Michal Neuvirth | RMNB

Michal Neuvirth’s Windmill Glove Save on Frans Nielsen (GIF)

Michal Neuvirth has started the last three Caps games, inserting himself back into the Capitals goalie picture after not playing for a month and requesting a trade on December 29th. In the last week, Neuvirth has made big save after big save, keeping a defensively inept Caps team capably backstopped in all three starts. The team went 1-1-1 in those games.

Early in the third period of Tuesday’s game against the Islanders, Neuvirth showed off some fantastic lateral movement, robbing Frans Nielsen on a clear one-timer.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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George McPhee May or May Not Be Colossally Wrong About Caps Goaltending

Photo: Bruce Bennett

On Sunday, Joe Micheletti of NBC Sports reported a quote from George McPhee that has been making the rounds. Except it’s not really a quote actually– just hearsay. According to Micheletti, GMGM said that the Washington Capitals would have ten more standings points if only they had better goaltending this season. McPhee declined to elaborate on that little piece of apocrypha on Monday, and the team didn’t get back to us when we asked about its veracity.

Katie Carrera of the Washington Post ran a wonderful piece about it on Monday. My favorite part was this quote by Braden Holtby:

“I think if we pay any attention to comments like that it brings the team apart.”

For perspective: That is a goalie talking about his employer, whose words might tear the team apart.

So… that’s not good.

I would like to set Braden’s mind at ease. If George McPhee actually said that (and I’m not sure he did), he’d be categorically wrong.

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By Peter Hassett 7 years ago

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Michal Neuvirth’s Sick Glove Save on Gustav Nyquist (GIF)

Michal Neuvirth may not have played very much this season. And sure, maybe he missed an entire month of action because he stepped on a puck going out for warm-ups. But dang it, tonight things were going to change, and he was not going to let anybody ruin it.

Case in point, his first period save on Gustav Nyquist. It was incredible.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Philipp Grubauer’s Demotion Creates an Opening in Washington’s Net

Grubauer’s vacant locker at Kettler (Photo: Chris Gordon)

Photo: Mike Carlson

For nearly two months, the Capitals have had a logjam in net. Called up in place of the injured Michal Neuvirth at the end of November, Philipp Grubauer became Washington’s number one netminder. A veteran of just two NHL games before this season, Grubauer posted the seventh highest save percentage in the league (.926), along with a record of 6-4-5 and a goals against average of 2.38.

Desperate for points, Caps head coach Adam Oates stuck with him, with Grubauer starting 14 of 20 games. Grubauer, though, came back to earth. The morning after being pulled for the second straight game — Washington’s fifth loss in a row — Grubauer was not on the ice for the day’s practice. The Caps quickly announced that he had been sent down to Hershey.

“We lost that spark in a sense,” Oates said of Grubauer’s recent losses. He didn’t blame the young German for them though.

“Three goalies is not a good situation,” Oates continued. “It’s a little dysfunctional for everybody, but it’s a situation that, unfortunately, just happened.”

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By Chris Gordon 7 years ago

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Michal Neuvirth on His Return to the Lineup: “I Was Nervous as Hell”

Neuvirth salutes the crowd after being named the first star of the night. (Photo: Rob Carr)

Michal Neuvirth had been left behind in the Capitals goalie controversy. While Braden Holtby has struggled to find playing time, Neuvy hadn’t suited up for a game since November 29, when he got hurt stepping on the ice for warmups. Eventually, Neuvirth’s agent requested a trade. The status quo, though, continued. Philipp Grubauer got the starts, Holtby sat on the bench, and Neuvy watched from the press box. With little notice, Capitals head coach Adam Oates finally gave the Czech netminder a chance Friday.

“I was nervous as hell,” Neuvirth said of his thoughts before the game. “I was probably as nervous as my first NHL game. My girlfriend told me ‘Just do what you do and try to be good.’”

“First time I step on the ice for warmup, I was feeling pretty good and confident,” he added.

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By Chris Gordon 7 years ago

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A Short Timeline of Capitals Players Requesting Trades

Photo: Greg Fiume

Two thousand thirteen has been a year of reinvigoration for the Capitals. After a dreary start to the lockout-shortened season, the team began a Cinderella-story rally in March that carried the team into the playoffs and their captain into another MVP trophy. But the last few months have revealed a Capitals team that is not uniformly happy with their spots on the team. While new coach Adam Oates has made his stars happy, a number of lower-tiered players have grown discontent. Three players have requested trades in the last six weeks.

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By Peter Hassett 7 years ago

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Phillip Grubauer to Make 6th Start in 9 Games

Photo credit: Bruce Bennett

For the seventh time in nine games, Philipp Grubauer will be in net for the Washington Capitals, his sixth start during that span. That means Braden Holtby, the Caps’ savior for the first two months of the season, will be watching from the bench once again. Michal Neuvirth continues to remain in limbo.

“He’s only played a couple games but I feel comfortable with him right now,” head coach Adam Oates said of Grubauer after the morning skate.

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By Chris Gordon 7 years ago

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Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth: Just Chillin’ (Photo)

There’s something about goalies hanging out in full gear away from the ice that is always funny. Like check out this Henrik Lundqvist commercial or Braden Holtby at Baltimore Arena. And now there’s this photo from Washington Capitals PR dude Pace Sagester. Above, check out Holtby and Michal Neuvirth smiling goofily for the camera.

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By Ian Oland 7 years ago

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Philipp Grubauer’s Unlikely Run as the Caps Starting Goaltender

Photo credit: Patrick McDermott

For the first two months of the season, Braden Holtby was the Capitals’ rock. While the team struggled 5-on-5, Holtby’s excellent goaltending — despite facing some of the highest shot totals in the league — kept the team in games. The 24-year-old started every night from late October to early December, a span of 13 games. The workload, though, eventually caught up with him. After allowing three goals early against the Carolina Hurricanes in December, Holtby was pulled. Enter a new rock: Philipp Grubauer. After being called up in place of the injured Michal Neuvirth, Grubauer has played in five of seven games, starting three. He’s picked up three wins, posting a .937 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.06. He narrowly missed his first career shutout earlier this month.

“I soak it all in just being up here,” Grubauer told me. “I’ve been through almost every league: East Coast, AHL. It’s tough to get up here, but once you get up here you gotta make sure you stay. I’m just happy to be up here, and I work my butt off.”

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By Chris Gordon 7 years ago

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Skinned: Canes Thump Caps 4-1

Photo credit: Rob Carr

The Capitals’ power play, the main factor behind Washington’s early wins, has dropped off. So, too, has their penalty kill. Still, the team is finding ways to win — barely. Though they got four points over the weekend, both games took extra time. Nevertheless, the team’s five-on-five play has been improving. Would it be enough to defeat the new old division rival Canes?

The Caps played well in the first, with Jason Chimera nearly converting early on a scrum in front to give Washington the lead. Carolina, though, struck first. After Eric Staal fed him the puck from behind the net, Hockey Bieber — that would be Jeff Skinner — took a shot from the goal line. Braden Holtby couldn’t make to the near post in time as the puck deflected in off his nether regions.

In the second, things got out of hand. Midway through the frame, lil’ Skinner was at it again with fly ball from the near circle. Less than three minutes later, the Hurricanes pushed the lead to three as Andre Sekera unleashed a blast from the point on the power play that Holtby never saw. Point number three for Skinner. Fifty-three seconds later, it got even uglier when Jiri Tlusty put a nasty backhand top shelf. Ugh.

For the final frame, enter Philip Grubauer. The Caps didn’t show much life in the third, but at least Mike Green got on board for the first time since the Obama administration with a power play marker. Nothing more. Canes thump Caps, 4-1.

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By Chris Gordon 7 years ago

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