Capitals Insider: December 27, 2009 - January 2, 2010
Kings 2, Caps 1
The Caps received encouraging news after the game when Coach Bruce Boudreau revealed that the reason Nicklas Backstrom missed almost all of the final two periods was a migraine headache and not something more serious. That, however, was the end of the good news for the Caps, who have...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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January 2, 2010; 10:20 PM ET |
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Boudreau: Backstrom suffering from migraine
First line center Nicklas Backstrom missed the final 39 minutes of today's 2-1 loss in Los Angeles with a migraine headache, according to Coach Bruce Boudreau. I did not see Backstrom after the game. A team spokesman said he had gone to the team bus before the visitors' dressing room...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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January 2, 2010; 7:04 PM ET |
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Today's lineup: Caps at Kings
Michal Neuvirth will start in goal this afternoon for the Caps, who are attempting to bounce back from a pair of ugly losses. The rookie will oppose Jonathan Quick, one of three Kings named to the U.S. Olympic team yesterday. Eric Fehr, as we suspected based on Bruce Boudreau's comments...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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January 2, 2010; 3:38 PM ET |
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Boudreau: 'We don't want it to spin out of control'
For the second day in a row, Bruce Boudreau meant business. The coach started practice with about 10 minutes worth of sprints and end-to-end rushes -- and things never really slowed down. "If you're not going to work hard in the game, you're going to work hard in practice," Boudreau...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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January 1, 2010; 8:32 PM ET |
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Boudreau talks tough
Sorry for the delay everyone, but I had to report and write a story for tomorrow's paper before blogging. Anyway, as you've no doubt read by now, Coach Bruce Boudreau still was stewing over the Caps' lopsided loss last night in San Jose - and today he sent a stern...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 31, 2009; 9:08 PM ET |
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Caps trade off day for hard practice
Bruce Boudreau had toyed with the idea of giving his players the day off in sunny Los Angeles today. But apparently Wednesday's 5-2 loss in San Jose made the coach have a change of heart. Everyone is on the ice for practice at Toyota Sports Center, the Kings' practice rink...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 31, 2009; 2:44 PM ET |
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Morning roundup: Caps can't win in Shark Tank
(Dan Margot/AP Photo) The Sharks scored on two penalty shots en route to a 5-2 victory Wednesday night, keeping the Capitals winless in San Jose for the 17th straight year: "We weren't very good in the first period," said Coach Bruce Boudreau, whose team lost two games in a...
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Lindsay Applebaum
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December 31, 2009; 10:46 AM ET |
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Tags: Morning roundup, San Jose Sharks
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Sharks 5, Caps 2
Yep, the Sharks scored twice on penalty shots tonight, making them the first team to accomplish that feat since 1982. No, it wasn't the reason the Caps lost 5-2 in San Jose. The defeat was the direct result of a second straight anemic first period. You thought four shots...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 31, 2009; 2:47 AM ET |
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Tonight's lineup: Caps at Sharks
Michal Neuvirth will be back between the pipes tonight for the Caps, who have not won in San Jose since 1993 (when goalie coach Arturs Irbe was the Sharks' netminder.) Evgeni Nabokov, meantime, will get the nod for San Jose, which is tied for first place in the Western Conference....
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 30, 2009; 9:00 PM ET |
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Green: 'I really wanted to be a part of that team'
While he's disappointed to have missed the cut for Team Canada, Caps defenseman Mike Green says he won't allow the letdown to derail him. "I always feel like when things don't go well, or people have their own opinions of you, you strive to prove them wrong," Green told reporters...
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Lindsay Applebaum
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December 30, 2009; 5:44 PM ET |
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Mike Green left off Team Canada's roster
Team Canada just announced its Vancouver roster, and Mike Green -- described by many as being right on the bubble -- didn't make the cut. It's a big disappointment for the Caps defenseman, who spoke last week about his desire to represent his country at the Games. Here's the complete...
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Lindsay Applebaum
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December 30, 2009; 12:28 PM ET |
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Fleischmann named to Czech Republic's roster
(John McDonnell/The Washinton Post) It's no surprise to anyone who's seen Tomas Fleischmann play this year that the 25-year-old Caps forward will represent his country in Vancouver: When the Czechs take the ice in Vancouver, opposing nations will want to pay strict attention to the team's forwards, who are...
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Lindsay Applebaum
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December 30, 2009; 9:32 AM ET |
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Morning roundup: Chimera set to debut
(Claus Andersen/Getty Images) It's been a whirlwind two days for the newest Washington Capital, who makes his debut tonight: SAN JOSE -- On Monday, Jason Chimera was traded from the second-worst team in the Western Conference to the second-best team in the Eastern Conference. On Tuesday, the rugged left...
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Lindsay Applebaum
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December 30, 2009; 5:41 AM ET |
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Jason Chimera on second line
After a long delay in Salt Lake City because of snow, I just arrived at HP Pavilion in time to catch the final few minutes of practice. One thing stood out immediately -- newly acquired winger Jason Chimera is skating on the second line, not the third as expected. Here's...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 29, 2009; 5:33 PM ET |
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Tags: Jason Chimera, San Jose Sharks
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After shock of trade, Caps look ahead to Sharks
Mark Giannotto's story for tomorrow's paper is about the Caps moving past yesterday's trade and looking ahead to the game at San Jose. Here's an excerpt: He squirmed from side to side, puffed his cheeks out, and let go of a deep breath, preparing to give an appropriate response to...
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Lindsay Applebaum
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December 29, 2009; 4:31 PM ET |
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Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Brooks Laich, Chris Clark, Jason Chimera, Milan Jurcina, San Jose Sharks
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Caps assign Varlamov to Hershey
The Caps just announced that Semyon Varlamov, who has missed the last nine games with a groin injury, is heading down to the AHL's Hershey Bears. That likely means the 21-year-old goalie is nearly healthy and needs a conditioning stint before he can get back between the pipes for Washington....
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Lindsay Applebaum
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December 29, 2009; 2:18 PM ET |
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Morning roundup: Trade hangover
Caps Coach Bruce Boudreau refused to make excuses for his players following last night's 6-3 loss to the league-worst Hurricanes, but it was clear their heads were somewhere else. Many of the Washington Capitals heard the stunning news on their way into Verizon Center, or upon arriving, giving them...
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Lindsay Applebaum
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December 29, 2009; 9:12 AM ET |
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Hurricanes 6, Caps 3
First, the Caps lose two good friends when popular teammates Chris Clark and Milan Jurcina get dealt away. Then, the Caps lose to the NHL's worst team in what might have been their worst loss of the season. The 'Canes had dropped three in a row, hadn't scored six...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 28, 2009; 11:48 PM ET |
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Tonight's lineup: Hurricanes at Caps
Sorry this is late tonight. But I bet you know why. Anyway, Jose Theodore is starting in goal and facing Cam Ward. The rest of the Caps' lineup looks like this: Forwards Ovechkin-Backstrom-Semin Fleischmann-Morrison-Knuble Steckel-Laich-Fehr Laing-Gordon-Bradley Defense Morrisonn-Green Schultz-Sloan Erskine-Alzner Goalies Theodore Neuvirth I'll have more later....
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 28, 2009; 7:09 PM ET |
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Chris Clark on trade to Blue Jackets: 'I'm shocked'
Chris Clark just told me that he was completely blindsided by this afternoon's trade. "I'm shocked," the Caps' former captain said. "But then you start looking to the team where you're going. So now I'm trying to put all my energy into who's on the team, how they're doing and...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 28, 2009; 5:00 PM ET |
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Caps deal Chris Clark, Milan Jurcina to Columbus for Jason Chimera
Just in: Caps trade Captain Chris Clark and defenseman Milan Jurcina to Columbus for winger Jason Chimera. Chimera, if you recall, was the player who started the scrum that led to Alex Ovechkin's injury in November. The move also leaves the Caps without a leader in the locker room. Clark,...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 28, 2009; 3:55 PM ET |
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Theodore gets the start vs. Carolina
Goalie Semyon Varlamov was the first Capital to emerge from the locker room and head out onto the ice at this morning's skate. The 21-year-old will miss his ninth consecutive game tonight with a groin injury, but he participated fully in today's practice, taking shots from teammates and even doing...
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Mark Giannotto
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December 28, 2009; 12:35 PM ET |
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Laich: 'I have to be better'
Nicklas Backstrom, as you've probably seen by now, was officially named to Team Sweden just before the Caps hit the ice for practice here at KCI. The news, of course, was not much of a surprise. But the 22-year-old still was pumped to hear it officially, anyway. "The Olympics has...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 27, 2009; 1:46 PM ET |
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Backstrom named to Team Sweden
Nicklas Backstrom, as expected, has been tapped to represent Sweden in the Olympics. Check out Sweden's full roster here. So far, four Caps have been picked for their respective teams. Backstrom joins Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Semyon Varlamov, who were named to Russia's squad on Friday....
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 27, 2009; 10:55 AM ET |
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Caps 4, Devils 1
A lot has been made of the Caps beating up on the lowly Southeast Division. And that's true. But over the past two games, they've also shown they're capable of posting dominant wins against the other Eastern Conference divisions, too. On Wednesday, they handed Ryan Miller and the Northeast...
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Tarik El-Bashir
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December 27, 2009; 12:08 AM ET |
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