Washingtonpost news updates: Capitals

Showing posts with label Capitals. Show all posts

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin, Pittsburgh’s Zbynek Michalek face disciplinary hearings

Update, 12:45 p.m.: Ovechkin declines to comment on hit

Washington left wing Alex Ovechkin and Pittsburgh defenseman Zbynek Michalek will have disciplinary hearings with NHL vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan for hits in the Capitals’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Penguins on Sunday.

Ovechkin laid a crunching check on Michalek in the corner 4 minutes and 5 seconds into the second period. On the play, Ovechkin appeared to leap off the ice prior to contact, but Michalek might have been falling before contact was made. There was no penalty on the hit, and Michalek’s head did not appear to be the principal point of contact. Ovechkin’s hearing is scheduled for early this afternoon. He did not address the hit following the game.

Ovechkin has been suspended twice in his career, but neither has been in the past 18 months, so he will not be considered a repeat offender under the NHL’s rules. Both suspensions came in the 2009-10 season. He received one two-game suspension after a knee-on-knee hit against Carolina defenseman Tim Gleason and another three months later for a hit on Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell.

Check out the video of Ovechkin’s hit here:

Not long after Ovechkin’s check Sunday, Michalek elbowed Matt Hendricks into the boards deep in the Pittsburgh zone, 8:36 into the second period. Hendricks chased the puck into the corner, and he crouched down just prior to absorbing the hit from Michalek’s forearm. Michalek received a minor penalty for elbowing on the play.

Afterward, Michalek had some strong words about the two hits. The defenseman acknowledged he deserved a penalty for the elbow against Hendricks but wasn’t happy that Ovechkin didn’t receive any type of penalty for his check.

“I was a little surprised. To me, when the play happened, he just went for my head. I’ve been told that he left his feet. Hit my head,” Michalek said. “To me, it’s a definitely a penalty. They didn’t call it. It should have been called for sure.”

“It’s not the first time he’s hit me or somebody else like that. Some players are more protected than the others. It should be an even field. Next shift I took a penalty. It was a good call. I elbowed the guy. I just told the ref that if he’s going to make the call on me he should make it on him too. It should be an even field no matter who makes the hit.”

Below is the video of Michalek’s elbow on Hendricks.

More from Post Sports:
— Caps prepare for possible Ovechkin suspension
— Backstrom skates for first time since Jan. 6
— Malkin’s goal vaults Penguins past Caps in OT
— Loss overshadow’s Ovi’s three-point outing

View the original article here

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Open thread: Capitals at Penguins

The rival Capitals and Penguins face off today in their final meeting of the 2011-12 regular season. In a notable change to the lineup, Marcus Johansson is not on the ice for warmup and will not face Pittsburgh because of an illness.

Johansson, who took part in practice on Saturday, suffered an apparent left leg/thigh injury late in Washington’s win in Montreal earlier this week but skated 22 minutes and 7 seconds against Carolina on Friday and appeared no worse for wear.

Michal Neuvirth will make his second start in three games and his first appearance against Pittsburgh this season, he is 2-0-1 with a .977 save percentage and 0.65 goals-against average against the Penguins in his career. He will be opposed by Marc-Andre Fleury, who will make a 21st consective appearance.

Chat about the game in the comments section below.

Faceoff: 12:30 p.m., Consol Energy Center | TV: NBC | Radio: 1500 AM

Based on warmup here is what the lineup should look like against the Penguins:

Forwards
Ovechkin-Perreault-Knuble
Hendricks-Laich-Brouwer
Chimera-Halpern-Semin
Beagle-Eakin-Ward

Defense
Alzner-Wideman
Hamrlik-Carlson
Erskine-Orlov

Goal
Neuvirth
Vokoun

Scratches: Marcus Johansson (illness), Jeff Schultz and Tomas Kundratek.

Injured reserve: Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) and Mike Green (sports hernia) on LTI.

— Alex Ovechkin: Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin ‘dominates’
— Coach Dale Hunter: Alex Ovechkin ‘knows when to shoot’
— NHL Power Rankings (Jan. 20): Tim Thomas, Bruins still on top

View the original article here

Monday, February 6, 2012

Capitals are in search of shots as they prepare to visit Pittsburgh

- The Washington Post Print SubscriptionConversationsToday's PaperGoing Out GuideJobsCarsReal EstateRentalsClassifiedsHomePoliticsCampaign 2012CongressCourts &LawThe Fed PageHealth CarePollingWhite HouseBlogs & ColumnsIssues: EnergyTop Blogs

Election 2012 | Felicia SonmezThe Fix | Chris CillizzaFederal Eye | Ed O’KeefeFact Checker | Glenn KesslerOpinionsAll OpinionsPostPartisanLeft-LeaningRight-LeaningTolesCartoonsTelnaesAnimationsLocalColumnist IndexLocalDC: Politics| NewsMD: Politics| CommunitiesVA: Politics| CommunitiesCrimeEducationOn Faith/LocalObituariesTraffic & CommutingWeatherBlogs & ColumnsThe Root DCTop Blogs

Post NowThe BuzzCapital Weather GangDr. GridlockSportsRedskins/NFLCapitals/NHLWizards/NBANationals/MLBDC United/SoccerCollegesAllMetSportsOther SportsBlogs & ColumnsTop Blogs

The Insider| Mike JonesCapitals Insider| Katie CarreraWizards Insider | Michael LeeNationals Journal| Adam KilgoreNationalCorrectionsEnergy & EnvironmentHealth & ScienceHigher EducationNational SecurityOn FaithOn LeadershipInnovationsOn GivingBlogs & ColumnsTop Blogs

Ideas@InnovationsPost LeadershipUnder GodCheckpoint WashingtonWorldAfricaTheAmericasAsia &PacificEuropeMiddle EastNational SecurityWar ZonesSpecial ReportsCheckpoint WashingtonBusinessEconomyIndustriesLocal BusinessMarketsPolicy&RegulationTechnologyWorldBusinessBlogs & ColumnsInnovationsOn Small BusinessTop Blogs

Wonkblog | Ezra KleinPost Tech | Cecilia KangFaster ForwardWhere We LiveInvestigationsLifestyleAdviceCarolyn HaxFoodHome & GardenStyleTravelWeddingsWellnessMagazineKidsPostTop Blogs

Arts PostAll We Can EatReliable Source | Roxanne Roberts & Amy ArgetsingerOn Parenting | Janice D’ArcyEntertainmentBooksCelebritiesComicsGoing Out GuideHoroscopesMoviesMuseumsPuzzlesTheater & DanceTVTop Blogs

TV Column | Lisa de MoraesCelebritology | Jen ChaneyClick Track | Chris Richards & David MalitzComic Riffs | Michael CavnaMultimediaInnovationsPhotosVideosThe Washington PostMake us your start page

PersonalizeThe Washington PostRedskins/NFLCapitals/NHLWizards/NBANationals/MLBDC United/SoccerCollegesAllMetSportsOther SportsBlogs & ColumnsPost TicketsScheduleRosterStatsInjuriesScoreboardStandingsLeague LeadersCapitals InsiderBuy TicketsIn the NewsJoe Paterno Newt Gingrich S.C. primary Camp Lejeune NFL Marist College fire Megaupload ???initialComments:true! pubdate:01/21/2012 19:12 EST! commentPeriod:14! commentEndDate:2/4/12 7:12 EST! currentDate:1/22/12 5:0 EST! allowComments:true! displayComments:true!

Joe Paterno in grave condition

For 49ers’ Davis, team comes first again

OPINION | Wizards need to get rid of this...

Porter rescues 10th-ranked Hoyas at home

Capitals are in search of shots as they prepare to visit Pittsburgh

Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post - Alex Ovechkin (8) has recorded five or more shots just once in his past 10 games.

Text SizePrintE-mailReprints By Katie Carrera,

PITTSBURGH — It has become common in recent weeks to see the Washington Capitals enter the offensive zone with the best of intentions, yet see them exit the same stretch of ice without so much as hinting at a scoring chance or a shot on goal.

Regardless how the possessions are derailed, whether by turnovers or trying to be too cute in pursuit of a highlight-worthy play, they often end the same — with the Capitals retreating into their own end with little to show for their trip across an opponents’ blue line.

Comments

Weigh InCorrections?

More on this Story

Caps are in search of shotsHunter: Ovechkin ‘knows when to shoot’NHL power rankings: Bruins remain No. 1

Heading into Sunday’s matinee against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington has failed to crack the 25-shot mark in any of the past seven contests. The Capitals have been outshot in 15 of their past 16 games. For a team and core group of players that was once so identified by its offensive prowess and what appeared to be an ability to score at will, it has been quite a shift.

“We had rushes, three-on-one, two-on-one and they made a play and never got a scoring chance out of it,” Coach Dale Hunter said. “Definitely got to get more pucks to the net and making the proper decision when you do get a chance. We’re blowing some chances, that’s what we’re doing. There’s only so many chances in a game so you’ve got to get it out there.”

To be certain, Hunter emphasizes more of a defensive posture for the Capitals than former coach Bruce Boudreau did when the team was blazing its way to the top of the league in offense. Washington is also coping with the absence of No. 1 center Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) and Mike Green (sports hernia) to injury.

Nevertheless, when Washington cannot escape its own zone to establish puck possession and generate scoring chances it puts additional strain on the defense and the goaltenders. Against a team such as Pittsburgh that is ranked first in the NHL in shots on goal per game (34.5) and has outshot its opponent in 13 consecutive games, that pressure likely will be even greater.

“It’s hard on us D always running around down there .?.?. it’s a tough job when you play 40-45 minutes in your own zone and can’t get out,” defenseman Karl Alzner said. “We’re starting to get a little upset about being in our own end and having lots of shots against us, and we’ve got to go out there and fix it. .?.?. Everyone’s got to do their part and that’s it. I have to do my job in the corner, the winger’s got to do [his] job at the blue line, move it up and keep it there. We’ve just got to put all the pieces together.”

So on Saturday, in a practice that stretched beyond an hour, the Capitals focused on maintaining possession upon entering the offensive zone, manufacturing opportunities and making sure players focused on driving to the net.

Part of the practice was also used to hammer home the idea that the most effective play may not always be the pretty one, and that cycling the puck, without creating a scoring chance, does little good.

“If you don’t have anything but you throw it off a pad for a rebound, that’s just as good as a pretty backdoor pass,” right wing Troy Brouwer said. “We’ve just got to make sure that pucks and bodies are going to the net — not just one or the other.”

While the lack of shots and offense is a team-wide problem, there’s no question the Capitals would like to see captain Alex Ovechkin start taking more shots that hit the net. In the past 10 games Ovechkin, who has led the NHL in shots on goal in each of his six seasons, has recorded five or more shots just once and he has only posted five or more twice in the past 14.

Asked about his low shot totals, Ovechkin addressed the Capitals’ collective offensive woes.

“You can find some excuses, but you can’t play like that,” Ovechkin said. “You can’t win the game with 14, 16 shots on net in the game [and having to] give all the attention to our goaltending.”

EmailTumblrRedditStumbleuponDiggDeliciousWeigh InDiscussion PolicyAbout Discussions, Badges Newest firstOldest firstMost Recommended first SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.