NHL FanHouse

Fight of the Week: Blood Sport

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Maple Leafs, Penguins, Rangers, Senators, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Sometimes, we scour the internet looking for the best fight, only to be left underwhelmed. There are other weeks where this job couldn't possibly be any easier. The good fights jump at you, and the players involved are the guys you would expect to see in the big fights. This week's winning fight has some blood in it, so use caution as you proceed.

Punch of the Week: Colton Orr vs. Matt Carkner

Poor Carkner. He did the right thing, he thought, in going after Orr. He didn't have a chance, however, in this fight. Orr got him with a right, and Carkner's night was over -- or, at least this fight was. Orr got a very easy win in a fight that wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining without Joe Bowen at the mic. Watch it here.

Runner-Up: Krys Barch vs. Brad May

When a fight like this is a runner-up, you know you're in for a good week. Barch and May are both good fighters, and while May has many years on Barch, he held up well, and this one only ended when May lost his footing. Watch the video here.

Runner-Up: Eric Godard vs. Chris Neil

Godard is no stranger to the fisticuffs. Having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as teammates can keep an enforcer busy. Meanwhile, Neil doesn't like having fights stopped. This particular bout looked to be ending a couple different times, only to have Neil keep things going by throwing a shot or two. Check it out by clicking here.

Fight of the Week: Matt Bradley vs. Aaron Voros

Bradley got a couple shots in, but he clearly took the worst of this fight. You simply can't win a fight most of the time when you're wearing the crimson mask at the end of it. However, Bradley got the last laugh. After getting cleaned up from his bout with Voros, he returned and was credited with the game-winning goal as the Capitals beat the Rangers.

Fight of the Week: Blood Sport originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL FanHouse Live Chat: Headshots, Ovechkin, and the Islanders!

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Islanders, NHL Fans, NHL Live Blogging

We have a lot of stuff to cover on our weekly NHL FanHouse chat. At 2 pm ET, we'll discuss Alex Ovechkin's return, the topic of headshots in hockey, the red-hot, playoff-bound (maybe) Islanders, and so much more. Join the FanHouse staff for the chat after the jump.

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NHL FanHouse Live Chat: Headshots, Ovechkin, and the Islanders! originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plus/Minus: Mike Fisher Leads Senators to Fight-Filled Win

Adam Gretz — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Hurricanes, Sharks

We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

More Coverage: Tuesday's NHL Scoreboard

Plus Of The Day: Mike Fisher, Ottawa Senators

Tuesday's Battle of Ontario between Toronto and Ottawa was one of those examples of going to a fight and having a hockey game break out. The two bitter rivals combined for four fights, an ejection and 60 penalty minutes in the Senators 3-2 win.

Leading the way for Ottawa was veteran center Mike Fisher, who scored a pair goals and was a plus-two with four shots on goal in nearly 22 minutes on the ice. He was also an impressive 12-for-18 in the faceoff circle, including a dominating 7-for-8 performance in the defensive zone. Mikhail Grabovski was 0-for-7 against him on the night, and 0-for-9 overall.

For Fisher, the first 18 games of this season represent quite a turnaround from his 2008-09 campaign where he scored just 13 goals -- his lowest total in four years -- in 78 games. He already has nine goals this year.

Minus Of The Day: Carolina's Power Play

After snapping a 14-game losing streak on Sunday, the Carolina Hurricanes dropped a 3-2 shootout decision in Montreal on Tuesday. It has to be a tough loss for the 'Canes to swallow, seeing as how they went 0-for-4 with the man-advantage, and came up empty on a 4-on-3 advantage to close out the final two minutes of the overtime period after Jaroslav Spacek was issued a four-minute double-minor for high sticking.

To be fair, of course, Montreal goaltender Carey Price deserves a large amount of credit for the outcome as Carolina did manage to fire seven shots at him in the extra period, including four on the power play.

Highlight Of The Day: Alex Ovechkin made his triumphant return to the Capitals lineup on Tuesday night and scored his 15th goal of the season in Washington's 4-2 win at the Garden. The game-winning tally, however, belonged to Matt Bradley, who earlier in the game had his face busted open in a fight with Rangers forward Aaron Voros. Nice way to come back.

Plus/Minus: Mike Fisher Leads Senators to Fight-Filled Win originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alex Ovechkin: The Classic Superstar

Christopher Botta — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:38:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, NHL Media Watch, NHL Economics

NEW YORK -- As Alex Ovechkin takes the pregame warmup at Madison Square Garden, an hour before scoring in his return game -- a Capitals' 4-2 win -- Rangers fans in blue and white jerseys stand 10-deep behind the glass. In a rarity for this most vocal of fanbases, hardly anyone makes a sound. They mostly just stand and watch and appreciate. Ovechkin is back after a two-week injury and he seems to have been missed not just by Capitals fans.

Bob Hoch attempts to focus on Ovechkin with the Canon 200 he's taken out of his jacket pocket. Hoch has been a Rangers season ticket-holder for five years, but he's an unabashed Ovechkin true believer. "I love Ovechkin and hate Sidney Crosby," Hoch says, as if there has to be a choice. "They're both incredible hockey players, but Crosby takes dives and avoids contact at all times and Ovie is old school. He's the guy you'd kill to have on your team."

While Hoch does what he can with his point-and-shoot, longtime NHL photographer Bruce Bennett has the luxury of a Canon EOS Mark III with a 300 millimeter f/2.8 lens. There are plenty of Ovechkin shifts in which even state-of-the-art technology doesn't cut it.

Bennett, the director of hockey imagery for Getty Images, reviews his work and a few options provided by his associates.

"I'm looking at a lot of frames -- from warmups! -- and in every single one Ovechkin is out of focus. He's so fast, it's ridiculous, but the real challenge is that he's a waterbug. He can't stand still. I think even he doesn't know where he's going all the time. NHL defensemen can't keep up with him and neither can I."

That said, the photographers adore this on-ice artist.

"He's still the favorite of most of us," said Bennett, who has been shooting the NHL for 34 years. "The key to great images is the action, of course, but just as much it's the faces. Ovechkin wears his heart on his sleeve and he has such an expressive face. If you keep up with him, he makes it worthwhile."

Barry Meisel was raised in Brooklyn a Rangers fan and went on to cover the team for the Daily News from 1985 until 1997, including the Stanley Cup year of '93-94. Still True Blue today, he's at the Garden on this Tuesday night as a businessman -- and Alexander Ovechkin is very good for business.

Meisel is the president and COO of The MeiGray Group, a game-worn jersey authenticator and dealer. Among the 14 NHL teams Meisel represents are the Capitals. If a fan or collector wants a game-worn Ovechkin jersey, they have to go through MeiGray. Along with Martin Brodeur of New Jersey, an A.O. jersey is the priciest in the NHL at $7,500 each.

"He's our most requested jersey," said Meisel, who gets to move about 10 Ovechkin game-worns a year. "We hear more from true hockey fans about Alex than anyone else in the league. He's effervescent, he's exciting, he plays like he loves the game. Fans respond to him. Of all the current players, I think Ovechkin is the game's greatest ambassador."

That's why global sports, media and entertainment giant IMG last month signed Ovechkin for exclusive marketing and management. He's why the Capitals' fundraising efforts for charities boom with a signed Ovechkin stick, if not an appearance by the star himself. Washington PR director Nate Ewell said Ovechkin autographed an estimated 5,000 items last season for charity.

Ovechkin is why Stephan and his girlfriend Katherine made the journey from Calgary to New York and watched from center ice in their Capitals No. 8 jerseys. "He's just the greatest player and the most exciting to watch," said Katherine.

Notes from Tuesday's game: Ovechkin scored his 15th goal of the season 15:06 into the first period as Washington won in his return, 4-2 over the Rangers. With just under five minutes left in the third period, Washington forward Matt Bradley -- who needed stitches earlier after a nasty fight with Aaron Voros -- took advantage of a Wade Redden turnover and scored on a breakaway to break a 2-2 tie. Rangers left wing Marian Gaborik scored two goals to tie Ovechkin for the league lead.

After missing two weeks with a strained muscle near his left shoulder, Ovechkin showed no discomfort in blasting a slap shot from just inside the blueline past New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. "My first shot of the game," he said with a grin.

Ovechkin said he made it through the game with his health intact. He admitted to being "a little scared to make a hit" early in the game, but once he absorbed a hit he felt more comfortable. Ovechkin was credited with seven hits in 19:23 of icetime. Ovechkin is the reason why youth hockey leagues have sprung up all over the Beltway. He's the reason the Capitals' beat, fading just five years ago, is now a high priority for the Washington Post. "Ever since Alex won the Calder Trophy, the demand for coverage has been constant," said Post reporter Tarik El-Bashir, who has been on the beat since the lockout. "But that's the effect Alex has had on the media everywhere. Whenever the Caps play on the road, there's a lot more press than there used to be."

A dozen reporters dragged themselves out of bed to cover the Capitals' morning skate on Tuesday, nine hours before the opening faceoff between Washington and the Rangers. After the game, even two New York newspaper columnists found their way to the visitors' locker room. Then there was the crew from VERSUS, the NHL's cable network partner which could not contain its joy when Ovechkin made his return on their air Tuesday night.

"On any given shift, he can make the play of the year," said VERSUS coordinating producer Mike Baker. "I've been working hockey on TV since 1980 and I've never seen a player exude such joy. For our purposes, Alex has been a gem. He's never said no, and we've made many requests of him. He understands the importance of bringing in viewers and bringing them closer to the game. And his reactions after goals are priceless."

Sure enough, when Ovechkin scored on a slap shot just 15 minutes into his first game in 15 days, he didn't act like he'd been there before. He shouted. He raised a fist to the air. He bear-hugged his teammates.

As much as the game missed him, Ovechkin missed scoring goals. Most of all, he missed the celebrations.

"That was unbelievable," he said. "That felt good."

Alex Ovechkin: The Classic Superstar originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alex Ovechkin Set to Make Grand Return

Christopher Botta — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals

NEW YORK -- Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin will make his return to the lineup on Tuesday night in Madision Square Garden against the New York Rangers.

Ovechkin, who is still tied for the NHL lead in goals with 14, missed six games over the last 15 days with what the Capitals termed an "upper body strain." His return is not just at one of the world's more famous arenas, but can be seen on VERSUS. In Ovechkin's three previous appearances on the league's national cable partner this season, he has a combined six goals and two assists. In his last five games at Madison Square Garden -- including last year's playoffs -- Ovechkin has four goals and four assists.

After the Capitals' morning skate at the Garden, Ovechkin was his typically playful self with a dozen reporters at his locker room stall, refusing to confirm his return to the lineup or specifically discuss his injury, believed to be a strained muscle near his left shoulder. But when asked if he was 100 percent, he said, "Probably, yeah." Ovechkin also said of his absence from the lineup, "It was pretty hard. I'm kind of excited to come back." Although his masked his prank with the media by saying, "I never joke with you guys," his ebullience and energy during the morning workout said it all.

Asked to confirm his star's lineup return, Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said, "I hope so," and then acknowledged that unless something went wrong with Ovechkin this afternoon -- like what, bad salmon at the team meal? -- the right wing would be back. Ovechkin has been lined up with center Nicklas Backstrom and left wing Chris Clark.

"When you've got the best player in the world, you miss him," said Boudreau. "By no stretch are we a better team without him. We want him in our lineup every night."

So at 7:00 Tuesday night, the league's most valuable and most dynamic player makes his return on one of the game's grandest stages. "I think Alex sort of likes that," said Boudreau.

Notes: The Capitals have recalled G Michal Neuvirth from Hershey (AHL), while Jose Theodore is away from the team tending to a personal matter. Semyon Varlamov will start for the Capitals, Henrik Lundqvist for the Rangers. Washington will also be without veteran right wing Mike Knuble, who will be out 3-4 weeks with a broken finger. The Rangers are still shorthanded down the middle, with injuries to centers Chris Drury and Brandon Dubinsky.

Alex Ovechkin Set to Make Grand Return originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plus/Minus: Varlamov Steps Up for Capitals; Blue Jackets Get Crushed

Adam Gretz — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Capitals

More Coverage: Wednesday's NHL Scoreboard

Plus Of The Day: Semyon Varlamov, Washington Capitals

Jose Theodore had a relatively short night for the Washington Capitals, finding himself on the bench just six minutes into the game after giving up three goals on five shots. His terrible start opened the door for Semyon Varlamov to come off the bench and help lead the Caps to a 5-4 shootout win -- a shootout that took 11 rounds to decide.

While hockey purists loathe the shootout and everything it stands for, there's no denying that Wednesday's performance was highly entertaining, as Varlamov and Islanders goaltender Dwayne Roloson matched one another save-for-save for the first 10 rounds. Chris Clark eventually scored what would be the game-winner for Washington before Varlamov sealed the contest by stopping Mark Streit.

Alexander Semin stepped up for the Capitals in the win as well, scoring two goals in regulation (and one in the shootout) and finishing with a game-high 11 shots on goal. He had been held to zero goals and two assists in his previous six games.

Even without the services of two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals have still found a way fill the net and get the job done, winning three of their past four games.

Minus Of The Day: The Columbus Blue Jackets

I was going to give this to Steve Mason for continuing his disappointing season by giving up eight goals on 27 shots in Columbus' 9-1 loss to Detroit (backup Mathieu Garon gave up the other goal), but ultimately decided to give it to the entire Blue Jackets team. Why? When you lose 9-1, in your home building, and get out-shot by a 39-26 margin it can't be blamed on just one person.

It's a total team effort.

That's not to say Mason didn't play a sizable role in the loss. I'm not going to throw around the phrase "sophomore slump" (mainly because I hate it), but there's clearly something wrong with the second-year netminder after his first 14 starts of the season.

After being the toast of the NHL a year ago, winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year and finishing as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, Mason has struggled mightily this season, with Wednesday's effort being his worst of the young campaign. His save percentage for the game was barely over .700, while he entered play with a .891 mark for the season, good enough for 37th (out of 40) in the league.

Highlight Of The Day: Alexander Semin scores his first of two goals against the Islanders, this one coming just eight seconds into the game.

Plus/Minus: Varlamov Steps Up for Capitals; Blue Jackets Get Crushed originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovechkin 'Week to Week' With Upper Body Strain

Adam Gretz — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, NHL Injuries

After leaving Sunday's overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets with an upper body injury, the Washington Capitals announced on Monday that Alex Ovechkin will be out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis with an upper body strain.

It goes without saying that it's a huge blow to the Capitals offense, as he's leading the league in goals (again) and points. Prior to this injury, he missed only four games in his NHL career, three of them coming a year ago.

Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau on the news:

"We have to buckle down. A goal a game he scores, so we got to play better defense and cannot allow four or five goals a game. You have to win 3-1 and 2-1 and if you get lucky sometimes make it a 4-2 game. I think we have enough character players who understand what we will have to do without Alex."

Before going down on Sunday, he was off to, perhaps, the best start of his career, scoring 14 goals in 14 games and helping lead the Capitals to an 8-2-4 start out of the gate. He also sparked debate as to whether or not he could be a threat to score 50 goals in 50 games -- or make a push for the 70-goal mark.

Washington's schedule over the next week includes a road game at New Jersey and a pair of games with the Florida Panthers.

It's been a rough opening month for some of the NHL's elite players, as Ovechkin joins Evgeni Malkin, Marc Savard, Ilya Kovalchuk, Roberto Luongo, Sergei Gonchar, Johan Franzen, and Jonathan Toews, just to name a few, who have all missed significant action with various injuries.

Ovechkin 'Week to Week' With Upper Body Strain originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ovechkin Hurt in Loss to Columbus

Adam Gretz — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:40:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jackets, Capitals, NHL Injuries, NHL Videos

The Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets played an overtime thriller on Sunday afternoon, with the Jackets picking up the 5-4 win thanks to R.J. Umberger's game-winner (and second goal of the game) at the 1:45 mark of the extra frame.

Perhaps the biggest concern for Capitals fans isn't the outcome on the scoreboard, but the status of the league's leading scorer and back-to-back MVP winner, Alex Ovechkin, who left the game after playing just 7:43.

From the Capitals Web site:

A few minutes before leaving, Ovechkin was involved in an altercation in front of the Blue Jackets' bench. During a break in play barely a minute into the second period, Ovechkin was bumped by Columbus left wing Jason Chimera and Ovechkin responded with a shove and players from both teams skated over to the scrum. Ovechkin, Chimera and Blue Jacket right wing Jared Boll all received minors for roughing, and Boll was also issued a misconduct.

As if the league didn't have enough star players injured through the first month of the season.

The team announced, via Twitter, that Ovechkin is day-to-day with an upper body injury, and that because of an off day on Monday, there won't be an update on his status until Tuesday. He's currently leading the league in most offensive categories, including goals (14), points (23), and shots on goal (85).

The third period saw the two teams combine for five goals, including a pair from Raffi Torres, who tied the game for Columbus with just 16 seconds to play in regulation. Rick Nash opened the scoring for the Blue Jackets early in the second period with this goal that probably won't be showing up on the highlight reel for Washington's defense this season:

Washington has now lost back-to-back games at home following a six-game winning streak, but has still managed to gain at least a point in the standings in nine straight games. The Capitals haven't lost in regulation since their 3-2 loss in Detroit all the way back on October 10.

Ovechkin Hurt in Loss to Columbus originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stamkos Leads Lightning; Capitals Survive Thrashers Comeback Attempt

Adam Gretz — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Lightning, Senators, Thrashers

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Lightning 5, Senators 2: After what can only be described as a disappointing rookie season, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steve Stamkos is starting to show the talents that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft. The 19-year-old center scored two more goals on Thursday (giving him nine on the season), while he and his linemates (Ryan Malone and Alex Tangauy) combined for eight points in Tampa Bay's 5-2 win against Ottawa.

Stamkos added an assist in the win, and is now tied with Martin St. Louis for the team lead with 14 points in 10 games. His second goal of the game, which gave Tampa Bay a 4-0 lead midway through the third period, was a perfectly placed wrist shot on the fly.

Capitals 4, Thrashers 3: Alex Ovechkin scored two goals in the first period and helped Washington take a 3-0 lead into the third period in Atlanta. The Thrashers managed to make it a game thanks to a pair of goals from Zach Bogosian and Todd White, only to have Mike Knuble seal it with an empty-netter with 53 seconds to play. Bogosian added a second goal with one second remaining. The Capitals have now won six in a row and get the Islanders at home on Friday.

Thursday's Other Games

Speaking of comeback attempts ... Detroit rallies to force a shootout in Edmonton but comes up short in the end.

New Jersey is now 6-0 on the road.

Ilya Bryzgalov picks up the shutout against St. Louis.

Pekka Rinne stopped all 22 shots he faced to help lead Nashville past Chicago.

Vancouver knocks off the kings in a shootout.

Loose Pucks

-- The top 10 worst shootout attempts of all time. [Greatest Hockey Legends]

-- Phil Kessel might be getting close to making his Toronto Maple Leafs debut. They certainly need him. [Leafs247]

Picture Of The Day

I already gave you your video of the day up above, so here's a picture of the day: You're always in the spotlight when you're a goaltender in the NHL.

Friday's Key Games

Avalanche vs. Sharks: Probably the best game of the night as Colorado, the team with the best record in the NHL at the moment, visits the team that finished last year with the best record in the NHL.

Penguins vs. Blue Jackets: The suddenly shorthanded Penguins visit Columbus. Based on their meetings from a year ago, this could be a fantastic rivalry if the NHL ever put them in the same division.

Maple Leafs vs. Sabres: A team that seems to be sneaking under the radar? Buffalo. The Sabres have lost only one game in regulation and Ryan Miller is leading the league in just about every category for goaltenders.

Stamkos Leads Lightning; Capitals Survive Thrashers Comeback Attempt originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Theodore Stops 41 to Lead Capitals

Adam Gretz — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Flyers

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Capitals 4, Flyers 2: It may not have matched their first meeting of the season, but Tuesday's Capitals-Flyers throw down turned out to be an outstanding game with a playoff-like atmopshere. Alex Ovechkin netted a pair of goals, while Alex Semin scored the game-winner midway through the third period (video after the jump) with a rocket of a wrist shot that couldn't have been placed any better.

While the two Alex's were providing the offense, goaltender Jose Theodore played perhaps his best game of the season, stopping 41 shots, including a penalty shot against Darroll Powe midway through the third period to preserve a 3-2 lead.

Tuesday's Other Games

Guess which team has the most points in hockey at the present time? Thanks to their 3-0 win in Edmonton, it's the Colorado Avalanche with a league-best 20 points, and a 9-1-2 record. Wojtek Wolski scored a pair of goals, while Craig Anderson turned aside 25 shots to record his second shutout of the season. [Box Score, Recap]

Detroit picked up its first road win of the season thanks to a four-goal third period in Vancouver. Pavel Datsyuk scored a pair, while Tomas Holmstrom, Niklas Kronwall and Jason Williams also tallied goals. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Colorado Avalanche backup goaltender Peter Budaj has been diagnosed with swine flu. [TSN]

-- The best non-Canadian hockey matchups for the 2010 Olympics. [Top Cheddar]

-- It appears as if defenseman Dmirty Kulikov will remain with the Panthers this season. [Litter Box Cats]

Video Of The Day

This is just an absolutely ridiculous shot from Alex Semin. It proved to be the game-winner in Washington's 4-2 win against Philadelphia.

Wednesday's Key Games

Rangers vs. Islanders: It's the first meeting of the season between these two bitter, cross-town rivals. Always a fun meeting, especially at the Garden.

Maple Leafs vs. Stars: Can Toronto make it two in a row? The Maple Leafs, fresh off their 6-3 win in Anaheim, travel to Dallas looking for their first winning streak of the season.

Kings vs. Sharks: In an early-season battle for first place in the Pacific Division, the Sharks welcomes the up-and-coming Kings to San Jose.

Theodore Stops 41 to Lead Capitals originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cherry Goes After Ovechkin Again

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Eastern, NHL Videos

After Alex Ovechkin scored his 50th goal last season, he had a rather unique celebration. Even before that happened, Ovechkin's celebrations had drawn the ire of CBC Hockey Night in Canada legend Don Cherry.

Yes, Cherry certainly tends to wear his Canadian heart on his sleeve. However, people generally listen to what he has to say, no matter the potential biases involved. After Ovechkin basically got away with a slew-foot earlier in the week, Cherry was very pointed in his comments on Coach's Corner Saturday night. Video after the jump.

Ovechkin did get off too easy when it comes to his hit on Rich Peverley. It's not about the slew-foot being an automatic suspension. Anyone who watches hockey can ascertain that Evgeni Artyuhkin is a much dirtier player than Ovechkin will ever be.

However, Cherry does have a point when it comes to the superstar. Ovechkin plays the game hard, which no one will ever question. That doesn't give him license to plow people from behind, or hit them in the knee. As Cherry notes, there is a reputation developing, and it isn't necessarily a good one.

At some point, Ovechkin will be asked to drop the gloves and stand up for his style of play. It might not be a desirable thought for Capitals fans, but it's one that is likely to become reality very soon if Ovechkin doesn't tone down his hits a little bit.

Cherry Goes After Ovechkin Again originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five Steps to a Capitals Comeback

Christopher Botta — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:15:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Islanders, NHL Press Box

UNIONDALE, NY -- What does a Stanley Cup contender do when nothing is working, their feisty underdog of an opponent is giving them fits and they're down 2-0 with 15 minutes left in the game? To hear the Washington Capitals tell it after coming back to beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Saturday night, a few things.

More: Cherry Rips Ovechkin Again

Be Aggressive: "The coaching staff told us before the third they wanted all the defensemen rushing the puck and getting it deep," said veteran blueliner Tom Poti. "There shouldn't be any wasted time in the neutral zone."

Defenseman Mike Green scored at 6:02 of the third period to close the gap to 2-1. Although the Islanders out-shot the Capitals 16-8 in the third period, the stat is misleading. While the Islanders had their chances to put the game away, Washington had a significant territorial edge in the final 10 minutes.

Get Angry: The Islanders won most of the one-one-battles through two periods and the game was chippy, with star wing Alexander Ovechkin engaging in personal battles with Andy Sutton, Sean Bergenheim, Jon Sim and Radek Martinek during the game and after whistles. Emotions boiled over when Islanders center Nate Thompson put a penalized knee-on-knee hit on Green, who was hobbled but stayed in the game.

"When Mike scored that goal," said Washington coach Bruce Boudreau, "you could tell how badly he wanted it, how badly he wanted to win. He got mad, like 'What the heck, let's win this game.' He played like he's capable of playing. For me, he was the best defenseman in the league last season."

Pray for Goaltending: A 1-0 Islanders lead after the first period could have been a lot more if the home team finished their chances and Capitals goaltender Jose Theodore didn't make several key stops.

"They really came hard and out-worked us," said Theodore. "As a goalie, especially with the talent we have, you just want to keep it close."

Said Boudreau: "I was thinking on the bench, Jose has played so well for us with not much to show for it. Let's win one for him."

Make Adjustments: Mid-way through the game, Boudreau split up Ovechkin and veteran right wing Mike Knuble. "I didn't see the chemistry," said the coach. "They were fighting the puck. I thought it was best for Knuble and Alex."

Keith Aucoin, just called up from the AHL, scored on a scramble near the crease off Islanders second-year center Josh Bailey to make it 2-2. Assists were credited to Ovechkin and Jeff Schultz.

Never Quit: Less than 10 minutes after scoring the overtime goal to give Washington the win, Capitals center Brooks Laich made it clear that the Islanders gave his team all they had.

"We have a lot of respect for that team," said Laich. "They work hard and are extremely well-coached. Teams talk a lot about working hard, but I don't think you can say that for every team in this league. The Islanders do. There's a reason five of our last seven games against them have gone to overtime."

Laich wasn't aware of the Islanders' recent tendency for blowing third period leads (New York is now 1-0-3 this season when leading after two periods). But he did think the Islanders could be taken.

"On the ice you could see fatigue in their faces in the third when we started carrying the play," said Laich. "They looked a little tired."

Boudreau cited the Islanders having played their third game in four nights, but his pride over his team's comeback out-weighed any disappointment in their disjointed first 30 minutes.

"Any time your team comes back from down 2-0 in the NHL, you're happy," said Boudreau. "It means you never quit."

Five Steps to a Capitals Comeback originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boudreau Defends Fined Ovechkin

Christopher Botta — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Islanders, NHL Discipline

UNIONDALE, NY -- Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau came to the defense of Alex Ovechkin on Saturday morning, after the superstar forward was fined $1,000 for his alleged "slew-foot" of Atlanta's Rich Peverley on Thursday.

"It's a dangerous play, so I'm glad the league is looking at those things," said Boudreau. "But I don't think whatever Alex does there is ever with the thought of injury. I don't think anything he does is malicious."

After the Capitals' morning skate on Saturday in preparation for a game on Long Island against the Islanders, Ovechkin seemed both relieved and a bit embarrassed.

On the lack of suspension, Ovechkin said, "It is good I don't miss any games." But on the play and the fine he said, "It is a bad situation for me and I don't look good right now."

After a rare point-less performance in Washington's 5-4 win in Atlanta Thursday, coupled with the league punishment, Ovechkin is primed for the game against the Islanders. For the second straight game he'll be without linemate and master playmaker Alexander Semin, said by Boudreau to be "sick and sore." Semin did not make the trip but skated Saturday at the team's practice facility in Virginia. "He's doing better," reported Boudreau.

Saturday night is the first head-to-head meeting in the NHL between Ovechkin and Islanders' 2009 first overall pick John Tavares. Ovechkin told FanHouse that he has met Tavares once -- at the 2008 World Championships in Quebec City. "He's a great guy," said Ovechkin. "He loves to play hockey -- which is the most important thing."

Tavares returned the compliment from his fellow first overall pick: "He loves the game and he loves to show it. His passion is incredible."

Ovechkin said he hasn't seen Tavares play in the NHL yet, but knows the 19-year-old will be a good player. "He was the first overall pick," said Ovechkin. "He has to be good."

Boudreau Defends Fined Ovechkin originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Jeff Schultz Beats Ondrej Pavelec With 175-Foot Shot

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Thrashers, Eastern, NHL Videos

Vesa Toskala has more company.

A couple years ago, Toskala allowed an improbable goal from over 190 feet away against the New York Islanders. Since then, guys have allowed bad goals left and right, but few have come close to duplicating Toskala's feat until Thursday night in Atlanta. It was there that Thrashers goalie Ondrej Pavelec was fooled by a puck with a mind of its own. Video after the jump.

The Capitals took a 3-2 lead on this goal, which was credited to Jeff Schultz, who was probably standing around 175 feet away from Pavelec when he shot.

It was the start of a string of three goals by Washington in just 1:28, which was enough to chase Pavelec in favor of Johan Hedberg.

Video: Jeff Schultz Beats Ondrej Pavelec With 175-Foot Shot originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another Milestone For Nicklas Lidstrom: 1,000 Points

Adam Gretz — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Canadiens, Capitals, Kings, Sharks, Red Wings

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Red Wings 5, Kings 2: Four Stanley Cups, six Norris Trophies, a Conn Smythe Trophy, 10 All-Star games, and now ... 1,000 career points. With his assist on Henrik Zetterberg's goal at the 3:24 mark of the third period (his second assist of the game), Nicklas Lidstrom recorded the 1,000th point of his remarkable career, joining fellow rearguards Paul Coffey, Ray Bourque, Al MacInnis, Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Larry Murphy, and Denis Potvin as the only defensemen to reach such a mark. As for the rest of the Wings, they pulled out a 5-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings, and did so in shorthanded fashion, playing without the services of not only injured forward Johan Franzen, but also Pavel Datsyuk.

After the jump: Video of Lidstrom's milestone, Ovechkin scores two, and more

Capitals 4, Sharks 1: Alex Ovechkin entered Thursday's game riding a three-game goal-less streak, which seems like an eternity for him. It goes without saying that he was probably due for a goal or two, and, hark, that's exactly what he provided in a 4-1 win against San Jose, while also recording 13 of Washington's 36 shots on goal. Alexander Semin and Matt Bradley also filled the net for Washington, while Semyon Varlamov stopped 15 shots. Varlamov took over for Jose Theodore when he left with an injury following the first period.

Avalanche 3, Canadiens 2: After a five-game road trip to open the season, the Montreal Canadiens finally had their home opener on Thursday night and the surprising Colorado Avalanche managed to crash the party with a 3-2 win. The Avs received goals from Milan Hejduk, Kyle Cumiskey and Ryan O'Reilly, while Craig Anderson continued to shine by stopping 29 of 31 shots. Despite a rare 7-on-5 power play to close out the game, Montreal's final push came up just short.

Thursday's Other Games

Hats off to Milan Michalek for his hat trick in Ottawa's 7-1 win over Tampa Bay. [Box Score, Recap]

Chicago improves to 5-1-1 with its win in Nashville. [Box Score, Recap]

Phoenix beats St. Louis in overtime. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Vancouver Canucks forward Pavol Demitra is dealing with shoulder tendinitis. [Nucks Misconduct]

-- The Phoenix Coyotes sent 2008 first-round pick Mikkel Boedker to San Antonio of the AHL. [Arizona Republic]

-- Don't look now, but Marc-Andre Fleury is 6-0. [Pensburgh]

Video Of The Day

Nice work, Mr. Lidstrom.

Friday's Key Games

Islanders vs. Sabres: The Islanders haven't won in four games, and all four have been decided by one goal, including three overtime decisions. They travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres who have yet to lose in regulation.

Flyers vs. Panthers: Florida hasn't won since its season-opening win against Chicago in Finland. The Panthers have another tough game on Friday when they host The Broad Street Bullies.

Canucks vs. Flames: After opening with three straight losses, the Canucks have won two in a row. The Flames, after opening with four straight wins, have now lost three in a row. The two teams meet Friday in Calgary.

Another Milestone For Nicklas Lidstrom: 1,000 Points originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puck Talk: Just How Good Is Ovechkin?

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Capitals, Sharks, FanHouse Exclusive

The NHL season has begun, and it sure was an interesting first week. A scoring binge in Washington, stunning defensive start in Denver, and a stumble out of the gates in San Jose. FanHouse national NHL insider Christopher Botta joins us this week, as we break down the lid-lifters around the league. Listen after the jump.

Listen to the podcast above, or click here to download the file.

Puck Talk: Just How Good Is Ovechkin? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hockey Talk: NHL FanHouse Live Chat

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Capitals, Sharks, NHL Fans, NHL Live Blogging

The opening week of the NHL season featured plenty of excitement, a few surprises, some bitter fans (mainly DirecTV customers), and some fisticuffs.

The NHL FanHouse gang will break down the events so far in a live chat at 2 PM ET. Join us after the jump.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=63bfb8ead4" &amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;NHL FanHouse Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Hockey Talk: NHL FanHouse Live Chat originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hats Off to Mike Richards, Happy Birthday Danny Briere

Adam Gretz — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Canadiens, Capitals, Flames, Flyers, Maple Leafs, Senators

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Flyers 6, Capitals 5: After a scoreless first period in Philadelphia, the final 40 minutes of regulation -- and the overtime period -- of the Capitals-Flyers game turned into a defense optional contest.

The two teams pumped in 11 goals during Philadelphia's 6-5 overtime win, including a second period hat trick from Flyers center Mike Richards, giving him five goals in his first three games of the season. Such a number would have given him the early season lead in goals scored, had it not been for Alex Ovechkin continuing his white-hot start by adding a pair of his own, also giving him five on the young season.

After the jump: Video of the day, an unlikely hat trick, Ottawa tops 'The Monster'

The game-winning tally came from Danny Briere at the 3:52 mark of the overtime period on the same day he celebrated his 33rd birthday. Some of the other offensive highlights from the night: Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom registered three more assists ... Flyers defenseman Matt Carle had four assists of his own - in the second period ... Capitals winger Alexander Semin scored two more goals ... Through three games, the line of Ovechkin, Backstrom and Semin has combined for nine goals, 15 assists and 24 points.

Flames 4, Canadiens 3: Entering play on Tuesday, former No. 10 overall pick (2002) Eric Nystrom had played 124 games in the NHL and scored eight goals. During Calgary's 4-3 win against Montreal, the 26-year-old winger scored three goals on three shots for the first multiple-goal game of his career. Scott Gomez scored his first goal as a member of the Canadiens in the loss.

Senators 2, Maple Leafs 1: The Maple Leafs dropped their third in a row to start the season, falling to their Provincial rivals. Daniel Alfredsson and Shean Donovan provided the offense for the Senators, while Pascal Leclaire stopped 26 of 27 shots in net. Matt Stajan provided the lone goal for Toronto (his third of the season) and Jonas Gustavsson stopped 26 shots in his first career start. For 59 minutes and 23 seconds, Gustavsson pitched a shutout for the Leafs only to surrender both goals in a 37-second span early in the second period.

Tuesday's Other Games

Carolina tops Tampa Bay in a shootout. [Box Score, Recap]

Minnesota comes back for overtime win. [Box Score, Recap]

Edmonton wins in a shootout. [Box Score, Recap]

Los Angeles takes on San Jose [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- With Andrei Markov on the shelf for a few months, Montreal addressed its power play and depth on the blue line by adding free agent defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeon. He scored 14 goals for Minnesota a year ago. [TSN]

-- Good news for the New Jersey Devils as winger Patrik Elias has returned to the ice. [Fire & Ice]

-- Bad news for the Colorado Avalanche as goaltender Craig Anderson, the man leading their surprising start, missed practice on Tuesday with a "minor groin strain." According to Adrian Dater, the Avs believe he will return to practice on Wednesday. [All Things Avs]

Video Of The Day

Mike Richards pounces on a loose puck and scores his third goal of the game.

Wednesday's Key Games

Another slow night on the schedule as only four teams are in action.

Penguins vs. Coyotes: Phoenix continues its season-opening three-game road trip in Pittsburgh against the Stanley Cup Champions who are looking to win their third in a row.

Canadiens vs. Canucks: Vancouver looks to get in the "W" column for the first time this season against Montreal, while everyone asks what's wrong with Roberto Luongo?

Hats Off to Mike Richards, Happy Birthday Danny Briere originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alex Ovechkin's Shot at 70 Goals

Adam Gretz — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals

After the first two games of the Washington Capitals' season, Alex Ovechkin is on pace to score approximately 123 goals (hurray for small sample sizes!).

On Monday, the folks at Japers' Rink pondered the possibility of Ovechkin joining the elite club of players to score 50 goals in 50 games; an extremely rare accomplishment in the annals of hockey history that hasn't been achieved since Brett Hull did it nearly 20 years ago.

From Japers:

The Great Eight is certainly off to a good start with three goals in two games. But the best fifty-game stretches of Ovechkin's career so far have seen him score 43 goals, a number he's hit an impressive nine times (with some overlaps) in his young career, most recently ending March 1 of this year. (Currently, he has 39 goals in his last fifty games, whether or not you include last season's playoffs.) So he'll need to increase his production over the best 50-game goal-scoring spans of his career by more than 16%.

While the idea of 50-in-50 seems like an extreme long shot in today's game (or any time period, for that matter), let's think about the possibility of Ovechkin lighting the lamp 70 times (also a long shot in today's game) during the 2009-10 season. What would he have to do over the Capitals' final 80 games of the season?

First, some history. The 70-goal mark has been reached just 14 times (by eight different players) in league history. It hasn't been done since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny both did it during the 1992-93 campaign, finishing in a tie for the league lead with 76 goals.

Ovechkin's current career-high is 65 (the 24th-best goal-scoring season in league history) during the 2007-08 season. Sixty goals was a huge accomplishment for two reasons: 1) prior to that season it hadn't been done since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr for the Pittsburgh Penguins a decade earlier, and 2) only a handful of players are capable of scoring even 50 goals in today's NHL. Since the 2000-01 season, for example, there have only been 16 50-goal performances, and three of them belong to Ovechkin.

Fifty appears as if it's going to be a lock for the foreseeable future, and since he's already hit the 60 mark, the next obvious milestone to consider is 70.

The simple math for the rest of the season:

The Road to 70
Player	Goals To Go	Games To Play	Goals Per Game Needed
Alex Ovechkin	67	80	.8375

That's quite an average Ovechkin would have to maintain to hit 70. Only 78 players (many of whom did not play 82 games -- some of them may have maintained that average over, say, 50 games) in the history of the league have finished a season with such a mark, while it's been done just 26 times in the post-Original Six NHL.

It's asking a lot, but if there's a player in the league today that's capable of doing it, it's most definitely Ovechkin.

Alex Ovechkin's Shot at 70 Goals originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alexander Ovechkin Stars, Caps Prove They're a Team

Christopher Botta — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:50:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Capitals, NHL Press Box

BOSTON -- On the first day in October, more than eight months before the Stanley Cup is rolled out to center ice, the Washington Capitals demonstrated in NHL Game No. 1 in Boston on Thursday night why they may be the Eastern standard.

These Capitals are not just Alexander Ovechkin, but a team constructed with precision from top to bottom.

The Washington superstar put on another magic show in the Capitals' 4-1 win in Boston -- earning another First Star, ho hum -- but it was far from a one-man production. His two goals came on splendid tape-to-tape passes, first from linemate Alexander Semin, later by defenseman Tom Poti. On both goals, Ovechkin outworked and out-muscled his coverage -- tonight was the Silence of Milan Lucic -- but he knows he's not getting world-class assistance if he's on just any team.

"I get the goals and a lot of the attention sometimes," said Ovechkin in a rare understatement, "but a game like tonight shows a lot about all the talent we have. I'm very lucky. You saw it tonight. Those guys are just sick players. These guys know how to get me the puck."

And they don't just get it to Ovechkin. His brilliant linemate, the still-rising 21-year-old Swedish center Nicklas Backstrom, had assists on the first three goals of the game. On the rare night when Ovechkin doesn't have it, Washington is deep enough for a different unsung hero to emerge. Thursday they had the best of both worlds; Ovechkin's pair of goals were equaled by second line left wing Brooks Laich.

The 26-year-old Laich, a former sixth-round pick dumped by Ottawa and plucked by Caps GM George McPhee in a string of unheralded but franchise-building moves, is a garbage man. Over the last two years he had 44 goals and could reach 30 in 2009-10. His goals Thursday were vintage Laich: "I got two goals from a combined two feet out of the net," he said with a laugh -- although his facts were accurate. Washington head coach Bruce Boudreau was happy for the grand-stage illustration that his team is not all about Ovechkin. "We've got guys on all four lines that know their roles," Boudreau said. "We've got guys that know how to play the game."

On the other end was Capitals goaltender Jose Theodore, showing more heart than anyone on the ice. The 32-year-old goalie is mourning the loss of his two-month old son, who died in August. Theodore was sharp from beginning to end, making 19 saves on 20 shots and controlling his rebounds. It was a remarkable debut under circumstances few could ever understand.

"I'm very lucky. You saw it tonight. Those guys are just sick players. These guys know how to get me the puck." -- Alexander OvechkinDuring training camp, Theodore spoke of the distraction of "being around the guys" and teammates like defenseman Brian Pothier talked about the Capitals as "an extended family" who "carry each other's burdens." After the victory Thursday, there was an admirably noticeable attempt to move on publicly, to keep the Theodore tragedy within the family. Boudreau said he was "really happy for him," but only in the context that his starter is sometimes a "much-maligned goalie," not a parent in pain.

Theodore also did not want to go there. "Tonight was about putting everything together with the guys in front of me," he said, "and respecting the game plan." Then he politely walked away, headed for a warm handshake from team owner Ted Leonsis and a quiet, proud celebration with his teammates.

This is what a true family does. This is how a successful franchise operates. This is how a perfectly-rebuilt hockey team becomes a contender.

Alexander Ovechkin Stars, Caps Prove They're a Team originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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