Hendy tells Sasha what we can only assume is “I freakin’ love you” after Semin scores the OTGWG.

Marcus Johansson writhes in pain after blocking a shot on the PK. (Photos by: Joel Auerbach)

Entering tonight’s game with the Florida Panthers, the Capitals only trailed the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning by one standings point for the Southeast Division lead. Karl Alzner told CSN before the game, “It’s nice to have that battle going on at the end of the season. In the end, I think it’s going to help us gear up for that playoff push.” After several years of dominating the division, coasting into the playoffs, and then losing in the early rounds, Alzner’s words are certainly reassuring from a fan’s perspective. Could this division battle down the stretch be everything that the Capitals need?

One thing that still needs to be corrected by the Capitals, however, if they have dreams of playing in June is their poor play in the first period. While they’ve noticeably ramped up their intensity in the game’s opening minutes, they still have had problems scoring the game’s first goal. Tonight, was no different.

Florida got off to an early 1-0 lead after taking advantage of a Dennis Wideman turnover in the offensive zone. After several attempts to get the puck deep and failing, Bill Thomas took the puck from Wideman, passed the puck up to teammate Michal Repik, and the two raced in alone on John Erskine and Michal Neuvirth. Erskine, who failed to take away the pass on the two-on-one, watched helplessly as Repik hit Thomas in stride and deposited the puck into the back of the net. The Capitals however, quickly responded a minute and 13 seconds later. After some powerful forechecking by Alex Ovechkin in the corners, Ovi found Nicklas Backstrom unguarded in the middle of the circles. Backstrom’s one-timer eluded Scott Clemmensen and the game was tied.

Scoring would not pick up until midway through the second period. At 10:02, John Carlson unleashed a slap shot that Clemmensen could not corral. The puck squirted out to Boyd Gordon in the slot, who suavely backhanded home his second goal of the year.

Things would then get dicey in the final minutes of the third period, as the Capitals would not be able to hold onto their one goal lead. After Erskine and Wideman took penalties, David Booth forced overtime by scoring in front of the net on the proceeding five-on-three powerplay. But that’s okay. Alex Semin is a stone cold pimp and ended it in overtime 28 48 seconds in. Caps top Cats, 3-2.

• Don’t look now, but the Capitals are finally starting to put it all together. They’ve won four in a row, six of seven, and are now in first place for the first time since December 29th.
• Though Boyd Gordon was given the hardhat for his play tonight, the Swedes were the ones who won my heart tonight. I must say, that was the most “North American” they’ve played all year. Nicklas Backstrom, who along with Mike Knuble had all five first period scoring chances, won 11 of 17 draws, forechecked tenaciously in the corners, and scored a beauty of a goal by over-powering Clemmensen in the slot. Marcus Johansson did me proud by blocking a shot on a first period penalty kill off of his right ankle. He laid on the ice in agony and had to be helped off the playing surface by team trainer Greg Smith and a teammate. For a guy who avoided contact in the corners in the beginning of the year, this is yet another example of how much this kid has grown as a player. What a great sacrifice of his body for the team. Low and behold, the hockey gods rewarded Johansson as he assisted Alex Semin on his OTGWG.

• The second line was thoroughly shut down tonight. Brooks Laich and Jason Arnott managed zero even strength scoring chances during the game, and the trio of players combined for only one shot: Semin’s game-winner in Overtime. While they didn’t produce a goal together, we must give them credit for taking the body hard and dishing out five hits.
• Alex Ovechkin continues to be awesome. Sure, he had an assist and four shots, but I was most impressed by how he continues to use the juggle-the-puck-in-mid-air-with-his-stick move while striding into the offensive zone like it’s no big deal. Sometimes when I watch him play, I just can’t believe what I’m seeing. Impossible things for most people are easy for the Russian Machine. His highlight reel will most certainly be Jordan-esque when he retires.
• John Erskine was on the ice for zero even strength scoring chances for, and eight against. Ouch.
• Everybody’s favorite grinder Matt Hendricks fought Kenndal McArdle. Unfortunately, it was not one of Hendy’s more impressive bouts as Locker entertained the idea that both combatants should have been given two minutes each for roughing while on air. Yikes.
• Florida learned that it’s a bad idea to pick on a superhero. John Carlson, who was hit twice (1, 2) violently by Steve Bernier, took a retaliatory cross-checking minor after the last hit. The Caps proceeded to kill of J-Car’s minor, and then on Carlson’s next shift, he unleashed a booming slap shot, the rebound of which went directly to Boyd Gordon for an easy goal. Lesson learned: Captain America doesn’t take %&^.
• Two boneheaded plays by Dennis Wideman led to both Florida goals tonight. Wideman’s offensive zone turnover in the first led to Bill Thomas’s first period goal, and his slashing penalty while on the penalty kill, put the Capitals two men down with three minutes left in the game. While those were tough plays, he still managed to play a great game while teamed up with Scott Hannan. Combined the two were on the ice for ten of twelve even strength scoring chances for, and only two of Florida’s twelve against.
• After today, the Capitals have given up four goals on thirteen opportunities while two men down. Crazily enough, David Booth has a pair of those goals.
• Overall, the Caps were outchanced 14 to 17, and had only one opportunity in the third which came with 16:43 left in the period.
• The Capitals fathers are on the current road trip and word on the street is that Bobby Orr, who is Tom Poti’s agent, was in the suite with them for a period or two. What a treat! Both Frank Fehr and Gunther Alzner also did fantastic intermission interviews with Joe Beninati. It’s nice that the Capitals could rally so that these guys could see a win!

Joe B.'s Suit of the Night

Boyd I Laich that we Arnott in second place anymore. The Capitals now turn their attention to the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow, where they will try to extend their division lead to three points and win both games of a back-to-back series for the second time this year.

These are absolutely the games you have to win down the stretch if you are going to be a division champion and a Stanley Cup contender. Can the Capitals do it? We’ll find out tomorrow. See you then.

Additional reporting by Neil Greenberg.

Ovi tackles his teammates after Mike Knuble's second period goal. (Photo credit: Dave Sandford)

Photo credit: Gregory Shamus

After a year of build-up and three glorious episodes of HBO’s 24/7, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins finally met at Heinz Field in front of 68,111 loud, screaming fans to compete in the 2011 Winter Classic. Much like the 39 games before and the 42 games to follow, this game counted the exact same amount in the standings: two points.

But both you and I know it meant waaaaaay more than that. You could see it in how the Caps played, celebrated and spoke after the game. This was the biggest game they had ever played in their NHL careers. And it showed.

At 8:17pm the first puck dropped. It would then take over twenty-two compelling game minutes to see the 2011 Classic’s first goal. In the second period, Marc-Andre Fleury made a routine stick save along the ice on Alex Ovechkin. Kris Letang then took the rebound and alertly flung the puck up ice where he found a streaking Evgeny Malkin. The Capitals’ defense, caught on a bad change, allowed Malkin to go in all alone on Semyon Varlamov. Malkin went five-hole and the the Penguins took a 1-0 lead.

But their one goal advantage – and Pens fans’ annoying waving of their moronic Terrible Towels – would be short-lived. After Alex Ovechkin drew a penalty on Max Talbot for holding three and a half minutes later, the entire Capitals powerplay unit crashed the net like their lives depended on it. Ageless wonder Mike Knuble managed to pitchfork the puck through Fleury’s legs during a scrum in front. Knuble’s ninth goal of the season, not only would tie the game up, it would also reinvigorate the team and also allow them to relax.

Nearly eight minutes later, in a rare stroke of good luck at even-strength, Marc-Andre Fleury misplayed a seemingly innocent dump-in behind the net. Marcus Johansson pounced on the mistake and hit Eric Fehr with a slick pass to the slot. Fehrsy then suavely deposited the puck into a yawning net where the Caps would take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.

In the third period, both teams traded several scoring chances, until Eric Fehr uno seised Fluery on a breakaway and went top shelf. From there, the Caps played a trap (I can’t believe I wrote that) and expertly protected their lead until the clock ran out.

Yes, that noise is me fist-pumping. Caps beat the Pens 3-1.

• First, a question. What’s better than going up to our biggest rival’s city in masse, roaming their streets, taking over their restaurants and bars, yelling “Let’s Go Caps” at the top of our lungs, and then watching our hockey team kick the living bejeezus out of theirs on New Year’s Day? Um, nothing.
• I’m not getting too cocky about this one because the ice conditions clearly played a role. Still, you could make a convincing argument that this was one of the biggest wins in Capitals history. They desperately needed this game.
• John Erskine‘s first period bout with vespa-hater Mike Rupp was epic. Erskine, clearly unconcerned with his own health or well-being, recklessly exchanged haymakers with Rupp until his combatant asked out of the fight due to a dislodged contact. Yes. A dislodged contact. It really was a shame, because Erskine was about three punches away from giving Rupp a problem his optometrist couldn’t fix.

• Mike Knuble is the old, yellow horse glue that keeps this team together. The team took on his personality after his second period powerplay goal, and they never looked back.
• Eric Fehr is a true pro, and tonight his hustle and determination was what tipped the scales in Washington’s favor. Fehr, who at times was double-shifted, was on the ice for five chances for at even strength, and his second goal of the night sent Pens fans home in droves.
• Alex Ovechkin may not have scoared, but his presence was certainly felt. Just as Zbynek Michalek, whom the Russian Machine nearly checked through the glass in the first period.
• My immediate reaction when Jason Chimera defied the laws of physics and missed that easy wraparound goal: “Crosby, go expletive yourself.” I should have been mad at Chimera, but I cursed at Crosby. Force of habit? I don’t know. I confused myself.
• Semyon Varlamov sure likes the big stage, doesn’t he? If he can play like that for the next four months, the Caps should be in pretty good shape.
• Bruce Boudreau had this game figured out and turned in one of his best coaching jobs of his career. It would have been tempting to give tons of ice time to his studs, but he kept going to the grinders. Freaking Jay Beagle was on the ice nearly two minutes longer than Alex Semin. You had to play dump and chase to win this game. The Penguins never really figured that out.
• Would you believe that Carlzner limited Sidney Crosby’s line to only three chances at even strength and zip, zero, nada in the third period? That was huge.
• The Capitals outchanced the Penguins 23 to 18 overall, and 19 to 12 at even strength.

Tonight, the nasty goals won it. There was absolutely no finesse. There was nothing pretty about this game. This was Caps hockey at it’s best and I could not be more proud of these guys for the way they performed on National TV in front of millions of people.

I know it’s hard to think about right now, but the Capitals can’t party too long because Tuesday night the Tampa Bay Lightning are coming to town. And that’s an important divisional game. At stake: the same two points that were up for grabs tonight.

Additional reporting by Neil Greenberg and Peter Hassett