NHL FanHouse

Washington Re-Signs Fedorov and Laich

Eric McErlain — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:20:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, NHL Free Agency

Canada's TSN is reporting that unrestricted free agent center Sergei Fedorov has signed a one-year, $4 million deal to return to the Washington Capitals. The news comes a little less than 24 hours after FanHouse had passed on a report from Russia's Sovetsky Sport that KHL President Alexander Medvedev had announced that Fedorov had passed on an opportunity to play for KHL club SKA St. Petersburg, as well as multiple denials from the Capitals that any deal with Fedorov was imminent.

In other Caps news, the team announced that it had reached an agreement with restricted free agent forward Brooks Laich on a three-year deal. As is the case with all of the team's contracts, financial terms were not disclosed, though the Washington Post is reporting the deal is for $6.2 million over the length of the contract. Laich, 25, is coming off the best season of his career after scoring 21 goals and 37 points in 82 games. Laich, as many will recall, was originally acquired from the Ottawa Senators near the end of the 2003-04 NHL season in the deal that shipped Peter Bondra out of town.

Washington Re-Signs Fedorov and Laich originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Fedorov to Re-Sign in Washington

Eric McErlain — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:50:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals

Once again, our friend Dmitry Chesnokov from Sovetsky Sport passed along a piece of news that ought to interest North American hockey fans.

According to KHL President Alexander Medvedev, center Sergei Fedorov is set to re-sign with the Washington Capitals. Here's the report from Sovetsky's Pavel Lysenkov, who was at a press event in Moscow earlier today where Medvedev was unveiling the new logo for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL):

"It is sad that we will not see Sergei Fedorov in the KHL. Most likely, today he will sign a new contract with Washington."

Medvedev, according to Lysenkov, is on the board of SKA St. Petersburg hockey club, which was involved in negotiations with Fedorov.

I just got off the phone with Nate Ewell of the Caps PR office, and he said that while negotiations were ongoing and the team was hopeful something would get done, no announcement was imminent.

If the report is true, it can't be anything but good news for the Caps.

After he was acquired from Columbus at the trade deadline for a draft pick Ted Ruth, Fedorov didn't exactly make an immediate impact with the team on the scoresheet. Instead, it was abundantly clear that his veteran presence did have an incredible effect inside the locker room, especially on wingers Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin.

When it came to play on the ice, Fedorov more or less transformed the team's penalty kill, which had been something of a question mark for long stretches during the regular season. Better yet, working with Ovechkin and Semin, Fedorov helped form the top scoring line at the recently completed World Championships where Russia took the Gold Medal.

Report: Fedorov to Re-Sign in Washington originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With Huet Out of Reach, Caps Snag Theodore

Eric McErlain — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:05:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, Avalanche, NHL Free Agency

TSN is reporting that Jose Theodore is now a member of the Washington Capitals. It's a two-year contract for $9 million.

Going into the offseason, the Washington Capitals were facing several challenges. Challenge #1 was re-signing defenseman Mike Green. That mission was accomplished earlier today when he came to terms with the team on a four-year contract. Challenge #2 was getting Cristobal Huet, who was acquired from Montreal at the trade deadline for a second round draft pick in 2009, re-signed. It was Huet, as most folks will recall, whose incredible play down the stretch enabled him to displace long-time franchise stalwart Olie Kolzig (now off to Tampa Bay) and helped the team qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

Last Friday Huet's agent, Stephen Bartlett, told me that while his client was comfortable with the term of the contract the Capitals had put on the table, the money was a sticking point. Yesterday, Bartlett told Corey Masisack of The Washington Times that Huet was prepared to wait until today to see what the market had to offer. For more details, check out Capitals Insider, where word is already out that Huet is off to Chicago for four years at $5.6 million per season.

With Huet Out of Reach, Caps Snag Theodore originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Caps Lock Up Green Ahead of Deadline

Eric McErlain — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:46:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, NHL Free Agency

TSN is reporting that the Washington Capitals and restricted free agent defenseman Mike Green have come to an agreement on a four-year contract that will pay him an average of $5.25 million per season. The signing has to be seen as a major relief for the franchise, as Green is just the sort of young impact player who may have well attracted an offer sheet from another franchise, this despite the fact that Washington General Manager George McPhee had made it clear from the outset that he would match any offer sheet Green might have received.

With Green signed, the team's immediate concern has to be signing unrestricted free agent goaltender Cristobal Huet. The latest word on those negotiations came from Corey Masisack of The Washington Times, who spoke with Huet's agent Stephen Bartlett. According to Bartlett, he and the Capitals hadn't been in contact for some time, as he had indicated to the team that he and Huet were committed to waiting until today to see what the market has to say about Huet's value. I talked briefly with Bartlett myself last Friday, and he said to me that while the team and Huet were in sync on the length of the contract, the holdup was, as it always is, the dollar amount.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE: I was assisting Dr. Mirtle in surgery when the Caps held a conference call, but Puck Daddy was there.

Caps Lock Up Green Ahead of Deadline originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovechkin on Fedorov, Jagr and Free Agency

Eric McErlain — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:12:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Rangers, Capitals, NHL Free Agency

Once again, we're the grateful recipients of another Sovetsky Sport translation through our friend Dmitry Chesnokov. Today, we have yet another Sovetsky interview with Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin.

Ovechkin, who just returned from a vacation in Turkey -- apparently a very popular vacation spot for Russians these days -- will be taking it easy for a few more weeks before starting his offseason training regime with Dmitry Kapitonov. To learn more about Kapitonov's training regime, click here for an interview I did with him this past March.

In this interview, the reigning NHL MVP talks about his hopes that Sergei Fedorov re-signs with Washington, Jaromir Jagr's possible defection to the Kontinental Hockey League and his thoughts on who the Caps might want to sign when the free agent frenzy starts later today at Noon.

To read the interview in the original Russian, click here. Text follows after the jump.

PL: People wonder if you ever thought that you may have miscalculated signing a thirteen year $124 million contract...

OV: Why would I think that?

PL: Because the cap in the NHL is rising and in a few years your $9.5 million per year on average contract might look "average" comparing to other offers. Jagr is not too excited about getting $6 million nowadays.

OV: I only look positive at the fact that Jagr is getting offered a lot of money. Jaromir deserves a big contract. And let me have my fixed salary. You know the saying that you cannot make all the money in the world? I like it. It is so much easier to know that I will not have a headache about money until I am 35. It is better than to test the free agency every two or three years and negotiate contracts.

PL: If in a few years your $9.5 million look "average" will you ask Ted Leonsis for bigger bonuses?

OV: I wouldn't do that. The contract I was offered in Washington is good enough. I haven't received any money from it yet, though, because it doesn't kick in until next season.

PL: Do you know if Sergei Fedorov is going to stay in Washington?

OV: I am voting with both of my hands and legs in favor of Sergei staying! Of course, the decision doesn't rest with players, but with the Caps management. I know that Sergei has a great desire to play for our club. He really liked it in Washington.

PL: The last time you spoke was in May after the World Championship?

OV: No, we keep in touch all the time. For example, we spoke on the phone just a couple of days ago. And Fedorov confirmed that he would prefer to stay in Washington.

PL: Could Jagr really come to play in Russia?

OV: I think that Jaromir himself will decide where he will play. He is one of the best hockey players in the world. And I am sure that he will earn every penny of the contract he will sign. And if it so happens that he actually ends up in the KHL, it will be a major plus to our hockey. Players like him are not only the face of a team, but the face of the league.

PL: Do you think Washington should be active on the market this summer? Does the team need to strengthen?

OV: The first thing we need to do is to keep the players whose contracts have ended. Mike Green, for example, who is set to become a RFA. But of course other players can also help. That's because we are setting our sights on the Stanley Cup. Actually, George [McPhee] knows what to do. So I don't want to say anything to disturb him.

PL: How are you spending your summer?

OV: Having a lot of fun! Because I will have to start working out soon. A few days ago I got back from Turkey. I am going to visit St Petersburg soon.

PL: Are you going to have your summer workouts there?

OV: Dmitry Kapitonov, my personal trainer, hasn't picked a place yet. But most likely we will do it in Moscow.

Ovechkin on Fedorov, Jagr and Free Agency originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovechkin and a Bee Gee

Eric McErlain — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:34:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, Thrashers, Capitals, International Hockey

It's hard to add anything more than what Dan Steinberg has already said about this video clip featuring Alex Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexei Morozov presenting some sort of Russian pop music award to former Bee Gee Robin Gibb. I guess all I'll say at this point is it's good to see Ovechkin and his buddies enjoying the offseason.

Ovechkin and a Bee Gee originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Huet's Talks with Caps are "Productive and Well Intentioned"

Eric McErlain — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, NHL Free Agency

Last week was a pretty good one for the Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin walked away with both the Hart and Pearson Trophies at the NHL Awards, while head coach Bruce Boudreau snagged the Jack Adams Award for coach of the year. Then, just one day later, everyone came back to Washington for a full day of celebrating the best season the team enjoyed in many years.

Now the hard work starts. As my FanHouse colleague J.P. noted yesterday, there are plenty of players to get under contract, not the least of which is defenseman Mike Green. But while Green is a restricted free agent, the team has made it abundantly clear that any offer sheet the player gets will be matched without delay.

But above and beyond Green, a target of equal opportunity has to be goalie Cristobal Huet. Without a doubt, it was the acquisition of Huet at the trade deadline for just a second round draft pick that helped supercharge the team down the stretch and drive them to their first playoff appearance in five years. Outside of fellow unrestricted free agent Jose Theodore, Huet would have to be considered the top goalie available in this year's free agent class.

With all that in mind, I picked up the phone and called Huet's agent, Stephen Bartlett at his office in Pittsford, New York. And much to my surprise, he answered.

When I asked him how things were progressing between his client and the Capitals, he confirmed that he and the team had been in regular touch since Washington's loss in the first round of the playoffs against Philadelphia, and he characterized the talks as "productive and well intentioned," adding that he expected to meet with team officials face-to-face during the draft this weekend in Ottawa.

"Anytime you enter into a negotiation the intention is to get something done," though he quickly added the that until July 1 free agent signing period begins, the two sides were locked into a "one buyer, one seller negotiation."

In a time of year when other agents seem content to negotiate anonymously in the media, I dare say my conversation with Bartlett was refreshing. Stay tuned.

Huet's Talks with Caps are "Productive and Well Intentioned" originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Airbrushing History With Jaromir Jagr

Eric McErlain — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:20:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Washington, DC, General NHL, Rangers, Capitals, NHL Rumors, NHL Free Agency

John Dellapina of the New York Daily News reports that Rangers General Manager Glen Sather hasn't been in contact with Jaromir Jagr about a contract extension, raising the possibility that the Czech winger might opt to sign with Omsk-Avangard of the KHL instead.

Fair enough, but what really caught my eye was this passage, which has to be read to be believed:

Not only can Jagr sign with Omsk-Avangard at any time, there seems to be little to be gained by making him sit and wonder whether the Rangers want him back. His personal experience (see: Washington 2000-2004) is that things don't go well when he's playing for a team that doesn't fully believe in him.

Excuse me? Granted, by the end of the 2003-04 NHL season, the Caps, who at that point were desperate to find any team at all to pawn Jagr off on, had ceased believing in him. But before then, the Caps did anything and everything in their power to make sure he was comfortable both on and off the ice in Washington.

That would include importing players like Michael Nylander and Robert Lang who were thought to be a better fit with Jagr's style of play. Recall, of course, that the team signed these players to large contracts, which meant the salary budget simply wasn't available to buttress other needs, namely an aging blue line.

Of course, the biggest reason the salary budget was strained, and continued to be strained even after Jagr was shipped out of town, was the huge 7-year, $77 million contract the team signed him to before he ever stepped on the ice in a Capitals uniform. One would think that a financial commitment of that size and scope would have led Jagr to conclude that the Caps believed in him.

The horrible truth: The Caps did believe in Jagr. Until of course, they learned the hard way that they couldn't believe in him anymore. Here endeth the lesson.

Airbrushing History With Jaromir Jagr originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Washington, Friday Was All About Ovechkin

Eric McErlain — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:12:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, NHL Awards, NHL Rumors

There was one last North American stop for Alex Ovechkin once he picked up the Hart and Pearson trophies at the NHL Awards on Friday night, and that was a quick trip back to Washington, D.C. to let the city and its hockey fans celebrate his incredible season.

The fun started when Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty awarded Ovechkin the key to the city on the steps of the Wilson Building, a moment when Ovechkin, clearly delighted, declared the city speed limit null and void for the rest of the day. Though the 500 fans in attendance were grateful, there's no word yet as to whether or not the Metropolitan Police Department complied.

With the public ceremony out of the way, Ovechkin and company decamped for victory celebration at Teatro Goldoni, one of the city's swankiest eateries. Our FanHouse colleague J.P. was on hand, as well as our old buddy, G-Dub. By dint of their coverage, it was an event that was not to be missed -- though this blogger did thanks to other commitments.

If you're wondering who the young lady on Ovechkin's arm is in the picture here from the red carpet at Friday's NHL Awards, wonder no more -- it's Elena Alyonka Larionov, daughter of future HHOF inductee Igor Larionov.

Indeed, it's good to be Ovechkin. And in Washington, next season can't come fast enough.

In Washington, Friday Was All About Ovechkin originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovechkin MVP Gear Available on NHL.com

Eric McErlain — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, NHL Gossip, NHL Rumors

I think most of the hockey world had already anticipated that after leading the NHL this year in both goals and points, that Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals was the presumptive winner of the Hart Tropy as the league's Most Valuable Player. And I write that with all due respect to fellow nominees Evgeni Malkin and Jarome Iginla.

But that doesn't mean that folks don't like to be kept in suspense. Unless of course, you work for NHL.com. Over the past few weeks they've been accidentally putting merchandise on sale before things more or less get official when it comes to actually winning stuff.

First it was declaring the Penguins Eastern Conference Champs a couple of days before they actually eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers. Then it was seeing 2008 Stanley Cup Champs gear in Red Wings colors only a couple of hours before Pittsburgh's riveting victory in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Finals. As my friend Sean Leahy has written before, the hockey gods normally frown on such blasphemy.

Which of course means they've gone and done it again. The NHL Awards Show isn't until June 12, but as far as Shop.NHL.com is concerned, you might as well already load up on your Alexander Ovechkin 2008 Hart Trophy T-Shirts. Click here to buy. I'm told by reliable sources that they're already accepting orders.

One last thing: Congratulations Alex! Be sure to act surprised next week in Toronto. As for Malkin and Iginla, I think they could be forgiven if they skipped the show knowing that they're not going to win.

Major stick tap: Japers' Rink.

UPDATE: The NHL has issued an official statement that Puck Daddy got hold of:

In an effort to offer our fans the merchandise they want in a timely manner following an event such as the NHL Awards, our licensees prepare product for all possible outcomes. In this situation, the link for one of the possible products became live early through an error by our e-commerce provider. We regret the error and have since taken steps to amend.

Hmmm. We'll see now, won't we?

Ovechkin MVP Gear Available on NHL.com originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That's Not Olie Kolzig

Eric McErlain — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:42:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, Ducks

Late last night we passed along the information that long-time Washington goaltender Olie Kolzig wouldn't be back in a Capitals uniform next season. But over at ESPN.com, they might not actually notice that he's gone.

Take a gander at the screen shot I captured a couple of minutes ago. One thing is for sure -- that's not Olie Kolzig. This is Olie Kolzig.

So who is it? After a quick consultation with my colleague, Earl Sleek, we discovered that it's actually Anaheim Ducks defenseman Sean O'Donnell.

That's Not Olie Kolzig originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 09 May 2008 17:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Lucky Game Sevens

Earl Sleek — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Philadelphia, Washington, DC, General NHL, Flyers, Capitals, Flames, Sharks, Stanley Cup

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

Well, I was going to recap the thrilling third period heroics of Alexander Ovechkin in Game Six between the Caps and Flyers, but Eric's got that one more than covered. I was also going to talk about Montreal's dominant Game Seven victory over the pesky Bruins, but Pat already told that story. Go ahead and read them; they've done a better job than I was going to do.

Instead, for today's Ice Sheet I'll offer a preview for tonight's games, the importance of which can be expressed with the two most exciting words in hockey: Game Seven. For a hockey fan, there's nothing like the agonizing thrill of the do-or-die Game Seven, when two teams go head to head with their seasons squarely on the line. It's sixty minutes (and maybe more) where destinies collide, where every play matters, and even the bit player can forever earn a place in hockey lore.

Tonight the NHL features two Game Sevens, one in each of the conferences to close out the first round. First the Washington Capitals will host the Philadelphia Flyers at 7 pm, and then the San Jose Sharks will host the Calgary Flames at 10 pm. These games will not only be huge for fans of these four teams, but thanks to the league's playoff re-seeding, all remaining teams will be watching with interest to see who their next opponent will be.

(After the break, a quick look at each series thus far, a run-through of round two scenarios, and a glimpse from last year of Game Seven hysteria.)

Capitals vs. Flyers

Quck summary: the Flyers took three of the first four games againt the Caps, including a double-OT thriller in Game Four, before Washington took both Games Five and Six to even the series.

Key matchup: Alexander Ovechkin vs. Marty Biron. Biron and the Flyers have had their hands full containing AO, and they haven't performed too poorly; they did make the 65-goal man go 10 days between goals. Still, Ovechkin's picked his moments. All three of his goals were third period goals, and two of them were game winners. If the Flyers can't contain Ovechkin tonight, I don't like their chances.

Eastern Conference Scenarios:

If the Capitals win: (1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (5) NY Rangers; (2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3) Washington Capitals.

If the Flyers win: (1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers; (2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) NY Rangers.

Sharks vs. Flames

Quick summary: the Sharks and Flames have been fighting a see-saw battle. They split two games in San Jose, then split two games in Calgary, then each won at home in Game Five and Six. Both teams have had comeback wins and shutout wins, and there's no telling what leads are safe.

Key matchup: Joe Thornton vs. Jarome Iginla. Both these superstar forwards are capable of jumpstarting offense, but they carry different postseason reputations. Iggy has already proven himself a clutch playoff performer, while Jumbo Joe still has his doubters. Tonight is a huge opportunity for Joe to quiet the doubters, but he'll likely need to outperform Iginla to do so.

Western Conference Scenarios:

If the Sharks win: (1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Colorado Avalanche; (2) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Dallas Stars.

If the Flames win: (1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (7) Calgary Flames; (5) Dallas Stars vs. (6) Colorado Avalanche.

My contractual YouTube embed: This postseason is a treat for hockey fans, with three Game Sevens already slated in the first round. Last year, there was only one Game Seven in the entire postseason, when Vancouver hosted Dallas. I picked this particular clip not because of its picture or sound quality (neither are very good), but rather for its raw bliss. It is emotion that can only stem from a Game Seven victory, and I'm looking forward to some more fan celebration tonight.

The Ice Sheet: Lucky Game Sevens originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Ovechkin's First Time

Bruce Ciskie — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, Stanley Cup

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

They say you never forget your first time.

In the case of a hockey player getting his first crack at the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it doesn't get much more special than Alexander Ovechkin's debut Friday night.

After being held in check for 40 minutes, Ovechkin scored the game-winning goal as Washington rallied from a two-goal hole to beat Philadelphia 5-4. It was a successful playoff debut for Ovechkin, whose team won for the 12th time in 13 games dating back to the end of the regular season.

It didn't look too good for Washington in the second period, as the Flyers scored three goals in a row to take a two-goal lead. Vinny Prospal and Daniel Briere each scored twice for Philadelphia, but they couldn't get anything going in the third period. Washington outshot Philadelphia 12-3 in the third period. Mike Green scored twice to tie it, and then Ovechkin struck unassisted at 15:28 to win it.

It's only one game, but it has to be a great emotional lift for a Capitals team that looked a bit skittish in the second period. It also has to be a tremendous letdown for the Flyers, who worked so hard down the stretch to earn their playoff spot after a disastrous season a year ago. To take control on the road like they did and then so decisively let it slip away must be a tough pill to swallow.

(Still to come: The Senators try to score a goal even their series, highway robbery in Newark, the Ducks try to pull their heads out of their posterior region, and the Wild try to crack the Theodore code)

Wild even series. It's a big win for Minnesota, obviously. It also gives them a reward for thoroughly outplaying Colorado over most of the first two games in St. Paul. Veteran defenseman Keith Carney scored the winner in overtime for Minnesota, shooting the puck off Ruslan Salei's skate. Carney got his first playoff goal since 1999 (!), and the Wild avoid a 2-0 series hole as they head to Denver for Game Three Monday night.

It would have been another gut-busting loss for a team that had to watch Colorado celebrate the theft of Game One just two nights earlier. This one went overtime after a Milan Hejduk goal in the final minute. The power-play tally was set up by a more-than-questionable hooking penalty on Kim Johnsson. It appeared Ryan Smyth tripped on the stick of Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom, but Johnsson was called for hooking on the play. The Wild would have had every reason to wilt under the extreme pressure, but they were able to rally and even the series with the overtime winner.

After struggling to get quality chances past Jose Theodore throughout the first two games, the Wild eventually used some lucky bounces and screened shots to get win.

A great comeback spoiled. The Senators finally got on the board in Pittsburgh, but when they did, it only made it a 3-1 game. Honestly, no one could have seen two more goals coming from the Sens, even though the game was barely half-over. Give them credit for finishing the comeback to tie the score at three. Cody Bass' goal in the third period gave Ottawa a lot of momentum, but they didn't keep it.

Ottawa was outshot in every period of the game, and the third was no exception. Pittsburgh put tremendous pressure on the Senators' defense, and they outshot Ottawa 54-30 for the night. Yes, 54 shots on goal. In a Stanley Cup Playoff game. In regulation.

Ryan Malone's wraparound was the game-winning goal for Pittsburgh. He added an empty-netter with seven seconds left. Some guy named Sidney Crosby (I've been told he's a pretty good player) had four assists after a rather quiet Game One. Pittsburgh leads the series 2-0, but perhaps Ottawa showed enough life Friday to eventually make this a series.

How do these morons get to work playoff games? After an inconsistently-officiated first two periods, the Rangers and Devils were scoreless. The first period was called very loose, with just two minors assessed (one of them for a player shooting the puck over the glass). The second period was filled with whistles. The teams combined for ten shots and 14 penalties.

Jaromir Jagr and Sean Avery scored 23 seconds apart in the third to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. Henrik Lundqvist made it stand up, but not before plenty of late-game drama. John Madden tipped in a Patrick Elias point shot to make it 2-1 with 1:23 left, and it looked like the Devils had a shot. But with 54 seconds left, Jamie Langenbrunner was called for a very questionable interference penalty off a faceoff.

With the Devils' net still empty, Paul Martin retrieved a loose puck in his own zone. He was hooked and poked at by Blair Betts, but nothing was called. In the end, the Rangers had a 2-1 win, and they lead the series 2-0 thanks to two road wins.

It's the kind of ~~inconsistent~~ bad officiating that too often mars playoff games. No one is going to care if you call the penalty on Langenbrunner (he did make contact with Brendan Shanahan, and it's something that should be called more often) as long as you call the obvious hooking penalty on Betts. Unfortunately, we still have officials in the NHL that will crow about affecting the outcome of the game, only to turn around and allow their incompetence to affect the outcome of the game.

Ducks work on penalty kill. I wouldn't have been willing to bet on Anaheim allowing four power-play goals to Dallas in the entire series. The Ducks' kill was very good in the playoffs last year, and with the personnel having hardly changed, I thought they'd have success against a mediocre Dallas attack. Instead, the Ducks were outskated, took dumb penalties, and didn't stop the Stars' power play. As a result, Anaheim is behind in the series, and the Stars are trying to build off a stunning 4-0 Game One win.

Game Two is Saturday, and the pressure is virtually off for Dallas. The Stars need to simply avoid getting thrashed. Lose a 3-2 game, and they still take plenty of confidence home to Dallas for Game Three. Anaheim, meanwhile, needs to start playing with more discipline if they want to have any chance in the series. If they are going to take undisciplined penalties at this point, it's probably more worth it for them to take those penalties when it involves Marty Turco. At least you have a chance to knock Turco off his game if you do that*.

(* - I do not encourage taking physical liberties with the opponent's goaltender. It only looks like I do.)

Weekend NHL Playoff schedule (all times Eastern)

Saturday
Nashville at Detroit, 2pm (NBC)
Boston at Montreal, 7pm (Versus)
Dallas at Anaheim, 10pm (Versus)

Sunday
Philadelphia at Washington, 3pm (NBC)
Montreal at Boston, 7pm
New Jersey at N.Y. Rangers, 7pm (Versus)
San Jose at Calgary, 10pm (Versus)

Random YouTube Embed:

Let's go with some goaltending bloopers today. No real reason. After all, it's "random", right?

In case you need a reason to watch, our buddy Vesa Toskala made the list.

The Ice Sheet: Ovechkin's First Time originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Olie The Goalie Gets Win #300

Jes Golbez — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:36:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Thrashers, Capitals, Blue Jackets

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

This hasn't been a season to remember for Caps' goalie Olaf Kolzig, the cagey veteran who has been playing with a giant fork stuck in his back the entire season.

Want a good reason why the Caps won't make the playoffs? Kolzig, and his near-the-basement 89.2% save percentage. There is a reason why the Caps went out and traded for a different #1 goalie.

Well, at least Olie the Goalie was able to 'cap' off his career with win #300, a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Kolzig has been quite the soldier for the Capitals, and it's hard to blame him for being so overused by his club.

With the Capitals trying to keep realistic hopes alive for a playoff spot, Kolzig had little chance to focus on his accomplishments in 17 seasons with Washington. Kolzig is the 23rd goalie to win 300 NHL games.

"I think it'll set in a little more when the season's over, or my career's over," Kolzig said. "I kind of just approach it as a playoff game for us. We're in a must-win situation every night, and it just happened that tonight was my 300."

"It was huge to get this win," Kolzig said. "It was good to get this game to get rid of the demons from the weekend and move forward."

And, yes, Alexander Ovechkin scored, again! Two more goals for 1d8 gives him 56 on the year, and it looks more and more like the NHL will finally have a 60-goal scorer. Wow.

With Adam Foote traded to the Avs, the BJ's made Rick Nash the new team captain. Makes sense.

It looks like the Atlanta Thrashers are quite content to suck ass for another decade.

Why? Because, they refuse to fire GM Teflon Don Waddell, a man who has clearly done a poor job building the Thrashers into a team capable of making the playoffs, now and in the future.

Don Waddell's job as general manager is safe. The Thrashers' coach and GM got a vote of confidence from Atlanta Spirit co-owner Bruce Levenson on Tuesday.

Levenson said there are many crucial decisions to make regarding the future of the franchise this summer, including a new coach to replace Waddell. He said he has faith that Waddell is the person who should make them.

"[Keeping Waddell] might not be the popular thing to do in some circles, but I think it would be foolish and shortsighted to tear down this organization at this juncture," Levenson told the Journal-Constitution. "I believe we're closer than a lot of people may think or give us credit for. Less than a month ago, we [would have qualified for] the playoffs; it's easy to see our team and see where we need to improve. We have the assets and cap room to make those improvements."

One playoff appearance in franchise history, a history of foolish trades, and a team that can't keep the puck out of the net.

Of course it's not popular to keep Waddell as GM, because he's simply not good enough. Being 'close' to making the playoffs isn't going to cut the mustard when the Thrashers have had ample opportunities to build a team that could make the playoffs year after year.

How does firing a GM tear down the organization? Who says that everyone else, from coaches on down to scouts, has to go with the bath water? Get a new GM, and get to work.

Oh, noes!!!! Sidney Crosby misses game with injury!!

Never fear, Tyler Kennedy is here ... uh, who?

Well, Kennedy had a great night as the Pens thrashed the Sabres by a 7-3 count. The Pens now move into a first-place tie in the East while the Sabres continue to piss away their playoff chances.

Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal makes a great point (answering a question) about the NHL letting players shed their headgear during shootouts. Why not allow the fans to see the players? Is there a legit reason to wear a helmet during the shootout? (goalies excluded, duh!)

Who gets hurt in a shootout? Last time I looked nobody was throwing a flying elbow at the shooter to give him a concussion, and unless he loses an edge and goes crashing into the boards head-first, he's fine. The NHL doesn't yet allow guys to take off their helmets, but I have no problem with it in a skills contest. It would jazz things up and personalize players if you could see their mullets or brushcuts. I wouldn't mind seeing that $12 haircut Alex Ovechkin got a few weeks back, either.

$12? If he paid that much, he got serious ripped off.

Gratuitous YouTube Embed: Jere Lehtinen has always been a rather quiet NHL player that lets his fine defensive play do the talking. Not the type of guy you'd expect to be a hardcore metalhead, right?

Wrong!

Let's not forget that Finland is a hub for Death Metal, Black Metal, Gothic Metal, and other metal music you can imagine. If a Finn doesn't like hard music, it would be more of a shock to me than Lehtinen being a big fan of SLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

The Ice Sheet: Olie The Goalie Gets Win #300 originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I Went To a Hockey Game, and a Hot Dog Eating Contest Broke Out

Greg Wyshynski — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:37:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals

Meet Alex Malycke. He's 23 years old, and he scarfed down seven hot dogs and buns in three minutes in front of 14,000 people Thursday night. The Washington Capitals held a $1 hot dog night for their home game against Toronto, and a student hot-dog eating contest was staged between the second and third periods between representatives from several local schools. Malycke, who attends Virginia Tech, was the winner; and although he looked like he was going to hurl all over Section 104, he said he could do "five more." I asked DC101 radio host and event emcee Elliot Segal if he thought Malycke was close to critical mass. "Of course I thought he was going to throw up. I thought I was going to throw up. I get the worst dry-heaves," he said. "You know what it is? It's the dunking it in the water. It's the soggy bread."

But Malycke kept it together, and won the event, earning a pair of Southwest Airlines tickets. His training? "I only had one can of tuna in the morning, and a whole lot of Mountain Dew," said Malycke, who actually made his competitive eating debut at the Verizon Center. A more seasoned competitor, Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, served as both a tutor for the contestants and a judge for the event. I asked her if Malycke was the typical body type for competitive eating. She said it's the difference between a marathon and a sprint: "When they have more time, they're skinnier," she said.

More about this incredible athletic event at the DC Sports Bog, On Frozen Blog and in the photo gallery below. Oh, and the Caps and Maple Leafs played a game and had some sort of result. I think. I was really caught up in the hot-dog madness. Ovechkin said after the game that he thought he could down three dogs in one sitting, but told me he's never actually tried. Can you imagine how many Nathans franks $124 million can buy?

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I Went To a Hockey Game, and a Hot Dog Eating Contest Broke Out originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Jagr Contract Watch

Eric McErlain — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:40:00 EST

Filed under: New York, Washington, DC, General NHL, Rangers, Capitals

For the first time in his career, New York Rangers winger Jaromir Jagr is on an extended audition for his job.

I'm sure it's a new feeling for him, but the terms of his contract that he originally signed with the Washington Capitals earlier in this decade are quite clear: If Jagr fails to reach certain performance measures, he'll be out the door after a little more than three seasons on Broadway.

According to an October piece in the Washington Post by Tarik el-Bashir, Jagr's contract will be renewed for an additional season at $8.36 million if any of the following incentives are reached:

If the Rangers win a playoff round this season and Jagr scores 40 goals during the regular season.

If they win a playoff round and he scores 84 points during the regular season.

If he wins the Hart (MVP), Art Ross (scoring title) or Conn Smythe (playoff MVP) trophies.

Winning the Hart or Ross is pretty much out of reach. As of today, Jagr is 15-31-46 with 32 games remaining. It would take a herculean, or could I say, Ovechkian effort for Jagr to score 25 goals over the remainder of the season to reach the magical 50.

However, as Larry Brooks noted in today's edition of the New York Post:

By recording 24 points (6-18) in the 18 games since he was reunited on Dec. 18 with Scott Gomez Scott Gomez , Jagr goes into tonight's Brian Leetch Night against Atlanta with 46 points (15-31) in 50 games overall. He needs 38 points in the final 32 games to hit the mark, certainly an attainable objective.

Even if Jagr proceeds to get on the sort of tear necessary to reach 84 points, the Rangers, currently sitting in 9th place one point out of the 8th spot, still need to make the playoffs and win at least a round. According to the Mirtle playoff meter, even after playing plenty of uninspiring hockey, the emergence of parity in the league means the Rangers only have to go 19-13-0 the rest of the way in order to meet the Mirtle threshold.

But by that standard, the Rangers would only just make the playoffs, squeezing into the postseason only to face one of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference. Based on the way the Rangers have been playing so far, it appears Jagr's chances are more than a bit dicey these days.

Which leads me to my final question: Is anybody outside Jagr's immediate family rooting for him anymore? There's little question that Caps owner Ted Leonsis is probably eager to rid himself of his annual $3.6 million payment to Jagr, but what about the Rangers? Losing Jagr would free up both $4.9 million and an equivalent amount of cap space, and something tells me that Rangers GM Glen Sather would probably find a more productive way to put that to use.

The Jagr Contract Watch originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Life Isn't a Beech for Ex-Caps Prospects

Jes Golbez — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:07:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, Canucks, NHL Draft

Once upon a time Kris Beech was the type of top prospect that had NHL scouts drooling (an activity they seem to do a lot of). Beech has the size (6'3" 211) and playmaking skills that the Washington Capitals thought would bring them success when they drafted him 7th overall in 1999. Big centers were in, and Beech was the next big thing.

Instead of wowing the NHL with his mad skillz, Beech has become just a footnote in the Jaromir Jagr trade the Caps made many moons ago. In 193 NHL games, Beech has just 67 points to go along with a poor-looking -37.

The Vancouver Canucks were the latest stop on his journey around the continent, and it lasted only FOUR games! Wow, what did he do to piss Alain Vigneault off?

"When we picked up Kris it was for depth at centre but he has areas where he needs to improve," Vigneault said following today's practice at GM Place. "If he clears waivers, he'll go work on those in Manitoba. We felt we had a little bit more torque, or offensive punch, or whatever when Jaffray was here."

At 26, if Beech is being demoted to 'work on his game', it's pretty much sealed in stone that he'll be bouncing around between the AHL, NHL, and other leagues for a long time. By the time you reach that age, you ought to be fully developed and ready to take on the world. Beech has had more than enough time to work on his game, eh?

Now, let us flash back to 1999 ... (cue creepy music)

Back before Y2K scared people into a useless panic, the Caps drafted three big centerman and two big defensemen within the first 34 picks of the 1999 NHL draft. Normally, you'd expect one, or maybe two of these, to make an impact, right? Which GM wouldn't want a boatload of top picks?

So, just who did the Caps draft?

Kris Beech - As mentioned above, he's struggled to adapt his game to the NHL and there isn't much hope for him.
Michal Sivek - Went back to Europe to take care of his mother (who had cancer), and is just a role player in the Czech Extraleague with $parta Praha.
Charlie Stephens - His claim to fame was appearing in an Esquire watch commercial. Now he's in Germany, where nobody knows he is a TV sensation.
Ross Lupaschuk - After three NHL games, he's over in Russia eating borscht for breakfast.
Nolan Yonkman - 50 NHL games to date for the slow-skating 6'6" behemoth. Now stuck in the AHL for eternity.

If you want a really good reason why the Caps were struggling badly for the last few seasons, just look at their drafting record for the years 1998-2001. With nothing but garbage in the prospect ranks, it's easy to see why the Caps had so little talent to work with until they smartened up and started grabbing some real talent like Steve Eminger, Alex Semin, and that Ovechkin boy that fell into their laps.

The motto? Don't blame the Jaromir Jagr trade and Robert Lang signings for the Caps' past troubles. If the Caps had drafted better, they wouldn't have been in the mess they were in.

Note to sensitive Caps fans: This isn't meant as a post to slag the Capitals, rather to show you one big reason for the poor win-loss record during the 'rebuilding' years ... and how one can easily link two franchises across the continent from each other.

Life Isn't a Beech for Ex-Caps Prospects originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: Coping With the Fact That Ovechkin is Worth as Much as Your Team

Kevin Schultz — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, NHL Economics

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

Obviously the biggest news is the monster contract that Alex Ovechkin signed with Washington yesterday. 13 years. $124 million. Holy freaking wienerschnitzel ... That's a lotta cash. Now there is and will be a lot of analysis on the subject. You can see that stuff for yourself here, there, over here, this place, here and aquí. I'm not about to get into the economics and mathematics of it. That's way to much "ics" for me. I'm here to help you cope with the mental anguish that this may cause you. You know, the realization that Alex Ovechkin is now officially worth about as much as your favorite NHL franchise (disclaimer: does not apply to readers in Canada, Philadelphia, Boston, New York or Detroit).

That's really the awe-striking thing about the whole deal, for me at least. A report published by Forbes in November 2007 estimated that 10 NHL teams are worth less than $160 million. Think about that for a minute ... Let it sink in. OK? So, for those of you in St. Louis and Nashville, one man is worth about 22% less than your entire franchise. Not just your players. Your entire franchise. Everything. Now I'm going to leave the valuation and practicality of the deal up to the folks who really understand everything that's going on, but it's just unbelievable how much money the Capitals have locked up in this kid. For those of us out there (such as this Islander fan) who are hyperventilating after realizing that AO is worth the same as their franchise and feeling really depressed about it, (deep breath) especially the part where one year of this kid's salary is more money than we can possibly imagine ... Here are some helpful pointers to help cope ...

Take up heavy drinking.
OK, don't actually do that.
Remember that the Caps have just locked up approximately 1/5 of their cap space for the next decade.
Think about the fact that your team is still higher in the standings than the Caps (does not apply to readers in Toronto, Tampa Bay and Los Angeles).
Rinse and repeat.
Just click on that jump and read the rest of the ice sheet! It feels so good!

After the jump: "Edmonton Oilers" and "win streak" are put in the same sentence, the Red Wings actually lost a game (not in regulation, though), Scott Hartnell single handedly outscored the Rangers, and the Leafs record 50 shots... And lose.

Winning. All the cool kids are doing it. The Edmonton Oilers have finally decided to join in on the fun and put together a three game win streak (two in regulation, no less!). With a 5-2 home win against Phoenix, they have now tied their longest win streak of the season. A nation holds it's breath to see if they can make it four in a row on Sunday against Calgary. Actually, I don't think anyone is really holding their breath. Probably not even Oiler fans. FINAL: Edmonton 5, Phoenix 2.

They're human. Maybe. The Red Wings have finally done it. They have lost a game. But don't fret, Detroit! It was only in overtime and against the mighty Minnesota Wild. We now know thanks to their efforts that if the dark forces of the universe all combine into one, the Red Wings can be defeated! The powerful Marian Gaborik and his oft-injured groin helped slay the HockeyTown monster in a shootout, but only for one night. Soon the unstoppable machine that is the Red Wings will re-energize and vanquish us all! Until then, let us revel in it's defeat! FINAL (SO): Minnesota 6, Detroit 5. You're not reveling enough darn it!

Yeah, you can stop at three. Ryan Hollweg had two first period goals to put the host Rangers up early, but that's all they would get. Despite out-shooting the Flyers 41-30, Henrik Lundqvist surrendered six goals in the final two periods and the Rangers lost on home ice for the 11th time this season. Going 0-for-7 on the man advantage didn't help much. FINAL: Philadelphia 6, Scott Hartnell 3, NY Rangers 2.

Fitty shot. Not the best name for a rapper. The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the midst of a three game west coast road trip, and so far things have not gone well. They lost 5-0 in Anaheim two nights ago, and compounded that with a loss in the City of Angels last night. They're down a combined 10-2 on the trip so far. You can't knock their effort, though. The Leafs managed to out shoot the Kings 50-24, 25-7 in the third period alone, but couldn't get more than two goals past Jason LaBarbera. After the Kings scored four times on 11 first period shots, Toronto goalie Andrew Raycroft was pulled in favor of Vesa Toskala. Toskala stopped all but one shot he faced, but it would not be nearly enough. FINAL: Los Angeles 5, Toronto 2, Raycroft -4.

"Well, that really escalated quickly." "Yeah, it got out of hand fast." Don't look now, but Ty Conklin is now 9-0 as a starter for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens have won eight in a row and nine of ten to move within one point of New Jersey for the lead in the Atlantic Division. FINAL: Pittsburgh 4, Tampa Bay 1.

Other scores:
Florida 3, Atlanta 2 (SO). (Insert Southeast Division joke here).
New Jersey 4, Carolina 1. Patrick Elias has eight points (4G, 4A) in his last seven games.
Montreal 5, Boston 2. The Habs have won 15 of their last 18 against the B's. Talk about domination.
Ottawa 3, Buffalo 2 (SO). Dean McAmmond scored the decisive goal in the shoot out. Afterwards, he was in disbelief: "How many times have you ever seen me deke a goalie out in a game?"
St. Louis 4, Dallas 2. Brad Boyes scored twice and Paul Kariya had three points.
San Jose 3, Vancouver 1. If you weren't reading my live blog of the game, and chances are you weren't, you missed out on some fun ... and air sharks. That's right. AIR SHARKS.

The picture of the night for the kids who can't read good ...
Oh wait. You need to be able to read to get this one. Crap.

Links! Links! Everyone loves links!

An interview with one of those crazy Red Bull ice racing guys. (Randball)
Please bow to your new feline overlords. (I Can Has Cheezburger)
A great article about NHL arenas and their history. (Battle of Alberta)
Greg Wyshynski's invasion of DeadSpin continues.

Your obligatory YouTube video
Just in case you haven't heard enough about the AO deal, here's some more. Caps owner Ted Leonsis makes the announcement at a season ticket holder event last night.

The Ice Sheet: Coping With the Fact That Ovechkin is Worth as Much as Your Team originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Washington Really a Viable Market?

Jes Golbez — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, NHL Economics

Now, I have no personal disdain against Washington DC, other than I know it's a place full of greedy politicians, slimy lobbyists, and immoral lawyers.

Still, the topic of weak attendance in Washington comes up often. The past few years have been especially bad for the Capitals, and they've long been perceived as not being the strongest draw in the league. When it comes to the topic of relocating franchises, Washington is one name that comes up quite often. Many fans just don't think Washington deserves to have their team.

Caps fans will argue that the team sucks (it does) and has for awhile, and it's not worth big bucks to watch a team full of mostly AHL-calibre players. Others will argue that the Caps have one of the best young stars in the league (they do), an exciting young roster, and a very receptive owner. Why shouldn't the fans in Washington support their team?Here are the Caps attendance numbers over the past two decades. (source: Andrew's Dallas Stars Site)

2008 - 13,510 (30th)
2007 - 13,929 (27th)
2006 - 13,905 (28th)
2005 - 0 (30th). Ok, that was the lockout :)
2004 - 14,720 (25th)
2003 - 15,787 (18th)
2002 - 17,341 (13th)
2001 - 15,534 (21st)
2000 - 14,480 (24th)
1999 - 17,281 (9th)
1998 - 15,275 (19th)
1997 - 15,672 (15th)
1996 - 15,155 (14th)
1995 - 14,159 (20th)
1994 - 14,673 (17th)
1993 - 15,540 (13th)
1992 - 16,590 (10th)
1991 - 16,608 (9th)
1990 - 17,251 (5th)

As you can see, the Caps have had some strong periods of attendance in their history, with three appearances in the top ten, and five seasons over 16,000 per game. Overall, the Caps seem to rank from fairly average to just-below-average.

While Washington DC is certainly a poor market relative to many others, there will always be NHL markets, especially in the US, that will not be too strong. At least the Caps had a fairly decent track record prior to the 'rebuilding' years, and are certainly much better off than the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders in terms of location and attendance.

In the end, I still think the market of Washington is viable despite the awful attendance we've seen since the lockout. I'm more than willing to grant Caps fans a break, as their team has been near the basement more often than not the past few years. I point to the example of the Edmonton Oilers, who drew just 12-13,000 per game during the mid 90s. Surely, if a market as hockey-crazy as Edmonton has down periods, we can grant Washington the same slack.

Is Washington Really a Viable Market? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capitals Tour DC on Segways

Eric McErlain — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:25:00 EST

Filed under: Washington, DC, General NHL, Capitals, Eastern

Here's a fun and goofy feature to kill some time with. Lisa Hillary of Comcast SportsNet DC tagged along with Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin, Matt Bradley and Mike Green as they took an impromptu tour of some of Washington's better known landmarks while riding Segways:

For more details, check out the first person account from Dan Steinberg at the Washington Post. Don't miss the part where a U.S. Park Policeman gives Ovechkin a hard time for riding the Segway too close to the National Christmas Tree.

Capitals Tour DC on Segways originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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