Brooks Laich Says the Easy Goals are “Killing Us”

On March 6, 2012, In Transcription, By Peter Hassett

Brooks Laich’s interview following the Capitals’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Hurricanes was powerful stuff.

Laich says the Caps are allowing “easy goals” due to turnovers and missed assignments, two endemic problems that have been costing the team games. Laich’s statement gives voice and specificity to the vague cloud of frustration around the team of late.

Laich rightfully characterizes the team’s solid offense, which has been steadily improving since the beginning of February. Despite two shutouts in the last 10 days, the Capitals have a reinvigorated presence in the offensive zone. It’s in the neutral and defensive zones where Laich says situations are being “misread”, and that has made all the difference during this homestand.

Follow us past the jump for the full text of Brooks’ statement.

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Video: Brooks Laich’s Very Canadian Commercial for The Sports Junkies and Latisys

On February 29, 2012, In Video, By Ian Oland

With Bruce Boudreau gone from the organization and Alex Ovechkin only doing A-list projects, there’s a void to fill in Caps corny commercial spots this year that not even John Carlson’s carpets can fill. But have no fear, Brooks Laich is here. On top of his flawless promos for Window Nation, Laich also managed to shoot a commercial with The Sports Junkies of 106.7 The Fan and it ran for the first time during last night’s Capitals game. Laich, in his most natural dialect, Saskatchewanese, promotes both the IT Firm Latisys and his weekly radio show. Luckily, he has a face for TV.

Let us know what you think of his performance in the comments below!

S/T to RMNB’s Chris Gordon for the almost flawless video.

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Montreal Canadiens Pregame: The Puckies!

On February 23, 2012, In Pregame, By Doug Johnson

The Red Carpet: Oh Lorda Mercy. Sunday = Oscars. Monday = Trade deadline. We don’t know which town is more nervous, Hollywood or Washington.

Larfs, what a silly question! Of course we do. Exactly because we’ve served our time in both, and we know which town is more bloodless:

Phone call in DC: “Hello. Yeah, but what can you do for me tomorrow?”

Phone call in Hollyood: “What? You again?” *click.*

Check it out. Starshines like Julia Roberts or Harrison Ford disappear from the screen. A little too… seasoned. Anonymous tradesmen like James Cromwell or Melissa McCarthy: can’t book you enough. Proven winners… and we hate this more than you do… like Brad Pitt or Meryl Someoneorother. Well, they win. Because they’re winners. Until they don’t.

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Recap: Caps’ Russian Rockstars Beat Panthers, 2-1

On February 17, 2012, In Game Recap, By Ana Hansen


Photo credit: Eliot J. Schechter

Two sweet, sweet regulation points.

By winning this game, the Caps pulled within two points of division-leading Florida, and shockingly we were even able to keep them from getting a loser point! We gather this is basically their whole strategy this year, but the Caps are finally starting to crowd their space again. Watch your backs, Florida.

The Caps left Tomas Fleischmann completely open in front of the net to score the game’s first goal. Mike Knuble created some great crease havoc on the power play for Alex Ovechkin to bat it in. Alex Semin fired one of those comets over Theodore to make it a two-Sasha game. Caps win, 2-1. 

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Goalie Drama: Jets beat Caps 3-2 (SO)

On February 9, 2012, In Game Recap, By Peter Hassett

Photo credit: Mitchell Layton

Joel Ward screens Ondrej Pavelec (Photo credit: Mitchell Layton)

The Washington Capitals summoned the Winnipeg Jets to end their residency at Verizon Center. It was supposed to be a pitched battle for alphabetical inferiority, another explosive game that Dale Hunter would compare to the playoffs. Instead we got a flurry of neutral-zone skirmishes and perfect moments by both goaltenders for 50 minutes and sheer insanity for 10.

The game’s first period was sleepy and scoreless, the second the same. But 10 minutes into the third, Alex Ovechkin sent a puck acutely netward during 5-on-4 play. Ovechkin hooked up Semin for another PP tally a few minutes later. Somebody on the other team scored, and we didn’t care. Then Dustin Byfuglien got a weird bounce to knot the game 12 seconds later.  Overtime came and went. Jets beat Caps 3-2 (Shootout)

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Bruins beats Caps 4-1, Brooks Laich Injured

On February 5, 2012, In Game Recap, GIF, By Peter Hassett

The Washington Capitals returned to Verizon Center for a matinee match with the Boston Bruins, their second game in 24 hours. Disaster.

Milan Lucic scored after a bad read by Dennis Wideman gave him an opening. Brad Marchand made it 2-0 after Karl Alzner and John Carlson funneled the puck to their own crease. Marchand set up Tyler Seguin for the game’s third– and the second in which Dennis Wideman lost his man. A gorgeous 200-foot series culminated in a goal by Marcus Johansson (or Ward, whatever) and the end of Tim Thomas’s Sovereign Shutout. Peverly got the empty netter. Bruins beat Caps 4-1.

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Caps beat Habs 3-0 and IT IS SNOWING!

On February 4, 2012, In Game Recap, By Peter Hassett

Photo credit: Francois Lacasse

On Saturday afternoon The Washington Capitals got to feed at the trough of the league’s sideshow, the Montreal Canadiens. That doesn’t mean this game was zany and fun or anything, just kind of sad.

Dennis Wideman scored off the faceoff, firing a weird knuckle puck that dropped behind Peter Budaj. The Caps held Montreal scoreless through a sloppy second period. Matt Hendricks swept in a goal on a yawning net to make it 2-0. Alex Semin drew a penalty shot and slapped home the three-spot goal. Caps beat Habs 3-0.

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A Closer Look at Matt Hendricks’ No-Look Backhand Goal

On February 3, 2012, In Analysis, Photos, By Ian Oland

Photo credit: Scott Audette

After spending time on all four lines and becoming a regular in the Caps’ shootout line-up, Matt Hendricks was signed to a two-year deal worth $1.65 million last season. Coming into this year’s training camp, Hendricks’ singular focus was to hit double digits in goals. “I had nine my first year in the NHL with Colorado,” he told the Washington Post’s Tarik El-Bashir. “I played 56 games that year. Last year, I played in 77 games and had nine goals. I need to figure out a way to get over that hump.”

For a player that accumulated 110 points in 43 games during his prep career and was named a finalist for the 2000 Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award, tallying ten or more goals seems to be well within reason. Unfortunately for Hendy, the red light has come on less frequently this season. In fact, it took 30 games for the 6’0’’, 215-pound winger to score his first goal of the year. And another 15 to get goal number two.

But complaining about Hendricks’ goal output and continuing the negative story train on RMNB is not why we’re here. On Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Hendricks — full of determination — opened the game’s scoring with one of the most unlikely and beautiful goals of the season.

Let’s review shall we?

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Must-Win Game… Lost: Panthers beat Caps 4-2

On February 1, 2012, In Game Recap, By Peter Hassett

Photo credit: Alan Diaz

The Washington Capitals have three dates with the Florida Panthers in February, and these games will determine their chances for a postseason. This one was a so-called “four-point game”, and the Capitals came up tragically short.

After a scoreless first period, Mikael Samuelsson faked a hardaround and then fired a shot to Neuvirth’s far side– hitting the post then net. It was a fluke-y, no-look shot from almost 90 feet out, but it caught Neuvirth being lazy, and that’s what matters. Brooks Laich tied it up with a feisty top-shelfer from the crease during 4-on-4 play. Samuelsson got his second of the night with the go-ahead goal on a third period power play. After a long adjudication, Stephen Weiss was awarded a goal that had been washed out at first.

John Carlson made it a one-goal game with a leisurely slapper from the high slot, but Shawn Matthias grabbed an empty netter a few moments later. Panthers beat Caps 4-2.

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Bolts Down Washington Capitals 4-3 in OT Rollercoaster

On January 31, 2012, In Game Recap, By Ana Hansen

So much almost. (Photo credit: Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Whew, what a relief that the All-Star Weekend is over! We’re all so sick of watching haphazard, sloppy, firewagon hockey that turns over pucks and gives up chances every few seconds, it’s such a relief to get back to the responsible, disciplined team we all missed so much.

Hahaha! Let’s all have a good laugh at that one for a minute, and then to the recap. I am pleased to inform you that the curse of my recaps was broken tonight. Actual goals were scored.

Matt Hendricks opened the scoring with the ol’ Brooks-Laich-diving-poke-check-pass, fan-on-the-initial-and-then-wildly-backhand-it move. Classic. Teddy Purcell scored two shifts later on a feed from Steve Downie, who mysteriously hadn’t had his face punched in yet at this point. All Martin St. Louis had to do was skate past Hamrlik lying face-down on the ice to make it 2-1. Nate Thompson banged one in on a good cycle from Tampa in front of the net. Mathieu Perreault was in the right place at the right time to take credit for a hilarious own goal off Thompson’s stick. Good pressure from Laich forced a puck loose for Troy Brouwer, who put it in the back of the net. The game went to overtime, and Steven Stamkos scored on a defensive breakdown from John Carlson. Caps lose, 4-3.

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