Special thanks to Gary Bettman for letting the guys out of the Quiet Room long enough for us to snap this pic. Enlarge. (Photo illustration by Ian Oland)

The stars of the All-Star Game were a little less bright this year. Some of the familiar faces that fans expect were absent for reasons that are becoming all too familiar in the modern NHL: head injury. Approximately 85 head injuries have been reported this year, meaning that nearly ten percent of all active players have been injured. 28 of 30 teams have reported at least one head injury, while some franchises have dealt with as many six or seven. With star center Nicklas Backstrom now sitting out due to concussion, the issue has hit close to home for Caps fans.

While Brendan Shanhan has doled out 26 regular-season suspensions — which some think have gone too far, hits targeting of the head continue. The face of the NHL, Sidney Crosby, lasted just nine games in his latest comeback before being sidelined yet again with post-concussion syndrome. His return to the ice and excellence is still uncertain.

Even worse, a season after seeing three of its enforcers die in one summer, the NHL faces mounting questions about player safety. Some players, celebrated for their toughness, bristle at league mandates regarding concussions.

One such example came on December 17th, when the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Colby Armstrong suffered a concussion after colliding with Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler. However, Armstrong did not report the concussion, choosing instead to hide his condition from trainers, who discovered it only when they found Armstrong vomiting in the locker room. While no one would question Armstrong’s toughness and grit, this is the last place that an NHL player should be expected to show his bravery.

Below the jump, we’ve chosen to highlight 12 All-Star caliber players — six each for the Eastern and Western Conferences — who’ve struggled with head injury this year. We hope that this brings attention to concussions in sports and specifically in hockey, where the problem has grown too big to be ignored.

Western Conference Head Injury Starters

Mike Richards, Los Angeles Kings

Story: Mike Richards took a Sean Bergenheim shoulder to the head on December 1st. He went to IR on the following day and missed eight games with a head injury. Bergenheim did not receive any supplemental discipline.

Penalties on the play:

LAK Mike Richards: 2 Minutes for Slashing (Served by Trent Hunter)
LAK Mike Richards: 2 Minutes for Roughing (Served by Trent Hunter)
FLA Sean Bergenheim: 2 Minutes for Roughing
LAK Jarret Stoll: 2 Minutes for Roughing

Richards told LA Times that it was not for the first time he’s suffered a concussion:

“I’ve been injured like this before,” he said. “Like I said, it’s just time. It’s nothing you can rush. It’s a hurry-up-and-wait sort of thing.” [...] “Obviously it’s something that you’re used to playing every day,” he said. “And going out there and having fun. It’s just not the same. You’re not with the guys in the dressing room. You always feel like you could be doing more.”

Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings

Story: One of three Kings’ star forwards to suffer concussions this season, Kopitar was injured on a hard hit by Dallas Stars power forward Brenden Morrow behind Dallas’ net. Kopitar left the game for precautionary reasons, but thankfully for Kings fans, did not miss a single game afterward.

Penalties on the play:

LAK Mike Richards: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
LAK Mike Richards: 2 Minutes for Instigator – Face Shield (Served by Trent Hunter)
LAK Mike Richards: 2 Minutes for Unsportsmanlike Conduct (Served by Trent Hunter)
DAL Brenden Morrow: 5 Minute Major for Fighting
LAK Mike Richards: 5 Minute Major for Fighting

A day after the hit, Kopitar described his condition to Rich Hammond of LA Kings Insider:

“Feeling good. Nothing special to say, really. It was just precautionary reasons last night. I’m sure you guys know, even better than I do, what it takes after you get hit like that, what you’ve got to do (with) the quiet room and stuff. But I’m feeling good this morning, and that’s about it.’’

Taylor Hall, Edmonton Oilers

Story: Taylor Hall took a Corey Potter skate to the face in warm-ups before a game against the Blue Jackets, and it didn’t look pretty. Hall only missed two games – one against the Blue Jackets and the next against the St. Louis Blues.

Hall talked about the injury with the Edmonton Journal’s Joanne Ireland:

“I looked a lot better before, but what can you do?” Hall said on Thursday. “You can say that I’m lucky I didn’t get my eye taken out or that I didn’t get my throat sliced. Or, I’m just unlucky because something like his has never happened in the history of the sport with how many guys who have not worn a helmet in warm-up.”

Shea Weber, Nashville Predators

Story: Shea Weber, the Nashville Predators hard-shooting All-Star defenseman, took a forearm to the head from the Dallas Stars’ Mark Fistric and missed four games with “concussion-like symptoms.” No penalties were called on the play, nor did Brendan Shanahan suspend Fistric, who had already been suspended that month for an illegal hit on Islanders forward Nino Niederreiter. The hit on Neiderreiter also resulted in a concussion.

Shea Weber also sometimes drops the gloves. Fox Sports Tennessee’s John Manasso wrote an interesting article on why he shouldn’t:

It’s understandable that you don’t want your opponents to know that you won’t fight. Keep the secret to yourself. You don’t have to disavow fighting publicly. Just don’t fight. You have too much to risk and too little to gain.

Sami Salo, Vancouver Canucks

Story: In one of the most controversial hits this season, Brad Marchand caught Sami Salo with what seemed to be a borderline hit somewhere between a hip check and a clip. This earned Marchand a lengthy suspension from Brendan Shanahan, missing five games; Salo is yet to return.

Penalties:
BOS Brad Marchand: 5 Minute Major for Clipping (Served by Shawn Thornton)
BOS Brad Marchand: 10 Minute Game Misconduct

Salo told Vancouver Sun what he thinks about the hit:

“I’m lucky I didn’t break my neck,” Salo said Friday, answering questions for the first time since landing heavily on the back of his head and neck when upended by Marchand during the Canucks’ 4-3 win in Boston two weeks ago. “You can’t play the game thinking about what other guys might do. You can’t play the game… thinking this guy might elbow me or something.

Josh Harding, Minnesota Wild

Photos by PointNShoot

Story: Minnesota goaltender Josh Harding was accidentally elbowed in the head by his teammate, Nick Schultz, while battling with the Sharks’ Joe Pavelski in front of the net. The elbow left Harding with a concussion. He became the fourth Wild player to suffer from a concussion this season joining Guillaume Latendresse, Marek Zidlicky, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard on the sidelines.

Western Conference Honorable Mention

Forwards: Alex Tanguay, Simon Gagne, R.J. Umberger, Ryane Clowe, Alex Steen, Andy McDonald, Mike Fisher. Defensemen: Brent Seabrook, Ian White, Radek Martinek, Michal Roszival, Carlo Colaiacovo. Goalie: Steve Mason.

Eastern Conference Head Injury Starters

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Story: You’re probably already sick of reading about Crosby’s collision with then-Capital David Steckel and hit by Lightning d-man Victor Hedman, so we won’t elaborate on it. Sid’s comeback from those two hits lasted all of nine games. In the last game he played, he collided with the Bruins’ David Krejci and that is believed to be a reason of his latest concussion. He also collided with teammate Chris Kunitz, which as the National Post so elegantly said, “finished him.” It was revealed during All-Star Weekend that Crosby suffered a broken neck as well.

Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers

Story: Another friendly-fire incident that resulted in injury, Giroux was accidentally kneed by teammate Wayne Simmonds, who tried to jump over the fallen Giroux. Giroux missed only four games and at first it looked like he never missed a beat, recording a four-point performance in the very first game back, but then…

PhillyBurbs.com sums it up best:

The conspiracy theory is that the concussion he suffered back on Dec. 10 against Tampa Bay (in a collision with teammate Wayne Simmonds) hasn’t completely healed yet and that there might be some residual effects.

Giroux did return after missing four games and put together a four-point night at Dallas on Dec. 21. But in the 13 games since then, just one goal (in the Jan. 2 Winter Classic) and eight assists.

Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals

Story: The Washington Capitals first-half MVP, Nicklas Backstrom, was elbowed by Rene Bourque, who was later suspended five games by Shanahan for the incident (and beaten up by us video-game style). Backstrom has no timetable for a return, and the Capitals’ success and overall mobility has declined with him out of the lineup. The Caps with and without Backstrom are two entirely different teams. Backstrom’s health will likely influence George McPhee’s trade strategy come the deadline.

Chris Pronger, Philadelphia Flyers

Story: One of the scariest injuries in awhile, because of its seriousness and because of its effect on a player who has been a measuring stick for toughness. Chris Pronger was hit high by an errant Mikhail Grabovski stick. Right away, the injury didn’t look good with concerns mostly focused on damage to his sight. However, Pronger returned from what was called an “eye injury” and played six games. After that, he had a knee injury that required surgery, and it was only at this time that the Flyers organization revealed that he was suffering from post-concussion syndrome, and would likely be out for the rest of the season.

The Flyers’ captain told NHL.com:

“I just didn’t feel well, I didn’t know what it was,” Pronger said that day. “I never felt like that before with headaches and nausea, and that stuff. I had a concussion baseline test and passed that … I got lightheaded, had headaches, you’re nauseous.”

Pronger’s wife Lauren also offered her perspective on the injury:

“It’s a tough go at home,” she said. “We’re going day-to-day right now — good days, bad days. It’s been a lot of trauma going on. We’re just praying right now. He’s battling. He wants to be out there more than anybody. It’s tough for all of us to watch him go through this.”

Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins

Story: Kris Letang was injured in the third period of a Canadiens – Penguins game on November 25. He returned in that game and scored the OT game-winner, but missed 21 games afterwards. Though there was no penalty call on the play, Pacioretty was suspended three games by the Department of Player Safety.

Sidney Crosby gave Letang advice before he returned to the ice. Letang told the media:

“Pay attention to how your body reacts out there and make sure I’m 100 percent ready, not taking any chances because you need your head for the rest of your life. It was a question of feeling good and being confident that I can do the job out there.”

Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres

Story: Ryan Miller was hit by Milan Lucic in a race for the puck. Lucic was not suspended for the hit and only got two minutes of penalty time for charging. Later this season, Jordin Tootoo collided with Miller and was suspended for two games. The concussion Miller sustained after the Lucic hit was his second in a year.

Miller told Yahoo! Sports what it felt like to have a concussion:

“My issue every time has been, it affects your focus and concentration,” Miller said. “You feel like you have ADD. You feel like you have extreme ADD when you have the headaches and you have the uncomfortable ‘off’ feeling. I mean, I think history can kind of show I’m a very intense, focused person, and when I can’t even get through a 10-, 15-minute task at home, which I can usually sit down and do, something’s wrong.”

Eastern Conference Honorable Mention

Forwards: Jeff Skinner, Martin St. Louis, Daniel Alfredsson, Milan Michalek, Danny Briere, Evander Kane. Defensemen: Zbynek Michalek, Joni Pitkanen, Marс Staal, John-Michael Liles, Victor Hedman. Goalies: James Reimer, Al Montoya, Rick DiPietro.

Layout, graphics, and introduction by Ian Oland.
Additional reporting by Ana Hansen.

Photo credit: Mitchell Layton

After the Capitals’ somewhat easy 4-1 victory over the Eastern Conference’s best team Wednesday, Nicklas Backstrom spoke to Versus’ Pierre McGuire. In explaining the team’s troubles this year, Backstrom said, “I think we haven’t been working hard enough. Everybody has to commit and do their job, and that’s what we haven’t been doing.”

It’s hard to express optimism that the Caps have finally turned the corner, if they can’t string a couple of solid victories together, and — you know — actually turn the corner. Would they bring the energy again in their second match-up in three games against the Buffalo Sabres, a team who has given the Caps fits all year?

You tell me. Photo recap time!

First photo! After Jason Chimera is slammed face-first into the glass by Mike Weber, the Caps are awarded a power play 27 seconds into the game. Not shown but worth keeping in mind: Chimera returned to the bench really, really mad. (Photo credit: Mitchell Layton)

Ovechkin goes for a skate and avoids a hip check on the subsequent power play… (Photo credit: Patrick McDermott)

And scores! It’s the quickest Caps goal of the season, and a complete role-reversal of Monday’s dreadful game against the Sabres. (Photo credit: Nick Wass)

11 minutes later, after a stoppage in play, Chimera skates over to Weber and the two drop the mitts.  Despite the fact Chimmer looks to be suckling here, everyone in the arena got the message that he shouldn’t be messed with. (Photo credit: Patrick McDermott)

Oh wait, Ryan Miller didn’t. Time to resort to primitive gestures! (Photo credit: @STLSpidey)

A few minutes later, the chippy play continues as Troy Brouwer fights Christian Ehrhoff. Brouwer’s MMA-style hug (get a room you two) incredibly gives Ehrhoff an upper-body injury. He does not return. The Sabres Twitter account later says Ehrhoff could be out “weeks.”  Brouwer after the game says, “I wouldn’t even put that down as a fight.” Awesome. (Photo credit: Mitchell Layton)

3:52 into the second period, the Capitals score their second goal of the night. Look at Alex Semin hustling.

The tally, Backstrom’s 13th, ties him for the team-lead in goals with Ovechkin and Mr. About-to-be-fined. (Photo credit: Nick Wass)

It was also Backstrom’s 100th career goal. (Photo credit: Ben Guerrero)

After the Sabres dominate the final ten minutes of the second period, Jochen Hecht scores in front of the net to pull Buffalo within one. (Photo credit: Patrick McDermott)

During the intermission, Joe B photobombs Locker. (Photo credit: @skeebs17)

Laughlin finally realizes Joe’s behind him… (Photo credit: @jennrubenstein)

And then notices the hideous dress shirt Joe B’s wearing under his suit of the night. (Photo credit: @jennrubenstein)

Have to have one for the ladies. (Photo credit: Mitchell Layton)

Ovechkin then clinches the victory in the third period. No goalie in the world could stop this.

It’s his second goal of the night and his 14th of the season. Per Neil Greenberg, the Capitals are now 17-2-0 when both Ovi and NB19 score and 16-1-2 (since the 2009-10 season) when Ovi scores twice. (Photo credit: Patrick McDermott)

Two-straight wins! WOOOOOOOOO! (Photo credit: Nick Wass)

That was fun. Photo recaps rule. Well, make sure to go check out the Hershey Bears’ New Years and Outdoor Game jerseys exclusively on our sister site Sweetest Hockey On Earth! We’ll be back tomorrow night for the Caps game in Columbus. See you guys then! (Photo credit: Kyle Mace)

“Perry, we did it! We actually score on power play!” (Photo credit: Rick Stewart)

After going 1-4 in their last five games — all against Western Conference foes — the Caps headed back to the friendly confines of the east coast on Sunday, hoping to right the ship versus Buffalo. Facing a hungry Sabres team in a nationally televised matchup, Washington was certainly up to the task.

The first period may have been scoreless but it certainly wasn’t uneventful. The Capitals managed 16 shots but Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller was fantastic, making big saves throughout the frame. Washington also had four power play chances in the period, including over a minute and a half on the two man advantage. However, the Caps PP continued their struggles, failing to convert as Miller remained strong.

Mathieu Perreault would finally break Miller’s streak in the second stanza. After an odd bounce in the corner, the puck kicked out to the front of the net. Perreault took advantage, putting the Caps up 1-0. However, after Brooks Laich was called for goalie interference, the Sabres would head to the power play. At 8:20 Jason Pominville converted on the man advantage, getting the puck past a screened Semyon Varlamov to knot the score at one.

Midway through the third, former Cap Shaone Morrisonn was whistled for interference, once again putting Washington on the power play. But this time, it actually worked. Alex Ovechkin skated the puck into zone before firing a shot on Miller who made the stop. However, the biscuit went to waiting Perreault. With a little help from Marcus Johansson — whose deflection awarded him the marker — Perreault put the puck in the back of net, giving the Capitals the lead. Buffalo attempted a rally but Varlamov stayed strong. Caps beat Sabres, 2-1.

• Our first bullet begrudgingly goes to the mighty-haired one, Ryan Miller. Miller was impenetrable as he stopped 16 shots in the first period, 17 in the second, and 37 for the day. Time after time he stood tall in the net. Perhaps his biggest save of the matchup was his robbery of Nicklas Backstrom in the first period. How he stabbed Backstrom’s point-blank shot we don’t know. But it figures he would get special powers on Hockey Day in America.
• As we mentioned earlier, the Caps managed to score a power play goal today — even more on that later — but they did themselves no favors early on, squandering four power play opportunities in the first period, included 1:34 of five-on-three time.  The Capitals may have ratcheted up their shot total during the two-man advantage, but the quality of the shots were poor.  Washington passively stood around the perimeter and created little havoc in the crease. Here’s an idea: we would love to see this team utilize the slap pass more. Opponents have heavily scouted the Caps power play and seem to know where the shots are going to come from. This would help open things up and keep PK’ers off balance.  And let’s make this simple: if you can’t score on a two man advantage you generally will lose the game.  The Capitals were lucky to overcome that.
• Once again, it was a less heralded Caps player that made the biggest difference. One night after having his jersey retired by Blaine High School, Matt Hendricks got a gift from the Hockey Gods in the first period as his dump-in ricocheted off the boards right to Perreault for the game’s first goal. Hendricks also drew an interference call on Morrisonn by working hard and keeping his feet moving in the offensive-zone.  That penalty led to Washington’s game-winning goal.
• The Capitals’ fourth line of Boyd Gordon, David Steckel and Matt Bradley brought the energy today and managed to create four scoring chances at even strength, including an ill-fated breakaway for Gordon. In comparison, the Caps first line of Ovechkin, Backstrom and Mike Knuble only managed three.
• Scott Hannan was on the ice for seven scoring chances and three against — one of which was the screen on Varlamov that led to Buffalo’s only goal of the game. Hannan has been steady in Mike Green’s absence but, dude, please try not to skate in Varly’s sightline when he’s trying to make a big glove save. Then we have to hear other Caps bloggers diss our favorite goalie. And that makes us sad.
• Speaking of Semyon Varlamov, he was потрясающий [English translation: tremendous]. Varly had 28 saves, many of the spectacular variety, and managed not to lose his under-garments when Thomas Vanek came in on a breakaway. As Sergey Kocharov said afterwards, “Varly made a difficult game look easy.” We couldn’t agree more.
• At Neil’s final count, the Caps out-chanced Buffalo 22-13 and 13-11 at even strength. Overall, Washington accumulated seven power play chances.

• 

  Teamwork. (Screencapture by @Caps_Grl)

  Finally, the Capitals game-winning goal (above) came from several excellent individual plays strung together. Ovechkin came into the Buffalo zone with a huge burst of speed, cut to the middle of the ice and slung a wrist shot towards Miller. Miller’s pads didn’t corral the rebound as the puck squirted to Perreault in the far corner. With the net yawning, Perreault made the decision to shoot. Miller would have recovered in time but Johansson was there to redirect six ounces of rubber into the net. Hard work, skating, shots from bad angles and rebounds. That’s how you score on the power play. You don’t just stand around waiting for something to happen.

This was a big win for Washington. Coming off their poor performances against Western Conference, this road-trip could have easily become a disaster. Now, the Caps will salvage at least four points. They can go above .500 for the journey when they face the depleted Pittsburgh Penguins Monday.

The curse is broken. The Capitals have won when I’m on recap duty. Feel free to rip up your hate letters. Caps versus Pens tomorrow. Catch you here afterwards.

Additional reporting by Neil Greenberg and Ian Oland.

Braden Holtby heeds the direction of Bruce Boudreau during Caps practice at HSBC Arena.

[Ed. note - Was it oversight, kismet, or charity? Regardless, Buffalo-based Caps fan and RMNB reader, Stephanie Carosa, got to watch what should have been a closed practice on Saturday. She shares that story and her recollections from the miserable game with the Sabres below.]

I live in Buffalo, so I have only two chances to see the Capitals in my own city. Every time they come it’s a big deal to me, and Saturday night was no exception. I was determined to make it a full day of hockey, so I planned on going to practice in the morning and the game at night.

The Sabres’ morning skates at HSBC Arena are open to the public, and you can often catch a glimpse of players on the visiting team hanging around. I got there early so I could grab a seat behind the Caps bench. Even though the Caps were foremost on my mind, I was excited to see Ryan Miller on the ice  after being sidelined for almost two weeks due to injury. Towards the end of practice, I caught a quick glimpse of Chimera in the tunnel. *Gasp! First Caps sighting of the day!* A few minutes later, John Erskine appeared *Gasp! Two Caps!*, and then Harry Neale (the Sabres and former Hockey Night in Canada color guy who is known for his, er, quick wit?) came out and joked around with him for a bit.

Eventually, the Sabres all left the ice, and that’s when something amazing happened. Maybe it was the unseasonable nice weather– who knows– but the hockey gods smiled down on me. No security guards spoke to me, and no one asked to clear the arena.  It was  most epic morning of all mornings; I got to watch the Caps morning skate!

Ovi takes a drink during practice. Eek!

I cannot begin to describe how excited I was, not to mention the fact that I was directly behind the bench. The guys started coming out before the ice was completely cleaned, so they all climbed onto the bench and chatted amongst themselves. It was surreal. I had come hoping to see maybe just a few Caps players, and now the entire team was right in front of me.

I was able to get some peaks at their mustaches while they waited for the zamboni to finish, and I can assure you those are some good ‘staches. Erskine’s is completely badass. My camera caught Mike Green and his ‘stache in a “how you doin?” pose that words just can’t do justice. I am partial to Karl Alzner’s though, and I definitely could see what John Carlson was talking about when he referred to him as “Luigi” on twitter a few days ago.

The practice was a typical morning skate with some light drills and the like. What I liked most was how much fun the guys seemed to be having. They were so loud. Everyone was yelling and making goofy faces. Ovi did a few drills, but didn’t stay out for long. I expected this and was really glad I got to see him at all. He definitely left an impression: he took a drink of the water bottle in front of me (while I wore my team Russia jersey with his name trying not to act like I was completely freaking out).

I left HSBC Arena on a high. And I still had the game to look forward to.

Alex Semin sign made by RMNB reader @kueble

We got to the game pretty early so I could get a good spot for Caps warm-ups (like I said earlier, this only happens twice a year and I have to make the most of it!). The friend with whom I attended the game is not a Caps fan, so she got food while I waited. I ended up chatting with a nice woman in a Sabres sweatshirt who was excited to see Ovi play live for the first time. Nearby was a family of Caps fans that I overheard discussing the drive up from DC. My favorite, however, was the woman who brought an adorable little boy in his Ovi jersey to watch. She seriously said, “Okay, stand right here next to the pretty girl in the Ovechkin jersey.” Aw shucks.

There were a few great signs on the glass for warm-ups. The best was definitely the one that read “NEEDS MORE SEMIN” and “#sashafierce”. Ha!

Now I must admit I am a huge Sabres fan as well, so I never know how to approach these games. I try to look at it as a win-win situation and hope for an exciting game. I don’t know if it was because I myself was in such a good mood or the fact that I had beer for dinner, but the Sabres fans in attendance seemed to be in much higher spirits than usual. Maye this was due to the Sabres getting 5 of 6 points on their road trip the prior week and the return of Ryan Miller in net. The ceremony for Mike Grier and Lindy Ruff in their 1000th games as player and coach also seemed to get everyone pumped.

Luigi prepares for a faceoff.

The crowd exploded when Miller made the save on Ovi’s breakaway in the first period (right where we were sitting).  I didn’t even know what to make of it, because Alex Ovechkin and Ryan Miller are my two favorite players. I felt like a mother watching her two children play against each other. Er, maybe that’s not the best analogy, but you get the idea.

I screamed. I didn’t know if I was screaming because I wanted Ovi to score or because I wanted Miller to make the save– I still don’t know. Screaming just seemed like the thing to do. My friend said that Miller was motivated to make the stop because I wore Ovi’s jersey instead of his. At least the Sabres fans didn’t give me grief for sporting the red. The only guy who gave me a hard time was in a Leafs jersey, who apparently holds a grudge over the summit series despite not actually being alive then.

When Thomas Vanek scored in overtime, it felt like the entire city of Buffalo let out a collective sigh of relief. Even though the Caps didn’t have play a good game, I was glad they got a point out of it. After the game we walked out back, where we watched Capitals bus leave the arena, sad in knowing I wouldn’t see them again for a few months. We fans waved to them as they went by– and maybe it was just the shadows playing tricks– but it really looked like one of them waved back to us. That’s what I like to think at least. See you in February, Caps!

Photos from Practice

Caps Leaving HSBC Arena

Photos from Game

Former Capital Mike Grier was honored before the game for playing in his 1,000th career game tonight. (Photo credit: Bill Wippert)

Sigh. Thomas Vanek scores the OTGWG. (Photo credit: Rick Stewart)

Without Ryan Miller, the Buffalo Sabres are not really daunting foes. The well-haired goalie had been convalescing with a hip injury for the last handful of games and returned to the Washington Capitals’ distinct displeasure. But with a stiff upper lip, the Caps entered the fray in nigh-Canada. Sort of.

Karl Alzner opened the game with a laser through traffic that found a wide swathe of net behind Ryan Miller. The second period was an unbridled embarrassment. The Sabres scored twice (a well-screened bomb by Montador and a fluke by Vanek). For their part the Capitals simply refused to play offense of any kind, offering only four shots across the middle frame. To qualify that, Jason Chimera spent four minutes in the box for a cross check that might have been overblown a bit, and Tomas Fleischmann also caught a double minor for a freak high sticking that carried no aggression.

Nicklas Backstrom allowed 7 minutes to escape the third period before equalizing with a high swat. Ten minutes later, a suspicious high sticking call earned Backy a double minor (the Caps’ third of the game). The Capitals survived another backbreaking penalty kill all the way into overtime. Things look liked they were headed towards the shootout until Thomas Vanek suckered Carlson and Holtby in sequence to score a sharp-looking OTGWG. Bummer, I know, but at least the Caps take a point home. Sabres beat Caps 3-2 (OT).

Bleh-lets.

• Kind of a bad game in general, eh?
• The Caps played the second period like it was the first. They producted only four shots to Buffalo’s 11, zero scoring chances to Buffalo’s 8. Why must there be one guaranteed bad period every game?
• While the Caps were struggling in the second period and the first half of the third, the grinders got short shrift. Matt Bradley and Dave Steckel in particular had far fewer shifts than usual.
• With Poti out (a worry of its own), Bruce Boudreau did as much as he could to limit any Tyler Sloan-related damage. Sloan trailed all defenders in ice time with only 13:20.
• 13:20 sounds like precious little until you consider than ersatz 2C Tomas Fleichmann played only 11 minutes and change. Which might be more than he deserved. Flash produced no chances at even strength. So did Eric Fehr, for that matter. Pitiful.
• The ice at HSBC Arena was wackadoodle. Mike Green and Buffalo’s Tyler Myers each lost skate edges, leading to Chevy Chase-style pratfalls.
• 

  Go High, Ovi! Ryan Miller calmly denies Alex Ovechkin coming in on a breakaway. (Photo credit: Bill Wippert)

  Nicklas Backstrom took eleven faceoffs. He lost ONE.
• Braden Holtby was the Capitals best player, a spastic puck wall until the final second overtime and that unfortunate poke check on Vanek.
• Alex Ovechkin had a prime breakaway chance against Ryan Miller in the first, but was bested. For the rest of the game, Ovi habitually bobbled the puck and whiffed on shots. To be fair, Ovi had only one offensive start in the entire game.
• All penalties are four minutes. It’s a new rule. Did you not get the memo?

Maybe the Caps play down to their competition to keep it interesting for us fans. That’s considerate of them, but they don’t need to go out of their way on our account. When the Caps found motivation in that final extending penalty kill, you’d think they had re-awoken their win-thirst. Naw. This was a snoozer.

Joe B's suit-of-the-night

At least we learned something. When Bruce Boudreau saw the same offensive inertia that you and I did, he tweaked lines. BB tried putting Tomas Fleischmann on the 4th, Johansson on the top, and Backstrom with Chimera and Semin. Only the last of those fiddles did anything of merit, but we learned that the the Caps’ chemistry may be more delicate than we previously thought.

A disappointing game and an undeserved point for an overtime loss. Here’s hoping the team that suits up tomorrow afternoon will have a bit more oomph than the team that played tonight.

Enjoy your Saturday nights, everyone.

Additional reporting by Neil Greenberg.

Jay Mohr, star of something, hosted the NHL Awards in Las Vegas tonight.  We watched with bated breath as three beloved players vied for recognition from the league’s notables.  Alex Ovechkin was up for the Lindsay (née Pearson) and the Hart, Mike Green for the Norris, and Jose Theodore for the Masterton.  Beyond the winners and loser, there’s some mighty important breaking news announced tonight, and we’ll tackle it all past the jump.

Alex Ovechkin won the NHLPA award for MVP, the Ted Lindsay Trophy.  Ovie’s speech fluctuated from rowdy hellos and Vegas cheers to a solemn invocation of his brother Sergei, who died in a car accident when Ovie was 10.  The music cued Ovechkin to cede the floor to the next presenter, but Ovie persevered, continuing his speech as soon as it died down.

Jose Theodore wins the Masterton in his second and final year as a Cap. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

To the surprise of no one, Jose Theodore was awarded the Masterton Trophy.  Given to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey”, Jose was a shoo-in.  After the harrowing events of last summer, Theodore’s meteoric rise–  culminating in those wizardly performances of early ’10– was even more inspiring.  As we expected, Theo’s speech brought tears to nearly everyone in earshot.  It was only moments later that Tarik El-Bashir reported that Theodore will not be re-signed by the Capitals.  We’re saddened to lose such a great player and guy, but we’re thankful that we got to cheer for him at all.  Ever since that whole Paris Hilton thing ended, Jose has been nothing but class.

Mike Green did not win the Norris Trophy.  There’s no way to tread carefully around this point: it’s a sham.  As reported by Mike Vogel, Mike Green joins Sergei Gonchar as the only points-leading defenders to get passed over for the Norris every year.  We’re heartened that Mike Green is in Las Vegas, a bottomless font of empathy, where he can surely salve the wound with a bucket of ice-cold Red Bull and vodkas.

Finally, Alex Ovechkin did not win the Hart Trophy, nixing his chance for a threepeat.  The award went instead to Art Ross winner, Henrik Sedin.  It seems conclusive now that Ovechkin’s ten missed games, most due to suspension, were too many for the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.  Our cold comfort on the snubbing is that Ovie handily beat Sidney Crosby in the race for second place.

Other observations on the NHL Awards:

• Sidney Crosby won the Messier Leadership Award and the Freddie Mercury Overbite Award.
• Host Jay Mohr spent most of the night pretending he was someone else.  The audience spent most of the night wishing Jay Mohr was someone else.
• Mark Wahlberg, allegedly several mojitos into his evening, rambled his way through the Calder Trophy presentation.  Mark Wahlberg is a terrible actor, and I bet he has hair plugs.
• The NHL awards were bedazzled by several auspicious musical performances.  Buffalo’s favorite sons, The Goo Goo Dolls, played their smash-hit “Home”, and heartland rockers Shinedown gave a rousing rendition of their chart-topping record, “Sound of Madness”.
• Sarcasm, folks.
• Unlike pretty much every other player there, Mike Green and Alex Ovechkin were mavericks sporting the suit-with-no-tie look. Also, they glowed with an aura possible only when one’s soul vibrates in perfect harmony with the city of Las Vegas.
• Ryan Miller won the Vezina Trophy and has reportedly yet to let go of it.  Good on him and his manly head of hair.
• Ian called the Masterton Trophy the “Mastodon“, and he’s livid about Ovie not winning the Hart.  Ask him for his feelings on it, but clear your schedule first.
• Silencing the doubters, Mike Green reprised his thespian skills in a face-off with that damned Geico caveman.
• Versus must have played that freaking commercial where the Penguins fans refuse to leave about a dozen times.