Nicklas Backstrom works along the half-wall en route to a power play goal. (Yahoo!)

The Washington Capitals rebounded from a disappointing game Saturday to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 5-3 inside Verizon Center on Sunday evening.  Getting a goal from Alex Ovechkin 19 seconds in to the game, the Caps also got goals from Troy Brouwer, Jason Chimera, and Marcus Johansson to make it 4-1 in the middle of the second period.  Buffalo would score two to make it 4-3 by the middle of the third period, but Mathieu Perreault sealed the result with five minutes to go in the game to back Braden Holtby’s 27 saves.  With the win, Washington moves to 12-15-1, good for fourth in the Southeast Division and 13^th in the Eastern Conference.  According to SportsClubStats, their odds of making the playoffs are currently 9.2%.

One thing that has been excellent under Adam Oates consistently despite the Caps’ up and down 2013 season has been the power play, clicking along at a rate near 25% for the majority of the year.  Fortified by power play wizard Mike Ribeiro, the Washington man advantage unit has, for the most part, been regular in its strength off attack (though it, like all power plays, has gone through some dry spells).  This is especially remarkable with the absence of Mike Green recently, who is the Caps’ best offensive defenseman and helps run the power play from the point.  Granted, this power play excellence has come with a sharp decrease in penalty kill percentage – but fans should be happy with how well the man advantage unit is playing this year.  A good power play is very fun to watch.

Extracurriculars in Boston? No way... (NESN)

The Washington Capitals were defeated for the fourth time in five games on Saturday afternoon in Boston, falling to the Bruins by a final score of 4-1.  Just as they did in Raleigh on Thursday night, Washington fell into a 2-0 hole in the first period, but were unable to climb out of the hole again.  Washington actually didn’t even score a goal off of their own sticks, as the one goal they did get, credited to Marcus Johansson, was an own goal that took a bad bounce off a defender and into the back of Anton Khudobin’s net.  With the loss, the Caps fall to 11-15-1, near the bottom of the NHL standings.

The Bruins came out hard and fast and never really looked back, a defining trait for this team over the last three seasons that has helped define them as a constant contender.  The big, physical Bruins established their forecheck early and their forwards wore down the Caps’ injured, overworked, and partly AHL defensive corps.  It’s not all injuries, because the Bruins wear down almost everyone they play; that’s why they are near the top of the NHL standings.  But the Caps’ injuries and just general ineffectiveness in their own defensive zone made things worse, much worse.  Until the Caps can get fully healthy in back and can avoid playing guys who are regularly healthy scratches, we are going to see teams have their way on the forecheck more often than not.  That forecheck often leads to goals against and losses.

Michal Neuvirth will be valuable to this organization, but in what capacity? (Clydeorama)

At the beginning of the 2010-11 season, Michal Neuvirth entered Washington Capitals training camp as the de facto backup to Semyon Varlamov, who had established himself as a supremely talented youngster over the previous two seasons.  With the Caps’ former “starter,” Jose Theodore, now departed for Minnesota, Varlamov was set to carry the Capitals during the 2010-11 season in net, making good on the tremendous potential he had showcased over the previous 18 months.  At least, that was the plan.

But as has been the case with almost everything involving the Washington Capitals over the last four years, things did not go according to plan.  Varlamov was frequently hurt, forcing Neuvirth in to the de facto starter’s role in his first full NHL season.  He responded brilliantly, and appeared to be the Caps’ long-term solution in goal.  But last season, a myriad of circumstances – Tomas Vokoun’s presence, his own injury and illness, and bad play – once again forced Neuvirth to the backup’s role.  This season has been no different for the Caps’ young Czech netminder: he has started one game in the last five weeks as Braden Holtby (deservedly, I must add) carries the mail in Washington’s goal.

What could the Caps do with Neuvy? Read on.

Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee made a couple of minor league transactions yesterday.  First, he acquired defenseman Chay Genoway from the Minnesota Wild for a 7th round draft pick. Genoway is a left-handed offensive defenseman who has posted 4 goals and 19 points in 53 games for the AHL Houston Aeros this season. Genoway, 27, appeared in 1 NHL game last season with the Minnesota Wild, but he spent most of his first professional season with the Aeros, posting 7 goals and 36 points in 72 games.

Chay Genoway

The Morden, Manitoba, native will ply his trade with the Hershey Bears for the rest of the season, but has a cap-friendly 2-way NHL contract that runs through the end of next season should the Caps need to call him up. Genoway is McPhee-sized at 5’9, 177, and McPhee brained, as he was WCHA student-athlete of the year and 1st team all-star as a senior at North Dakota in 2010-11. He also follows in the footsteps on Alexander Semin: he doesn’t fight often, but when he does, he fights a Staal brother.

McPhee then wheeled and dealt defenseman Kevin Marshall to the Toronto Maple Leafs for left winger Nicolas Deschamps. Deschamps was a second round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2008 after being the QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He has 16 points in 50 games this season and 100 points in 203 AHL games in his career. The 23-year old Quebec native has never appeared in an NHL game.

A tough, physical defenseman, Marshall is probably best known for his cameo on HBO’s “24/7: Road to the Winter Classic” as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, just days before his trade to the Capitals. He was not known to get along with the Hershey Bears coaching staff and is obviously immediately replaced in the lineup by Genoway and the newly healthy Dmitry Orlov.

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The Caps got the first signature game from Ovi in a while Thursday. (CanesCountry)

The Washington Capitals pulled a big win out in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday night, defeating the Southeast Division rival Carolina Hurricanes by a final score of 3-2.  After falling behind in the opening frame 2-0 in a period that was utterly dominated by Carolina, the Caps came clawing back with a goal from Aaron Volpatti in the second period and then Alex Ovechkin and Mike Ribeiro in the final frame to draw two huge points on the road.  With the win, the Caps are now eight points out of the Southeast Division lead, at 11-14-1, and are now at a 9.6% chance to make the playoffs (according to SportsClubStats).

How about Michal Neuvirth tonight?  The Caps’ backup goalie, starting his first game in over a month, was absolute dynamite this evening and helped the Caps win with 36 saves.  After allowing two goals in the first period, neither of which were his fault, he settled down brilliantly and delivered a big game for his team when they needed it most.  That must feel great for someone who has once again bee stapled to the bench in recent weeks due to no fault of his own, and may now get a chance against the big, bad Bruins in Boston on Saturday afternoon.

When Joe Corvo scores, you're going to have a bad time. (Yahoo!)

The Washington Capitals lost their third consecutive game on Tuesday night, being shut out on their home ice by the Southeast Division rival Carolina Hurricanes by a final score of 4-0.  After Marcus Johansson missed a tap-in early in the game, it all went downhill for Washington from there, who were unable to score on home ice and shut out by third-string Hurricanes goalie Justin Peters (who has been remarkably good against Washington in his career, to his credit).  With the loss, Washington moves to 10-14-1 and are now back in 14^th place in the NHL and 29^th in the NHL.

This was a gut-punch of a loss.  The Capitals came into this evening’s game with a chance to make up ground against a Division rival and put themselves back into the playoff hunt with a win.  Instead, they were outshot heftily on their own ice and, down 3-0 in the third period, did not muster a shot on goal until just over seven minutes were left in regulation time.  They needed a big performance from everyone on the roster and didn’t get it, and now face an even bigger uphill climb to make the dance.  It’s tough to win with an AHL blue line like the Capitals have now, and the injuries to key players on the back end hurt even more when you are going up against a good offensive team like Carolina.  Decision time is getting closer.

Alexander Semin returns once more, still one of the Canes' best players. (Clydeorama)

The Washington Capitals will close out their brief two-game homestand on Tuesday night with a critical game against the Southeast Division rival Carolina Hurricanes at Verizon Center.  The Caps, having lost two games over the weekend, are 10-13-1 this season for 21 standings points; they are therefore third in the Southeast Division and 12^th in the Eastern Conference.  Carolina, who smoked the Devils in their last game on Saturday, are 14-9-1 for 29 standings points, which puts them on top of the Southeast Division and therefore third in the Conference.  This is the second time the two clubs have met this season; the Caps shut out Carolina in their only previous meeting, 3-0.

With workhorse starter Cam Ward out of commission because of an MCL sprain, coach Kirk Muller will be forced to turn to backup Dan Ellis in the goal this evening.  Ellis made 31 saves in that 6-3 win over Jersey over the weekend but has posted a 2.60 and .921 save percentage in his limited work this year.  Outside the crease, Muller’s men will be without two of their regular top-six wingers, as Chad LaRose (concussion) and Tuomo Ruutu (hip) are both not expected to play.  Defenseman Joni Pitkanen is day-to-day with a lower body injury but also is not likely to suit up.

Following his solid performance in relief on Sunday, perhaps Michal Neuvirth will get the call in goal from Adam Oates for his first start in more than a month.  Neuvirth, who has once again taken a back seat to Braden Holtby, has a 2.98 GAA and .890 save percentage on the season and has seen limited action over the last six weeks, barely seeing any ice and being sick twice.  On the injury front, center Brooks Laich (groin), defenseman Jack Hillen (shoulder) and defenseman Mike Green (groin) are all out and will not play.  Defenseman John Erskine is questionable with an upper-body ailment suffered Saturday against the Islanders.  After a loss in which the Caps looked starved for offense, I would doubt that Mathieu Perreault and Wojtek Wolski will be scratched again, but they may.  If they are not, I’d look for Joey Crabb and one other player, perhaps even Jason Chimera, to be sent to the press box.

Puck drops 7:08-ish.  Check back later.

Harry Hawkings is a college student credentialed to cover the Capitals for RtR.  Follow him on Twitter here for all your news needs this season.

The Isles have always played the Caps close. (Clydeorama)

The Washington Capitals are in Uniondale, New York, this afternoon to take on the Islanders as they play the first of two back-to-back games on the weekend.  New York, who lost their last game against the Rangers on Thursday, are 10-11-3 and 4-4-2 over their last ten.  Their record gives them 23 standings points and places them fourth in the Atlantic Division and 10^th in the Eastern Conference, three points out of a playoff spot.  The Caps, who have won three in a row and eight of 11, are 10-11-1 for 21 standings points, which places them third in the Southeast Division and 12^th in the Conference.

Evgeni Nabokov is likely to start for the Isles this evening after making 35 saves on 37 shots during that losing effort against the Rangers earlier this week.  Nabokov has posted a 2.92 GAA, .904 save percentage, and one shutout in his 20 starts.  Outside the crease, the Isles will be only missing one player – defenseman Matt Carkner, who has lower body ailment.  One of Jack Capuano’s assistants, however – Brent Thompson - has been suspended for abusing an official and will not be on the bench.

Adam Oates has kept his starting goaltender for this one a secret, and will perhaps look to give Phillipp Grubauer his first NHL start in order to give Braden Holtby a breather.  Grubauer was great in his NHL debut, making a ton of saves against the Flyers in relief during the last game the Caps lost, but there’s no hotter goalie in the NHL right now than Holtby.  On the injury front, goalie Michal Neuvirth is still sick and isn’t even on the trip, while forward Brooks Laich and defenseman Jack Hillen are still out.  Center Marcus Johansson, absent for a month with a concussion, is on the trip and may play; it would be interesting to see who he would replace.  Otherwise, the lineup will probably stay the same after such a dominant performance on Thursday night.

Puck drops early; a 1:09 start is in order.  Check back later.

Harry Hawkings is a college student credentialed to cover the Capitals for RtR.  Follow him on Twitter here for all your news needs this season.

Score is best!!)))aha. (My San Antonio)

The Washington Capitals utterly humiliated the Florida Panthers on Thursday night, dominating them by a 7-1 to win their third consecutive game.  Getting goals from seven different players: John Erskine, Wojtek Wolski, Alex Ovechkin, Eric Fehr, Mathieu Perreault, John Carlson, and Mike Ribeiro, as well as 29 saves from Braden Holtby, the Caps continued to roll and kept their recent hot streak alive.  Washington is now 10-11-1 on the season.

Well, this was nice.  Facing an already brutal Florida team missing about half their lineup and essentially playing with half AHL players, the Caps pumped four past the Panthers in the first period, including two on their first two shots, and never looked back.  This reminded be of 2010, where the Caps scored with reckless abandon, especially against the Panthers as they feasted on inferior opposition almost every night.  It was great to watch, even if it was against a brutal team.

At noon today, Roman Hamrlik was claimed on waivers by the New York Rangers.  Hamrlik will look to play right away after the Rangers lost slawart defenseman Marc Staal to injury.  Staal took a puck to the eye last night and will likely be out for a while. 

Hamrlik was not used much this season, playing in just four games with the Caps, posting an assist and a -1 rating.  The 38-year old defenseman was signed to a 2-year, $7 million dollar deal in the summer of 2011 and managed to fall out of favor with several Capitals head coaches over that short period of time.  The #1 overall draft pick in 1992, Hamrlik is the active leader in games played in the NHL with 1,383.  He is also the all-time leader in games played by Czech-born players. 

The highlight of Hamrlik's time with the Capitals was likely his goal in game 7 of the second round against the very same Rangers who just claimed him. 

Bon voyage, Hammer.

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