For most of the season, the Washington Capitals No. 1 goalie position has been a revolving door.  Really, since Semyon Varlamov took over for Jose Theodore in the first round of the playoffs last season against the New York Rangers, the position has been open.

Coming into training camp, Theodore stated it was his. 

Then, out of the gate, Varlamov wrested the mantel away, going 12-1-3 (2.21, .924) before injuring his groin, then injuring his knee while on a rehab assignment.  That was a month ago, and the young Russian has taken the last two days off from skating in his most recent rehab.

To hear him tell Sport-Express reporter Slava Malmud:

"Of course I am [frustrated]. I haven't played [in the NHL] for more than a month. How is this possible for a 21-year-old to get a nagging injury that won't heal? It's not the time in my career when I am supposed to get injury-prone."

is particularly disheartening.  His chance at Olympic glory now is in doubt.

The "other" kid goalie, Michael Neuvirth, took his turn at No. 1 for a couple of weeks, adding to Theodore's frustration.  But the team had no where else to turn at that point.

Theodore needed a day off earlier in the season for personal reasons, and it's really quite remarkable he hasn't needed more this season.  No one would wish the heartache of losing a child on anyone, as Theodore and his wife did over the summer, and it's pure speculation that the mental health day was centered around that.

Upon returning from the absence, Theo did not play well, prompting the move to Neuvirth.  And the 21-year old turned in several good performances, pushing Theodore further down the organization's depth chart and into an afterthought for many fans.

The nadir perhaps was after a Dec. 27 practice, when Theodore snapped a stick in frustration as he left the ice surface at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, and volunteered to reporters that he "just works here."

He was introspective the next day, as he told the Washington Post.

"We have three good goalies and if you want to play, the guy who is not playing up to the way he can, he's not going to play," said Theodore, who had not played in a span of four games at that point. "If I want play more games, I have to play really well. It's the same for all three goalies."

Neuvirth would be coach Bruce Boudreau's go-to man for a couple more weeks.  But back-to-back starts against Tampa Bay and Florida, where he surrendered four goals in the first 15 shots in both contests, left Boudreau looking for answers.

And he found them in the veteran he's had all along:  Jose Theodore.

Since taking over for Neuvirth in the second period of the Florida game, Theo has led the Caps to four straight victories, including shutting out Florida on 15 shots to allow his teammates to climb all the way back and win a contest they trailed 4-1 in.

Since, he's beaten Toronto, Philadelphia and, last night, Detroit.

Theodore was nothing short of superb against the Red Wings.  He stopped 44 of the 46 shots against him, many in spectacular fashion.

In his last four games, he has saved 117 of the 123 shots he's seen, a .951 save percentage.

After the game last night, Theodore said he's maintained his confidence throughout the whole ordeal.  "[My confidence] is pretty good, but I never try to get too high or too low on myself," he said after the game. "When I wasn't playing, my confidence was still pretty good because I was working hard, practicing hard."

So the veteran has played big, just when the team needed him the most.  One of the team's 21-year old prodigies can't get healthy and the other was lambasted in his last two starts.

And with Varlamov unavailable to his team for at least a couple more weeks, it's quite possible Theo will have to be the man up until the Olympic break, which then very quickly brings us up to the March 3 trade deadline.

Can the former Vezina and Hart trophy winner continue his recent hot stretch and be the goalie this team needs him to be?  Or will a regression--sometimes as simple as one bad goal--destroy the confidence Theodore's built, triggering new cries to GM George McPhee to find a capable veteran goalie.

It's an interesting conundrum, and the next couple of weeks will go a long way into giving us, and McPhee, the answer.

Washington, DC--The Washington Capitals, save for one player, were completely outplayed by the Detroit Red Wings at the Verizon Center tonight.  That they escaped with a 3-2 win is simply remarkable.

The one player that kept his mates in the game, goalie Jose Theodore, was the most important player on the ice.

"That's probably the best I've seen him," coach Bruce Boudreau said after the game.  "I'm watching him, going 'this must've been how he was when he won the Vezina and the Hart in Montreal that year,' because without him it could very well have been 6-0 at the end of the first period."

The embattled goalie made 44 saves -- some spectacular in nature -- to keep his team in the game until the rest decided to match his intenisty.

Theodore, for his part, said hs confidence hasn't wavered, despite at times being relegated to the bench by goalies much his junior this season.

"[My confidence] is pretty good, but I never try to get too high or too low on myself," he said after the game.  "When I wasn't playing, my confidence was still pretty good because I was working hard, practicing hard."

Through 53 minutes the Wings held a 2-1 lead.  But by all accounts, including Boudreau, it should have been five or six to one.  Theodore, making his third consecutive start, played quite simply his best game as a Washington Capital, time and again turning away Detroit's skilled players.

The Caps were sloppy, slow, and committing the biggest hockey sin, often were found watching the play.  On several occasions, Messers. Ovechkin, Green, Semin, et al. simply stopped skating while the play was still in action--notably in the offensive zone. 

Repeatedly the Caps would get a puck to the slot, or behind the crease, and they would wait for it to come to them, or for someone else to go chase down the puck.

It's a plague that occasionally affects individual members of the squad.  But tonight it took it's toll on most of the team.

Center Nicklas Backstrom admitted that the Caps had the play taken to them for most of the game.  "They outworked us, I guess."

Boudreau was particularly disappointed by the play in the first period.  "Well, today it was like men versus boys," he said.  "[Detroit] came out with a vengeance and I'm sitting here thinking this is what Stanley Cup champions that are desparate do.  And it's a bar we have to get to."

"It was just fortunate that our goalie was great in the first period."

But something happened here in the middle of the third period.  Detroit's Todd Bertuzzi took a tripping penalty at 12:40, and perhaps getting the man-advantage was enough to wake the sleeping giants.

For 35 seconds later, Nicklas Backstrom took a pass from his captain, Alex Ovechkin, made a hard move around a Detroit defender, and beat goalie Chris Osgood to even the score at two all.

From that point on, the Capitals joined the fight against a team that reached the Stanley Cup finals last season, but are fighting for their playoff lives, ninth place in the Western Conference.

Less than a minute later, defenseman Karl Alzner won a puck at mid-ice and started into the offensive zone.  He dropped a pass for winger Alexander Semin, who fired a laser toward the crease.  Center David Steckel got just enough of the puck to redirect it past Osgood, and just like that, the Caps held a 3-2 lead.

Not known for his scoring, Steckel said, "I honestly thought it went wide at first until I looked back."

It was the only lead of the game, and they made it stand up, killing the final of five minor penalties assessed against as time wound down.

Steckel, who logged major minutes on the penalty kill tonight, summed up the effort playing a man down tonight, killing all five opposing power plays.  "It was huge.  Coach just challenged us because we haven't been that great lately."

"Theo was our best penalty killer."

Could one of this season's worst performances as a whole end up as one of the biggest wins of the year?

Matt Bradley, who scored the first goal for the Capitals, might think so.  "We were lucky to get the win tonight.  But it was still a win."

Notes:  The Caps have won four games in a row and seven of their last eight.

Washington sits atop the Eastern Conference with a record of 31-12-6 and 68 points.

Detroit Red Wings (24-16-8-56, 3rd in Central)

v.

Washington Capitals (30-12-6-66, 1st in Southeast)

Verizon Center, 7:00 pm

____________________________________________________________

• Washington hosts Detroit for the only time this season, winners of seven of their last eight games. 
• The Caps have scored four or more goals in each of their last seven contests.
• D John Carlson (+4 in two recent games) was sent back to Hershey after practice Sunday so he could participate in the AHL All-Star game
• D Karl Alzner was recalled from Hershey to take Carlson's place.  Very soon they will be wearing the red together, and will for a very long time.
• LW Alex Ovechkin has four goals and 10 assists in his last six games, and was named the NHL's No. 1 Star for last week.
• Jose Theodore will start in goal for DC.  In five January games, Theo is 4-1 with a 2.12 GAA and .929 save pct.
• Detroit has lost three of four games.
• Chris Osgood will get the start in net for the Wings.
• Detroit took this season's prior meeting, a 3-2 decision in Detroit, on Oct. 10.

BOX SCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY

The Washington Capitals turned a tight, tense game with their arch-rival Philadelphia Flyers into a resounding victory, scoring three times in the final two periods to secure a 5-3 victory before a raucous, sellout crowd at the Verizon Center.

Brooks Laich scored twice, breaking a considerable drought, and captain Alex Ovechkin netted a penalty shot, his first successful such play, after starting his career 0-for-5.

It was Ovechkin's 30th goal of the season, the Caps' fifth and last goal of the game, and triggered the promotion for giveaway wings from a local establishment.

"We just want to give fans free chicken wings and give them free food, you know?" Ovechkin said wryly in the locker room after the game.

Free food aside, it was a spirited contest.  And though no fights erupted like the last couple of matches, there was plenty of good checking from both sides.

The win was the Capitals third in a row and sixth in seven games.  The offense has been on a tear during that stretch, scoring four or more goals in seven straight contests.  For the season, the Caps average 3.71 goals per game, far outpacing second-place Chicago. 

Tonight's output was no less stellar.

"Eventually it's going to stop," coach Bruce Boudreau said of the recent string of high scoring. "We're not going to score five goals a game. But it's nice while it's going on."

The one player that had not been so involved in the offense of late was Laich.

The coach pulled Laich aside after their morning skate-around, and the two had a serious film session, going over each of the gritty winger's shifts the past few games.

Boudreau stressed to Laich that he needed to play with more "sandpaper", insinuating himself into the play more.

"It kinda looked uninspired to me, the way I was playing," Laich said from his locker stall.  "[Boudreau] said, 'get back to being determined, skating, using your assets,going to the net and good things will happen.'"

Both of Laich's goals came from point-blank range tonight, his first on a rebound of a Tomas Fleischmann shot in the crease, and the second a breakaway backhander on a lazy breakout pass during a Flyers' power play.

“He is a very intense young man,” says Boudreau of Laich. “Sometimes he likes to do too much. We just looked over his video – his shifts, his goals – we saw if there was anything we could find that he was doing different. We had a good talk and I was so happy when he scored. You are never going to find a guy that cares more than Brooks Laich.”

Mike Knuble had the Caps' first goal of the evening, tying the score midway through the first period, against his former teammates.  Alexander Semin added his 20th goal of the season -- a power play marker -- and an assist.

Washington killed three of the five power plays Philadelphia was awarded.

The Caps had just 22 shots on goals against Ray Emery, making his first start since Dec. 5, when the Caps torched him for five goals on just 17 shots in an 8-2 win.

The win signals the end of the regular season series with Philly, with the Caps owning their former Patrick division rivals, 3-0-1 for the season.  Washington us now 30-12-6, and with 66 points have retaken the lead in the Eastern Conference.

Washington hosts the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday night at 7:05 pm.

____________________________________________________________

THREE STARS

1. B. Laich - WAS (Goals: 2, Assists: 1)

2. A. Semin - WAS (Goals: 1, Assists: 1)

3. A. Ovechkin - WAS (Goals: 1, Assists: 1)

BOXSCORE//GAME SUMMARY//EVENT SUMMARY

Washington, DC -- The Washington Capitals hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs in front of a Red Rockin' Caps crowd.  The weather may have felt like winter, however, it was fall in DC tonight -- The Maple Leafs fell.  Caps dominated entire game and won 6-1.

It took less than a minute for Alex Ovechkin to score a goal and start racking up the points.  The NHL MVP had a season high five point game.  Ovechkin also had a career-high four assists.

After Ovi scored the first goal of the game, Coach Bruce Boudreau thought, "Alex is on tonight."

Mike Knuble and Ovechkin were the fabulous duo.  Back-to-back Knuble goals assisted by Ovi.  Knuble seems to be back on track with five goals in this last five games and his broken finger is healing nicely.

John Carlson was recalled from Hershey this afternoon and arrived at Verizon Center at 6:30 just in time for warmups.  Carlson received a warm reception from the surprised Caps fans when he was announced in the starting lineup.  Fans thanked him for his winning OT goal in the gold medal game at the World Junior Championships when Team USA beat Canada.

"It's pretty cool when you get cheered on like that," Carlson said. "It's cool to recognized like that. But you have to make sure to stay focused on the game, so they're still cheering for you after the game, too."

Caps found yet another enforcer--Shaone Morrisonn.  With about six minutes left in the game, it appeared that Colton Orr took a cheap shot at Mike Green which left him lying flat on his back and Shaone Morrisonn took up the fight with Orr.  Morrisonn ended up with 2 min for instigating, 5 min for fighting and 10 min for misconduct.  Orr was only slapped with a 2 min interference call along with 5 min for fighting.  Coach Boudreau said during post-game interview that after looking back at video, Orr's hit on Green "didn't look like a vicious check."

"We don't exactly have the toughest team in the world," said Boudreau, but 'this group cares about each other and when one hits one, they hit them all."

Caps have had a season-high 13 penalties twice this year - in each of the last two games. 

Per Caps Insider, Jason Chimera will receive an automatic one game suspension because he was whistled for an instigator in the final five minutes of the game. Coach Bruce Boudreau also receives an automatic $10,000 fine because of Chimera's infraction.

Jose Theodore looked sharp in goal and will likely be in goal against Flyers. Coach Boudreau said, "I hope this gets him some confidence. He'll probably start on Sunday afternoon and go again. He's a competitor, a battler. He's done it his whole life being a small goaltender with the awards he won. So it's no surprise to me that he's gone in there and is saying, 'The heck with you guys, 'I'm going to be great.'"

Theodore gave Carlson the Hard Hat. "None of the Canadians were happy with me, it was pretty funny" said a smiling Number 74.

_______________________________________________________

SCORESHEET

1ST PERIOD
00:49 Alex Ovechkin (29), Snap Shot. Assist: Backstrom
17:51 Eric Fehr (12), Slap Shot. Assist: Ovechkin, Chimera

2ND PERIOD
04:03 Mike Knuble (11), Backhand Shot.  Assist: Ovechkin, Backstrom
06:48 Power Play - Mike Knuble (12), Wrist Shot. Assist: Ovechkin, Semin
18:37 Power Play - Tomas Kaberle (5), Slap Shot.  Assist: Kessel, Stempniak

3RD PERIOD
06:47 Power Play - Tomas Fleischmann (16), Tip-In.  Assist: Ovechkin, Green
11:06 Tom Poti (2), Wrist Shot.  Assist: Semin, Green

________________________________________________________

THREE STARS

1. A. Ovechkin - WAS (Goals: 1, Assists: 4)

2. M. Knuble - WAS (Goals: 2, Assists: 0)

3. J. Theodore - WAS (Saves: 28, Save Pct: .966)

For the second night in a row, Washington Capitals rookie goalie Michael Neuvirth gave up four goals in 15 shots, all in the first period.  And for the second night in a row, coach Bruce Boudreau called on veteran Jose Theodore was called on to relieve the youngster at the start of the second period.

Only on this night against the Florida Panthers, Theodore was excellent in net, holding the Panthers at four goals, allowing his talented teammates to chip away at opposite number Tomas Vokoun.

Theo stopped all 15 shots he faced in regulation, and was outstanding in overtime. On three successive odd-man rushes, including a one-on-one breakaway, Theodore came up big, steering away everything sent in his direction.

Eventually the Caps tied the game, sent it to overtime, and won on a seven-shot shootout, when Vokoun's Czech National teammate Tomas Fleischmann beat him to cap a tremendous comeback and steal the extra point from a stunned Panther squad.

Jason Chimera came up with a "Gordie Howe Hat Trick", with a goal, assist and fight, as he duked it out with Gregory Campbell in the second period.

Alex Ovechkin banged home the Caps third goal, 27 seconds into the third period, as the Florida D could not get the handle on a bouncing puck.  It's his 29th goal of the season, and break a little scoring drought for the two-time Hart Trophy winner.

Ovie's linemate, Nicklas Backstrom, tied the game midway through the third.  Defenseman Mike Green, who had a rough game against Tampa Bay Tuesday night, skated in from the point and directed the puck toward the net, where Backstrom got enough of his stick on the puck to flick it past a down Vokoun.

The bigger concern for Boudreau, however, has to be the poor play of his team in the first periods of the last two games.  The Caps have surrendered eight goals in the last two first periods, and only exceptional goaltending and elite goal-scoring skills rescued the game tonight.

For most of the season, the Caps have been able to dominate in the first period, outscoring the competition easily.  But against their Southeast Division foes the last two nights they just haven't been able to get out of the box.

Was it the result of starting a talented rookie who might have been suffering a confidence problem?  Could be.  Neuvirth looked outstanding in the 8-1 win over Atlanta, but confidence is a funny, fleeting thing.

Is this just a bump in the road?  The last two games of a three-game roadie might be enough to explain the sluggish starts.  The Caps play the next nine of their 11 at the Verizon Center, so that should be enough to cure that little problem.

Is it just something that happens in an 82-game schedule?  Most likely.

But if it isn't, Boudreau will get to the bottom of it.  This team is much too talented to struggle for long stretches, especially against their less-talented Southeast Division rivals.

The Washington Capitals had won 12 games in a row against Southeast Division foe Tampa Bay.  But Tuesday night the Caps could not match the Lightning's energy, and that lofty streak, along with a three-game winning streak, fell in a 7-4 loss.

Not only was the game filled with goals, but the third period was filled with heavy checks, fisticuffs, and The Professor stepping in for The Russian Machine in a fight.

The Caps got down early as they were dominated in the first period by Tampa Bay, and the frame ended with the Caps on the wrong end of a 4-1 count.  Michael Neuvirth surrendered four goals on 15 shots, though he could hardly be fully faulted for the performance.

Two of the goals were power play markers by Steven Stamkos, and the defense was fairly invisible for much of the frame.

Coach Bruce Boudreau mercifully switched goalies at the intermission, going to veteran Jose Theodore, and Theo was solid for the most part in the second, giving Washington the opportunity to claw back into the game.

Mike Green scored twice on the power play, and Eric Fehr lit the lamp with a sharp snap shot to draw things even.

But Martin St. Louis answered with less than three minutes remaining in the period to break the tie, in what would be the eventual game-winner.

The third period saw Tampa register two more goal to put things out of reach, then all hell broke loose.

Alex Ovechkin slammed Steve Downie with a clean shoulder, Downie took exception, and the two mixed it up a bit, each receiving two minute roughing penalties.

On their way out of the box, Downie slashed Ovechkin and the two exchanged words, eventually agreeing to dance.  The two discarded their gloves and helmets and brought up their dukes.  But flying across the ice was The Professor, Matt Bradley.

Bradley swooped in and saved Ovechkin from a fight, and he was hit hard by the officials.  He got an instigator, fighting, misconduct and leaving the bench.  He can probably also expect a call from discipline executive Collin Campbell in the next day or so.

Two minutes later, David Steckel and Zenon Konopka jawed at each other at the dot awaiting the faceoff.  Once the puck fell, the two went at it.  Steckel got a quick shot in to Konopka's beak, but was quickly overmatched. 

Konopka happens to lead the league in penalty minutes and fighting majors this season, and Steckel had exactly zero fights...until tonight.

But Stecks stood up for his team when they needed him, which turned into the theme of the evening for the Capitals, since the result on the scoreboard went so hard against them.

The Caps have little time to recover from getting bruised and bloodied, however, as they continue their jaunt through the sunshine state against Florida Wednesday night.