SB Nation DC - Capitals Vs. Wild: Washington Falls To Wild 2-1 In Defensive Battlehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48897/dc-fave.png2010-10-28T22:57:59-04:00http://dc.sbnation.com/rss/stream/15436562010-10-28T22:57:59-04:002010-10-28T22:57:59-04:00Capitals Vs. Wild: Washington Falls 2-1 In Minnesota
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<p>There are two moments in Thursday night's game for the Washington Capitals that tell the entire story of their contest with the Minnesota Wild, and they both include the name Nicklas Backstrom.</p>
<p>Nicklas Backstrom, the Wild's starting goaltender, robbed Nicklas Backstrom of the Capitals with two gloves saves, one in the second period and the last one in the third to help preserve the Wild's 2-1 win.</p>
<p>Backstrom of the Wild gloved down a Nicklas Backstrom of the Capitals shot from the low slot early in the second period with the Capitals on a power play to keep the score 1-0 in favor of Minnesota. Then, Backstrom again gloved down Backstrom's shot, this one from the right cirlce, with 5 seconds left to seal the Minnesota win.</p>
<p>The loss dropped the Capitals record at Xcel Energy Center to 0-5-1.</p>
<p>In all, Minnesota's Backstrom made 21 saves, the only blemish an Alex Ovechkin wrist shot from the mid-high slot at 18:24 that spoiled his shutout bid.</p>
<p>The goal, Ovechkin's fifth of the year, was his first since Oct. 13 against the New York Islanders, a span of five games. It was also Ovechkin's first goal of the season on the road.</p>
<p>Washington outshot Minnesota 22-17 for the game including 11-5 in the third period, but were never able to sustain any constant pressure.</p>
<p>One night after what they considered their most complete game of the season against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Capitals got off to a slow start against the Wild.</p>
<p>Just 7:48 into the contest, Chuck Kobasew scored on a one-time pass from Andrew Brunette to give the Wild a 1-0 lead. Kobasew was a step quicker then the Capitals' John Carlson getting to the net and easily put home Brunette's feed.</p>
<p>Washington was outshot 6-4 in the first period, and that didn't get any better in the second.</p>
<p>The Capitals managed just seven shots in the second period with their best scoring chance coming in the first five minutes of the period when Nicklas Backstrom was robbed by the Wilds' Nicklas Backstrom.</p>
<p>Mikko Koivu made it 2-0 with 16 seconds left in the second period with a power play goal. It is the third game in the last four that the Capitals have allowed at least one power play goal after not allowing one in their first six games of the season.</p>
<p>It was also the fourth time this season the Capitals have not scored a goal in the games first two periods.</p>
<p>Mike Green led all Capitals with 30:41 seconds of ice-time in his second back after missing three games with a shoulder injury.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-capitals/2010/10/28/1781034/Capitals-Wild-Washington-Falls-2-1-In-MinnesotaJustin Creech2010-10-28T21:47:30-04:002010-10-28T21:47:30-04:00Capitals Vs. Wild: Washington Trails 2-0 After Second Period
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<p>The Washington Capitals trail the Minnesota Wild 2-0 after two period in Minnesota. Matt Bradley's late holding penalty resulted in a power play for the Wild which they capitalized on with just 16 seconds remaining in the period.</p>
<p>With the Wild about to go on a 5 on 3 power play, Mikko Koivu found Matt Cullens' rebound and put it passed Michael Neuvirth for a 2-0 lead.</p>
<p>This is the fourth time through the first ten games of the season that the Capitals have fallen behind 2-0. They fell behind the Nashiville Predators 2-0 on Oct. 16 then fell behind Boston 2-0 in both games of their home-and-home series last week.</p>
<p>This game is very similiar to last night's game in Carolina. The Capitals have not managed many shots on net, just 11 shots through the first two periods, and have not generated many scoring chances.</p>
<p>The Capitals best chance came early in the second period while on the power play. Nicklas Backstrom found the loose puck in the low slot and fired a shot on the Wilds' Nicklas Backstrom which was stopped with an eye-popping glove save. The save was eerily similiar to Michael Neuvirth's stop on the Hurricanes' Eric Staal last night.</p>
<p>Washington is 0 for 2 on the power play through two periods.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-capitals/2010/10/28/1780945/capitals-wild-mikko-koivu-second-period-goalJustin Creech2010-10-28T21:08:26-04:002010-10-28T21:08:26-04:00Capitals Vs. Wild: Washington Trails 1-0 After First Period
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<p><span style='font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>The Washington Capitals entered tonight's game in Minnesota against the Wild looking to build on last night's performance against the Carolina Hurricanes. Through one period, they are not far off.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>The Capitals played solid defense in the first period, limiting the Wild to just six shots and five scoring chances. However, Minnesota was able to capialize on one of those chances while limiting the Capitals to just five first period shots.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>Jeff Kobasew got free in the low slot and John Carlson was just a step late in getting to him as Andrew Brunette threaded a pass to Kobasew who easily banged it passed Michael Neuvirth at 7:48. It is the seventh time this season the Capitals have allowed the first goal of the game, and sixth time in seven. Carlson also failed to take Kobasew's stick away from him as Carlson simply whacked at Kobasews' stick instead of attempting to lift it off the ice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style='font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'>The Capitals were able to kill the lone Wild power play in the period and managed a few scoring chances, but were stymied by Wild netminder Nicklas Backstrom. Backstrom stopped a Mike Green shot with his glove with around five minutes remaining in the period to keep the Capitals off the scoreboard. It is also the sixth time in the last seven games that the Capitals have gone scoreless in the first period.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-capitals/2010/10/28/1780899/capitals-vs-wild-chuck-kobasew-first-period-scoreJustin Creech2010-10-28T19:54:12-04:002010-10-28T19:54:12-04:00Capitals Vs. Wild: Starting Lineups
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<p>Via <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalsinsider/minnesota-wild/tonights-lineup-caps-at-wild.html">Capitals Insider's Katie Carrera</a> and <a href="http://www.hockeywilderness.com/2010/10/28/1780065/minnesota-wild-vs-washington-capitals-game-9">SB Nation's Hockey Wilderness</a> blog, below are tonight's starting lineups for the Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild as they prepare to face off.</p>
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<p><strong>Forwards</strong><br>Ovechkin-Backstrom-Knuble<br>Laich-Perreault-Semin<br>Chimera-Fleischmann-Fehr<br>Hendricks-Steckel-Bradley</p>
<p><strong>Defense</strong><br>Schultz-Green<br>Alzner-Carlson<br>Erskine-Sloan</p>
<p><strong>Goal</strong><br>Neuvirth<br>Holtby</p>
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<p><span>Andrew Brunette</span> - <span>Mikko Koivu</span> - <span>Antti Miettinen</span><br><span>Chuck Kobasew</span> - <span>Matt Cullen</span> - <span>Martin Havlat</span><br> <span>Cal Clutterbuck</span> - <span>John Madden</span> - <span>Eric Nystrom</span><br><span>Brad Staubitz</span> - <span>Kyle Brodziak</span> - <span>Colton Gillies</span><br><br><span>Marek Zidlicky</span> - <span>Greg Zanon</span><br><span>Nick Schultz</span> -<span>Brent Burns</span><br><a href="http://www.hockeywilderness.com/nhl/players/56126/Cam_Barker">Clayton Stoner - </a><a href="http://www.hockeywilderness.com/nhl/players/54706/Clayton_Stoner">Justin Falk</a></p>
<p><span>Niklas Backstrom</span><br><span>Jose Theodore</span></p>
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https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-capitals/2010/10/28/1780757/capitals-vs-wild-starting-lineupAdam Vingan2010-10-28T11:13:01-04:002010-10-28T11:13:01-04:00Washington Capitals Look To Go Wild In Minnesota
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<p>(Sports Network) - <span>Alex Ovechkin</span> has gone five straight games without lighting the lamp, but outstanding goaltending from <span>Michal Neuvirth</span> has helped keep the Capitals competitive.</p>
<p>Washington aims for a third straight victory this evening and its first ever at Xcel Energy Center as it visits the <a href="https://www.hockeywilderness.com/">Minnesota Wild</a>.</p>
<p>After notching 100-point seasons in three straight and four of his first five NHL campaigns, Ovechkin has four goals and nine points in nine games this season. The Russian winger has just two points -- both assists -- over his goal-scoring drought, including one last night in a 3-0 win over the Hurricanes.</p>
<p>It was Neuvirth who stole the show last night, making 29 saves for his first career shutout. Playing in place of the injured <span>Semyon Varlamov</span> (groin), the 22-year-old Neuvirth is 6-2-0 with a 2.18 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in nine games (eight starts) this season.</p>
<p>Neuvirth, who could be in net again tonight, has never faced the Wild.</p>
<p><span>Nicklas Backstrom</span> scored twice last night for Washington, which has won six of its last eight. <span>Matt Hendricks</span> also lit the lamp.</p>
<p>"I thought that was easily our most complete game," Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau said. "Everybody did a good job."</p>
<p>Washington opened a three-game road trip without <span>Tom Poti</span> (lower body) and <span>Marcus Johansson</span> (hip flexor), who have both missed two straight games. Poti has also sat out five of Washington's last seven contests with the ailment.</p>
<p>Though the Capitals recorded a 3-1 home win over the Wild last year in their only meeting of the season, Minnesota has won five of the last seven encounters.</p>
<p>Washington has never won at Xcel Energy Center, losing all five of its trips there.</p>
<p>Ovechkin has a goal and one assist in three career games versus the Wild.</p>
<p>Minnesota dropped its second straight game on Monday, a 3-2 shootout loss to the <a href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/">Los Angeles Kings</a>. <span>Niklas Backstrom</span> made 32 saves, but was beaten by the Kings' <span>Michal Handzus</span> in the fifth round of the deciding frame. <span>Antti Miettinen</span> had a chance to extend the game, but was unsuccessful.</p>
<p><span>John Madden</span> and <span>Nick Schultz</span> tallied for the Wild, who fell to 2-1-1 in their last four games. The club blew a 2-0 lead and also failed to convert a five- minute power play after Los Angeles' Dustin Brown picked up a major and game misconduct for a hit to the head of Miettinen.</p>
<p>"We took too many penalties and it was a theme of the short season so far. Even if a team doesn't score, they're able to get momentum on it," Madden said. "Timing's everything and we get a five-minute power play and [if we] go up 3-1, it's a different hockey game."</p>
<p><span>Cam Barker</span> missed his second straight game with a groin injury and his return for tonight's second contest of a five-game homestand is questionable.</p>
<p>Backstrom has split two all-time starts against the Capitals with a 3.50 GAA. Wild head coach Todd Richards could also elect to give <span>Jose Theodore</span> his second start of the season against his old club.</p>
<p>Theodore played with Washington the previous two seasons, winning 62 games, and is 7-8-0 with a tie and 2.52 GAA versus the Caps lifetime.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2010/10/28/2323291/washington-capitals-look-to-go-wild-in-minnesotaAdam Vingan