SB Nation DC - Oilers Vs. Capitals: Caps Roll To Sixth Straight Winhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48897/dc-fave.png2011-03-09T23:37:13-05:00http://dc.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18046272011-03-09T23:37:13-05:002011-03-09T23:37:13-05:00Oilers Vs. Capitals: Caps Firing On All Cylinders In 5-0 Win Over Edmonton
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<p>Washington, DC-Underwhelming is the word that most comes to mind when discussing the Washington Capitals this season. Despite coming into Wednesday night's game against the Oilers riding a five game win streak, the Caps have been dealing with injuries and a less than potent offensive attack for much of the year.</p>
<p>Tonight the Caps were anything but a disappointment, scoring five goals at home for the first time since December 21st and winning their sixth consecutive game with a 5-0 blanking of the Oilers. Two of those five goals came on the power play; the first multi-goal game with the man advantage since November 26th.</p>
<p>Rookie Braden Holtby, appearing in his 10th NHL game, stopped all 22 shots to become the third Caps goalie with a shutout this season. He hasn't given up a goal in five periods since taking over for Michal Neuvirth in the team's previous game against Tampa Bay.</p>
<p>Alex Ovechkin scored his first power play goal at home this season and notched the 600th point of his career on a second period assist. Newcomers Dennis Wideman and Jason Arnott also reached milestones; Wideman his 200th point and Arnott his 900th.</p>
<p>"I think our power play finally worked, we scored two goals and we won the hockey game," Ovechkin said. "I can't remember scoring five goals in a game [recently]."</p>
<p>After eight straight wins decided by one goal, the Capitals captured this victory in dominating fashion.</p>
<p>Marcus Johansson teamed up with Ovechkin in the third on a two-on-none breakaway as they passed it back and forth several times before Ovechkin snapped the puck past a bewildered Nikolai Khabibulin to make it 3-0. Minutes later, the Oilers goalie made matters even worse.</p>
<p>Khabibulin skated far out of his crease to play a puck, but Jason Chimera beat him to it and passed to Eric Fehr for an easy score. Semin converted a two-on-one minutes later, sending the Caps off in style.</p>
<p>Fehr's return to the lineup certainly provided a spark as he scored twice in 13:16 of ice time. He had missed the previous 22 games with a shoulder injury, but he showed no ill effects in his first game back.</p>
<p>"I felt good out there tonight," he said. "Our line got into it early and that helped. That was the first time I've scored two goals in a long time, so if we can get the power play going, we're going to win a lot of games."</p>
<p>There was little wrong with the power play in this one. Arnott sent a cross-ice slap pass to Ovechkin who one-timed it home for a 1-0 lead in the second period. Then, Fehr chipped in a rebound from a John Carlson bomb at the point 4:54 later and the Caps never looked back.</p>
<p>"Two [power-play] goals; it's been a long time," said Bruce Boudreau. "It's nice just to not have to worry that it's a one-goal game. I can't remember the last time that's happened either."</p>
<p>With the win, Washington remains in first place in the Southeast Division. They lead Tampa Bay by two points and will host the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-capitals/2011/3/9/2041350/oilers-vs-capitals-caps-firing-on-all-cylinders-in-5-0-win-overJack Anderson2011-03-09T21:38:33-05:002011-03-09T21:38:33-05:00Oilers Vs. Capitals: Ovechkin Leads The Way As The Caps Win 5-0
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<p>Washington DC-Alex Ovechkin scored a pair of goals and Eric Fehr added two more in his return from a 22-game absence as the Washington Capitals won 5-0 over the lowly Edmonton Oilers.</p>
<p>The Caps lit the lamp twice on the power play, scoring multiple goals with the man advantage for the first time since November 26th much to the delight of a home crowd unused to such scoring prowess this season.</p>
<p>Ovechkin had a three point night to lead the way and also picked up his 600th point, assisting on Fehr's first tally to reach the plateau.</p>
<p>The highlight of the evening came on two-on-none breakaway as Ovechkin and rookie Marcus Johansson played pitch and catch before Ovechkin buried it past a bewildered Nikolai Khabibulin at 3:10 of the third period. The goal gave Washington a 3-0 lead and they never looked back.</p>
<p>Braden Holtby was solid between the pipes again and the Capitals won in decisive fashion to extend their winning streak to six in a row.</p>
<p>Jason Arnott recorded his 900th point while assisting on Ovechkin's first goal and other newcomer Dennis Wideman reached the 200 point mark by setting up Marco Sturm and Alex Semin for a two-on-one chance. Sturm fed Semin who managed to sneak it past Khabibulin to make it 5-0.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-capitals/2011/3/9/2041079/oilers-vs-capitals-ovechkin-leads-the-way-as-the-caps-win-5-0Jack Anderson2011-03-09T20:58:06-05:002011-03-09T20:58:06-05:00Oilers Vs. Capitals: The Power Plays Breaks Out, Gives The Caps A 2-0 Lead
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<p>Washington DC-The Capitals' power play is back in full force as the unit cashed in on a pair of opportunities to put them up 2-0 over the Oilers after two periods of play.</p>
<p>Jason Arnott set up Alex Ovechkin 5:38 into the period with a beautiful cross-ice slap pass and Ovechkin buried it as the Caps drew first blood, scoring their first power play goal since the trade deadline.</p>
<p>It didn't stop there though. Eric Fehr knocked in a rebound off of a John Carlson slapper from the point and the power play is currently enjoying its first multi-goal game since Nov. 26.</p>
<p>Fehr's goal is his ninth of the year and his first since Jan. 8. He had missed the team's previous 22 games with a shoulder injury and has logged 9:01 of ice time.</p>
<p>Ovechkin assisted on Fehr's second goal and with that assist he reached the 600 point plateau. That wasn't the only milestone as Arnott's assist on Ovechkin's goal marked his 900th point.</p>
<p>Ovechkin will be receiving another standing ovation soon as his tally leaves him 5 short of 300 goals in his career.</p>
<p>Braden Holtby continued his strong play with seven more saves in the second. He has stopped all 17 Oiler shots tonight.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-capitals/2011/3/9/2040944/oilers-vs-capitals-the-power-plays-breaks-out-gives-the-caps-2-0-leadJack Anderson2011-03-09T20:08:40-05:002011-03-09T20:08:40-05:00Oilers Vs. Capitals: Teams Scoreless After One
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<p>Washington DC-Another uneventful first period at the Verizon Center is in the books with the Caps and Oilers scoreless.</p>
<p>Both teams traded penalties, but the chances were few and far between as the Capitals are 0-8 with the man advantage since the trade deadline. Jason Arnott will begin the second in the penalty box.</p>
<p>The Capitals are outshooting Edmonton 12-10. Mike Knuble missed a tip-in from Alex Ovechkin while streaking up the middle and Ovechkin was stripped of the puck on a mini-breakaway earlier. </p>
<p>Eric Fehr, back in action for the first time since Jan. 14, skated for 5:10 and registered two hits.</p>
<p>With Fehr back, Mike Green was placed on IR as he continues to recover from a check to the head by Derek Stepan of the Rangers. </p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/washington-capitals/2011/3/9/2040790/oilers-vs-capitals-teams-scoreless-after-oneJack Anderson2011-03-09T17:13:07-05:002011-03-09T17:13:07-05:00Oilers Vs. Capitals: Washington Looks For Sixth Straight Victory
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<p>The <a href="https://www.japersrink.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Capitals</a> will look for their sixth straight victory when they host the <a href="https://www.coppernblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Edmonton Oilers</a> at 7 p.m. at the Verizon Center. The Capitals will play without <span>Nicklas Backstrom</span>, who has a thumb injury, but you'd think they'd still have enough to top the lowly Oilers.</p>
<p>Backstrom's absence means youngster <span>Marcus Johansson</span> will be the first-line center. Backstrom is missing the first game of his NHL career, so it will be interesting to see how Johansson meshes with <span>Alex Ovechkin</span>. </p>
<p>The Oilers come in as the worst team in the league, with only 54 points all season. They have just 23 wins on the season and are a full six points behind any other Western Conference team. Only Ottawa, at 55 points, is within striking distance of them. The Caps have a tendency of playing down to the competition, but a loss here would truly be damaging. </p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/3/9/2331211/oilers-vs-capitals-washington-looks-for-sixth-straight-victoryMike Prada