CAPS GAME REPORT: Caps v. Canes, 3/14/2009

THIRD PERIOD

Tied at 4 apiece going to overtime. SOG: WAS-29; CAR-26

Caps had quite a bit of defensive trouble in he third, inability to clear their own zone. That problem led directly to the tying goal, as Seidenberg and Cole were able to control the puck after an exhaustive offensive zone shift and finally Wallin got a wrist shot off the post to beat Theodore.

The Ovie-Backstrom-Semin line with Green and another defenseman were on the ice for 7 out of the eight goals scored. Semin, despite his four points, was minus-3, as was Green.

SECOND PERIOD

Second period concludes with Caps leading 4-3. SOG: WAS-23; CAR-20

Things opened up in the second with lots of up and back hockey. Theodore has looked very good most of the night. Some really light penalties getting called despite it being a heavy-hitting affair.

Semin started the second period scoring as he swept in a rebound from Ovechkin on an early power play with Staal off for interference on a play that could be called every time up the ice. Props to Laich for crashing the net on the goal.

The Caps had a 4-on-1 breakaway that was thwarted. Dennis Seidenberg sent the puck up ice to Ray Whitney, who tried to beat Theo on a backhand. He was stopped, but Stall was there to put back the rebound.

Backstrom made it 4-2 off a great feed from Nylander, who drew both defenders to the left wing circle, leaving Backstrom wide open in the slot. Another power play goal--Caps are 3-for-4 with the extra man tonight.

With 7.3 seconds remaining, Eric Cole beat Theo five-hole after and extended offensive zone shift. Morrisonn had his stick broken, and in the confusion, Fleischmann finally was able to had his back to Morrisonn, who was going to be whistled for a hold. But on the exchange, Flash was out of position, and Cole got into the slot and was uncontested on the goal.

FIRST PERIOD

The first period ends with the Caps holding a 2-1 lead. SOG: WAS-9; CAR-9

Carolina is really hitting tonight--they apparently got the memo to be physical on the forecheck, and they scored first on an Eric Cole wrist shot that beat Theo stick side, off the inside of the far post. Green couldn't clear a bouncing puck at the blue line, Eric Staal gathered it in and hit a streaking Cole, who banked it off the post at 9:53.

Green made up for it just over a minute later, pinching in and lifting a wrist shot high glove side over Cam Ward. Nice work by Niklas Backstrom who gained the zone and Alexander Semin, who slid a nifty pass to the cutting Green to tie it up.

Brooks Laich earned an interference call on the only penalty of the period, on Niclas Wallin. With Wallin off, Green kept an errant pass from escaping the zone and shot toward net. The deflection went to Ovie, who kinda missed his first swipe, but rewound and swept the puck past Ward, who overcommitted either on Green's first shot or Ovie's original swipe.

The ice is, predictably, not so good tonight. The Harlem Globetrotters played at Verizon this afternoon and went late. The ice wasn't ready until right before pre-game skate, and it's noticeably warmer in the building tonight than it was last week.

PRE-GAME

Greetings from the Verizon Center, where the Washington Capitals host the Carolina Hurricanes. Currently, the Caps hold a 12 point lead over their division rival with 13 games to play. The Caps return home very briefly after winning two on the road last week, before embarking on a five-game road trip.

Tonight's starting goalies are Jose Theodore (26-14-4, 2.79, .902) and Cam Ward (30-22-4, 2.50, .913).

Sergei Fedorov will miss his second straight game with "flu-like" symptoms. Donald Brashear will sit this one out too, still recovering from his knee sprain suffered last week in Nashville.

Keith Aucoin was recalled from AHL Hershey and will suit up, wearing sweater #20. Aucoin currently leads the AHL in scoring, with 86 points (22-64-86).