He didn't score, but he always makes for a good photo! (Greg Fiume/NHLI via Getty Images)

For the second time in consecutive nights, the Caps allowed a 2-0 game go to overtime. Tonight’s battle with the Hurricanes found the Caps continuing to struggle with the penalty kill, but a superlative effort from Mike Green and an overtime goal from Tomas Fleischmann earned the red team the win.

The Caps clearly have not yet returned to their pre-Olympic break heights. The top line is whiffing on the crease-cluttered opportunities they used to exploit. The penalty kill unit gave up only one goal on four chances tonight, but they’re still not operating at full capacity. The usual suspects (*Cough*Semin*Cough*) are still committing penalties and surrendering pucks with alarming frequency. Fixing these problems will be crucial not only in the post-season, but in the next few weeks to secure the President’s Trophy.

Look, Ma! Bullets!

• Alexander Semin‘s wipeout miss in the shootout last night was blooper reel material. Semin sucked snow again tonight, but he scored in the process. Progress.
• Mike Green tallied two goals on the power play tonight, and for this we love him. We are reminded that it was this time last year when MG52 went from being an exemplary offensive D-man to a holy-crap-can-you-believe-this-guy offensive D-man. Here’s hoping that Green is ready to turn it up again. Then again, Mike was on the ice for 2 of the 3 Canes goals and gave them a penalty shot. Always room for improvement.
• The Caps’ top line produced no goals and was nowhere to be found for Tuomo Ruutu‘s go-ahead goal in the second period. Lots of people could prognosticate as to why the top line is struggling, but I find the fault in Mike Knuble taking shots from distances greater than 5 feet from the net.
• Ex-Cap Brian Pothier seems a good fit for the Hurricanes, and they did seem to employ his talent more than the Caps would. RMNB wishes Brian and former Cap prospect Oskar Osala all the best.
• What a relief it was for Tomas Fleischmann to net the game-winner. Having been shuffled out of rotation on Monday, Flash was dearly missed in overtime and the shootout in that game. Flash’s play seems to benefit from open ice, and the Caps seem like a much deeper team when he’s around.

Here’s an exchange between the girlfriend and me while watching post game interviews:

“I don’t think Eric Belanger is up to the Caps standard of handsomeness.”
(beat)
“He looks like you, Peter.”
“DAMMIT, ERIN!”

Friends, I won’t be around on Friday to write a game recap, so please feel free to manufacture your own smart-ass commentary.

And a final note: please aim your browsers at this site Thursday morning at 10 am. We’ve got something special brewing that we think you’re going to love. At least, we HOPE so.

The trade deadline came and went, and while the Caps made some changes, a lot stayed the same. Most importantly: Hershey was virtually untouched. And it is probably because of this that the Caps didn’t make the “big move” most of the fans thought they would.

Trade Deadline Recap

• 2010 7th rounder for Scott Walker.
• 2010 2nd Rounder for Eric Belanger.
• 2010 6th rounder for Milan Jurcina.
• Brian Pothier, prospect Oskar Osala and 2011 2nd rounder for Joe Corvo.

A theme runs through all the players acquired today: They all have prior experience with Boudreau and/or GMGM.

• Boudreau had Belanger in Lowell.
• Scott Walker once represented himself in contract talks with Vancouver, where George McPhee was the assistant GM.
• I heard Milan Jurcina played for Boudreau AND McPhee (at the same time!), but am still Googling to find out where.
• Joe “Oh No” Corvo the Turnover Machine was coached by Boudreau in AHL.

RW Scott Walker gives the Caps some leadership, some “grit” and 29 games of playoff experience (18 of those coming in 2008-9 with Carolina) for the Cup run. Walker has a respectable 2.33 GAON/60 at even strength on a team that averages 3.14 GA per game.

Eric Belanger (this Belanger, not this Belanger. Sorry ladies.) is a decent two-way 2nd/3rd line Center option on

Eric Belanger is sadly not a model.

pace for career-best numbers in goals and assists. Plus, he brings 30 games of playoff experience. Looks like he and Chimera have some history, where Chimera felt Belanger’s check was dirty and merited a suspension. I don’t expect this to be an issue, but it just shows the comfort level of BB and GMGM to bring a player in with this type of “bad blood.”

Milan Jurcina. Based on Twitter reports, Jurcina was Plan B in case trades for other D-Men fell through. In the end, it’s the devil you know, and the Caps bring back someone that knows the system for the playoff push. Not the “Top-4 D Man” fans were looking for, but a familiar face nonetheless.

And then we have the deal that came in almost at the buzzer, and one that is sure to be debated: Joe Corvo. It is probably a bad omen when one of the first tweets seeks to clarify if Corvo’s nickname was “Oh No” or “Uh Oh”, but I like this trade.  It has nothing to do with him receiving a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty in Boston to assaulting a woman in a restaurant when he was with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. I like gaining Corvo because he represents an improvement to the defense. Specifically, Corvo plays tougher minutes at even strength than all of the Caps defensemen with the exception of Tom Poti. And Corvo’s GAON/60 of 2.75 is better than Carolina’s 3.14 GA per game – the hallmark of a good defenseman. Some may argue that Pothier, for whom he was traded, has a better GAON/60, but those come against both significantly worse competition and in fewer minutes per game.

RW Scott Walker. Practically a freebie.

All in all, the Caps did not give up much:

Brian Pothier was a defensive non-factor for the club at best, and the Caps certainly upgraded with Corvo. Prospect Oskar Osala had a limited future with the Caps, and now he gets a chance with another club.

A 6th rounder averages 73 games in the NHL with 13 Goals and 20 Assists, for their career. A 7th rounder averages 47GP/7G/13A, and that drops significantly if you pull Henrik Zetterberg‘s numbers out.

The second rounders (in 2010 and 2011) have future value, and an argument has been made that it is advantageous to trade a bona fide NHLer for an unlikely draft pick, but I think it is a smart move for the Caps. They have already bucked the odds with the talent they have in Hershey and South Carolina and can afford to sit out the second round the next two years for a serious run at the Cup.

Right now is like the part of the lap dance right after the song stops:  the anticipation and empty promises are gone, and we’re left with reality.  We’re married to the roster as of 3 PM, and they’ll either take us to the cup or damn near it.

This past weekend was awesome. Why? Because it was chock full of Hockey at every hour of the day. Sure there was “Super Sunday” with the Russians destroying the Czechs, USA humbling the Green Snubbers from the North, and the Swedes shutting out the Fins in Olympic action. But there also was a double dip of AHL Hockey with the Hershey Bears playing both on Saturday and Sunday. Well since we here at RMNB can’t be everywhere – though Fedor certainly tried as he watched illegal Russian Video Streams of the Bears Games during breaks in the Olympics – we asked our Hershey Correspondent Kyle M to summarize the events of this weekend via pictures, words & yes, his own video. Video which includes reaction from players and Coach Mark French after Hershey set the AHL Record for Consecutive Home Victories. Awesome. If you hate reading like me, here’s all you need to know: HERSHEY RULZ!

Game 1 – Saturday, February 20th – Lake Erie Monsters vs Hershey Bears @ Giant Center

In Saturday’s tilt, the Hershey Bears rose to the challenge – in what I’d say was one of their toughest tests in their now 19 game home winning streak. The Bears defeated the Colorado Avalanche’s affiliate Lake Erie Monsters 4-1 despite a tremendous amount of physical play. Bears goaltender Jason Bacashihua (above) beat his former team (while being in his old Avs mask) with 24 superb saves on 25 shots. With his strong effort in net, Bacashihua was also named the First Star of the Game.

Cash has now won 12 of his 15 starts this season. Four different Bears managed to light the lamp including Oskar Osala, Jay Beagle, Andrew Joudrey & Andrew Gordon via an Empty Net Goal. One final note: Who broke Bacashihua’s Shutout? None other than former Capital Brian Willsie.

Photos From The Game:

Oskar Osala Scores!

Jason Bacashihua and Karl Alzner Gaurd The Net

We weren’t kidding about the rough stuff!

Game 2 – Saturday, February 20th – Albany River Rats vs Hershey Bears @ Giant Center

With the consecutive home victories record on the line, the Bears came out hard against the NJD Affiliated Albany River Rats. After getting back to back goals by Andrew Gordon and Chris Bourque, Braden Holtby surrendered 3 goals in succession in a little under 10 minutes. By the end of second period, the game was all tied up 3-3. It would take 11 minutes of play in the third frame until lil’ scrappy Francois Bouchard would break the tie. More importantly, Bryan Helmer’s assist on the goal gave him the All-Time AHL Assists Record for Defensemen. Bouchard would then add another goal 8 minutes later as the Hershey Bears won their 20th Straight Home Game.

Post Game Reaction:

Photos:

Captain America John Carlson Focuses On Being Awesome During Warm Ups

Steve Pinizzotto Ready To Drop The Gloves

Hershey's Mathieu Perreault celebrates his Hat Trick Goal (Photo by: Sean Simmers, The Patriot-News) (Photo Above: RMNB Correspondent Kyle M)

First, it was his groin. Then after a rehab start on January 3rd with the Hershey Bears – a start in which Oskar Osala crashed into him while he was in net – it was his knee. And now after another long month on the shelf, Washington Capitals number one goaltender Semyon Varlamov is finally healthy again. Varly returned between the pipes today as the Hershey Bears took on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Giant Center.

Varlamov made 26 saves in a thrilling 5-4 Bears victory, but gave up three goals in the first period – two of which were softies and likely would have been stopped if he were at the top of his game. After the first period however, Varlamov settled in, much like the rest of his teammates. How bad was the first period though? The Bears got outshot 17-4.

Anyways, thanks to a hat track by Mathieu Perreault and a game winning goal by everyone’s-favorite-minor-league-defender Bryan Helmer, Hershey went on to win it’s 17th straight game at home, 5-4. At this point, the Bears have won 10 straight and 22 of 23 overall. That’s crazy.

When asked about Varlamov’s performance after today’s game, Bears Head Coach Mark French had this to say: “I thought [Varly] got better as the game wore on. I don’t know what the game plan is. As far as I know, his health throughout the game was fine.” (Quote via Tim Leone of the The Patriot-News)

So yes Caps fans, Semyon Varlamov is one step closer to returning to the Big Club and also another step closer to joining Team Russia as it’s Third Goalie on the Olympic Roster (THANKS A LOT LISA HILLARY). Varly had no setbacks in today’s gamel! Yes, everything seems to be right in the world once again. Special thanks to Kyle M. for the photos and the report.

Below the jump check out some more photos of Varlamov wearing his new mask!

Photos: