Caps 5, Senators 2
That three-game losing streak is a distant memory now. Caps win again at Verizon Center and improved to 26-11-6 with 58 points. Make it two solid games heading into a road trip against Southeast Division rivals Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Florida. Washington controlled this game from the start. Boyd Gordon scored for the first time since Jan. 1, 2009 (see game story for more on that and the rebound performance by goalie Jose Theodore). Mike Knuble then made it 2-0 at 17:46 of the first period.
Caps coach Bruce Boudreau was a little concerned during a shaky second period. Ottawa’s Chris Phillips scored on a shot that deflected off defenseman Mike Green’s skate and past Theodore to make it 2-1.
“When Knuble missed [a scoring chance] at the end of the second period I said ‘Uh, oh.’ You know, I was getting a little jumpy.”
Enter center Nicklas Backstrom, who scored two goals in a game for the fifth time this season. The first one came just 26 seconds into the third period and seemed to deflate the Senators. It was a bad goal for sure – coming from an impossible angle against Ottawa goalie Pascal Leclaire. That was rough. Backstrom’s second goal was almost as bad. He streaked around the net and fooled Leclaire with a wraparound. The Senators’ goalie was too far to his right and never got back into the play. No matter. Those goals still count and they came at a key time.
“[Backstrom] showed a lot of leadership because I thought we were floundering in the second period when it was 2-1,” Boudreau said. “And then he comes out in the third period and gets two goals. He was just determined and that’s what is making him one of the best players in the league….It’s a huge goal because it can go any way with a 2-1 lead.”
Backstrom now has 17 goals – second on the team behind Alex Ovechkin – and 32 assists. He is eighth overall in points (49) in the NHL. That price tag for his new contract just keeps on rising.
Game Notes
» Caps have now had players score two goals in a game 29 different times this season. How many hat tricks? That would be zero. Thanks to PR guru Nate Ewell for that nuggett.
» Alex Ovechkin is now first in the NHL in shots, tied for first in +/- and five points off the league scoring lead. He has 27 goals in 35 games.
» Tomas Fleischmann – who last played center in junior hockey – is apparently a natural at faceoffs. He won 12 of 15 tonight and is 18 of 24 in two games at that position. That’s kind of awesome. He’s not keeping that winning percentage up, but it would be a pleasant surprise if he was an adequate option in the circle. So, ummm…where the heck did that come from?
“I had no idea,” Boudreau said. “But [Fleischmann’s] got such quick hands it makes sense that he’d be good on the faceoffs…[assistant coach Dean Evason] works with him on that. But I think a lot of it is natural ability.”
» Caps are making serious use of the roster when it comes to the penalty kill. Eight different forwards and a myriad of combinations were used as the PK held Ottawa to just two shots on three power plays. The Senators struggled to generate anything with the man-advantage. The Caps have some depth on that unit, especially with Gordon back now. Boudreau didn’t even have to use Mike Knuble and he’s good in that role. Just no need and anyway the Caps break out the top line – Ovechkin, Backstrom, Knuble – right after they kill off an opponent’s power play. Look for forward Jason Chimera to get more PK time, too. Last week’s trade acquisition is one of the fastest skaters in the league and has experience at it when he played with Columbus. Having said all that – Washington’s special teams weren’t perfect. They were also 0-for-3 on the power play.
“Our PK was really good, our PP was really bad,” Boudreau said. “We could have had two goals on the PP and still I wouldn’t have thought it was very good because we didn’t outwork them.”
Notable Quotable
» Boudreau lauded Boyd Gordon for his first goal in over a year. But he also heaped praise on fourth-line mates David Steckel and Matt Bradley.
“I thought the so-called fourth line – when they got on they outworked the opposition and they were successful. They don’t always get the goals. But I told them in meetings today ‘I don’t expect you to score the goals. But when you guys get out there, when you show that energy it gets the other lines going.’ And the follow-up [line] usually gets a good chance to score. So even though you’re not on the scoresheet you’re doing a real valuable job for us.”
» Gordon has apparently seen the comedy “The Hangover”. Referencing his team’s newfound friskiness when opponents try to take liberties:
“The last couple of games it’s been feisty. It’s nice if we get in a scrum to get in there and have that pack of wolves kind of mentality.”
For example – Caps defenseman Mike Green got into a shouting match with Ottawa pest Jarkko Ruutu after the two collided in the third period. Ruutu appeared to be telling Green, who was laying on top of him at the time, exactly what he’d do to him once he got back to his feet. Sadly, that message can’t be repeated in a family blog. The two jawed all the way to the penalty box and beyond. But every Cap on the ice got involved during that scrum – something that didn’t happen much in their recent losses to Carolina, San Jose and Los Angeles. Before the squabble Green was a loner, but then found that he’d added four guys to his wolf pack, all ready to run around in the desert together in Las Vegas and…Nevermind. Just go see “The Hangover”.
» Boudreau on his defensemen, who for the most part limited Ottawa’s chances. Uh…except for that final shift after Ovechkin had just scored to make it 5-1 with 1:26 to go.
“Pretty solid…except for the last 30 seconds when we went brain dead.”
It was actually with 55 seconds left. Point taken, though. Will check in from practice on Friday before the Caps begin that Southeast Division road trip.
Follow Brian McNally on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bmcnally14
