as the popularity of both teams has increased in recent years, according to Chicago-based Team Marketing Report. TMR, which collected pricing data for its annual "Fan Cost Index" surveys, said last week the average ticket price for a Wizards game is $27.21, the third lowest in the NBA and more than $21 below the league average. The Caps, meanwhile, ranked 21st in the NHL in ticket prices, ..."

Ovechkin could return to Caps by weekend

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November 10

Washington Times

"Alex Ovechkin's timetable to return to the lineup for the Washington Capitals remains unclear, but all signs at practice Monday point to sooner rather than later. Ovechkin was on the ice in a noncontact jersey with his teammates near the end of their practice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, and then he came back out for a short solo session with strength and conditioning coach Mark Nemish. "I wish it was going to be tomorrow, but I need to make sure I'm good and my body feels good," Ovechkin said. "I don't know - probably a week. We'll see." Added general manager George McPhee: "He's doing well, and as we said, it will be week-to-week. We weren't sure if he could play last weekend, and we'll ..."

Ovechkin is hoping to return within week

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November 10

Washington Post

"Alex Ovechkin's second practice since suffering the most serious injury of his career went much better than the first. The Washington Capitals winger took shots, stickhandled and skated hard for about a half hour under the watchful eye of strength and conditioning coach Mark Nemish following the team's practice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Monday. Afterward, Ovechkin said he's no longer in pain and might be able to return to the lineup within the next week. "I wish it was going to be tomorrow," said Ovechkin, who suffered a strain near his left shoulder eight days ago. "I need to make sure I'm good and my body feels good. Probably a week. We'll see." Ovechkin also skated on Thursday but ..."

Caps' Fleischmann turns it up

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November 9

Washington Examiner

"So who needs Alex Ovechkin? Maybe the superstar left wing has won two Hart Trophies as the NHL's most valuable player and is averaging a goal-per-game this season, but when Ovechkin got hurt eight days ago against Columbus, the Caps had a ready replacement: winger Tomas Fleischmann. Okay, nobody can replace Ovechkin -- and nobody should even try. Ever. All the Caps really need is someone to pick up the slack while their top player recuperates from an upper-body strain. So far, Fleischmann has done his part. The 25-year-old spent most of the summer dealing with a blood clot in his left leg. He could skate as hard as he wanted after a few weeks. But contact was strictly forbidden while he ..."

Center Nylander is placed on waivers

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November 9

Washington Post

"Michael Nylander was placed on waivers Saturday by the Washington Capitals, a move that could expedite a resolution to an awkward situation that has hung over the team since training camp. If Nylander is claimed, the team that picks him up will assume the remainder of his $5.5 million salary (and pay the Capitals a waiver fee of just more than $3,000). If Nylander is not claimed, he will remain on Washington's roster, but the path will be cleared for the Capitals to loan the 37-year-old center to a team outside of the NHL. Nylander has a "no-move clause" in his contract and must approve any transaction. He has been on the trading block since early last season and has not suited up for the ..."

Panthers goalie puts blame on team's defensive play

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November 9

Miami Herald

"Florida goalie Scott Clemmensen took his lumps during a third-period meltdown Saturday night as he surrendered five goals of a 7-4 loss to the host Capitals. After the game, he placed much of the blame on Florida's defensive deficiencies. ``One thing we need to work on is our coverage down low and behind the net,'' said Clemmensen, who has given up at least five goals in each of his past two starts. ``I'm not sure how it gets so bad at times. It's just a matter of knowing your responsibilities. We've got to work on things in practice. Unless we do that, so guys know what they're doing, then we're not going to get any better at it.'' Florida led 3-2 going into the third before things ..."

Offense erupts in Caps' victory

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November 8

Washington Times

"Three games ago, Mike Knuble took a bad penalty in the third period. And two games ago, he was one of several veterans coach Bruce Boudreau wasn't happy with after a loss Wednesday in New Jersey. Well, Knuble followed up a strong performance Friday night in South Florida with a dominant one Saturday at Verizon Center. Knuble had two goals and four points in a 7-4 victory against the Florida Panthers. "It is about time - and I don't mean that in a bad way," Boudreau said. "He works so hard, and he hasn't been rewarded for it. To see him get rewarded like that is good, and in the end the good guys win out." Tomas Fleischmann also had two goals as the Caps swept a home-and-home with the ..."

Knuble, Fleischmann score a pair as Caps tame Panthers, 7-4

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November 8

Washington Examiner

"The stars were most definitely not out for the Capitals on Saturday night. Forward Alex Ovechkin and defenseman Mike Green watched the game from a Verizon Center suite – the last place either wanted to be. That's 87 goals from last season that Washington couldn't count on as it played the Florida Panthers for the second night in a row. But Caps players have said for a week now that they can win games even without their top stars on the ice. A productive weekend against the Panthers helped prove that theory. Mike Knuble and Tomas Fleischmann each scored a pair of goals for Washington, which broke open a tight game with five third-period goals en route to a 7-4 victory. The Caps (10-3-4, 24 ..."

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 ..."

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 ..."

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