Tampa Claims Pettinger

Per KK, the Lightning have claimed Matt Pettinger off of re-entry waivers.

He'll join Olie Kolzig, Jeff Halpern and Jamie Heward (who was recently sent down) as former Caps in the Bolts organization, leading one to speculate that perhaps they'll place a call to Glen Hanlon once they fire Barry Melrose.

Just kidding.

Sorta.

Tuesday Roundup/Gamenight: Caps @ Flames

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Since the lockout, the Caps and Flames have tangled but twice - once on each team's home sheet of ice - meaning that of Alex Ovechkin's 250 career NHL games, residents of Calgary have had the chance to see him in their building exactly once, which is, of course, how many times Jarome Iginla has visited the Verizon Center in the past three seasons. But each of those meetings has been something special, no doubt leaving fans longing for more.

In the first meeting between these two elite power forwards (October 30, 2006), Ovechkin's Caps left the Saddledome with a 4-2 win, thanks to a big night in net from Olie Kolzig, a pair of goals apiece from Richard Zednik and Dainius Zubrus (sidenote: which, if any, of those three would make the current Caps roster?), and AO blowing up Dion Phaneuf.

The last time these teams met was last March, when Ovi scored twice in the last 2:05 to give Kolzig a 3-2 win, the 300th of his career.

A few pre-game notes:

• The Flames are allowing the most goals per game in the League and have had trouble scoring five-on-five in the early going (and their performances overall have been somewhat uneven). The Caps, on the other hand, are a five-on-five machine so far. If they stay out of the box, they'll be putting themselves in a good position to succeed.
• Ovechkin hasn't yet scored a goal in the Saddledome, one of seven NHL cities in which he has been held goal-less (Chicago, Edmonton, L.A., Minnesota, San Jose and St. Louis are the others).
• Throw out the first period against Atlanta and Jose Theodore has a 2.79 GAA. Throw out his three first periods overall and he has a 1.35 GAA. Five of the nine goals he’s allowed have been on the PK. Of course, goals allowed are goals allowed, but I think the concerns over Theodore's play so far have been greatly overstated and aren't far from being respectable (that said, the fact that Brent Johnson has played more minutes through five games is noteworthy).
• JT60 has a career 9-7-2 mark against the Flames with a 2.15 GAA and .922 save percentage (don't forget Theo's Avs are in Calgary's division). Last season, Jose was 5-3-0/1.95/.928. Stout.
• Michael Nylander had 17 goals and 36 assists in 93 games for the Flames and Chris Clark had 53 goals and 53 assists in 326 games for Calgary (who drafted him in the third round, 77th overall, in 1994).
• Sergei Fedorov has 22 goals and 29 assists in 56 career games against Calgary.
• Jarome Iginla has been a staple on my fantasy team for years now, so if someone's gotta score for the Flames...
• Look for Calgary to try to play a physical game against Ovechkin.
  

So the Caps open their three-game road trip in Calgary (birthplace of Washington blueliners Mike Green, Jeff Schultz and Tyler Sloan), where they haven't lost since March 13, 1999 (when Nicklas Backstrom was 11-years-old). Might as well keep that streak going, eh?

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

This morning's Calgary Sun has articles on Green and AO and a game capsule, and The Leader-Post has one on Ovechkin, too (The Globe and Mail too!).... The Caps are down two spots to ninth in CBS's Power Rankings.... Brits are excited to watch Ovi online (but not Sid?)... John Walton Hockey has a nice recap of what's been going on in S.C. so far.... Here's an interesting nugget for you: Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Matt Stairs (who has quite a way with words) is "the first New Brunswick athlete to reach the final in one of the big four professional sports since Mike Eagles of Sussex played in the 1998 Stanley Cup final as a member of the Washington Capitals." ... Matt Pettinger is on re-entry waivers. Will anyone want a $500k Princess?

Thursday Roundup/Gamenight: Caps @ Pens

[NHL.com Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Hey, it's the Penguins. Killer.

I could make a crack about Sidney Crosby's 41-point pace. Or comment on how horrid their power play has been through four games. Or how Marc-Andre Fleury has already seen far more rubber than any other goalie in the League.

But these are the Penguins. You know who they really are (hint: who you think they are, of course) and what they can do, especially when they are, um, due.

And while it's hard to make much of anything of early numbers (a wise man noted that we don't know anything about anything), a few early data points bear watching, as small samples sometimes turn into trends which, eventually, can inform that which we do know. With that in mind, let's take a look at what's clicking and what isn't, through three games.

What's clicking: The offense. The Caps are averaging a League-best 4.33 goals per game and the second-most shots per outing, have the second-most 5-on-5 goals in the League (behind only the Rangers, who have played two additional games), and have a 26.7% power play efficiency (good for fourth in the League).

What's not clicking: The penalty kill - 77.8% would have finished dead last a season ago. Granted, if they had just one more successful kill so far they'd be at a more comfortable 83%... but if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle. So there's that.

What's clicking: Alex Semin and Mike Green. The duo have combined for six goals in three games - one more than Tampa or New Jersey has.

What's not clicking: Faceoffs. A year after finishing ninth in the NHL with a 51.2% efficiency in the dot, the Caps are off to a slow start, winning just 45.6% of their draws, with only Sergei Fedorov among the regular centers above the 50% mark.

What's clicking: Second periods.The Caps are out-scoring opponents 7-1 in the middle stanzas.

What's not clicking: The goalies (early, at least). The Caps have allowed six first period goals in three games (and only four total over the second and third periods), including markers 0:26, 4:02 and 8:20 into games (and all six within the first 14 minutes of games).

What's clicking: Mike Green's... defense. He's leading the team in blocked shots and plus/minus (even though all of his goals have come on the power play).

What's not clicking: The defensive pairing of Tom Poti and Jeff Schultz has combined for one hit on the season thus far. I know they're not bangers... but one hit? Michael Nylander has as many.

So while we may not know anything yet, after tonight we might know a bit more. And if any of the above continue tonight and into the weekend, we might know a lot more.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Matt Cooke is "iffy" for tonight's game. Matt Cooke is iffy for every game.... Yawn. Another day, another rumor (or three).... You've seen the cover of this week's The Hockey News, but am I the only one who thought there was also a cover story on Wyshynski teased in the upper left corner?... Matt Pettinger is trying to work his way back to the NHL.... Keith Seabrook has his confidence back.... Finally, don't forget to make your SPG picks.

Snip Snip: Former Caps Edition

The Vancouver Canucks have placed Matt Pettinger on waivers. Also not making an NHL club out of camp? Brian Willsie. Good luck, gents.

Friday Roundup/Gamenight: Thrash @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

I've got some good news and some bad news. Which do you want first? The bad? You don't get a preview of tonight's game from me (I know, you're crying). But as this is the 43rd time the Caps have played Atlanta this season, you shouldn't need one (though here's a little nugget for you - Atlanta is 2-9-3 in the second game of back-to-backs, and they had a barn-burner with Calgary last night).

The good news? I've got an awesome Friday time waster for you - the Japers' Rink Eastern Conference Playoff Predictor, which I have shamelessly ripped off from Battle of Alberta. Think the Caps still have a shot at the playoffs? Think they're done? Not sure? Predict the rest of the season's games that matter and you'll find the answers to all of your questions. Note: it's an Excel doc, so when you click on the thumbnail below you'll be prompted to download a file (don't worry, I've been checked out - no viruses here), then open it, follow the directions and you're on your way.


So are you throwing down a deposit on playoff tickets or drowning your sorrows? Let us know how your top eight pans out in the comments, and keep The Predictor on your desktop, update it daily, feed and water it, etc. - it's yours now.

Ovechkin Watch:

Next goal: 57 - Most goals scored in a season since the lockout (breaking Jonathan Cheechoo's mark set in 2005-06); Most goals scored in his first three seasons in the League by a European-born player (breaking Pavel Bure's mark of 154)

Career vs. Atlanta: 22 games, 17 goals
2007-08 vs. Atlanta: 6 games, 3 goals

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Olie Kolzig as the all-time face of the franchise - what do you think?... Ted Leonsis was on the Junks earlier in the week and the interview can be heard here (segments 6, 7 and 8 from 3/12; h/t to Rage) Bengt Gustafsson's son Anton may already be a top NHL prospect, but another Swedish Cap pivot's kid may not be far behind (h/t to Rich for the link).... Matt Pettinger misses the Caps more than they miss him.... Justin Mrazek (8th round, 2004) has been solid for Union College.... I haven't the foggiest idea who Nathan Schwartzbauer is, but the Caps are his favorite team, so he can't be all bad (and yes, that might be the most worthless link I've ever posted)....Memo to GMGM: sign Mike Green before he reads this article.... Finally, one year ago today we railed against a silly rule change and two years ago today we heard about the team's summer plans and noted a couple of fantastic Daniel Alfredsson quotes.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Ilya Kovalchuk (3G, A, +2, 5 SOG)
  
• Ross: Ilya Kovalchuk (4 points)
  
• Norris: Brent Burns (G, A, +2, 7 SOG)
  
• Vezina: Martin Gerber (28-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Ilya Kovalchuk (3G)
  
• Calder: Erik Ersberg (W, 37 saves on 38 shots against)
  
• Aiken: Mathieu Garon (L, 3 goals allowed on 14 shots against in 24:55 of work)
  

Wednesday Roundup/Gamenight: Caps @ Sabres

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

The last time the Caps travelled to Buffalo to face the Sabres, they were 3-1-0 (and about to get waxed). Nearly five months later, the Caps head north again with a record just above the Bettman .500 mark (the Caps may have racked up more than half of the standing points available to them, but they do not have a winning percentage above .500 - they've won 31 of 67 games. But that's a topic for another day.) and a much greater sense of urgency.

The big question for the Caps is whether or not Cristobal Huet (back spasms) will be able to go. If I had to bet, my money would be on "nuh uh," which would be unfortunate, as Huet is 2-2-0 with a 2.01 GAA and .932 SV% against the Sabres this year. Olie Kolzig? 0-2-0/3.56/.877. Brent Johnson? 0-1-0/7.00/.867. Yikes.

At the other end of the ice, even though he played last night in Philly, expect to see Ryan Miller in net (Jocelyn Thibault has become more or less unstartable - he hasn't started since January 21 and has only made four appearances all year in which his GAA was under 4.14).

You know what the Sabres bring to the table - depth and speed (and tonight, some desperation to boot). The Caps, when they're on their game, can skate with (or right past) anyone. When they're off, however, this Buffalo squad is exactly the kind of team that can blow the Caps out of a building. Which Caps team shows up will determine the outcome of tonight's game - we have a pretty good idea which Sabres team will be there.

Oh, and Sabre fans - please boo Alex Ovechkin. He really hates it. It gets him way off his game.

Finally, on a personal note, a very good buddy of mine is from Buffalo (Lewiston, actually) and is a huge Sabres fan. Yesterday, we received a gift from he and his wife for our newborn. Included in the box was a Sabres outfit for the baby. I told him we're not really using cloth diapers, but I'd be happy to make an exception in this case.

Why The Sabres Will Win:

"Because of the history so far this season.The Sabres have outscored the Caps, 15-7, winning all three games. In those three games, Ovechkin has three goals, but is carrying a plus/minus of -3. Of course, he'll also get booed for the Danny Briere incident." - Dispatches From The Aud

"They have to. Simple as that. If they want to stay in the playoff picture, they have to beat the Caps." - Top Shelf

"Two reasons. One, who was the second-leading goal scorer behind Alexander Ovechkin last month? Thomas-$52 million dollar baby-Vanek. And defenseman Henrik Tallinder's injury means that Andrej Sekera (Brian Campbell who?) will be logging almost thirty minutes. Chock up another win for the blue and gold." - In the Crease

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

It may be a four-way Calder race, but there can be only three finalists. Who goes? I say Jonathan Toews (though some may disagree - h/t to EMac on the video link).... Speaking of Toews, it's good to see Matt Pettinger's making friends out West.... A Joe Finley profile in a local paper? Are we dreaming?... Here's today's Hockey Name du Jour.... Finally, one year ago today we discussed some stomach-churning gossip, saw a Caps prospect get some props, and were lied to by statistics.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Craig Anderson (40-save shutout win)
  
• Ross: Martin Erat, Maxim Afinogenov (3 points each)
  
• Norris: Ville Koistinen (G, A, +4, 2 BkS)
  
• Vezina: Craig Anderson (40-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Martin Erat (3G)
  
• Calder: Ville Koistinen (G, A, +4, 2 BkS)
• Aiken: Martin Biron (L, 5 goals allowed on 13 shots against in 45:57 of work)

Thursday Roundup

With no game to recap or preview, today we reached out to bloggers from Montreal, C'Bus and Vancouver to get their takes on the three trades the Caps made on Tuesday (and if any Atlanta bloggers want to chime in on the Giroux-for-Motzko deal, feel free to do so in the comments... on another blog).

Here's what the other side thought of the Caps' trio of trades (both pics by KB from yesterday afternoon at Kettler, btw):

Trade #1: Cristobal Huet for a 2009 second round pick

Cristobal Huet is a fine person, a fine netminder and a fine team player. Unloading him for a late 2nd rounder in 2009 on the brink of possibly the team's best run since they won the Cup in 1993 makes no sense to me. Carey Price will one day be a great goaltender, so will Jaroslav Halak. Putting the season, the playoffs and your team's success on the shoulder of two goaltenders that haven't even combined for 50 NHL games let alone 0 playoff games is foolish and risky.

Huet will help a struggling Washington climb to win the division, and I hope Cristo all the best; he was a personal favourite and certainly well liked by the fans, the media and his teammates. The message he left on the locker room whiteboard was heartbreaking.

Only time will tell if Bob Gainey made the right move, but as it stands, he did not.

[But wait, there's more!]

The message Huet left? Nobody knows word for word, but Chris Higgins and Saku Koivu were both sad when interviewed about it, Higgins said he wished them the best of luck and that he was honoured to have been their teammates, something along those lines.

Price said he lost a big brother, and Koivu said he lost a friend.

This move was a headscratcher and I am growing tired of Gainey as a GM. He never made any great moves, in fact, what he's probably done more than anything is disappoint us. This year he didn't disappoint, he let us down...he's lucky we have Trever Timmins doing a fantastic job as a head scout, otherwise, he'd be out of a job by now.

I don't hate Gainey for yesterday, but I am not the first to pop up and defend his bonehead moves (such as the Ribeiro trade, and even worse now, the Huet trade).

George McPhee flat out stole Huet and now I'm confident you guys will have a menacing team heading into the playoffs. - Bleu, Blanc et Rouge via The Faceoff Circle

If Bob Gainey was in a high stakes poker game, then he certainly likes to take risks!! Gainey's trade of Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals for a 2009 second round pick on trade deadline day wasn't a complete shock but I must admit that getting a 2009 2nd rounder (Anaheim's pick to boot!!) was a disappointment. Needless to say, Gainey is taking a huge risk by trading his veteran goaltender and appointing Carey Price as the #1 netminder with the Eastern Conference wide open for a Stanley Cup berth.

I believe Price has shown he can handle pressure situations with a WJC and Calder Cup championships on his CV. He has accomplished more at the tender age of 20 years old than Huet has in his 10 year hockey career. Can Price handle the pressure cooker of Montreal and win a playoff series or dare I say the Stanley Cup? I certainly think he has the pedigree to do well but time will tell. Gainey will take the heat if Price or Halak (another very good goalie in the Habs system) can't carry the load down the stretch.

Cristobal Huet has struggled in his last four games and the stats don't lie (1-3, 4.50 GAA, Sv% of.859 in last 4 GP) with Gainey stating that the organization would not re-sign him at the end of the season.

I believe Gainey had no choice but to trade Cristobal Huet to get something in return and allow Carey Price to start his promising career with the Montreal Canadiens........Gambler Bob is certainly hoping to cash in his poker chips with Price's success and a long playoffs run!!!! - All Habs

Trade #2: Sergei Fedorov for Theo Ruth:

I believe the Jackets were a better team with Fedorov in the lineup, but it was more an intangible thing than anything else. Perhaps he survived more on his legacy than his current actions. However you slice it, though, paying that much money for a marginally interested guy who’d missed 15 games due to injury this year, and has produced 28 only points in 49 games was a cement block of a contract. Now… it’s gone.... Good move for the Jackets to get something (however unproven at this point) for what would have been nothing in less than two months. - End of the Bench

I think it was a good move for both of the teams, the Caps gained a veteran center who can make plays. The man has three Stanley Cup rings, he may be aging but, I think he has what it takes to help the Caps make the push; whether it's his veteran experience and voice in the locker room or if it's him winning some faceoffs for ya. The Blue Jackets gained a stay at home blue liner prospect, whom I'm sure will be good in the future. (He's close to home at Notre Dame so I plan on going to see the kid play). - Bethany's Hockey Rants

Trade #3: Matt Cooke for Matt Pettinger:

I don't think the trade is particularly important for either team. The Canucks got rid of a player they did not intend to re-sign and picked up a player with some upside on a reasonable contract for next year.

Cooke had been with the Canucks for a decade so most fans are a little sad to see him go. He's an "energy" player which means that now he plays for somebody else he's a dirty cheapshot artist. He first came to the Canucks during a particularly dark time. This made him a fan favourite from the start. Watching Cooke run around trying to decapitate people was a guilty pleasure during the Messier era.

On the other hand, I have an emotional connection to Matt Pettinger, too. Matt moved to Victoria as a young teenager and because he is close in age to one of my sons I watched him play minor hockey on Vancouver Island. I've been following his career ever since, so I'm delighted to see him get a chance in Vancouver. I love his speed and I look forward to seeing how well he does.

I don't expect either Matt will make a huge difference on their new team but if Cooke had to go, I'm glad Pettinger came back. - Tom Benjamin's NHL Weblog

From an on-ice perspective, it was hard to react too much as I don't know too much about Pettinger. From what I've read so far, this is probably a lateral move for us.

You guys will love Cooke. Other teams will hate you, but I think you'll love the style he brings. He's a pest and he hits everything in sight.

Off the ice, I think Washington fans will quickly warm up to him. Simply, he's a community guy. He's very well-know outside the rink and spends a lot of time at Canucks Place and various other charities. - Canucks Hockey Blog

[Cooke]'ll make an equal amount of big hits and borderline legal hits.
He'll raise his elbows quicker before he'll drop the gloves.
He'll get clutch goals at key times and no goals in twenty games.
Once upon a time he filled in for Bertuzzi, but this year he was fighting for ice time with Isbister.
If someone touches Ovechkin, you'll see Cooke be Cooke.
If you see a poor hooking call with time winding down in the third, you'll see Cooke being Cooke.
You'll love him and you'll hate him, but the bottom line is he gives it his all on the ice and can change a game with his style of play.
And Vancouver will miss him because, good or bad, you'd rather have a guy like Cooke on your side then play against him. Any day.

...and I can only hope this Pettinger guy can help fill that hole now.
I'm not holding my breath :) - The Yankee Canuck

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Did somebody say Ice Girls?!... Another take on the Huet deal.... Here's a tidy run-down of all of Tuesday's deals.... Even an Edmonton journo has to admit that the Caps were winners on Tuesday.... When 22nd is an upgrade.... Memo to Ted Montgomery: You're kind of a dick.... A goal and three helpers for JGod.... Finally, one year ago today was the day after Deadline Day and we recapped another Caps loss and two years ago today we welcomed back the NHL and looked into the ugly world of Laybergerism, err, "borrowing" from bloggers.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Steve Bernier (2G, A, +3, 4 SOG in first game as a Sabre)
  
• Ross: Toni Lydman (4 points)
  
• Norris: Toni Lydman (4A, +3, 2 SOG)
  
• Vezina: Patrick Lalime (32-save 1-0 shutout win)
  
• Richard: Steve Bernier, Mats Sundin, Jason Arnott, David Vyborny (2G each)
  
• Calder: Mason Raymond (G)
  
• Aiken: Chris Mason (L, 5 goals allowed on 19 shots against in 34:50 of work)
  

Caps Get Cooke For Pettinger

Per TSN, the Caps have sent Matt Pettinger home to Vancouver for winger Matt Cooke.

Cooke has seven goals, nine assists on the season. Per his scouting report, Cooke "can easily get opponents off their game," is "a fairly quick skater [who] defends his own end effectively and is an oustanding penalty-killer," but "despite his dedication, he doesn't have the size or skill to be a major scorer," "can ill-afford to take any shifts off," and "is somewhat injury-prone."

For all of his defensive responsibility, however, Cooke had Vancouver's fourth-worst plus/minus at minus-four before being traded.

Like Fedorov and Huet, Cooke is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

What They're Saying:

"Cooke is a gritty winger whose bang and crash style made him popular with Canucks fans, but with younger and affordable Canucks now stepping up and filling that role he wasn’t expected to be re-signed by Vancouver." - Spector

"The Capitals are determined to make the playoffs. Cooke is an agitator in the mold of Sean Avery or Jarkko Ruutu. He should bring an edge to Washington's game. - Empty Netters

Saturday Roundup/Gamenight: Thrashers @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

It's Groundhog Day! Rise and shine, campers, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cold out there today.

Or not.

For the second time in a couple of weeks, the Caps will face a high-powered offense missing its best player, this time an Ilya Kovalchuk-less Thrashers squad that coughed up a two-goal lead at home against Buffalo last night and needed to come back twice en route to a thrilling (I suppose) shootout victory.

By all pre-game indicators, the Caps should win tonight. They have a winning home record and Atlanta has a losing road record, score more and allow fewer goals than the Thrash, come in more rested (with a day off, the Caps are 13-9-3 on the season, while Atlanta is 1-8-1 in the second of back-to-back games), and are playing better hockey lately. Of course, they still have to go out, play the game, and turn "should" into "did."

We'll expect to see Kari Lehtonen in goal for the Thrash (Johan Hedberg went last night), which may be good news - on the season, Lehtonen is 0-2-0 with a 4.56 GAA and .866 save percentage against the Caps (his career numbers versus D.C., however, are much better).

The big question when it comes to goaltending, though, is who will be in net for the home team. Olie Kolzig got the start (and win) on Thursday night and is 1-1-0/4.01/.843 against Atlanta this season, while Brent Johnson is 1-0-1/1.48/.950 opposite the Thrashers on the campaign and 7-2-0/2.32/.918 in his career. To me, that puts the decision in No-Brainerville, but we'll wait and see what Bruce Boudreau thinks.

As for the "O"-ffense (as in Ovechkin), you probably know that Alex has scored more goals (16) and has more points (32) in his career against Atlanta than against any other opponent. You may not know that Matt Pettinger also has scored more goals (6) in his career against Atlanta than against any other team. With that in mind, I'm going big on a prediction - Petty gets on the board tonight. It is, after all, a new month.

With the Thrashers (and Florida) now tied with the Caps in the crowded Southeast, this game is yet another biggie, a four-pointer within the Division. If the Caps are going to make the playoffs, they've gotta win the games they've gotta win, and this certainly is one of those. Barring an early burst from the visitors, expect the younger, bigger and better-rested Caps to take the two points on Saturday night.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

The Sports Junkies were guests of Ted Leonsis last night and talked (a little bit) about the experience on air yesterday (the second 2/1 Seg 2).... Garrett's got some info on a Caps Meet n' Greet.... Check out this sweet game-winning goal from last night's North Dakota/Minnesota game (and note a brief cameo by Caps prospect Joe Finley as the Sioux head off the ice).

Daily Awards

• Hart: Manny Legace (30-save shootout shutout win)
  
• Ross: 12 players tied with 2 points each
  
• Norris: Tobias Enstrom (Game-tying goal with :18 seconds left, A, +2)
  
• Vezina: Manny Legace (30-save shootout shutout win)
  
• Richard: Chris Drury (2G)
  
• Calder: Tobias Enstrom (see above)
• Aiken: Jocelyn Thibault (Shootout loss, twice surrendered a third period lead and allowed 2 goals on 9 shots against in 25 minutes of work)
  

Monday Roundup/Gamenight: Devils @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

For the second time in four nights the Caps and Devils will meet as Jersey visits the nation's capital. This time, however, it's the Caps who come in on a high note (following Saturday night's 6-3 win over Atlanta) and the Devs who are looking to get back into the win column (after Sunday's 1-0 overtime loss to the Rangers).

If the Devils were ripe for the pickin' on Friday night - and they were - they're even moreso tonight, playing the second of back-to-back road games and the third of a three-games-in-five-nights set. In fact, Devils' bench boss Brent Sutter noted that the Caps were the "fresher" of the two teams on Friday night - and that was before last night's hard-hitting OT affair for his squad. Whether Martin Brodeur will be in net yet again or Kevin Weekes gets his first start since November 12 remains to be seen, but either way Jersey has got to be a tired team, and the 32 hits they absorbed in last night's loss will serve to weaken them that much more.

The Caps, for their part, should be playing with all the confidence they displayed on Saturday night and, if they come out guns a-blazin', could have another big night. Of course, "shoulds" and "coulds" have turned into "didn'ts" all season long for D.C., but Matt Pettinger's goal on Saturday night sure did feel like both he and the team had turned a corner, didn't it?

As every game becomes more important than the last for these Caps, Monday night's is certainly one that they should win - and hopefully tonight's "shoulds" and "coulds" turn into "dids."

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Random stat of the day: four Caps (Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green and Jeff Schultz) are younger than the youngest player on the Devils roster (Travis Zajac), and two Caps (Donald Brashear and Olie Kolzig) are older than the oldest player in Jersey's lineup (Brodeur).... Backstrom has nine points in eight games (including two three-point efforts) under Bruce Boudreau and only has two fewer points over that span than the two players ahead of him among the rookie scoring leaders combined. If you'd written him off for Calder consideration, you'd better have an eraser handy.... Josh Godfrey had two goals and a pair of assists in Sault Ste. Marie's win over Sarnia last night. He's now third among OHL defensemen in goals and ninth in points.... Finally, gotta hand it to the WaPo - what a great picture they've got accompanying Tarik's article today.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Milan Hejduk (3G, 3A, +4, 4 SOG)
  
• Ross: Milan Hejduk (6 points)
  
• Norris: Andres Lilja (Game-winning goal, +3, 2 SOG, 3 hits, 3 blocked shots)
  
• Vezina: Martin Brodeur (28 saves on 29 shots against in OT loss)
  
• Richard: Milan Hejduk (3G)
  
• Calder: Dustin Byfuglien (G, A, 3 SOG, 4 hits)
  
• Aiken: Hannu Toivonen (L, 8 goals allowed on 25 shots against)
  

Tuesday Roundup

Would someone kindly explain to me how the Caps get stuck playing six games in nine nights and follow that up immediately with nearly six full days off? To put this ridiculous scheduling anomaly in perspective, consider that the Redskins will have pissed away lost two games in between the Caps' last game and their next one.

But while it's frustrating for us impatient fans, as mentioned before, it will give the team a chance to get healthy and work on getting used to Bruce Boudreau's system, so when the break is finally over on Friday night, they'll be a well-oiled 20-engine killing machine.

Or not.

One thing is for certain, though - when the Caps return to action later in the week, they'd better start winning some games on home ice. There are only three teams in the entire League - Montreal, Toronto and Atlanta - with less than twice as many home wins as the Caps have. If the season is to be salvaged, the team will have to play much better hockey at home (as in above .500), and they'll have their first chance to better that disappointing 3-8-1 mark Saturday night when they open a four-game home-stand against Atlanta.

Anyway, since things are pretty slow for the next couple of days, I figured I'd throw out a question for discussion each day. Today's question: what the hell is wrong with Matt Pettinger? Here's a guy who had scored 36 goals over the past two seasons (in 135 games - a 21.9 goals per 82 games pace) and now sits dead last in shooting percentage among NHL forwards with at least 40 shots on goal. One goal and two helpers all year. No points since October 29 (he actually had his goal and an assist in that game, meaning he has all of one assist in his other 25 games this season). On the plus side, every goal he's scored this year has been a game-winner.

Has his shoulder never fully healed? Is he skating with the wrong linemates? Has he just had rotten luck? Any and all theories are welcome.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Cory Stillman (2G, +2, 5 SOG)
  
• Ross: 8 players tied with 2 points each
  
• Norris: Joni Pitkanen (G, A, 3 SOG)
  
• Vezina: Cam Ward (28-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Cory Stillman (2G)
  
• Calder: Kris Letang (Game-winning goal)
  
• Aiken: Martin Straka (0 points, -4 in 4-0 loss)
  

Wednesday Roundup

USA Today has an article on Michael Nylander's return to D.C., Tarik takes a look at Ben Clymer's "weird situation," Corey profiles Mike Green as he tries to make the team, Vogs chats with and about Brooks Laich (and colorfully describes Matt Pettinger's work ethic), the Sens will be skating most of their veterans against the Caps tomorrow night, and AO drops by a couple of schools - traditional and otherwise.

The Calgary-D.C. Connection

Last month we learned that Caps' prospect Keith Seabrook is headed to Calgary to join Karl Alzner on the WHL Hitmen's blueline. Now another Capitals/Hitmen tie seems all but assured as Jeff Schultz's little brother (I say little because he's both younger and "only" 6'2" - of course he's also only 17-years-old) Ian will likely make the team this fall and play for the team for which big brother played for four years.

The Calgary-Washington connection has been pretty strong over the years, as the WHL (and Calgary in particular) has been a favorite spot for GM George McPhee to find prospects. In addition to the elder Schultz, Alzner and now Seabrook, Caps prospects over the past seven years who played in Calgary include Matt Pettinger, Kris Beech, Stephen Peat and Owen Fussey (all but Peat were drafted by Washington).

Of course, with all of those fish coming from the same pond, Caps fans likely won't soon forget one Calgary Hitmen product that McPhee didn't draft when he had the chance to back in '03 - Ryan Getzlaf, the one that got away.

Life's A Beach For Pettinger

Matt Pettinger is spending a good part of the summer on the beach, soaking up the rays. But it doesn't sound like he's doing too much relaxing...

That Other Golf Open Going On This Weekend

Following up on JP's recent post on Matt Pettinger caddying in this weekend's Times Colonist Open in Victoria, BC, the final scorecards have been signed and Pettinger's chum, the current BC Amateur champion Bryan Toth, didn't fare too well. He tied for penultimate place.

Pity that his Amateur status prevents him from collecting his prize money: $300. Canadian.

An unrelated question: Which unfortunate, unoriginal exclamation by drunky sports fans will we see disappear first? Hockey fans who bellow "Ohhh!" during the National Anthem at Caps games or golf fans who feel the need to shout "Get in the hole!" after every putt?

Fore For Eighteen

You've never heard of Bryan Toth. Long-story-short, he's a 33-year-old amateur golfer in British Columbia and he'll get his shot against the pros this weekend when the Canadian Tour makes a stop at his home course.

Why is Toth's story of (admittedly minimal) interest to Caps fans? Because on Thursday, Matt Pettinger will be caddying for him.

Hopefully a year from now Princess will be too tired to caddy in this tournament, having just finished up his hockey season.

Bad News On The Injury Front

Per Tarik:

"[T]he Caps found out today that they are going to be without left wing Matt Pettinger for four to six weeks because of a broken thumb, and center Boyd Gordon for two weeks due to a sore knee."

Princess and Muffins. Damn.

Alex Giroux will be recalled, as, presumably, will someone else.

A Capital Christmas

As hockey fans all over the world celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus today, I'd like to send belated Happy Hannukah wishes to Jeff Halpern, Mike Cammalleri, Mathieu Schneider and, of course, Gary Bettman.

But I have Christmas wishes to pass along as well. I have gifts, too. Well, not really, but if I could, I'd hand out the following gifts to each member of the 2006-07 Washington Capitals:

Beech, Kris - Passion to match his raw skills
Bradley, Matt - A comfortable seat in the press box
Brashear, Donald - Someone to dance with every night
Clark, Chris - His two front teeth
Clymer, Ben - plus-14
Eminger, Steve - Confidence and a healthy John Erskine
Erskine, John - Better skating ability
Giroux, Alexandre - A bus ticket back to Hershey
Gordon, Boyd - Fewer penalties to kill
Green, Mike - More shots on goal
Heward, Jamie - Better defensive-zone coverage
Johnson, Brent - A few more starts
Klepis, Jakub - Kris Beech's ice time (and faceoff ability)
Kolzig, Olaf - Five more years in the League
Laich, Brooks - Skills to match his hockey sense
Morrisonn, Shaone - Better passing ability
Muir, Bryan - More effective use of his size
Nycholat, Lawrence - A flight back to Hershey (hey, he's older than Giroux)
Ovechkin, Alex - A playoff game (can you imagine how good he'll be once he makes the playoffs?!)
Pettinger, Matt - Alex Semin's shot total
Pothier, Brian - The broadside of a barn at which to practice shooting
Schultz, Jeff - Zdeno Chara's career path for a big man
Semin, Alexander - More effective play without the puck
Sutherby, Brian - A second goal for the year (we'll work on the third, etc., from there)
Zednik, Richard - Good health so the Caps can get something for him at the trade deadline
Zubrus, Dainius - Nothing (he's got Ovechkin - what more does he need?)

There you have it. Merry Xmas to the Caps and their fans and more importantly, to my readers and friends.

J.P.

Friday Roundup/Gamenight: Devils @ Caps

[NHL.com Preview - Vogel's WashingtonCaps.com Preview - Official Gameday Thread]

Caps fans, brace yourself for exciting neutral-zone-clogging action as the Devils are in town (I know, Shayne, three Cups, etc.). For their part, the Caps have picked a bad time to be banged up, as they embark on a stretch of seven games in 11 days (including a pair of games against the Devils and games against the Leafs, Sabres, Habs, Rangers and Coyotes as well). They got no favors last night from their Southeast Divisional cohorts, all of whom won, with Atlanta doing the Caps the bonus kick-in-the-chops of giving away a point to Kansas City Pittsburgh. Then again, you didn't expect a playoff run to be easy, did you?

With The Donald, John Erskine and Matt Bradley all presumably out of the lineup, watch for the team's toughness to be exhibited in ways other than raw pugilism. Either that or watch the Cam Janssens and Darcy Tuckers of the world take runs at AO for the next few nights - it's up to you, Brian Sutherby et. al. And with Chris Clark (possibly) and Bryan Muir (likely) also out, other guys will have to step up - with adversity comes opportunity - and now would be a good time for guys like Ben Clymer and Steve Eminger to shine and help lead the Caps to victory. If I may ask for one more present on this, the last night of Hannukah, it would be for Matt Pettinger to return to the scoresheet. Or this. But probably a couple of goals from Princess.

I'll have more later (workload permitting), but wanted to note that I went to my first practice yesterday morning out at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex at the Ballston Commons mall. I highly recommend checking it out if you get a chance, even if it means playing hooky from work some day. An interesting (to me) epilogue to that blurb is that I found myself behind Olie Kolzig driving home. He can't live more than five minutes from me in Potomac (though I resisted the urge to full-on stalk him all the way to his house) and drives one of the sweetest cars I've ever seen (a $100+K 2005 or 2006 Maserati Quattroporte).

Daily Awards

• Southeast Division Player of the Day: Ilya Kovalchuk (G, 2A, +1, 12 SOG)
• Hart: Tim Thomas (39-save shutout win)
• Ross: Ilya Kovalchuk, Jason Pominville (3 points each)
• Norris: Paul Ranger (GWG, A, +2, 2 SOG)
• Vezina: Tim Thomas (39-save shutout win)
• Richard: Jason Pominville, Ales Kotalik, Maxim Afinogenov (2G each)
• Calder: David Backes (G, +2, 4 SOG)
• Aiken: Chris Mason (L, 5 goals allowed on 26 shots against in 39:52 of work)

Wednesday Roundup/Lightning 5, Caps 4

[NHL.com Recap - WashingtonCaps.com Postgame]

Too little, too late (not to be confused with the Bolts' postgame buffet, where those two little tools ate - admit it, you love the puns!). How a team can come out as flat as the Caps did last night in a divisional game at home at the beginning of a killer stretch of games is beyond me. Olie Kolzig thinks it was a case of overconfidence ("Sometimes when you're a young team and things are going good, maybe you forget what got you into that position.") and Coach Hanlon agreed.

And while overconfidence may have played a part in the loss, so did the play of one defenseman in particular, who I won't call out by name (though it rhymes with Weave Cleminger), but who described his own play on what amounted to the back-breaking goal by Ruslan Fedotenko late in the second as "like [he] was in quicksand." In addition, said blueliner committed an atrociously stupid over-the-glass delay of game penalty with five seconds left in the first that turned into the Bolts' third goal.

Also notably mediocre-to-bad were Olie (though he did make a number of tough saves), the ice conditions, the annoying dude sitting directly behind me and Matt Pettinger. On the plus side, Olie will rebound and I cut Princess from my fantasy squad, so he should be good to go again. On the minus side, the ice will stink as long as they play 400 basketball games a winter at the V.C. and the jackass behind me may or may not have bought a season ticket package.

The comeback attempt was nice (as was AO's one-man-team goal), but the hole had been dug and it was simply to deep to climb out of. At the end of the day the Bolts just wanted the win more - and they got it.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Patrice Bergeron (5A, +3, 4 SOG, 60% faceoffs won)
• Ross: Patrice Bergeron (5 points)
• Norris: Filip Kuba (G, 2A, 2 SOG)
• Vezina: Cristobal Huet (W, 42 saves on 44 shots against in 5-2 win at Buffalo)
• Richard: Andrew Brunette, Jason Blake, Marco Sturm (3G each)
• Calder: Anze Kopitar (2G, A, 4 SOG)
• Aiken, Pt. I: Andrew Raycroft (6 goals allowed on 26 shots against in two periods of work)
• Aiken, Pt. II: Dan Cloutier (because BoA says so)