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Week 20 Snapshot: Shallow Depth and the Trade Deadline
Ovi looking up - Rob Carr

Photo: Rob Carr

By Wednesday afternoon, I expect the roster of the Washington Capitals roster to be drastically different.

I’ve been saying some version of that since 2012, but I really mean it this time. With a plural number of players having requested trades, a solid week of blown two-goal leads, and rumors of George McPhee’s contract expiring at the end of the season, you gotta think the Caps are motivated to make changes.

I’m no good at guessing trades and I’m not any kind of insider, but I really do think multi-player trades are coming down the pike. Keeping the playoff streak in tact, negotiating a new contract from a point of strength, striving for results while Ovi is in a renaissance– these all seem like good reasons to be active this week.  I’ve got a bunch more of those reasons in this week’s snapshot, which, despite two wins and five points, isn’t all that sunny.

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By Peter Hassett 7 years ago

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Traktor No Longer Controls Their Own Destiny, Currently Out of the Playoffs With One Game Left
traktor-in-trouble

In KHL action on Saturday, Admiral jumped into the East’s final playoff spot with a 3-1 home win over Metallurg Novokuznetsk. On Sunday, Traktor Chelyabinsk, who still had control of their own destiny with a game in hand, had a chance to leapfrog Admiral if the could beat Torpedo.

They could not.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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The Risk and Reward of Dmitry Orlov and Mike Green
OrlovGreenFlyers

Photo: Evan Vucci

Thursday night, defense partners Mike Green and Dmitry Orlov were on the ice for two goals against. On Florida’s first goal, Jesse Winchester torched Orlov, blowing past him on the far wall. For the Panthers second goal, the duo left men wide open in front of Braden Holtby before Brad Boyes flipped the puck in.

Sunday afternoon, however, the pair was brilliant — at least for the first 50 minutes. Orlov had the first multi-goal game of his career while Green racked up three assists. It’s usually a zero-sum game with Greenlov: they either win big or lose badly.

Today, though, it was both. With 10 minutes left in game, Orlov went after Brayden Schenn, who had just hit him behind the net. Dima unleashed a brutal board in the corner, receiving a well-deserved five minute major. The Flyers got scored on the ensuing power play. They added two more to stun the Caps in their first game back at home since the Olympic break. Orlov and Green, naturally, were on the ice for the game-tying goal.

“He didn’t change,” head coach Adam Oates said of Orlov’s hit. “He was on the same shift and he went right back after him.”

“You’ve got to suck it up when it’s your turn,” the coach continued. “They hit hard too. They’re big boys too. They’ve got to push, they’re losing. They’ve got to push. We’ve got to be able to handle that.”

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By Chris Gordon 7 years ago

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Julianne Hough at the Caps Game (Photo)
julianne-hough

Photo: @SuperTeddy423

On Saturday, it was reported (why is this reported?) that Julianne Hough had flown to Washington D.C. This is the world we live in.

Well, sure enough, Verizon Center got a bit more Hollywood on Sunday as Hough was spotted taking in the Caps game against the Flyers to root on her boyfriend Brooks Laich.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Dmitry Orlov Boards Brayden Schenn, May Face Suspension (GIF)
orlov-shame

The shame.

Dmitry Orlov was having the game of his life. He scoarlov’d twice against the Philadelphia Flyers. He was playing smart, heads-up hockey.

But in the third period, Dima committed one of the most foolish penalties of his career. After taking a rough but clean hit from Brayden Schenn in the defensive zone, Orlov decided it was time for payback a little bit later.

Orlov lined Schenn up, leaped, and hit Schenn face-first into the boards. Schenn’s head bounced off the glass. Schenn skated gingerly off the ice.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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What a Waste: Flyers beat Caps 5-4 (OT)
orlov-scores

Photo: Rob Carr

The Washington Capitals wrapped up a weekend of early games by taking on the Philadelphia Flyers at noon on–

[NBC CHIMES DROWN OUT REST OF INTRODUCTION]

— my grandmother riding by on a bicycle giving me the finger, and a duck!

The Caps and Flyers are a resurgent rivalry that rarely leaves us lacking drama. This was no exception.

Dmitry Orlov capped off some great zone time by putting a one-timer past Steve Mason. Claude Giroux tied it up with an in-and-out goal that took 90 seconds of game time before the refs figured it out. Marcus Johansson got in the paint to deflect in Jason Chimera’s pass as a power play expired. Nick Backstrom won a scramble with Steve Mason, but the war room in Toronto didn’t have enough evidence to overturn the no-goal call.

Alex Ovechkin abandoned the puck behind the net during a power play, allowing Adam Hall to tie the game with a shorty, but no worries: Jay Beagle got a pass off Joel Ward to score from exactly zero feet out. Dmitry Orlov got his second goal with a nice little mudskipper of a shot from the blue line and through some traffic up front.

Jakub Voracek scored on a screened Holtby during Orlov’s five-minute major penalty and then set up Giroux for the game-tying goal with just over a minute left.

Vincent Lecavalier won it in overtime.

Flyers beat Caps 5-4.

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By Peter Hassett 7 years ago

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Scoarlov II: Jason Chimea’s Leg Lift Makes Way for Dmitry Orlov’s Second
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Photo: Rob Carr

In the first period, Dmitry Orlov scored his first goal since December 15th. In the second period, Dima got another. O RLY?

The SCOARLOV only happened though because of a heads up play (or maybe a life-saving decision) by Jason Chimera. The Ice Cheetah, laying helpless in the slot after being mauled (see what I did there?) by a Flyers player, lifted his legs up ice so Orly’s shot could hit the net.

It certainly did.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Braden Holtby Makes Stretch Armstrong Leg Save (GIF)
holtby-huge-save

For as bad as the Washington Capitals defense has been this season, Braden Holtby has done his best to weather the storm.

He did so again on Sunday, after the Caps got confused in the defensive zone and allowed Wayne Simmonds a semi-breakaway.

Simmonds made a deke, catching the Holtbeast flat-footed. Holtby lost his balance, but then did something miraculous.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Inconclusive: Nicklas Backstrom’s Almost-Goal Excruciatingly Close to Actually Being a Goal
almost-goal

Masochists: this one is for you. In the first period, Nicklas Backstrom thought he scored what looked to be goal number 13 on the year. Brooks Laich raised his arms in the air to celebrate.

But apparently that raincloud is still following Nicky around.

The official waved no goal, and play continued. The play was reviewed at the next whistle.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Scoarlov: Dmitry Orlov Scores Second Goal of Year with Perfect Shot From Slot (GIF)
orlov-goal

The Washington Capitals had their second straight matinee on Sunday, this time taking on the Philadelphia Flyers. And on Washington’s first goal of the game, they got a SCOARLOV.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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