Most of the Washington Capitals didn't hear about their captain being traded away until they reached Verizon Center for Monday night's game against the last-place Carolina Hurricanes. 

Once they took the ice, they played exactly like a team that had their heart ripped out, as they played sloppy, mistake-filled hockey for much of the first half of the game.  Carolina (10-22-7) scored the first three goals of the game en route to a convincing 6-3 win over the current NHL points leader.

Eric Staal had two goals and three assists to lead the worst team in the league to just their second road win of the season -- their tenth overall.

The Capitals traded captain Chris Clark and defenseman Milan Jurcina to Columbus in exchange for forward Jason Chimera.

The move surprised not just those left behind, but Clark himself.  "I'm shocked," Clark told the Washington Post. "But then you start looking to the team where you're going. So now I'm trying to put all my energy into who's on the team, how they're doing and where I'll be playing my next game."

Washington (24-9-6) played terribly flat early, and managed only four shots on goal in the first period.  Additionally, Nicklas Backstrom took a four minute high-stick, followed by Mike Green's hooking call, which resulted in a five-on-three for Carolina.

The Caps, including Karl Alzner, played tremendously trying to kill the 5-on-3, but seconds before it would expire, Tuomo Ruutu banged home a rebound of a Stall shot to break the ice.  Staal made it 2-0 less than three minutes later knocking a puck out of the air -- baseball style -- past a dazed Jose Theodore. 

Jussi Jokinen beat Theodore three minutes later, and the onslaught was on.

Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau did not want to use the trade as an excuse for the poor play, but it was was obvious the Caps were not on their game, after handling top-of-their division New Jersey and Buffalo their previous games.

"But I've been in that situation, and it can bother some people. I don't know if it did with our guys, even if it was a two great guys who were leaving."

"I don't know if [the trade] did or it didn't [bother the players], usually we're a lot better in the first period."

Goalie Theodore had a rough night.  In his first start since Dec. 18 he gave up five goals on 26 shots and several of the goals came on rebounds.  He made a couple of good saves in the opening minutes, but after the two early goals he looked like he lost focus, and ultimately control of the game.

"I thought he fought the puck a little bit at the end," Boudreau siad.  "Once the first two goals went by him, I thought his confidence [lacked]. But at no time was I thinking about pulling him."

This, after an episode at practice at the end of last week where Theodore broke a stick and said "I just work here" when responding to Michel Neuvirth receiving three straight starts.

The Caps got power play goals from Mike Green and Alex Ovechkin, and a fluky goal from Eric Fehr, where a Hurricane defensemen tried to play the puck with his hand and basically threw the puck past goalie Cam Ward (28 saves).

The loss is the first to a Southeast Division foe this season, putting the Caps' mark in the division at 8-1-0.

 

After the game, Washington loaded up to head out west, where they face San Jose on Wednesday night.  They expect newly acquired Chimera to accompany the team on the road trip.

Bullet-point style!

On trade:

• "Thought it was the right trade for us right now"
• Felt like they could move an extra defenseman
• Will likely move Laich to a center spot
• The trade "helps both teams" with Columbus acquiring veteran presence

On Chimera, specifically:

• Chimera has "good size" and "tremendous speed" and thinks he's a 15-goal a year scorer
• "Don't mind" the edge Chimera plays with

On Clark:

• "Clarkie was a terrific captain."

Why now?

• The deal was "discussed in September" but these things "have a way of resurrecting themselves." 
• He felt the team had "a hole we wanted to fill on the left side."

On getting cap relief (the Caps save over $2 million on the cap):

• The move was "not necessarily about cap space"
• But acknowledged that the team could be a major player at the deadline "if we wanted to be."

On the vacant captaincy:

• Out of respect for Clark, the team will "take our time and do things right."
• Will "address it in the near future."

Here's the press release.

It's a big deal when a team deals its captain mid-season, especially when that team currently holds the best record in the league and is playing at the top of its game. But that's exactly what the Washington Capitals did today, sending four-year captain Chris Clark and defenseman Milan Jurcina to Columbus in exchange for speedy winger Jason Chimera.

Clark, 33, a one-time 30-goal scorer, never regained that touch after injuries ravaged the better part of two seasons for him.  Clark had four goals and 11 assists this season with 27 penalty minutes.

Chimera, 30, has eight goals and nine assists with 47 penalty minutes with Columbus this season.  He brings size and speed and -- what can't be ignored -- a bit of toughness to the 2nd/3rd line mix.  In addition, Washington saves considerable space (over two million) under the salary cap with the move.

Speculation is rampant as to who should succeed Clark as captain.  On a team that should be making a serious run at going deep into the playoffs, it would be tough for the Caps to go without naming a captain. 

This season has seen four players -- Alex Ovechkin, Mike Knuble, Tom Poti and Brendan Morrison -- wearing the alternate captain's A at times, and Brooks Laich has always been a fan favorite to assume the mantel if'when the position became available.

For now, we wait and see on that question.

But one question that has been answered is this:  Will GM George McPhee be willing to make a trade to increase the Caps chances at chasing the Cup.  The answer is a resounding "yes".

From 2008.11.25 Chris Clark at ESPN Zone

Photo 2008 © Cheryl Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

BOX SCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY

The Washington Capitals, as they have so many times this season already, dominated through two periods, taking a 3-1 lead into the final frame against the Ottawa Senators Monday evening.

What followed was "a collapse by 20 guys and I don't know how else to sugarcoat it," according to coach Bruce Boudreau after the game. 

Ottawa scored twice in the third to tie and Mike Fisher, the NHL's No. 3 star of the week last week, batted home a centering pass from Chris Phillips past Semyon Varlamov (33 saves) in overtime to seal Washington's fate.

The Capitals (13-5-6), tied for the lead in the Eastern Conference with Pittsburgh, lost for the fourth time in five games (1-2-2) during a very trying time on the schedule, and with the accumulation of injuries across the team.

Missing again from the lineup were Alexander Semin, Milan Jurcina, Boyd Gordon, Shaone Morrisonn, Tom Poti, Mike Knuble and Quintin Laing.

No one wants to blame injuries and the schedule for the recent troubles, but reasons are different than excuses.

"I don't think the problem was physical," center David Steckel said. "I just think mentally we shut it down."

"It's a tough loss. I still can't really believe that we let it slip away," said Jay Beagle, who registered his first NHL goal to give the Caps a two-goal lead.  "I scored but at the same point you're disappointed with the loss so it's kind of a bitter feeling."

Washington has allowed a power play goal that has tied or been the go-ahead goal in the third period eight times this season, and unfortunately the trend continued.

Three penalties in the third period made playing with the lead more dangerous than it should have been.  Ottawa tied it up with Alex Ovechkin in the box for a questionable roughing call.  "I think he just go low and I just hit him," Ovechkin said. "But I don't take a penalty."

The Caps could do nothing with a gift later in the period, as the Senators were whistled for too many men on the ice.

"They wanted it more.  We take three dumb penalties, they get the momentum, they get the crowd into it and we leave our poor goalie out to dry," Boudreau said.

"What happens a lot to us is that we go two periods without a penalty and then all of a sudden it's, well, 'We got to call something on them.' And you get a cheap one. But at least two of them were deserved."

Washington outshot Ottawa 25-15 through the first two periods of play, but the table was reversed in the third, as the Sens dominated, beating the Caps in shots 18-3.

The Caps got first period goals from Chris Clark (2) and Brendan Morrison (8) to take the early 2-1 lead, and Beagle got his first in the second period, which should have made things comfortable in the third period.

But it seems like lately, when things should be comfortable, that's when the Capitals have their most trouble.

The Caps are off until Wednesday night, when they host the Buffalo Sabres at 7:00 pm at Verizon Center.

____________________________________________________

THREE STARS

1. M. Fisher - OTT (Goals: 1, Assists: 0)

2. P. Regin - OTT (Goals: 1, Assists: 0)

3. M. Green - WAS (Goals: 0, Assists: 1)

____________________________________________________

NOTES

Mike Green assisted on Morrison's goal, extending his point streak to seven games.

BOXSCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY//SHOOTOUT DETAILS

**Interesting to note that the number 11 was an important number in DC sports today.  Earlier on Wedneday, the Washington Nationals' made history when Ryan Zimmerman (#11) won the NL 3B Gold Glove which is the first Gold Glove for the Nationals.  Then tonight, the Caps won their eleventh in an eleven round shootout.  Both of these took place on the eleventh day of the eleventh month.**

Washington, DC -- The Washington Capitals hosted the New York Islanders on a cold and rainy night, but made the night very exciting with a 5-4 win in an eleven round shootout.  Winning goal was scored by Captain Chris Clark.

Alex Semin is back and didn't waste any time getting things started.   Eight seconds in (and tying a franchise record for fastest goal to start a game), Semin scored with a rocket slap shot after Morrison won the draw.  Semin scored twice in regulation and again in the shootout.  Caps Coach Bruce Boudreau said, "He looked like he wanted to play.  And when he wants to play, he could have had six. He's scary good when he's motivated. There's the good and the bad -- the goal, the giveaway, the miss."

The Islanders quickly responded with a Matt Moulson goal at 1:02.  New York scored another two goals so had three unanswered goals in less than seven minutes of the first period.  The game was on pace for a football score.

Jose Theodore was pulled at 6:54 after the three Islander goals and replaced by Semyon Varlamov.  

"I don’t like to do that,” said Coach Boudreau of pulling Theodore, “especially so early, but he looked a little rattled and he looked a little down. It’s not like pulling him when the game is out of reach, we had so much time left. The last time he was pulled Varly came in and shut the door, so I thought he would be able to do it again. Theo has played so well for us and he had a rough outing and he’ll come back this week and play another game and he’ll be great for us.”

Tomas Fleischmann scored on a power play at the end of the first period. The second period had only two goals and both were by Caps including Semin's second goal of the night to tie the game at three. With only 3:08 left in second, Eric Fehr became the tenth Cap to score in the four games where Ovechkin has been sidelined. "Good teams have guys pick it up," Boudreau said. "But by no means do we not miss him."

Varlamov shut down the Islanders until Trent Hunter scored on a power play with only 2:08 left in regulation to tie it up at four.  "We can't stand prosperity," Boudreau said. "We go penalty-less for two periods, then we take three in the third."

After a scoreless overtime, Varlamov yielded only one goal in the shootout by Jeff Tambellini which was on the Islanders' first attempt. Varly made several fantastic saves in the shootout, however, the highlight was in Hunter's 9th round shot which Varly stopped with his pads, then used his arms to grab the crossbar to stop from sliding into the goal with the puck in his pads. "I was just skating back into the goal very fast," he said through an interpreter. "I just grabbed the first thing I could to stop my movement into the net."

It took eleven rounds of the shootout before Captain Chris Clark beat Roloson to give the Caps the win.

Varlavmov earned the number one star of the game as well as the Hardhat for his 25 saves and .962 Save Pct:.
_______________________________________________________

SCORESHEET

1ST PERIOD
00:08 Alex Semin (8), Slap Shot. Assist: B Morrison
01:02 Matt Moulson (8), Wrist Shot. Assist: Streit
05:10 Mark Streit (3), Slap Shot. Assist: Gervais, Schremp
06:54 Sean Bergenheim (2), Backhand. Unassisted.
13:42 Power Play -Tomas Fleischmann (6), Slap Shot. Assist: Backstrom, Knuble

2ND PERIOD
05:35 Power Play -Alex Semin (9), Snap Shot. Assist: Green
16:46 Eric Fehr (2), Backhand. Assist: Clark, Green

3RD PERIOD
17:52 Power Play - Trent Hunter (2), Slap Shot. Assist: Tavares, Nielsen

OT
None

SHOOTOUT

NYI: Tambellini (Round 1), Wrist Shot
WAS: Semin (Round 2), Backhand and Clark (Round 12), Snap
________________________________________________________

THREE STARS

1. S. Varlamov - WAS (Saves: 25, Save Pct: .962)

2. A. Semin - WAS (Goals: 2, Assists: 0)

3. M. Streit - NYI (Goals: 1, Assists: 1)

________________________________________________________

Photos © 2009 Cheryl Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

After a complete meltdown--offense, defense, special teams, goalie--in a 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, the Washington Capitals must turn right around and find a way to bounce back for Game Five tonight at 7:00 p.m. at Verizon Center, where they won Games One and Two. The series is tied at two games apiece.

The Caps 21-year old netminder, Semyon Varlamov, finally had an off night in this playoffs, allowing five goals, four of which his coach described as "soft". And he looked shaky on several of the saves he did make.

"He struggled," Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "He hasn't a bad game. Arguably, there were four soft goals out of the five. But he'll bounce back."

Asked if he would put Varlamov back out there for Game Five, Boudreau replied, "As far as I'm concerned, yes."

Washington was again out shot, 28-22, and took more penalties, 6-4, than their opponent. The Caps were 0-for-4 on the power play.

Alex Ovechkin only managed two shots on goal, and his biggest influence on last night's game was his hit on countryman Sergei Gonchar, which resulted with a knee-on-knee hit that sent Gonchar to the locker room.

Ovechkin was issued a tripping penalty, and it was obvious that Ovechkin was trying to hit Gonchar high, but as the defenseman tried to slip the hit, his upper body got out of the way, leaving his lower body to bear the brunt of the impact.

Pittsburgh players, however, did not like the hit.

"Everyone likes to play hard, and play physical," Orpik added. "But there's a line you can't cross, and a lot of guys in our room felt like the last couple games he was taking shots where he was trying to hurt guys."

Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said Gonchar was not ruled out for tonight's game yet, but the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said while Gonchar travelled with the team, he was wearing a large knee brace in the team's hotel this morning.

Washington got goals from Nicklas Backstrom, Chris Clark, and a short-handed marker from Milan Jurcina.

Pittsburgh's goals came from Bill Guerin, Maxime Talbot, Ruslan Fedotenko, Sidney Crosby and Gonchar.

Mike Green had one great move that led to Clark's goal, and registered three shots and three hits, but played poorly defensively and was ineffective for most of the night and was minus-2 in the game. Alexander Semin took four shots and had three hits, but missed four shots and was minus-3.

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.
________________________________________________________
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)
_________________________________________________________
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)
__________________________________________________________
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.

Washington Capitals Captain Chris Clark participated in a fan Q&A at the ESPN Zone in downtown DC Tuesday evening. Radio play-by-play announcer Steve Kolbe was the emcee for the evening's festivities.

Kolbe asked Clark some "get to know you" questions, such as memories of his first NHL goal (against J.S Giguere, a player he played with in the minors), what it's like to play with Alex Ovechkin, and how he came about to wear #17, as a tribute to his big sister, a basketball player. Clark grew up a Hartford Whalers fan, but his favorite player as a youngster was Boston's Cam Neely.

Clark talked about being named captain after Jeff Halpern left the team. "It's a special honor and I still continue to try to be the best--obviously I want to be the best player I can be, but I want to be the best leader. I want to be one of those captains that guy remember later on in life, later on in their career...for the younger guys I can help them along or have advice for them."

Clark then took questions from the fans in attendance. When asked about rivals in the Southeast Division versus tradition rivals in the northeast, Clark replied that the players really feed off the electricity in games at Verizon Center when the Flyers or Penguins are in town. "The atmosphere is unbelievable. Now that we have a team where we have our fans coming to the game, the opposing team scores and they don't get a bigger ovation than we do. That's just amazing."

He also remarked that it seems that each year the Caps are battling a different team for first in the Southeast, and natural rivalries are building through competition.

He also spoke a bit about facing long-time teammate Olie Kolzig. "Really weird. It was something special to see him and to play against him."

The Captain then signed autographs and posed for pictures with all in attendance.