Bears Keep Scoring, Winning

Karl Alzner's first goal as a pro was one of many highlights in Hershey's 8-3 romp over Rochester this evening. Chris Bourque had a penalty shot goal and three assists, Quintin Laing and Oskar Osala had a pair of goals each, and Alzner added a helper to his goal (and was a team-best plus-four on the night), as the Bears outshot the Amerks 50-16 for the game.

Caps Send Down Bourque

C-Bo's gone.

Caps Recall Bourque

C-Bo's back.

Bears Hang Another Eight On Pens

Remember earlier in the week when we noted John Carlson's proclamation that his London Knights were "going to score as much as [they] want" and thought it might be a theme for many a Caps prospect and throughout the organization?

Well, Opening Night for the Hershey Bears tonight saw them rough up Wilkes-Barre Scranton for eight goals (thanks to a 5-for-7 night on the power play), including three tallies and two assists from Graham Mink, a goal and two helpers each for Chris Bourque and Alexandre Giroux, and a goal and four from Keith Aucoin.

This season has all the makings of something very special on many levels.

Update: For more on the game, check in with Vogs, Peerless and John Walton (also note that official scoring changed a bit over night, so I edited a couple of the stats above).

Not So Fast, My Friend

"The Capitals made their final cuts this afternoon, sending Chris Bourque and Karl Alzner to Hershey[.]" - Capitals Insider, 4:14 PM on 10/6/08

"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Topsfield, Mass., native Chris Bourque has made a bold statement in his fourth professional season, and appears poised to earn a job with the Washington Capitals to start the 2008-09 campaign." - HockeyJournal.com, 5:34 PM on 10/6/08

Snip Snip: Alzner, Bourque, Laing Edition

Final cuts have been made and Karl Alzner, Chris Bourque and Quintin Laing have been sent to Hershey (which, for Laing, means having to go through waivers), leaving a 22-man roster in D.C. (for more on the cuts, check out John Walton Hockey and Dump and Chase).

The above moves make the following (which I was about to post) somewhat irrelevant:

As rosters move closer to being finalized at all levels of puck, the Hershey Bears have sent defensemen Viktor Dovgan and Sasha Pokulok (along with forwards Travis Morin and Tommy Maxwell) down to South Carolina of the ECHL.

While the Dovgan move is mildly surprising (especially given that some thought he would be joined at the hip with Simeon Varlamov this season so as to provide the bluechip goalie with at least one teammate on and off the ice who speaks his language), one wonders if the move is meant to free up a spot or two on the Bears blueline before the the season starts in anticipation of the arrival of a certain rearguard from Washington.

C-Bo Looks To Stick In D.C.

For the second time in less than a week, we turn our attention to The Salem News for a Caps nugget (and this time we won't even mock the witch in the masthead), as the paper reports on Chris Bourque's intentions heading into training camp:

"I'll do anything I can to make the big club — even be a fighter," Bourque, who has one career fighting major in three pro seasons, joked. "I'd probably get beat up all the time, but I'd be happy if it was in the NHL."

The piece is a good read about a kid who (by his own accounts, at least) has busted his tail this off-season and will look to make an already crowded Opening Night roster. That likely won't happen, of course, but my bet is that we see C-Bo in D.C. before the New Year. What he does once he gets here is likely up to him.

Non-Rumor Rumor Of The Day

CNNSI.com's Allan Muir has thrown together a list of deadline "deals that make sense" (i.e. won't happen), and the last of these trades involves the Caps and their need to shore up the blueline with a stay-at-home defenseman:

Columbus sends Adam Foote to Washington for Chris Bourque, Josh Godfrey, 2008 second-rounder

What the Capitals really need is a solid No.1 goalie to replace Olaf Kolzig, the respected veteran whose play suggests he's well past his best-by date. But since there are no viable options to fill that role, an upgrade on defense would help minimize his exposure. Foote's a bit long in the tooth himself, but he's a great leader and remains solid if unspectacular in his own end. Neither Bourque nor Godfrey is a high-end prospect, but both could become contributing NHLers for Columbus given the proper tutelage. Bourque, a short, stocky center, has elite hockey sense and could mature into a useful checker. Godfrey has tremendous offensive upside, but has a lot of work to do to become a reliable option in his own end.

To me, that's far too much to give up for a rental - perhaps just the 2nd in a deep 2008 draft could get it done - but as Muir notes, "[I]f it seems like your team is taking it in the shorts in one of these deals...well, that probably means it's fair." Somehow, though, I don't think Jackets fans would be opposed to such a deal... which probably means it isn't all that fair after all.

Friday Roundup/Gamenight: Caps @ Devils

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Two players skate onto a rink. Player A has 3 goals, 12 assists, 8 PIMs, 78 shots on goal and a minus-1 rating on the year. Player B has 5 goals, 10 assists, 8 PIMs, 32 shots on goal and an even rating on the year. They've each played 27 games, their first 27 for new teams. If Player A is considered a disappointment who is not yet living up to the expectations that come with his $2.5 million per year, what would you call the $3.4 million per year Dainius Zubrus, err, Player B?

What would Zubie do? Apparently not all that much.

Despite a lack of production from their big free agent acquisition, the Devils are appropriately on fire, winning eight straight games and racing towards the top of the Atlantic Division after a dreadful (for them) start. How are they doing it? Goaltending (of course), but also strong special teams and an offense that's been rejuvenated by the return to the lineup of now-captain Jamie Langenbrunner (11 points in ten games). During the winning streak, the Devs are out-scoring opponents by two goals per game (3.5 to 1.5), have connected on 23.5% of their power plays and have killed off 90% of opponents' extra man advantages.

And then there's Zach Parise and his 32 points. Indulge me this moment to cry over spilled milk and what nearly might have been, would you? Thanks. Let's take a quick look back at the middle of the first round of the 2003 Entry Draft:

Each of the guys flanking Eric Fehr has 126 career points. Fehr? Three. Ouch.

Speaking of injuries, the Caps will play tonight without Chris Clark, Boyd Gordon and now Michael Nylander. That's the team's top right wing, top defensive forward (and faceoff guy) and top center. Sweet. Oh, and the three goals Alex Ovechkin has scored in his career against the Devils is the fewest he has potted against any Eastern Conference opponent other than Montreal (against whom he has scored twice; AO also has just three against Pitt and Boston).

All that said, it's time for Alex Semin to start filling the net. Having most of this week off, number twenty-eight has had a chance to both shake off the rust and get healthy. No excuses. Step it up. And bring Viktor Kozlov with you.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

The organization's injury woes aren't limited to the NHL, as Chris Bourque is Hershey's latest injury (Josef Boumedienne, Dean Arsene and, of course, Fehr are already on the shelf), sidelined with "concussion-like symptoms." That's potentially worrisome for a guy who missed eight games in 2005-06 after suffering a concussion and being "unconscious for 45 seconds while he was carried off on a stretcher."... With the Caps likely to recall someone from Hershey today (could Ben Clymer return to D.C. or will the Motzko Motzko Man era resume?), the Bears have called up Owen Fussey (but hopefully not his acne) from ECHL Columbia.... The hockey world's most famous mullet will be in attendance for tonight's game.... Prior to tonight's game, the Devils will honor Scott Stevens' Hall of Fame induction. It's nice of them to wait until the Caps came to town to do so - or is it just being done now to rub it in our faces? Hmmm.... If you're dying to know what former Cap Yogi Svejkovsky's up to these days, click here....Finally, some Caps trivia: three players have scored 200 goals in a Caps jersey. The first two are easy (Peter Bondra and Mike Gartner). Name the third (hint #1: he scored his 200th for the Caps 14 years ago tonight; hint #2: it's not Svejkovsky). Click here for the answer.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Nik Antropov (3G, including the game-winner, 3 SOG, 4 hits, 2 blocked shots)
  
• Ross: Anze Kopitar (4 points)
  
• Norris: Tom Preissing (2G, including the game-winner A)
  
• Vezina: Johan Holmqvist (W, 23 saves on 24 shots against)
  
• Richard: Nik Antropov (3G)
  
• Calder: Kyle Chipchura (G, 2 SOG, 62% faceoffs won)
  
• Aiken: Jocelyn Thibault (L, 4 goals allowed on 14 shots against in just one period of work)
  

Friday Roundup/Panthers 2 Caps 1Gamenight: Caps @ Bolts

[AP Recap - Game Summary - Super Stats - AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Tom Poti, come on down!

While it's impossible to pin a 2-1 loss to one of the worst teams in hockey on any one player (but not, necessarily, on one coach), there was one player who was more responsible for the two goals against than any other, so T.P. is under the microscope today.

Let's begin with his effort last night, shall we? First he gets outmuscled and outworked by Jozef Stumpel who was able to feed a wide open Richard Zednik for Kitty Goal Number One, then he made a pass that would have made Bryan McCabe wince to spring Kamil Kreps on a breakaway that would turn out to be the eventual game-winner. To top it all off, he missed the net on a late scoring chance, left a 5% tip at dinner and used the last of a roll of toilet paper in his hotel room bathroom and didn't replace the roll (those last two items have yet to be confirmed).

Bad night. It happens. But what about his season so far?

Through 18 games, the Caps' big blueline acquisition has as many points as John Erskine, as many goals as Steve Eminger, a worse plus/minus than Brian Pothier, fewer hits than Nicklas Backstrom, and two more power-play points than Joe Motzko.

Bad night or bad player?

At this point, I'm willing to give Poti the benefit of the doubt and accept that the team's slump (nine goals in the last seven games), a groin injury and "the system" are all contributing factors to his slow start, but while we didn't expect him to be the second-coming of Bobby Orr, we didn't expect him to be the second-coming of Bryan Muir, either.

In lieu of further specifics on last night's game (but feel free to comment on Alex Ovechkin manning the power-play point, his Michael Strahan smile, Michael Nylander's curious passing, Glen Hanlon's decision on when to pull Olie Kolzig, Sunrise's pitiful ice or anything else that strikes your fancy), just read any of the last few recaps from games played in this country. Speaking of which, did you realize that the last time the Caps won on U.S. soil was October 24? That makes eight straight losses in the land of the free for your nation's Capitals.

Next up are the appropriately white-hot Lightning, who have won four straight and have scored 16 goals in their last three games, including their 5-2 win in D.C. on Saturday night and a pair of drubbings of the Carolina Hurricanes. Vincent Lecavalier had more points on Wednesday night against the 'Canes as all but seven Caps have on the entire season. Yikes.

But hope springs eternal, whether you're hoping for wins or personnel changes, so here's hoping Friday night gets us a little closer to that which we desire - it's hard to imagine we could be any further away from it.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Thanks to Nate for passing along this story, in which Boston University's "Independent Student Newspaper" wonders how good BU would be if Chris Bourque was still in school there. My guess is they published a similar article last year. And the year before that.... Michal Neuvirth won his Windsor debut, and apparently looked great in doing so.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Eric Belanger (4A, +1)
  
• Ross: Eric Belanger (4 points)
  
• Norris: Kent Huskins (0 points, +5, 4 hits, 3 takeaways, 0 giveaways)
  
• Vezina: Martin Gerber (W, 35 saves on 37 shots against)
  
• Richard: Peter Schaeffer, Jarret Stoll, Daniel Alfredsson, Corey Perry, Joe Pavelski (2G each)
  
• Calder: Denis Tolpeko (G, A, +1)
  
• Aiken: Lubomir Visnovsky (0 points, -4)

Sunday Roundup/Lightning 5, Caps 2

[AP Recap - Game Summary - Super Stats - WashingtonCaps.com Postgame]

Following Saturday night's 5-2 drubbing at the hands of the visiting Lightning, the Caps have four days before returning to the ice Thursday night in Miami. If ever there were a time to pull the trigger on a coaching change, that time is now.

It's Rememberance Day and the Caps have the worst record in hockey overall and over their last ten games (tied with a handful of other floundering teams there). They are near the bottom of the League in goals for, are in the bottom-third in both special teams categories and have only two home wins in seven tries.

Without question, injuries to key players have played a part, and a coach can only play the cards his general manager has dealt him. But there are problems with this team that go beyond injuries, and those are the more troubling issues.

Even with the injuries, any team with a sniper like Alex Ovechkin and a playmaker like Michael Nylander needs to be more effective on the power play (and, frankly, with skill players like the Caps have, they shouldn't be in the bottom-third of the League in power play opportunities per game). There are teams with a lot less talent who have a much better power play than the Caps, and that is, at least in part, due to coaching.

The fact that Donald Brashear not only continues to get a sweater every night but also power-play time while Mike Green can't get a sniff of extra man action and Chris Bourque gets called up to provide a spark and barely sees the ice is, at least in part, due to coaching.

Most importantly, that a team can come out flat to start a game or a period at home against a division rival and fail to play with a sense of urgency when the game is still very much on the line is, at least in part, coaching.

It's easy to dismiss all of this as an emotional reaction to yet another disappointing loss, but these aren't the types of problems that were unique to last night's game. If you've seen a team that gives a full sixty-minute effort every night while playing for an astute tactician who makes all the right in-game adjustments and knows just what buttons to push to motivate his team, then you've been watching a different team than I have for the first seventeen games of this season.

I love what Glen Hanlon has given to and done for this organization - he guided an under-manned team of kids through incredibly tough times and did it with class and sensitivity. But at this point, I fear he's wandering the desert - these aren't supposed to still be those same incredibly tough times. Hanlon's message is either not the right one, or it's falling on deaf ears. Either way, the sum of the parts adds up to a need for a new voice to get this team back and headed in the right direction.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Bruce Garrioch "reports" on the Ovechkin contract negotiations and says that "[i]t's believed Ovechkin's camp, which includes his mother Tatiana, is looking for a bigger deal [than Sidney Crosby's], in the $9-to-10 million range." The missing data, of course, is the length of the deal (it's as if your friend were to set you up on a blind date with a girl who weighs "around 150 pounds" but doesn't tell you whether she's 4'9" or 5'9"), but one quick question: what makes AO think he's worth 3-15% more than Sid?... Kevin Paul Dupont has a lengthy profile on Chris Bourque in today's Boston Globe - just in time for C-Bo's return to Hershey.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Kimmo Timonen (G, 3A, +1)
• Ross: Kimmo Timonen (4 points)
  
• Norris: Kimmo Timonen (G, 3A, +1)
  
• Vezina: Tim Thomas (W, 45 saves on 46 shots against)
  
• Richard: Daniel Alfredsson, Shawn Horcoff, Anze Kopitar, Alexei Ponikarovksy, Marian Hossa, Rod Brind'Amour (2G each)
  
• Calder: Andrew Cogliano (2A, +1)
  
• Aiken: Marty Turco (L, 6 goals allowed on 34 shots against, including 5 on 14 in the third period)
  

Stat Of The Day

Chris Bourque will only need to score 942 goals in his career to make the Bourques the highest goal-scoring father-son duo in NHL history (Bobby and Brett Hull combined for 1,351 goals, while Chris's dad Ray scored 410 goals of his own).

Bourque Scheduled To Make NHL Debut

Tim Leone of The Patriot-News is reporting that the Caps have recalled Chris Bourque from Hershey and is scheduled to be in tonight's lineup against the Atlanta Thrashers.

"I found out [Monday] night around 11, 11:30," Bourque said. "I didn't fall asleep until about 4, I was so excited. It's a dream come true. I've been waiting for this since I was a little kid. I've always wanted to play in the NHL, and now I get a chance to play my first career game. It's really exciting."

Bourque's style of play may be exactly what the team needs right now, and Caps fans eagerly await his NHL debut. Pity they may not actually be able to see it as tonight's game will not be televised here in D.C.

(Thanks to Joe for the heads-up and link.)

Caps Cut Bourque

The Caps have sent Chris Bourque to Hershey this morning, with the tougher decisions still to come.

Saturday Morning Roundup

Before heading out today, make sure to read Tarik on Michael Nylander, Corey on Jeff Schultz and Tim Leone on Chris Bourque.

I'll be making my way over to K-Plex in a bit - hope to see you out there.

C-Bo Ready To Go; Bouchard Could Make The Team

A couple of pre-camp notes on this Friday morning, beginning with the Washington Times' Corey Masisak taking a look at Rink fave Chris Bourque, one of the early arrivals to camp (he's here for full - not rookie - camp), who knows that "this year is a big year for [him]" as he looks to keep progressing after an eye-opening 25-goal sophomore campaign in Hershey.

And north of the border, a number of QMJHL GMs are wondering whether they might lose their best players to the NHL, and they've presumably got that concern in B-C:

Baie-Comeau’s Francois Bouchard is in very much the same situation [as Flyer prospect Claude Giroux]. He was actually a second-round pick in 2006 but improved exponentially last season with the Drakkar and ended up winning the QMJHL scoring title. If the Washington Capitals decide he is better than the grinders they have pegged for their third and fourth lines, Bouchard might get a shot.

While that shot is certainly a long one (and I'm not sure a skill player like Bouchard fits in with the third or fourth lines the Caps are assembling), one wonders how much another year of dominating the Q as a 19-year-old would help Bouchard's development.

Caps Still Top Five

Hockey's Future has it's Spring 2007 Organizational Rankings up and the Caps are #5.

Here's HF's assessment:

Strengths: Washington's strengths start back in the net where they have Semen Varlamov and Michael Neuvirth. Varlamov and Neuvirth seem to have the biggest upside as of now. Both are highly athletic goaltenders that move very fast and are capable of making key saves. On the defensive end Jeff Schultz and Patrick McNeill are providing solid but unspectacular depth. Up front, Nicklas Backstrom, who is one of the best prospects outside of the NHL right now, leads the troops. He doesn't need any further introduction, while his fellow prospects Eric Fehr, Tomas Fleischmann, Francois Bouchard still haven’t reached same status (but bring excellent offensive ability).

Weaknesses: The team could use some more depth on the left side, as the prospects behind Fleischmann aren’t really close to the NHL. The center position could also use another solid centerman, as the only two that look like future NHLers right now are Backstrom and Chris Bourque.

Top Five Prospects: Nicklas Backstrom (C), Eric Fehr (RW), Semen Varlamov (G), Francois Bouchard (RW), Tomas Fleischmann (LW)

Key Graduates: Mike Green (D)

Hockey's Future: Capitals Top 20 Prospects

Hockey's Future has updated its Top 20 Caps Prospects (with a couple of paragraphs on each player) and the only thing that really jumps out at me is that Francois Bouchard has leap-frogged Tomas Fleischmann. Travis Morin's low ranking and the omission of Viktor Dovgan have some scratching their heads, but all in all, the list is rather unsurprising (and it's great to see two goalies so high on the list). Here it is, with a cherry-picked, not-always-in-context money quote for each player:

1. Nicklas Backstrom, C - "has the potential and maturity to center a first line as soon as next season"
2. Eric Fehr, RW - "with his impressive offensive prowess and ongoing success in the AHL, Fehr will not be a man with two teams for much longer"
3. Semen Varlamov, G - "quick legs, and a very quick glove, which lets him excel at breakaways, especially shootouts"
4. Francois Bouchard, C/RW - "he might not just contribute, but be an impact player"
5. Tomas Fleischmann, LW - "with great hockey sense, along with an impressive shot and playmaking ability, Fleischmann has excellent offensive potential"
6. Michal Neuvirth, G - "a well-rounded butterfly style goaltender who shines under pressure situations. Rarely getting rattled, his mental toughness is remarkable for his age."
7. Chris Bourque, LW/RW - "has all intangibles -- great hockey sense, excellent skating, leadership, competitiveness, and above all, the ability to put himself in the right positions to score"
8. Jeff Schultz, D - "all the physical potential to become a keystone defenseman at the NHL level"
9. Patrick McNeill, D - "has enormous offensive potential, and is defensively sound"
10. Keith Seabrook, D - "has an incredibly hard shot from the point, and an ability to find open shooting lanes"
11. Oskar Osala, LW - "has incredible offensive talent, and at 6'4 his great speed and skating ability is very rare"
12. Sami Lepisto, D - "One of the best young defensemen in Finland, Lepisto excels at puck control; with a very calm demeanor he makes good passes and exudes confidence with the puck."
13. Joe Finley, D - "His incredible size, mixed with a certain aggressiveness, gives him the ability to take control of a game from a defensive standpoint."
14. Maxime Daigneault, G - "With good size, and an aggressively challenging style, Daigneault covers a lot of space in the net and uses his butterfly technique and quick glove to stymie shooters."
15. Sasha Pokulok, D - "Out of all the defensemen in the Capitals prospect system, Pokulok may be the most well-rounded."
16. Andrew Gordon, RW - "Gordon has what every club in the NHL looks for in offensive players: consistency at a high level."
17. Travis Morin, C - "His great playmaking skills, matched with excellent puckhandling, makes Morin successful on the power play."
18. Mathieu Perreault, C - "has enormous offensive upside"
19. Stephen Werner, RW - "Werner is a good playmaker and makes good decisions. He has a hard shot and is good through traffic, but his calling card is his speed."
20. Jamie Hunt, D - "extremely quick and a very good skater for his size"

Thursday Roundup/Gamenight: Habs @ Caps

[NHL.com Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview - Official Gameday Thread]

Didn't the Caps just play these guys? Yup. You know what that means, don't you? I get to be lazy and rehash my preview and recap from that game (and while I'm at it, I might as well rehash my Sheldon Souray Jersey Night idea). Killer.

So what's changed in a week (other than the Caps positioning in the Eastern Conference standings)? Not much. The Caps are a bit healthier, and perhaps The Donald will be a little better behaved (Aaron Downey sure hopes so), but everything keeps coming back to three main points: the need for better special teams, a 60-minute effort (especially a strong start), and better success in the faceoff circle. If the Caps fail in any of these three areas, that five-game losing streak will become six games real fast.

Google Search of the Day:

• I'm often amused at how people stumble upon The Rink. I get a ton of Lindsay Czarniak searches, some fairly bizarre searches (btw, nice hockey blogosphere roll call on that one), and some damn funny ones (NSFW... at all, though the second item in the search results is an absolute riot). I figured I'd start sharing them with y'all from time to time, and today's is certainly a gem.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

• Semen Varlamov and his Rooskie mates get to take on Canada for the gold at the World Juniors. Nick Bäckström and the Swedes will play the Yanks for bronze.
• Vogs has a nice piece on Eric Fehr and C-Bo up at Caps.com.
• Newsflash: the Caps' attendance bites but will be cured by winning more games.
  

Daily Awards

• Hart: Dany Heatley (3G, including game-winner, A, +2, 6 SOG, 3 takeaways, 2 giveaways, 1 hit, 1 blocked shot)
  
• Ross: Dany Heatley (4 points)
  
• Norris: Lubomir Visnovsky (G, A, +1, 2 SOG)
  
• Vezina: Roberto Luongo (W, 39 saves on 40 shots against through OT and four saves on five shots against in the shootout)
  
• Richard: Dany Heatley (3G)
  
• Calder: Loui Eriksson (G, +1, 2 SOG in 2-1 shootout loss)
  
• Aiken: Ryan Miller (L, 6 goals allowed on 36 shots against)

SeSo/Japers' Rink Free Beer Challenge

As I may have mentioned here a dozen or so times already, SeSo/Rink pal D.K. and I are heading down to Raleigh for tomorrow night's Caps/'Canes game. In honor of my first trip to a Southeast Division rival's home rink, I'm proud to announce the first ever "SeSo/Japers' Rink Free Beer Challenge."

Here's the deal - if anyone comes up to me in Raleigh tomorrow night and says, "Hey, J.P., let me buy you a beer." I will, in fact, buy you a beer.*

How will you know how to find me? Easy. My seats are in Section 112 and I'll be wearing either my black Chris Bourque sweater (#67 in your media guide, #1 in your hearts) or my 2004-05 Moscow Dynamo Alexander Ovechkin sweater (word came down from on high that I should sport the AO jersey).

Good luck and Godspeed.

* Must be 21 years of age to participate. Limit one beer per customer. Probably.