Finishing the Job: The Capitals Will Look to Shut Down the Blue Jackets in Game 6

Posted on April 22, 2018 by

50a8255

After a thrilling overtime win on Saturday night, the Washington Capitals have now taken their first lead in their first round playoff series against the Columbus Blue Jackets that they earlier trailed 2-0. Now up 3-2 in a series many believed was long over, with a chance to close-out the series Monday night, the Capitals are on the cusp of returning to the second round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Head coach Barry Trotz talked more about that in his conference call on Sunday morning.

Continue reading →

Posted in Barry Trotz, Coach, Daily Report, News, Playoffs, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Capitals Penalty Kill has been an X-Factor the Last Three Games

Posted on April 22, 2018 by

Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images

After trailing their series 2-0 to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Washington Capitals won their next three games to take a 3-2 series lead heading into Monday night’s Game 6. Two of those wins came on the road and the Capitals will look to close out the series in Columbus tomorrow night. With the team off, Barry Trotz spoke to reporters Sunday morning on a conference call.  Continue reading →

Posted in Barry Trotz, Coach, Daily Report, News, Penalty Kill, Playoffs, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

After a Dismal Third Period, Trotz was Pleased with Leadership Shown in Overtime

Posted on April 21, 2018 by
Canucks_Capitals_Hockey_16903.jpg-cdae6_c0-196-4453-2792_s885x516Photo: Alex Brandon/AP

The Washington Capitals entered Saturday afternoon’s Game 5 contest with the Columbus Blue Jackets with the series deadlocked at two games apiece. The first two periods of Game 5 was a back and fourth affair. Then in the final 20 minutes with the Capitals ahead 3-2, the home team looked lost. This Capitals team, a team that outplayed the Blue Jackets throughout the first four games of the series, looked like they were sleepwalking through the third period.  Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Playoffs, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Nicklas Backstrom Becomes the 19th Player in NHL History with At Least Four Overtime Goals in the Playoffs

Posted on April 21, 2018 by
c644ef60-05a9-4b7f-9c1a-4e140b6d2004-large16x9_AP_18111811770467Nick Wass/Associated Press

Entering today’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with three career overtime goals in the playoffs, Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom added a fourth in a 4-3 win to give the Caps a 3-2 series lead over the Blue Jackets. In scoring his fourth career playoff overtime goal, Backstrom becomes just the 19th player in NHL history to score four career playoff overtime goals. Continue reading →

Posted in Games, News, NHL, Players, Playoffs, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Capitals Beat Blue Jackets 4-3 (OT); Take 3-2 Series Lead

Posted on April 21, 2018 by

Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Washington Capitals beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 (OT) Saturday afternoon at Capital One Arena. After the Jackets opened the scoring, Nicklas Backstrom would notch a tally in the first frame for a 1-1 score at the first intermission. Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie would register tallies in the middle frame to give the Caps a 3-2 lead at the second intermission. The Jackets would tie it up early in the final frame, sending the game into overtime for the 4th time in the series. The Capitals would win it in overtime with a redirected goal by Nicklas Backstrom. Game 6 is set for Monday night in Columbus.  Continue reading →

Posted in Game Re-Caps, News | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Thoughts from Section 217: Who Are We?

Posted on April 21, 2018 by

img_3295

With the Capitals (and their fans) celebrating a promised Game 4 win on Thursday night, NoVa Caps’ Lisa Desabrais gives her thoughts on the Capitals’ identity and the unity of the fans in the latest Thoughts From Section 217. Continue reading →

Posted in Fans, News, NHL, Playoffs, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Capitals Alumni Profile: Brian Pothier

Posted on April 20, 2018 by
92394914Getty Images

In the history of the Capitals, a total of 17 players have worn No. 2 on the back of their sweaters, with defenseman Matt Niskanen currently holding the distinction. Before Niskanen joined the Capitals in 2014, the number was worn by fellow defenseman and longtime Capital Brian Pothier. In this latest Capitals Alumni Profile, NoVa Caps looks back at Pothier’s Capitals career. Continue reading →

Posted in History, News, NHL, Players, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Red Reflection: Despite the Playoff Failures, the Young Guns Era Certainly Left Me With Some Memories

Posted on April 20, 2018 by
91971796Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

I have been a Capitals fan all my life ( I was born just days after the Capitals lost Game 4 of the 1998 Stanley Cup Final) and while I may not remember the first Caps game I ever saw on television, there have certainly been a number of memorable games over the years that have been firmly imprinted in my memory. Many of those games during what was dubbed the “Young Guns” era in Washington, a time when the Caps’ core of a young Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, and former Capitals Alexander Semin and Mike Green dominated the league with a high-flying offense and a flair for the dramatic. And while those years always resulted in playoff disappointment, I wouldn’t trade any of those (good) memories for anything. Continue reading →

Posted in Fans, History, News, NHL, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Game 5 Preview: Capitals, Blue Jackets Eye 3-2 Series Lead

Posted on April 20, 2018 by
Ovi goal vs CBJPhoto: NHL.com

The Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets will play a pivotal Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Capital One Arena on Saturday. The road team has prevailed in every game in this series so far.  Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Capitals – Blue Jackets: A Look At The Numbers After 4 Games

Posted on April 20, 2018 by

Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

We’re now four games into the the 2018 playoffs with the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets locked in at two wins each. It is now officially a best-of-three games series. It seems like a good time to look back at all four games, gather the numbers, and take a look at the analytics.  Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment