Washington Capitals Hockey
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Sweet, Sweet Sixty
Exactly one week after dismantling a reeling Atlanta
Thrashers squad, the Capitals travelled to Atlanta in dire need of
another victory. For 40 minutes, it looked as though the Caps just
weren't with it for the second time in three nights. But Alex Ovechkin
sparked the Capitals first third period rally to win in over a calendar
year, having failed in their previous 50 tries.
It was an historic evening as Ovechkin reached the 60
goal plateau, the first to do so in over a decade. His momentous goal,
the second of the night, was scored with nine minutes remaining in the
third. This began a sudden four goal outburst for Washington that
encompassed barely more than eight minutes -- just enough time to tie
the game, go ahead, and add an empty netter to earn a much deserved two
points. How deserved? Twenty-three third period shots deserved.
Ovechkin and his linemates, Nicklas Backstrom and Viktor
Kozlov, took control of the game particularly in the third. For the
game, the top line combined for 4 goals, 4 assists, a +11 rating, and
20 shots (two more than the entire Thrashers team had). Shaone
Morrisonn and Mike Green each finished a +3 on the night, with Green
picking up two assists while firing seven shots on goal.
But what about the second line of Sergei Fedorov,
Alexander Semin, and Tomas Fleischmann? Zero points on just four shots
with a combined -5 rating. With that type of second line play, the
Capitals' goal of reaching the playoffs will be that much more
difficult. But this game was no aberration for the trio. In 11 games in
March, they have combined for just three goals while the rest of
Washington's forwards have tallied 33 times. By the way, the forwards
have scored Washington's last 39 goals.
Looking to the out-of-town scoreboard, the Capitals got
half the help they needed. Buffalo lost to Toronto, allowing
the Capitals to hurdle back into the ninth spot. Philadelphia, however,
outlasted the New York Rangers in overtime to climb into the seventh
spot while maintaining a two point edge
over Washington. Both Buffalo and Philadelphia own a game in hand over
the Caps. The idle Boston Bruins sit in the eighth seed, one point
ahead of the Capitals. The slumping B's own two extra games over the
Caps though.
The Capitals look to close the gap on division leading
Carolina when they travel to Raleigh on Tuesday, the first of two key
head to head affairs. Both teams are off until then and will be plenty
rested.
A FEW NOTES FROM THE GAME:
- Jeff Schultz led the Capitals in hits with three.
Yes, I said Jeff Schultz. He has been playing the body a bit more of
late, something he needs to vastly improve upon this offseason.
- Steve Eminger played quite well in his first
appearance in ten games while Sami Lepisto was a healthy scratch.
Lepisto, less than one year Eminger's
junior, doesn't seem ready to withstand the rigors of the NHL. To think
Emmy had four seasons under his belt by the time he was Lepisto's age.
- The Capitals got no help from their specialty teams.
Their penalty killers allowed a goal on just two shorthanded situations
while their power play went 0 for 4 while generating only three shots
and giving up a shorty.
- Cristobal Huet played his worst game as a Capital,
allowing three goals on only 18 shots. He had only seven worse outings
(save percentage-wise) over the past three years. In
comparison, Olie
Kolzig had nine
worse outings this year
alone.
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