Nicklas Backstrom

Capitals fire Bruce Boudreau; hire ex-Cap Dale Hunter

November 28, 2011

After a hot 7-0 start to the season, the Washington Capitals and their sky-high expectations were off and running.

Then the rest of the league caught up, sending the Capitals into tailspin searching for answers, a tailspin that included a 5-7-1 November record, with just one game left on Tuesday.

The scapegoat of the tailspin is coach Bruce Boudreau, who was relived of his coaching duties early Monday. Former Caps captain Dale Hunter has been named head coach, he was present at practice on Monday afternoon.

Boudreau will be a tough act to follow, however, as he led the Caps to the playoffs in each of his four full sea...

Chimera lifts Caps over Jets in OT

November 23, 2011

Mike Dusak

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Jason Chimera leads the Washington Capitals with 8 goals. Not Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin or Nicklas Backstrom, the man who had just 10 goals all of last year does.

With his overtime winner over the Winnipeg Jets tonight, Jason Chimera now is two goals shy of last season's total after just 20 games. How's that for secondary scoring.

The Caps also got goals from Alex Semin and Nicklas Backstrom in addition to Chimera's two tallies. Semin scored his 6th goal of the season just one game after being benched by coach Bruce Boudreau.

Alex Ovechkin hit the scoring sheet on a beautiful pass to setup Semin's goal in the f...

Game Day: Phoenix Coyotes @ Washington Capitals

November 21, 2011

czechtacular

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There wasn't much love lost between the Phoenix Coyotes and Washington Capitals when they last met on Valentine's Day, as Phoenix took the win by a count of 3-2. Washington is currently in the middle of a 3-6-1 stretch of ten that most recently saw them come up flat in Toronto, scoring only one goal against the Leafs' seven. Phoenix's road trip thus far has been much of the opposite, as the Flyers were their only loss since they last left Jobing.com Arena.

Washington maintains a winning record at home (6-1-1), but five of the eight last games featuring them and the Coyotes have been decided by only one goal. And as good as Mike Smith has been t...

Game 14, 15: Caps set for home and home series with Devils

November 11, 2011

Mike Dusak

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The Caps (9-4-0, 18 points) travel to New Jersey tonight to play the Devils in the first of a back to back. The teams play in D.C. on Saturday night.

Alex Ovechkin and Co. are coming off of a home throttling courtesy of the red-hot Dallas Stars, who handled the Caps 5-2 back on Tuesday.

The Devils will be without the services of star forward Ilya Kovalchuck this weekend as he nurses a minor leg injury. Martin Brodeur will get the call in net for the Devils on Friday, with the back-to-back on the schedule, Johan Hedberg will start Saturday.

Brodeur is 2-2 this season with a 3.00 GAA and an .885 SV % in ...

Caps blasted by Stars 5-2

November 9, 2011

Mike Dusak

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The Caps headed into tonight's clash with the Dallas Stars as the only team with an undefeated home record at 6-0.

That ended quickly as the Stars ambushed the Caps in the third period at Verizon Center tonight by scoring three consecutive goals to win 5-2.

The Stars got three points from Jamie Benn, including a goal and two assists and Michael Ryder added two goals. The visiting Stars also got goals from Adam Burish and Eric Nystrom.

Caps goals came from Alexander Semin, who opened the scoring for the Caps on the power play in the first and John Carlson, who ripped a laser by Lehtonen in the second at even-strength to tie the game at 2-2.

Nic...

Capitals Backstrom returning to form

November 7, 2011

Mike Dusak

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Back in May 2010, the Capitals signed center Nicklas Backstrom to a 10-year, $67 million contract extension, the following season, he posted a career-low 65 points.

Not only did he flop in the regular season after posting 101 points the previous year, he flopped even harder in nine games in the postseason, with just two assists for the underachieving Caps.

His performance had pundits quietly wondering about the massive extension he signed, and whether he would live up to its billing.

Then the calendar turned to the 2011-2012 season, where the Gavle, Sweden, native has lit up opposing defenses for 18 points in 12 game...