In the calendar year of 2012, there had been only one Washington Capital regular who had gone without a penalty. That player? Dmitry Orlov.
That streak ended spectacularly tonight.
Photo credit: Jacquelyn Martin
By the time the Carolina Hurricanes made their way to DC, the Washington Capitals desperation for a win became strong enough to overpower any shyness the team may have developed when it comes to scoring.
Troy Brouwer ended 134 minutes without a goal by going backhand on Cam Ward. Jay Beagle turned a perimeter shot from Dmitry Orlov into the Caps second goal. But the Canes came back quick with goals by Tlusty and Larose in less than five minutes. A whiff by Dennis Wideman led to Brandon Sutter’s pretty breakaway goal. Brooks Laich tied it up by giving and going with Marcus Johansson late in the third period.
OT? Faulk. Canes beat Caps 4-3 (OT).
By Peter Hassett 9 years ago
Photo credit: Rob Carr
The morning after the Washington Capitals suffered a stinging 5-0 defeat at the hands of the visiting New Jersey Devils, the mood at their practice was mixed. There were some lighthearted moments, like Alex Ovechkin falling down after attempting a one-timer and causing Alex Semin to double over laughing. Or a few minutes later, when the birthday boy got into a pretend squabble with Troy Brouwer.
But as the players one by one trickled into the dressing room and began answering the reporter’s questions, Friday night’s performance was on everybody’s mind. How did the youngest member of the Washington Capitals deal with one of the team’s worst showings of the season?
Below the jump, Dmitry Orlov discusses the loss to New Jersey, changing defensive systems, wearing the full cage mask, and Evgeny Kuznetsov’s future.
By Igor Kleyner 9 years ago
In addition to being Alex Semin’s birthday, Saturday’s practice was Caps Kids’ Club Day– with some added Russian flavor. Capitals’ employees cordoned off the mezzanine level of Kettler Capitals IcePlex, creating stations for games, face-painting, and sign-making.
Dmitry Orlov manned the autograph station. Having one of the Russians, who is still learning English, interact with children might have been awkward, but Dima was beaming the entire time– especially when a child wearing his number asked for an autograph.
My pictures of the day are below and please note: a) these pictures aren’t nearly as good as Chris Gordon’s would have been; b) the lighting was bad; and c) I may or may not have stolen some juice from one of the stations. I think I owe Ted Leonsis 75 cents.
Screengrab by: @recordsandradio
If I had told you in October that a late-February game against the Islanders would be one of the most important games of the season, you would have laughed yourself sick. This one was big, though. All of them will be from now on. The Caps hung in there, didn’t stop fighting, tied up the game in the most completely improbable fashion possible — and then they won. You might not have seen that one coming.
Josh Bailey glided right through a defensive breakdown and scored the first goal. Matt Moulson deflected a long shot in front of Neuvirth to make it 2-0. Brouwer scored one Knuble-style in front of the net with the clock winding down. Brouwer then officially became a certified hero by tipping in a second goal with seconds left to go and took us to overtime. Alex Ovechkin ended it with a five-hole beauty, and you know what? We might believe. Just a little bit. Caps win, 3-2.
By 9 years ago
It’s February 14. It’s not just some random day that the Hallmark corporation picked out of hat so they could sell greeting cards. It’s actually the Christian co-opting of a pagan festival all about horny werewolves and blood and copulation and cool stuff like that. Now, instead of lycanthropes and sex, you spend 30 dollars on roses that will wither tomorrow.
If you’re in a relationship, prepare to disappoint your significant other. If you’re not in a relationship, revel in your solitary despair.
(I’m single, by the way.)
Behind the jump is a lovely and full-sized picture by Rachel Cohen, featuring Dmitry Orlov, who scored last night and is handsome enough to probably do the same today. Also a video.
By Peter Hassett 9 years ago
This goal bounced off Holtby’s helmet and rolled down his back. It was that kind of night. (Photo credit: Greg Flume)
This game actually started out all right, but if you’ve seen the Caps play the Sharks lately, you knew that it could only get bad somehow. What is it with those guys, seriously, every time. Did the Caps all watch “Jaws” too many times as children, or what?
Joe Pavelski opened the scoring with a weirdo bounce on a harmless shot from Dan Boyle that black magicked itself over Braden Holtby’s shoulder. He put a second goal on the board when the Caps let the entire Sharks roster camp out in front of the net, because that’s a really good way to get a goal scored against you. Then the puck rolled down Holtby’s back to the goal line for Patrick Marleau to tap it in. Dmitry Orlov scored with one of those Dmitry Orlov blasts from the point with half a second left to go in the second. Brent Burns pinballed a Joe Thornton shot behind Holtby. Marleau scored the third Sharks PPG of the night to make it 5-1. Roman Hamrlik backhanded one past Greiss, which we have to admit we didn’t really see coming. Jeff Schultz upped the weirdness by scoring from the blueline to cut the deficit to two. Sharks beat Caps, 5-3.
By 9 years ago
The Washington Capitals returned to Verizon Center for a matinee match with the Boston Bruins, their second game in 24 hours. Disaster.
Milan Lucic scored after a bad read by Dennis Wideman gave him an opening. Brad Marchand made it 2-0 after Karl Alzner and John Carlson funneled the puck to their own crease. Marchand set up Tyler Seguin for the game’s third– and the second in which Dennis Wideman lost his man. A gorgeous 200-foot series culminated in a goal by Marcus Johansson (or Ward, whatever) and the end of Tim Thomas’s Sovereign Shutout. Peverly got the empty netter. Bruins beat Caps 4-1.
By Peter Hassett 9 years ago
Orlov and Max Pacioretty fight for the puck. (Photo credit: Richard Wolowicz)
Way back on November 23rd, Dmitry Orlov registered his first NHL point in his second NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets. That night he also made his presence felt physically with two monster hits. On one, he hit Evander Kane so hard into the boards that his stick flew into the crowd. On the other, he laid out an unsuspecting Blake Wheeler with an open-ice hip check.
“I really like the physical element of the game,” Orlov told RMNB’s Igor Kleyner a few days later. “Always have, since I was a kid. One of the reasons I came to play here – there is more hitting. I like that.”
Well, here’s a hit you may not have even known happened. On January 13th against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Orlov caught Steve Downie with a hip check after the pest rifled a shot on goal. The hit flipped Downie end-over-end to the ice in hilarious spectacular fashion. Video is below the jump.
Photo credit: Francois Lacasse
On Saturday afternoon The Washington Capitals got to feed at the trough of the league’s sideshow, the Montreal Canadiens. That doesn’t mean this game was zany and fun or anything, just kind of sad.
Dennis Wideman scored off the faceoff, firing a weird knuckle puck that dropped behind Peter Budaj. The Caps held Montreal scoreless through a sloppy second period. Matt Hendricks swept in a goal on a yawning net to make it 2-0. Alex Semin drew a penalty shot and slapped home the three-spot goal. Caps beat Habs 3-0.
By Peter Hassett 9 years ago
