Pregame Preview:
Coming off a four-game losing streak, the Caps returned to Verizon Center on Monday night and improved their home record to 7-1-1 with a 4-3 win over the Phoenix Coyotes.
Now the Caps hope to build off of that win against a Winnipeg Jets team that has won three straight after a five game winless streak. That streak included a 4-1 win over the Caps in Winnipeg last Thursday. The Jets, formerly the Atlanta Thrashers, become the first team from Winnipeg to travel to Washington since the old Jets (now the Phoenix Coyotes) tied the Caps 1-1 on January 16, 1996 at USAir Arena.
Right winger Eric Fehr also makes his return to the nation’s capital as a member of the Jets after being traded this summer in return for a 2012 4th Rounder and prospect Danick Paquette. Fehr made his season debut on Saturday after spending the first 19 games on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury. In six seasons with the Capitals, he logged 46 goals and 93 points in 230 career games.
Tonight Alexander Semin returns to action after sitting out Monday night as a healthy scratch while Joel Ward is benched for sleeping in and missing a team meeting yesterday.
Fehr will be in the starting lineup. He received a nice cheer from the Verizon Center crowd when his name was announced on the big screen.
Another familiar friend, the Rally Balloon is featured on tonight’s intro video. That was quick.
1st Period Overview:
– Winnipeg wins the opening faceoff.
– Jets are retaliating to Caps pressure pretty well here in the first 5 minutes of play.
– Alexander Semin puts the Caps up 1-0 5:23 in. Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson with the assist.
– Mark Stuart called for interference for the Jets. Power play for the Caps with 14:24 left in the first.
– It’s only been 8.5 minutes, but Alexander Semin is playing fantastic so far.
– Ovi just let a pass get stolen right in front of him by Dustin Byfuglien.
– As the middle of the period goes on, the Jets are doing a bad job of puck possession.
– Andrew Ladd ties it up for the #Jets on the 2-on-1. 1-1 all with 6:39 to go in the first.
– 12 seconds later, Jason Chimera puts the #Caps on top 2-1. Assisted by Brooks Laich and Karl Alzner. Time of goal 13:33.
– With 3:30 to go in the period, the Jets tie it at 2. Goal goes to Kyle Wellwood.
– After one period, the Caps and Jets are tied at 2.
Faceoffs Won: WPG – 9 WAS – 7
Hits: WPG – 10 WAS – 13
Shots on Goal: WPG – 10 WAS – 9
Goals: WPG – 2 WAS – 2
2nd Period Overview:
– Almost a tip-in on his own net by John Carlson a minute and a half in.
– Nicklas Backstrom puts the Caps up 3-2 3:08 into the second. Dmitry Orlov gets his first NHL point with the assist. Karl Alzner also gets an assist.
– Caps on the PP with Blake Wheeler tripping of Tomas Vokoun. Time of penalty: 4:48.
– Troy Brouwer now credited with assist along with Orlov on Backstrom goal.
– Orlov with an upender on Wheeler.
– Ovechkin lays out Jason Jaffray… and follows it up with a hit on Byfuglien on the boards. Prompts chants of “Ovi! Ovi! Ovi!” from the crowd.
– Matthieu Perreault looks very indecisive with the puck tonight.
– Perreault gets two minutes for boarding.
– Mike Knuble now gets two minutes for slashing. #Caps now at two-man disadvantage.
– Matt Hendricks and Laich both about to take on Nik Antropov. Laich and Antropov both get two minutes for roughing.
– Caps performed very well on that penalty kill.
Faceoffs Won: WPG – 5 WAS – 12
Hits: WPG – 10 WAS – 10
Shots on Goal: WPG – 9 WAS – 14
Goals: WPG – 0 WAS – 1
3rd Period Overview:
– Ovi takes quite a whirl after his shot attempt. Caps get the PP. Stuart gets 2 minutes for holding the stick.
– Fan in the front row gets a souvenir stick. Don’t see that very often.
– Fans booing profusely because fan is forced to give back the stick. Give that man a Rally Balloon!
– Johannson almost gets a deflection past Pavelec 8 minutes in.
– Knuble’s goal around the 8-minute mark is ruled a no-goal by the refs.
– Jets take advantage just a few seconds later and tie it up at 3 with 7:24 to go in the game. This kind of momentum shift always seems to happen with DC sports teams.
Shots on Goal: WPG – 6 WAS – 13
Goals: WPG – 1 WAS – 0