Until last night, Mike Knuble had never scored a shootout goal.  But coach Bruce Boudreau played a hunch, sending the veteran out to take the Capitals fourth shot, after the initial three rounds were tied. 

A little head fake got Marc-Andre Fleury on the ice, and Knuble sent a quick snap shot past the splayed goalie, giving the Washington Capitals a 4-3 victory over their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, before another capacity crowd at Verizon Center.

The win is Washington's third consecutive over the Pens this season with one remaining, an Apr. 6 tilt at the Igloo.

This game had everything the fans could have wanted in a hockey game.  There were end-to-end rushes, but solid defense as well.  There were sniper's shots and fabulous goaltending.  There was skilled skating and tremendous checking.  It was, simply, as good as regular season hockey gets.

Sure, the officiating left something to be desired.  Doesn't it always seem to in these affairs?

But Caps-Pens is must-see hockey.  Heck, even the Washington Post sent seven reporters to last night's game.  The unofficial attendance in the press box was close to capacity overall, with local media, Pittsburghers, national media and bloggers alike jammed elbow to elbow in the penthouse.

And they, like everyone in paid attendance and watching on TV, got what they came for.

Neither Sid the Kid nor the Great Eight lit the lamp in this one, so they remain tied for the NHL's goal scoring lead.  But they both assisted on a teammates' goal, and they were the center of attention for the other squad's top defensive pair all night.

Jose Theodore earned the second star of the night with 39 saves on 42 shots, including several dramatic kick saves, solidifying his hold on the No. 1 goalie position heading into the playoffs.

Knuble started the scoring with a crease-crashing rush, knocking the puck out of the air behind Fleury--but waiting until it was below the crossbar--then stuffed it in from behind the Pittsburgh keeper.

And Eric Fehr scored his 21st goal of the season, redirecting a blistering slap shot from the point by Mike Green.

But tonight's biggest play came from the enigma, Alexander Semin.

Early in the third period, Pittsburgh was awarded a power play when Jeff Schultz wrapped up and tackled Crosby on his way to the Caps' net.

Semin was part of the second shift of penalty killers, with Boyd Gordon (back) and Brooks Laich (face) scratched.  He deftly intercepted a weak saucer pass through the high slot and carried end-to-end along the left wing boards. 

As he entered the offensive zone, he realized the Pens' forwards did not bother to backcheck, so he drifted through the high slot and--justlikethat--whipped a wicked wrist shot past an unsuspecting Fleury to knot the game at two.

As TV analyst Craig Laughlin said, no one else in the game possesses that shot.

So a close game that could have broken open with an enemy power play goal turned back into a new game, due to a superb effort by a ridiculously talented player that sometimes seems to lack motivation or concentration.

Just another chapter in a fabulous saga of good hockey, and good hockey hatred.

The Washington Capitals were visited by Polk Co. (FL) investigators today in relation to an arrest made in a case revolving around a central Florida man and a northern Virginia chiropractor dispensing steroids.

The team issued a statement this afternoon, defending the team and distancing itself with the chiropractor, disavowing his claim to be the "team's chiropractor", however noting that several Capitals have visited him for services in the past. 

Dr. Douglas Owen Nagel, a Virginia chiropractor who was arrested today, is not affiliated with the Washington Capitals and is not the “team chiropractor,” as he has stated. Dr. Nagel’s office, however, has seen some of our players for standard, routine chiropractic services.

As part of the NHL’s drug policy, Capitals players are randomly tested up to three times per year by an independent testing agency, which sends the samples to the World Anti Doping Association for testing. Capitals players have been tested twice so far this year. At no time in our history has a Capitals player ever tested positive.

As was the case with the original investigation in May 2009, this seems to be a case of small fishes in a big pond, and the Caps have stated clearly that they have never had a player test positive for steroids under the league's strict anti-doping testing and rules.

But, according to reports, they were asked questions today at the Capitals' practice facility, Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Ballston.  Let's continue to hope that ther's no fire at the end of all this smoke.

Washington Capitals star forward Alex Ovechkin was given a two-game suspension by NHL discipline czar Collin Campbell today, according to reports, for his hit on Brian Campbell in Sunday's nationally televised gaem against the Chicago Black Hawks.

Reports out of Chicago indicate Campbell has a broken clavicle and ribs.

In the crazy, mixed up world of hockey justice, hits like those meted out by Mike Richards, Matt Cooke and most recently, Steve Downie on Sidney Crosby, don't merit suspension.  

Recently, Maxim LaPierre received four games for a hit from behind, but the plays, while similar, were not equal and the penalties reflected that.

But Ovechkin's hit, while late, paled in comparison to the previous ones mentioned, yet not only received a game misconduct, but two-game suspension as well.

This is Ovechkin's second suspension of the season, and one wonders how much that factored into the decision.  He was punished for a boarding call against Buffalo's Patrick Kaleta and a knee-to-knee hit against Carolina's Tim Gleason.

Ovechkin was considered a "repeat offender" in the decision, one that could potentially haunt the Capitals as the season progresses toward the playoffs.

I love Ovechkin as much as the next guy, but at some point he has to acknowledge that he's bringing this attention onto himself.  The hit against Campbell, while not being egregious, was late and while Campbell was in an awkward position.  It's unfortunate about the extent of Campbell's injury, and one must assume that those injuries played into the decision for the suspension.

But the very fact that plays like this can warrant a suspension, yet head shots like Richards' and Cooke's, both of which inflicted severe injury as well, do not, speaks to a larger problem for the NHL.

Due to the gray area in the rules, headhunting is not reprimanded, where a push in the back, on a routine hockey play, however unfortunate, merits suspension.  Tough call to make.  Even tougher to justify it.

Nicklas Backstrom scored on an end-to-end rush, before getting creamed in the slot, in overtime to finish off a tremendous comeback for the Washington Capitals. The 4-3 win over the Chicago Black Hawks gives the Caps 46 wins and 101 points for the season.

Trailing 3-0 at the start of the third period, Washington scored three times in 2:16, as Chicago coughed up its second three-goal third period lead in as many days.  The Caps outshot the Black Hawks 11-1 in the third.

Backstrom made a terrific defensive play in his own end, making up for an earlier mistake, then carried the puck the length of the ice before beating Antii Niemi cleanly, then getting smashed up after the shot.

The super Swede also had the middle goal of the trifecta in the third.  Brooks Laich (22) tallied on a power play to start the comeback and Eric Fehr notched his 18th to tie the game and send it to overtime.

And while everyone should be talking about the Caps determination and perserverance in this one to take two points against a very good team in a tough building, all anyone is going to be talking about is, once again, Alex Ovechkin's "recklessness".

At 12:16 of the first period, Ovechkin was forechecking against Chicago's Brian Campbell.  Ovechkin hit Campbell behind the goal after he'd played the puck, hitting him in the shoulder/upper back area.  Campbell went down hard--shoulder first--into the end boards and Ovechkin fell over top of him.  Campbell laid on the ice for several moments, was attended to by a trainer, and did not return to the game.

Ovechkin was assessed a boarding major and game misconduct.

The play warrented a penalty; the hit/shove was late and unnecessary in my book, and Campbell went hard into the boards.  But the game misconduct, and the subsequent mandatory review by league officials, was overboard.

The game announcers, as well as studio hosts Pierre McGuire and Mike Milbury, all thought the game misconduct was uncalled for as well.

There is no automatic suspension, as this major comes far enough after the previous one to not trigger the automatic suspension.  But given Ovechkin's track record (murky enough, at this point), the injury to Campbell (which we don't know the severity of it yet) and the fact that it happened on national television, one can't help but wonder if the Great 8 isn't going to miss some ice time in the near future.

The league's disciplinary arm, led by Collin Campbell, has been taking it hard lately.  The incident with Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke not receiving discipline on his blatent elbow to the head of unsuspecting Boston forward Marc Savard will only boost the call for further discipline on Ovechkin.

So the Caps were badly outplayed by Chicago in the first two periods, lost their leader to a questionable call by the on-ice officials, and stormed back to tie--then win--in one of the league's tougher buildings.  It's enough to give Caps fans palpitaions.

So might Collin Campbell's decision for further discipline against one of the games' brightest stars.

But what can't be debated here is Ovechkin's poor judgment on the play. 

Chicago's Campbell had already played the puck and had his back to Ovechkin.  Ovie has to know only bad things can happen if you hit a player from behind into the boards. 

And with the league's ambiguity and haphazard manner of discipline, someone as important to his team as Ovechkin is can't be putting himself in a position to make a bad hit like that.  He needs better judgment on that play.

He was quoted after his earlier suspension for the kneeing hit on Carolina's Tim Gleason that he only knows how to play one way and he wasn't going to change.  He needs to rethink the logic in that staement and start to make better judgments about when--and how--to play physical.

Because with the scattershot justice system in place in the NHL, you never know.  Something as innocuous as this hit--if it happened in the playoffs--might turn out to keep him off the ice when his team needs him the most.

In a back-and-forth firewagon affair, the Washington Capitals had the last laugh, as Tomas Fleischmann ended sudden death overtime with a one-timer past goalie Manny Legace to give the Caps a 4-3 victory over their division rivals, the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-3, before another packed house at Verizon Center.

With less than two minutes remaining in overtime, newly acquired center Eric Belanger carried the puck into the offensive end calmly, and held the puck long enough to draw both defensemen. He then fed a streaking Fleischmann near the right wing face off dot, who fired a laser past the veteran Legace.

It was Fleischmann's 19 goal of the season, and give the Caps their 45th win of the campaign, and 99 points for the season, with 15 games to play.

Mike Green scored twice on the power play (16, 17), and Alexander Semin started the scoring with his 31st of the year, a nifty backhand after breaking in clean.

Jose Theodore was very strong in net, making 28 saves, including a first period penalty shot by Brandon Sutter, who was tripped form behind by Green on a turnover-induced breakaway while the Caps were on a power play.

As is typical of Caps-Canes games, this one was fast-paced and spirited. Coupled with four players changing sides at the trade deadline--all of whom were in the lineup--and perhaps there was a bit extra on the line tonight.

Scott Walker and Joe Corvo suited up against recent former teammates for the Capitals, while Brain Pothier and AHL Hershey star Oskar Osala, who was called up today as an injury replacement, faced their old team for the first time since being traded at the NHL trade deadline Mar. 3.

For the second game in a row, the Caps held a lead of 2-0 before eventually being tied and forced to overtime. Unlike Monday, when Dallas held in OT and won on penalty shots, the Caps ended things in the extra frame.

The Caps host another division rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Friday at 7:00 pm.

Veteran Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco stole two points for his team tonight.  There's no other way to say it. 

Turco made a career-high 49 saves in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals, ending the Caps home winning streak at 13 and their most recent three game win streak since the Olympic break.

The Stars have struggled since the Olympics, going 0-3 and had been outscored 17-5.  And in this game they were dominated again.  Any team that was outshot 52-26 was dominated.

But none of that mattered tonight.

The Caps seemed to have this one in the bag, leading 2-0 after two periods, thanks to goals by Tom Poti and Alex Ovechkin, ending his personal six-game drought.

But the Stars roared back for three third period goals in the span of six and a half minutes and had the lead late.  Two of the Stars' goals were of the power play variety (on rather dubious calls, especially the holding call on Matt Bradley), and the third was a gift by Semyon Varlamov, who lost his concentration on a soft shot from the wing by James Neal.

But the Great 8 tied things up with a little more than three minutes left, and the Caps looked like they just turned things back on again.  That's where Turco did most of his good work.

He flat stoned Alexander Semin on three consecutive shots late in the game on an extended shift where the Caps relentless pressure just seemed to fuel Turco as he made save after increasingly frustrating save.

Overtime would prove the same, as the Caps--as for much of the evening as a whole--dominated play but could not dent the cagey veteran.
Shootout went to five rounds.  Nicklas Backstrom for Caps and Brad Richards for Stars scored in second round and Loui Eriksson of Dallas scored the winning goal.

Sometimes a goalie just steals a win for his team.  Turco has been much-maligned this season, but on this night, he was exactly what the Dallas Stars needed.  Marty earned a well deserved number one star of the game.

The Caps are back at it Wednesday at 7:00 pm against the Carolina Hurricanes, including former Capital Brian Pothier.


Other Notes:
The Capitals have signed center Keith Aucoin to a two-year contract extension, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Coach Boudreau hinted in post-game conference that John Carlson will stay with Capitals instead of going back to Hershey.

Washington will practice at 11:30 a.m. at Kettler Iceplex on Tuesday morning.

Alex Ovechkin had 10 shots on goal, giving him 307 for the season. He is the only active player with five years of 300 shots or more.

Alex Ovechkin's two goals bring his season total to forty-four, which ties Sidney Crosby for first in the NHL.

Two future NHL HOFers....

Coach Bruce Boudreau succinctly summed up the entire story of the Washington Capitals 2-0 win over the New York Rangers tonight, when asked what he thought of goalie Jose Theodore's performance.

"I thought he was by far our best player," Boudreau said.

Theodore was challenged all night by the normally anemic Ranger attack, and New York managed to get 30 pucks on net.  On the few occasions was Theodore forced to work especially hard, and he was up to the task all night.

Theodore's biggest save came in the second period with the Caps clinging to a 1-0 lead at the time. 

Shaone Morrisonn accidentally sent the puck right to New York's Brandon Dubinsky in the slot, and Theodore neatly turned away the backhander.

Theodore was surprised, but was in good position to make the save.

"Sometimes [things] happen pretty quick out there.  Next thing I knew [Dubinsky] was all alone.  I was able to get a pad on it and keep it out of the net."

"As a goalie, there is not a better feeling than when you bail one of your friends out of trouble like that.”

"That was definitely a turning point," Boudreau said. "Any time they were putting pressure on us, Jose would get it, and he would stop it, and he would not let a rebound go tonight. And that's, I think, the key to his game. He's brimming with confidence. We hope he can keep it."

General Manager George McPhee made four trades at the deadline, but none to acquire goaltending help.  He took criticism in some circles for the decision, but Theodore is, apparently very quietly, putting together one of his very impressive runs.

Since Jan. 13, Theodore has been simply excellent.  His record is 12-0-2 with a 2.38 GAA and .929 save percentage. 

"During the break, we were taking a lot about playing solid defensive hockey," Theodore said.  "In the playoffs that's how you win games."

Other Highlights:

• Eric Fehr scored the first goal of the game, his second in consecutive games, giving him 17 on the season.  Asked about the influx of new players, he said, "You gotta contribute if you want to stay in."
• The second goal was scored by newcomer Eric Belanger, who centered Alexander Semin and Brooks Laich tonight, sending Brendan Morrison to the press box.  "I've been in the league nine-ten years now," Belanger said.  "I know there's going to be a lot of different line combinations and hopefully we can find one where I fit well."
• Belanger's goal was set up by a beautiful cross-ice, no-look pass from Semin to Laich, who then hit a cutting Belanger.
• The win stretches the Caps club-record home winning streak to 13 games.
• Alex Ovechkin continued his scoring drought, now up to six games.  Nicklas Backstrom has a five-game scoreless streak.
• Joe Corvo had an assist and logged 2:14 of ice time.
• For Theodore, the shutout is the 29th of his NHL career and his first since March 17 at Florida. Saturday’s shutout was the first of Theodore’s career against the Rangers.
• The Caps are now 25-3-3 on Verizon Center ice this season.
• Washington was 1-4 on the power play and killed both penalies against.
• The video board played tributes to former Caps all night, celebrating the franchise's 35th anniversary. The Caps wore 35th Anniversary patches on the red jerseys and were auctioned after the game.
• It was also "Pick-a-Stick" night for charity.  For $65 fans were able to pick out a stick and the autograph was revealed. There were 200 sticks, however, there were at least 800 people in line by 6:15pm. $13,000 was raised for Caps charities.