The Washington capitals have gone cold, at least for this weekend. Friday night, the Washington Capitals snapped their 7 game winning streak by failing to score on rookie goal tender Steve Mason, despite slapping 45 shots at Mason.
Thoughts on the game — First, the Capitals had their opportunities. They had several sweet and sick looking shots that were either stuffed by Mason, or Mason simply got lucky. Second, Mason is good. Mason deserves to jump up in consideration for the Calder Trophy, the NHL’s Rookie of the Year. He has great composure, an excellent eye, and gets in position well.
Second, two of the three Columbus goals you can fault poor defense. Overall, I though Theo did a pretty nice job in goal. Third, how about Alexander Ovechkin? 12 shots on goal. 12! Yet he failed to put one past Mason. Finally, figure this one out, the capitals have one of the best penalty kill special teams units in the NHL, Columbus has one of the worst power play units, yet Columbus was 2 for 7 on the power play.
The Capitals dropped their second straight in a 5-4 loss to Montreal last night, thanks to indecision by D Milan Jurcina. Sergei Kostitsyn scored with just 23 seconds left in the game, after the puck got lost between the skates of Jurcina and put it past Brent Johnson to lift Montreal. Fact is, it was a poor play by both Jurcina and Karl Alzner. But, Jurcina should have cross checked Kostitsyn rather than just keep looking down and giving Kostitsyn an opportunity to surprise Theodore. The loss also cost Bruce Boudreau the opportunity to become the assistant coach in the NHL All Star game next week.
Washington got two goals from Alexander Semin (15,16), Tomas Fleischmann (13), and Michael Nylander (4).
Notables:
* Boyd Gordon missed both games due to a pre-game injury. Do the Caps miss Gordon on the penalty kill?
* The Capitals loss to Columbus snapped their seven game winning streak, their nine game winning streak at the Verizon Center, and a person 5 game winning streak by G Jose Theodore.
* Brent Johnson, after a red hot start, has given up 3 or more goals in his last 4 starts.
* Alexander Ovechkin has gone three consecutive games without scoring a goal.
* Alexander Semin has 3 goals and 6 assists in his last 9 games since returning from an injury.
* Is it time for Simeon Varlamov in net?
Possibly Related Posts:
- The Calder Cup
- Belanger inks one year deal with Caps
- Redskins Link Dump (8/9)
- Nats trade Christian Guzman to Rangers
- El-Bashir leaving Post Caps beat
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