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Braden Holtby Gets Second Career Assist on Sick 110 Foot Saucer Pass

Siiiiiiiicccckkkkkk. (GIF by welshhockeyfan)

Braden Holtby has been shaky at times this season. After his excellent run in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the young netminder has struggled to find his game the first few weeks of the season. Of course, he wasn’t the only one.

“It’s obviously it’s others saying that — the media and whatnot,” Holtby said of the early season travails. “It doesn’t even come close to the pressure we put on ourselves in this room.”

Saturday, though, we saw the Holtby Caps fans love — saves, sass, and stick handling that can put forwards to shame.

With the Caps on the power play up 1-0 early in the second period — a frame that they’ve had some issues with this season — Holtby scooped up the puck cleared down the rink by the Florida Panthers. The former minor hockey forward then fired a beautiful saucer pass from here to the moon — or rather from the crease to just before the far blue line (around 110 feet), where Troy Brouwer was waiting. Brouwer then rifled a slap shot past Jose Theodore for his second goal of the night (his first tally required less skill and more backside).

“Great play, big goal,” head coach Adam Oates said. “It obviously hurt.”

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By Chris Gordon 11 years ago

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Small Victories: Alex Ovechkin Didn’t Score Against the Penguins, But He Did Check Sidney Crosby into the Net

Photo credit: Nick Wass

Almost four years ago to the day, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby — at the height of their rivalry — nearly fought at the Capitals bench. After Ovechkin bumped Crosby on his way to a shift change, Sid shoved him in the back. The two exchanged pleasantries until Ovi ended the conversation by ripping Crosby’s helmet off. Between their heated races for the Calder and Maurice Richard trophies, it was the first time the two showed anger towards each other on the ice. It was glorious.

The rivalry has cooled since then. Ovechkin’s goal scoring has slowed with age. Crosby has dealt with injury.

But on Sunday, while the Penguins blew out the Capitals 6-3 and Crosby edged Ovechkin 3-1 in points, the Russian machine established dominance in his own way: checking Crosby into the net.

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By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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Troy Brouwer on Gangnam Style Dance: “I Know Everyone Wants Me To Do It After a Goal”

Brouwer conservatively celebrating his goal

Brouwer conservatively celebrating. (Photo credit: Patrick McDermott)

A few weeks ago, Michael Wurman, Director of Game Entertainment and TV Production for the Washington Capitals, teased a special goal celebration for Troy Brouwer. During the Capitals open practice at Verizon Center on January 17, Brouwer busted a move and performed PSY’s Gangnam Style dance in skates. Wurman threatened that once Brouwer scores, that footage would be seen again.

“That song. Oy,” Wurman said. “But the people have spoken, they want it.”

On Friday, after Brouwer scored his third goal of the year with a perfectly placed shot over Ilya Bryzgalov’s right shoulder, Wurman gave the people what they wanted.

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By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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Animated: John Erskine Elbows Wayne Simmonds In The Head

GIF via welshhockeyfan

Late in the first period of Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Big John Erskine got himself into some trouble. Skating up the ice, Erskine connected with Philadelphia’s Wayne Simmonds, drawing blood but no penalty.

As you can see, Erskine’s elbow makes contact with Simmonds’ face. The question Brendan Shanahan will be asking is whether or not Erskine was putting himself in a defensive posture– or whether there was a suspendable intent to injure.

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By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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Animated: Craig Laughlin Signs My TV (Again)

GIF by welshhockeyfan

Washington Capitals color guy Craig Laughlin is an expert telestrator. And he knows it. That’s why tonight, after he drew up Joel Ward’s first period goal, he completed his telestrating by signing my TV (again). I equate this to a rapper dropping the mic after a sweet verse. Thanks, Locker. I’m going to put this up on eBay ASAP.

By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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Washington Capitals Discuss Cosmo Naming Mike Green Hottest Player in NHL

Last week, Ted Leonsis spread his wings by launching Monumental Network, a site to aggregate all the Caps, Wizards, Mystics, and Verizon Center coverage his company produces. They’ve got original reporting and a network of blogs to cover the living heck out of each team.

Earlier this week, Casey Phillips, Monumental’s digital correspondent crowded in on RMNB’s beat with a story that we should have had. After Cosmopolitan Magazine named Mike Green the sexiest player in the NHL, the Monumental crew asked the team who they thought was truly the most handsome guy around.

The answers will amaze you. Or maybe they won’t. I mean, you know they’re gonna say Brooks, right?

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By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin Crashes Mike Ribeiro’s Interview, Ottawa Senators’ Net

Heading into their game against Ottawa on Tuesday, the Capitals had won only once in their first five games. But after getting their first win of the year against Buffalo Sunday, the boys were loose and confident after their morning skate. For example, watch as Mike Vogel interviews Mike Ribeiro and Alex Ovechkin crashes the interview.

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By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin Scores First Goal of the Season, Lands Big Hit on Tyler Myers

Ovi scores his first goal of the 2012-13 season

In the first four games of the new season, Alex Ovechkin has struggled. He’s looked lost on the right wing and had trouble finding his role in Adam Oates’ new system. Before today’s matinee with the Buffalo Sabres, Ovi had one point, an assist. The Washington Capitals went 0-3-1 during that stretch.

That doesn’t mean Ovechkin hasn’t had his chances — especially in Oates’ 1-3-1 powerplay. After their game against New Jersey on Friday, Mike Green lamented to CSN sideline reporter Al Koken,”I missed [Ovi] on a pass that was about four or five inches out of his wheelhouse.” On Sunday, Green found Ovi with a beautiful cross-ice pass to give the Russian machine his first goal on the season. It would end up being the game-winner.

Video is below the jump.

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By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin Collides With Wojtek Wolski, Still Looks Lost on Right Wing

Photo credit: Rob Carr

Coming into the season, Washington Capitals Head Coach Adam Oates had a bold idea. After studying countless hours of film during the lockout, the Hall of Fame player saw that Alex Ovechkin had become too predictable off the left wing and that opposing team’s defensemen had figured him out. So Oates asked the Russian Machine to try playing on the right wing, hoping that it would spur creativity and give Ovechkin more open ice.

“I think it balances his game out and gives him the opportunity to get more pucks on both sides of the ice,” Oates said after the Caps’ 6-3 loss to Tampa, according to CSN’s Chuck Gormley. “I watched him in the past and I know his spot and I know where he loves [to shoot] and I’m not taking that away. We’re just trying to add and get him more touches.”

Three games into the new season, Ovechkin has scored no goals and at times has looked lost. Really lost.

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By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin Dangles, Puts Puck Through Legs of Ron Hainsey

Photo credit: Patrick McDermott

Despite the Washington Capitals coming out and laying an egg for the second straight game last night, there were some positive moments. Granted 95% of those moments were authored by Matt Hendricks, but dammit they were there if you looked really closely.

For example, let’s examine a rush up the ice by Alex Ovechkin in the third period. The Russian Machine, who finished with an assist and four shots, did not score a goal for the second straight game, but he sure did have the sickest move on the night.

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By Ian Oland 11 years ago

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