Daily Caps Report DEC 29

Smaller one today since we did  the game review last night of the 4-1win over Toronto.
First, Brent Johnson must be healthy again.  Simeon Varlamov was sent back to Hershey.  Yesterday, Tyler Sloan was sent back to Hershey as well, but according to Tarik, may be on his way back.  Seems Karl Alzner got nailed twice int he hand, same location, and is day to day.
Tarik is also saying that Jose Theodore will be in goal tomorrow.  Did we expect anything less?  Theodore has been hot lately, winning three straight and allowing two or less goals in his last two games.  Boudreau said last week that with the newest Johnson hip tweak, that Theo would be given every opportunity to snag the starting role, and he seems to be responding.
Tarik is also reporting that Chris Bourque has received a recall as well.  Funny — I just discussed this very thing via email with a reader of ours.  We both were not understanding why Giroux was up on the Caps roster for an extended period of time.  He has not been that effective. Doesn’t appear that Giroux has been optioned back to Hershey, but he should be.
Speaking of Hershey …
The Bears got back to their winning ways last night, getting a big game from another super goalie prospect, Michal Neuvirth.  Neuvirth stopped 24 of 27 shots to win his first AHL game.  With Daren Machesney in the World Juniors and Simeon Varlamov in Washington (back to Hershey now), Neuvirth has started the past two games, and took a 4-1 loss to Binghamton in his AHL debut.  Neuvirth was drafted by the Capitals the same draft year they selected Varlamov.  Varlamov was taken in the 1st round, 23rd overall, the same year the Caps took Nicklas Backstrom 4th overall.  Neuvirth was taken in the 2nd round, 34th overall.

Keith Aucoin, Chris Bourque, Kyle Wilson, Oscar Osala, and Andrew Gordon all scored for Hershey.  Aucoin added 2 assists for a three point night.
The Bears are now 23-8-0-1 overall, in first place by 2 points over Bridgeport.
HERSHEY LEADERBOARD
Goals: Alexandre Giroux, 18
Assists:  Keith Aucoin, 30
Points:  Keith Aucoin, 41
PP Goals: Aucoin, Giroux, and Kyle Wilson, 5
Pts PG:  Keith Aucoin, 1.37
Def Scoring:  Sami Lepisto, 14
+/-:   Patrick McNeill, Oscar Osala, +16
GAA:  Simeon Varlamov, 2.30
Save%:  Bobby Goepfert, .920
W/L:  Simeon Varlamov, 11-3
Overall Leaders:  Aucoin leads the AHL in overall points with 4.  Aucoin leads the AHL with 30 assists.  Simeon Varlamov is tied for 4th overall in GAA with a 2.30 GAA.
Speaking of South Carolina …
The Stingrays defeated Mississippi 6-3 last night.  Michael Dubuc had a huge night, scoring 4 of the ‘Rays 6 goals.  Pierre Luc-O’Brien added 3 assists.  The depleted Stingrays had Ian Vigier in goal and he stopped 33 of 36 shots to earn the win.  Both Stingray goalies, Bobby Goepfert and Michal Neuvirth, are in Hershey.
Even with losing their starters to Hershey, the Stingrays sit 1 point out of first place in the ECHL’s South Division with 18-7-1-2 record, 39 points.  The Stingrays have won 3 in a row and 4 of their last 5.
SOUTH CAROLINA LEADERBOARD
Goals: Michael Dubuc, 17
Assists:  Travis Morin, 25
Points:  Travis Morin, 34
PP Goals:  Michael Dubuc, 7
Pts PG:  Michael Dubuc, 1.38
Def Scoring:  Brad Farynuk, 17
+/-:  Travis Morin,  +13
GAA:  Bobby Goepfert, 1.77
Save%:  Bobby Goepfert, .937
W/L:  Bobby Goepfert, 6-1
Overall:  Bobby Goepfert leads the ECHL with a 1.70 GAA and Michal Neuvirth is right behind him in second place with a 1.90 GAA.
Good looking news for the Washington Capitals.  They sit atop the Southeast Division with a 10 point lead over Carolina, the AHL affiliate Hershey Bears are 23-8 and in first place, while the lower affiliate Stingrays sit only 1 point from first place.
This is all part of the rebuild plan that George McPhee embarked on beginning in 2004/05.  It goes beyond just the Capitals roster, but building a fundamentally sound organization from top to bottom, and given the wrath of injuries the Capitals have faced thus far this season, the affiliations with Hershey and South Carolina and the investment McPhee made in the young talent is paying huge dividends.