Tag Archives: caps hockey

Adventures, Fun & Games, Sports Fix, The Features
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Newcomer’s Guide to Capitals Hockey

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_4085’
courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’

After attending the Predators – Capitals game on Saturday with a friend new to hockey, I came to a sudden realization. The Capitals are pretty much the only local pro team that is resisting the giant sewer of suckitude. With their winning ways, it’s an easy bandwagon to jump on, something I pointed out first last spring.

To that end, we’ve got some new fans showing up at the Verizon Center (I still refuse to stoop to calling it “the Phone Booth”) to cheer on the Capitals. So why not lay out some ground rules and info for you newcomers to the great game of hockey? Besides, it’s a good refresher course for out out-of-town visitors and rabid fans in general.

I give you the “Unofficial Guide to the Washington Capitals Fan Code of Conduct.”

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Only Ovechkin…

Photo courtesy of
‘090127 Alex Ovechkin-1’
courtesy of ‘Dan4th’

Gonna be in New York City next week?

To help ring in the new NHL season, Caps winger Alex Ovechkin will be personally ringing up a limited number of fans who pre-order NHL 2K10 (of which he’s the cover child) at the NHL Powered by Reebok Store on Sixth Ave in downtown NYC from 4-6 pm. He’ll also be playing against contest winners on the Wii version of the game.

Best part? Ovie will arrive at the store riding a Zamboni down Sixth Ave with a police escort. No, really.

The Daily Feed
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Caps Selling Out

Photo courtesy of
‘Caps/Pens: Game 1 (2009 NHL Playoffs) – 3’
courtesy of ‘Garyisajoke’

Less than 150 tickets remain for the first-ever Washington Capitals Convention on Sept 26.

Several former Caps players will be present, along with the entire 2009-2010 roster and coaches, owner Tedy Leonsis and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Among the Caps alumni will be Al Iafrate, Rod Langway, Kelly Miller and Dennis Maruk.

So far, five discussion panels have been confirmed, including a Kids Press Conference, the Young Guns (focused on Alex Ovechkin, Mike Greene, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin), “Ted’s Take,” one on the current team and another on deal-making in the NHL with GM George McPhee.

The convention will be at the Gaylord National Convention Center and Resort in Oxon Hill from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Season-ticket holders can get in at 9 a.m.) Tickets are available at WashingtonCaps.com; $40 for adults and $25 for 14 and under.

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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New Goaltending Coach for Caps

Photo courtesy of
‘arturs irbe playing for dynamo riga’
courtesy of ‘Uncleweed’

The Washington Capitals have announced they’ve hired Arturs Irbe as the team’s new goaltending coach. Dave Prior, the former coach, resigned recently after 12 years in that position in order to spend more time with his family.

Irbe is a 13-year veteran of the NHL, serving time with San Jose, Dallas, Vancouver and Carolina, as well as the goalie for the Latvian national team in the 2002 and 2006 Olympics. His last season in the NHL was 2003-04; he finished his career with a 2.83 GAA and a .899 save percentage.

Is this the piece the team needs to stabilize their goalie situation? Possibly. Though I’m fairly certain the team needs more stability IN the net, not necessarily in supervising it.

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Morrison Coming to Capitals

Photo courtesy of
‘Brendan Morrison’ courtesy of ‘RobertCiavarro’

Injury-bedeviled Brendan Morrison – once considered the NHL’s “iron man” – signed a one-year contract with the Caps on Friday, worth around $1.5 million.

Rumor has it he’ll be centering the second line, helping fill the space Fedorov left when the Russian headed off to the KHL.

Morrison’s played with three teams over the last year and a half and has been plagued with injuries since 2007. After knocking out 8 solid seasons with the Dallas Stars Vancouver Canucks – racking in 542 consecutive games from 2000-07 – he’s suffered from four heavy surgeries: wrist, hip, hernia and torn ACL. He spent less than half of the 07-08 season with the Canucks, then moved to the Anaheim Ducks and then on to the Dallas Stars last season, finishing with 16 goals and 15 assists in 81 games.

The Caps believe Morrison’s back to full health, as does the 34 year-old center, and the team continues to piece together another worthy contender for the upcoming season.

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Brashear Tagged for Six

Photo courtesy of
‘090127 brashear-1’ courtesy of ‘Dan4th’

Word from the NHL Head Office: Donald Brashear is going to be sitting out the next six games, whether they’re playoff games or regular season.

The punishment is actually for two incidents: Brashear got tagged for a one-game suspension from his pre-game shove on Colton Orr during the warmups, and a whopping five games for his “blind-side hit” on the Rangers’ Blair Betts midway through the first period. The league determined the crushing shoulder hit was delivered late and targeted Betts’ head. Betts left the game with a broken orbital bone and won’t be at Tuesday’s game at the Verizon Center.

The suspension is the latest in a bunch of issues between the two teams during a crazy Quarterfinals series; the most recent shenanigans saw Rangers coach John Tortorella suspended from Game 6 due to an altercation with a fan here in DC. Fortunately, the drama all comes to a head tomorrow night with Game 7; the winner moves on, losers go home.

The Daily Feed
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There’s a New Goalie in Town

Photo courtesy of
‘Semin Waits for Face Off’ courtesy of ‘clydeorama’

Seems the Caps showed up in New York ready to play Game 3 and along the way, found their on-fire goalie. And his name isn’t Jose.

Rookie netminder Simeon Varlamov blanked the Rangers with 33 saves – he’s only allowed one goal in two games now – as Alexander Semin netted two on his way to a three point night. Alex Ovechkin continued to remain goal-less, but assisted on both Semin goals. Result? Caps 4, Rangers 0.

The win guarantees a Game 5 here in DC and cuts the Rangers’ series lead down to 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday in New York.

The Daily Feed
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Congrats Champs!

Photo courtesy of
‘Ovechkin and Green Celebrate Again’
courtesy of ‘clydeorama’

Even though the Caps lost tonight against the still-alive Nashville Predators Buffalo Sabres, the loss came in overtime, which gave the Caps a much-needed point. That point clinched the Southeast Division for them; for the second year in a row, you can call the Caps “Division Champs.”

Congrats to Coach Bruce Boudreau and the entire squad for an amazing ride this year. Having garnered over 100 points in the standings and strongly holding the second playoff seed with a week remaining in regular season, the Capitals are gathering momentum at just the right time. Let’s just hope they keep lighting the lamp and push farther into the playoffs than last year.

Take a bow, boys. You deserve it.

Entertainment, The Features
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Red vs. Black: Ice Rivals

Photo courtesy of Teka England
Penguin!, courtesy of Teka England

Okay, in case you’re unaware, there’s a war scheduled for tonight at 7:30 pm. It’s set to rumble off up in Pittsburgh’s venerable Mellon Arena (hereafter called by its proper name, the Igloo) and features an interstate rivalry that dates back to at least the early nineties, depending on who you talk to.

Yes, I’m talking about tonight’s NHL hockey match-up, the Washington Capitals vs the Pittsburgh Penguins.

I bring it up because honestly, it’s a must-watch event in our household. More than American Idol and Top Chef – though the game should be over before Top Chef comes on – and usually warrants the phone being off the hook and ignoring any knocking at the door. (Though I dislike being forced to watch Comcast’s coverage due to Center Ice blackout restrictions – I cannot stand Craig Laughlin’s commentary. At all.) Continue reading →