Jose Theodore made 33 saves, including all three shots in a shootout, and the Washington Capitals (27-11-3, first in Southeast) defeated the Philadelphia Flyers (21-10-9, second in Atlantic), 2-1 before a playoff-intense capacity crowd at the Verizon Center.

Viktor Kozlov beat Flyers goalie Martin Biron (33 saves) on the first shot in the shootout, and the rest was all Theodore. The resurgent netminder stoned Simon Gagne, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter on successive shots to cement the victory and exact a measure of revenge for the 7-1 shellacking back in December.

The Capitals have not lost since that game, a streak of seven straight. Theodore has been the goalie for six of those games.

All three shooters tried to beat Theodore on low shots to his stick side, but twice he closed the door with his left foot on the post, and on the final shot by Carter--tied with Alex Ovechkin for the league lead in goals with 27--got enough of Carter's five-hole attempt to thwart the talented forward and preserve the win.

The Caps regulation goal came early off the stick of Niklas Backstrom, campaigning for his first all-star birth. His 12th of the season came from a pass from behind the net from Alexander Semin. That marker would stand until the first minute of the third period.

With Michael Nylander off with a weak hooking call, Braydon Coburn's shot from the post was deflected by not one, but two Capitals defenders and snuck behind Theodore.

Washington killed off a 3:30 penalty kill, including 30 seconds of five-on-three, during a back-and-forth second period. Flyers defenseman Ossi Vaananen made a spectacular sliding block, robbing Nylander of his second goal of the season.

The Capitals are now 18-1-1 at home this season, and have two days to rest with Columbus visiting on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.

Photo by Getty Images.

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SCORESHEET

WAS: Backstrom (12) from Semin and Kozlov (1-2:10-PP)

PHI: Coburn (5) from Timonen and Carter (3-0:23-PP)

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THREE STARS

1. J. Theodore - WAS (Saves: 33, Save Pct: .971)

2. V. Kozlov - WAS (Goals: 0, Assists: 1)

3. M. Biron - PHI (Saves: 33, Save Pct: .971)

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NOTES

The game was delayed several minutes before the shootout as the Flyers bench complained about the snow in the Flyers end and made the Zambonis come back out and resurface the ice.

The Caps maintain their 10-point lead over Carolina in the Southeast Division, and with Boston's loss are just five points behind the Eastern Conference's leaders.

The Washington Capitals (26-11-3, first in Southeast) host the Philadelphia Flyers (21-10-8, second in Atlantic) in a very important Eastern Conference showdown tonight at 7:00 pm from Verizon Center.

As fabled television broadcaster Keith Jackson would say, "These two teams just plain don't like each other." Well, the rivalry on the ice may not be quite as dramatic as the rivalry between the two groups of fans, but it's getting there.

Consider the respective places in the Eastern Conference standings: the Caps sit in second at 55 points, trailing only Boston with 62; the Flyers are tied with Montreal for fourth with 50. So proximity breeds contempt.

Add in the Flyers seven-game victory over the Capitals in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, with Jeff Carter skating around the Verizon Center ice after the handshakes "saluting" the DC fans, and the 7-1 pasting by the Flyers in Philly on Dec. 20 (the Caps last loss), and you've got the makings of an old-fashioned donnybrook.

Washington is the owner of the East's best home record at 17-1-1, and the Flyers would like nothing more than to blemish those pretty numbers.

The game also features the two players tied for the league lead in goals: the aforementioned Carter for Philly and Alex Ovechkin, the reigning MVP, coming off being snubbed for a starting spot in the NHL All-Star game.

Ovie has 13 goals and five assists in his last 12 games.

Jose Theodore, on a personal five-game winning streak, will start tonight's game for the Caps in goal.

Philadelphia is completing a six-game road trip and is 2-2-1 on the trip. They split shootout losses over the weekend, beating Anaheim Friday but losing to Los Angeles Saturday.

For once, the Caps meet a team that has as many injuries as they have had this season. The Flyers will be without starting goalie Antero Niittymaki, who was a stone wall the last time the two team played, stopping all but one of the 48 shots against. Marin Biron (7-2-2, 3.21 in his last 11 starts) will be between the pipes.

Also missing tonight will be Joffery Lupul, Daniel Briere and Claude Giroux. Arron Ashram is questionable.
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SPECIAL TEAMS

WAS: PP-5th (23.2%, 38/164); PK-21st (80.4%, 36/184)
PHI: PP-2nd (25.8%, 39/151)' PK-13th (82.3%, 35/198)
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INJURIES

WAS: D John Erskine (Concussion-IR); D Brian Pothier (Concussion-OUT); C Sergei Federov (Ankle-IR); D Tom Poti (Groin-IR); Tomas Fleischmann (Pneumonia-OUT)

PHI: G Antero Niittymaki (Groin-IR); D Derian Hatcher (Knee-IR); RW Arron Asham (Knee-Questionable); C Daniel Briere (Groin-IR); LW Simon Gagne (Shoulder-Questionable); RW Claude Giroux (Concussion-Out); LW Josh Gratton (Abdominal-Questionable); LW Jonathon Kalinski (Leg-Questionable); RW Joffrey Lupul (Abdominal-IR; LW Darroll Powe (Hip-Questionable)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Brooks Laich knows that Alex Ovechkin is "the best player in the world." We all know that too.

Unfortunately, Ovi did not get the fan votes to back that up! I am sure that he will be added to the reserve list, however, that has not been published yet.

The entire starting lineup for the East is Penguins and Canadiens and the West is Ducks and Blackhawks. Sidney Crosby received the most votes with a record number 1,713,021 votes.

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Just a quick reminder about the Matt Bradley Q&A at ESPN Zone this Wednesday, January 7th at 7pm.

The Washington Capitals (26-11-3, first in Southeast) extended their winning streak to six games, and 13 out of 15, as they defeated the New York Rangers (23-14-3, third in Atlantic) 2-1 Saturday night at the Verizon Center before another red-clad capacity crowd.

Alex Ovechkin continues to be the most dynamic, if under-appreciated, superstar in the league, as he netted his 27th goal of the season to unlock a one-goal tie with just 32 seconds remaining in the second period.

The tie-breaker was a short-handed goal.

Ovie found out before the game that he was not selected as a starter for the Eastern Conference in next month's all-star game, a fact coach Bruce Boudreau called "dumb."

Ovechkin took a short pass from center Dave Steckel and beat two Rangers defenders to the blue line, then threw a wrist shot toward New York goalie Steve Valiquette, making only his ninth appearance of the season.

"It was the end of the shift. I wanted to just shoot the puck and go to change, but it was kind of a lucky goal," said Ovechkin.

The Rangers have allowed a league-worst 12 short-handed goals this season.

Defenseman Mike Green scored on a power play goal earlier in the second for Washington's other goal. Petr Prucha scored on a tip-in for New York.

The game featured some of the rough stuff as well, as Chris Clark squared off with Wade Redden, Michael Nylander earned a roughing taking exception to a high-stick by Scott Gomez, and even Alexander Semin mixed it up, albeit not his strong suit, with Marc Staal. Semin was returning after missing six games with a back injury.

Washington hosts the Philadelphia Flyers Tuesday night at 7:00 pm from Verizon Center. The Caps are 17-1-1 at home this season.

Photo by Getty Images.
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SCORESHEET

WAS: Green (10) from Semin and Kozlov (2-11:23-PP); Ovechkin (27) from Steckel (2-19:28-SH

NYR: Prucha (3) from Dubinsky and Zherdev (2-10:04)
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THREE STARS

1. A. Ovechkin - WAS (Goals: 1, Assists: 0)
2. D. Steckel - WAS (Goals: 0, Assists: 1)
3. M. Staal - NYR (Goals: 0, Assists: 0)
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NOTES

Goalie Jose Theodore made 21 saves earning the victory. He has a personal five game winning streak.

The game was DC's fifth consecutive sellout and ninth this season.

Washington out shot New York 31-22.

The Washington Capitals (25-11-3, first in Southeast) host the New York Rangers (23-13-3, second in Atlantic) at 7:00 PM from Verizon Center.

The Capitals continue their RED hot streak with five wins in a row and 12 of their last 14 games. The Rangers have yet to play a game in 2009 as their last game was a third period come from behind victory over the New York Islanders.

Washington leads the New York by four points in the Eastern Conference standings.

Winger Chris Bourque was sent back to the minors on Friday.

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SPECIAL TEAMS

WAS: PP-5th (23.1%, 37/160); PK-22nd (80.1%, 36/181)

NYR: PP-25th (14.2%, 25/176); PK-2nd (88.2%, 18/152)

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INJURIES

WAS: D John Erskine (Concussion-IR); D Brian Pothier (Concussion-OUT); C Sergei Federov (Ankle-IR); D Tom Poti (Groin-IR); LW Alexander Semin (Back-IR); Tomas Fleischmann (Pneumonia-OUT); Donald Brashear (Leg-Questionable)

NYR: None Reported

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Update on Former Capital and now with Tampa Bay Lightning, Jamie Heward - Jamie Heward was diagnosed with a concussion after being hit head-first into the boards by a clean Ovechkin check during Thursday's game against Washington. He was released from Sidley Hospital on Friday and returned to Tampa Bay where he will be out indefinitely.

Sad Hockey News - Don Sanderson, a 21-year-old rookie defenceman with the senior AAA Whitby Dunlops of the Ontario Hockey Association, died on Friday three weeks after hitting his unprotected head on the ice during a fight in a December 12th game. His death has renewed calls for tougher rules governing the use of helmets.

The Washington Capitals scored early and often, getting goals from seven different players, and handed the Tampa Bay Lightning a 7-4 defeat before a capacity New Year's Day crowd at the Verizon Center. It was Washington's fifth straight victory and 12th out of 14 games.

The game was not without incident, however, as play was delayed several minutes with 13:15 left after Lightning defenseman Jamie Heward was checked awkwardly into the boards by Alex Ovechkin, hitting his head and neck.

Heward was face-down and motionless while doctors attended to him, and he was eventually rolled onto a backboard and taken from the rink on a stretcher. He was taken to the hospital because of a concussion, but his eyes were open as he was leaving the arena.

Heward, who played with the Capitals from 2005 to 2007, sustained a major injury while with the Caps, as his face was sliced open with a skate. Many of the Caps, including Ovechkin and Matt Bradley, skated over to check on their former teammate.

As for the game, the Caps got balanced scoring and just enough saves from goalie Brent Johnson in a chippy, sloppy game. Johnson's biggest save was on a penalty shot by Adam Hall midway through the second period while the score was 4-2.

Tampa Bay goalie Mike Smith, however, was particularly sloppy, directly costing his squad several goals.

Washington took a 3-0 lead in the first period on goals from Sean Collins, his first NHL goal, Dave Steckel and Mike Green. Collins' goal was a wrist shot from the point that trickled through Smith's pads. It would not be Smith's last mistake of the game.

After Vincent Lecavalier and Ryan Malone cut the lead to 3-2 in the beginning of the second period, Matt Bradley answered 11 seconds later when Boyd Gordon intercepted Smith's pass attempt behind the net and slipped the puck between his legs to a wide open Bradley in the slot, who dumped it into a wide open net to extended the lead to two.

Lecavalier scored his second of the game with 16 seconds remaining in the period, though, making the score 4-3 and setting up a wild third period.

Gordon pushed the lead to two as Smith inexplicably left the net and misplayed the puck again, trying to pass out of the zone, instead putting the puck right onto Gordon's tape, who buried it as Smith dove head-first trying to get back into the net.

Mark Recchi responded at 12:22 of the period to get the Lightning back within reach, but Chris Clark netted his first of the season just 25 seconds later. It seemed like the Caps could just turn it back on whenever Tampa Bay would score.

Alex Ovechkin would put the icing on the cake, as he used defenseman Steve Eminger as a screen and whipped a wrist shot past Smith to cap the scoring late in the third period. Ovechkin had two helpers as well.

Washington has a day off tomorrow before hosting the New York Rangers Saturday night at 7:00 PM from Verizon Center.

Photo by Getty Images.
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SCORESHEET

WAS: Collins (1) from Ovechkin and Morrisonn (1-3:58); Steckel (5) from Bradley and Jurcina (1-8:02); Green (9) from Ovechkin and Backstrom (1-18:29); Bradley (4) from Gordon (2-2:48); Gordon (5) unassisted (3-8:07); Clark (1) from Nylander and Green (3-12:47); Ovechkin (26) from Backstrom (3-18:14)

TBY: Lecavalier (15) from Prospal and St. Louis (2-0:58); Malone (9) from Halpern (2-2:37); Lecavalier (16) from Prospal and St Louis (2-19:44); Recchi (9) from St. Louis and Meszaros (3-12:22)
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THREE STARS

1. M. Bradley - WAS (Goals: 1, Assists: 1)
2. C. Clark - WAS (Goals: 1, Assists: 0)
3. V. Lecavalier - TB (Goals: 2, Assists: 0)
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NOTES

All 11 goals on the evening were at full strength.

Bradley, Gordon, and Green all had a goal and assist. Niklas Backstrom had two assists. Martin St. Louis had three assists for Tampa Bay.

Washington out shot Tampa Bay 35-26.

The Washington Capitals (24-11-3, first in Southeast) host the Tampa Bay Lightning (10-16-10, fourth in Southeast) at 7:00 PM from Verizon Center.

The Capitals continue to be one of the hottest teams in the NHL, winners of four in a row and 11 of their last 13 games.

Goalie Jose Theodore has been one of the big reasons for the current streak, as he's been in net for each of the previous four wins. Coach Bruce Boudreau, however, will start Brent Johnson against the Bolts tonight, citing the need to keep both netminders sharp.

In the most recent victory, the Caps travelled to Buffalo, a place that has traditionally been a house of horrors for them, and defeated the Sabres 4-2. Winger Chris Bourque, recalled due to Matt Bradley's awkward spill into the boards in the Toronto game and Donald Brashear's lingering leg bruise, scored his first NHL goal, knocking in a long rebound on Buffalo's Ryan Miller.

Center Niklas Backstrom has been outstanding lately, registering 21 points (6 goals, 15 assists) in his last 14 games, and has 38 points in 29 games. He is ninth in the league in scoring for the season (11-31-42, plus-5).

Tampa Bay has struggled to recover from their horrendous start that saw former coach Barry Melrose fired just a few weeks into the season and replaced with Rick Tocchet.

The Lightning dropped their last contest, a 2-1 shootout loss to Montreal, but had won their previous three before that loss. Before the recent spate of good play, Tampa had lost 12 of 13, dating back to Thanksgiving. They are 3-10 in shootouts and 4-13 overall in overtime.

Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier pace Tampa Bay in scoring. St. Louis has 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists), while Lecavalier is just two points behind (14-16-30).

The Lightning's number one goalie is Mike Smith. His tema's record belie his excellent play so far this season. He is the owner of an 8-12-16 record with a 2.42 goals against average and .923 save percentage. Olaf Kolzig, owner of most of Washington's goaltending records, is the normal backup, but will miss the game with an upper body injury.
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SPECIAL TEAMS

WAS: PP-4th (23.6%, 37/157); PK-24th (79.9%, 36/179)
TBY: PP-24th (14.6%, 24/164); PK-19th (81.1%, 36/190)
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INJURIES

WAS: D John Erskine (Concussion-IR); D Brian Pothier (Concussion-OUT); C Sergei Federov (Ankle-IR); D Tom Poti (Groin-IR); LW Alexander Semin (Back-IR); Tomas Fleischmann (Pneumonia-OUT); Matt Bradley (Head/Neck-Questionable); Donald Brashear (Leg-Questionable)

TB: D David Koci (Hand-IR); LW Gary Roberts (Groin-IR); G Olaf Kolzig (Upper body-Questionable); D Marek Malik (Flu-Questionable)