Peter Laviolette

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Peter Laviolette says Alex Ovechkin left the Caps-Rangers after one shift because ‘he didn’t feel comfortable’

Alex Ovechkin returned to the lineup on Monday after missing the previous four games due to a lower-body injury. He didn’t last long before being forced to leave again.

Ovechkin skated one 39-second shift in the Capitals’ 6-3 win over the Rangers. As he attempted to check Artemi Panarin and then peel back up ice, Ovechkin’s right skate got awkwardly got tangled with the Breadman’s. Ovechkin, in discomfort, immediately left the ice and went down to the locker room where the Capitals announced he was out for the game.

So what happened?

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By Ian Oland 2 years ago

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Peter Laviolette says Capitals will name Ilya Samsonov or Vitek Vanecek as starter before playoffs, but team will need both goalies

Vitek Vanecek will start against the New York Rangers Monday night. Once Vitek takes the ice at Madison Square Garden, he will have started in nearly double the games (33) as Ilya Samsonov (18) despite this being the season Sammy was supposed to take the reins of the Capitals full-time starter’s role.

Months after fully recovering from a reported ATV accident early in 2020, Samsonov contracted coronavirus in mid-January 2021 and missed over a month of the regular season. Since then, he has played his way back into game shape (which included a conditioning stint in Hershey) and has mostly regained his top form. But he still hasn’t reclaimed the top spot from Vanecek. Samsonov started one game in February, seven of 14 in March, and only six of 15 in April.

With a playoff starter unnamed and hard to prognosticate, Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette was asked about the situation after the morning skate. Lavy admitted that the team still had not made up its mind on who the starting goalie would be, but said the team will announce one before the postseason begins.

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By Ian Oland 2 years ago

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Tom Wilson on fans being back at Capital One Arena: ‘It felt like your first NHL game all over again’

The Washington Capitals beat the New York Islanders 1-0 in front of some very special guests at Capital One Arena, Tuesday night. 2,100 Capitals fans were in attendance, marking the first time fans were allowed in the building since March 4, 2020 – right before the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite only being at 10 percent capacity, Capital One Arena roared loudly several times during the game, most notably during a successful penalty kill late in the third period.

Capitals forward Tom Wilson noticed and thanked the fans for their support afterward.

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By Ian Oland 2 years ago

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Peter Laviolette is unsure when Alex Ovechkin will return: ‘We’ll err on the side of caution at this point in the season’

Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette addressed Alex Ovechkin’s absence after the team’s 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders, Saturday.

It was only the 17th game Ovi missed in his career due to injury.

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By Ian Oland 2 years ago

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Ilya Samsonov will get rare consecutive starts against the Islanders. Peter Laviolette: ‘We’ve got to name a starter’ for the playoffs.

Not only is it crunch time for the Washington Capitals as a team, but it’s also crunch time for the team’s two goaltenders: Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek.

Samsonov, who came into this season as the team’s number one starter, missed nearly two months of the season due to COVID-19. Sammy’s sickness combined with Henrik Lundqvist’s open-heart surgery forced Washington to turn to Vanecek, who had spent the previous five seasons with the Hershey Bears. Vanecek’s performed admirably in net, winning 17 of his 30 starts.

Saturday, Peter Laviolette will turn to Samsonov for a rare consecutive start. It’s only (if I’m doing my math right) the third time he’s done so in his career.

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By Ian Oland 2 years ago

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Why the Capitals’ last 10 games of this season are *really* important

The Washington Capitals play the New York Islanders on Thursday night, beginning what will be the Caps’ most defining stretch of the season. Washington will play the three other current East Division playoff teams during six of the next 10 games. The other four games include two matchups against the New York Rangers, who have bedeviled the Capitals this season and are trying to get into the loffs.

“I feel like we’re down the road of the season where everybody understands what we’re doing now,” Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said this week. “There shouldn’t be any excuses about not understanding [the system] or how we move about our business. I think this stretch — and the teams we have to play during this stretch — are games we’ll have to play the right way. By doing that, you prepare yourself for the playoffs.”

To be blunt, these final ten games will tell us if this year’s Capitals squad is a division-winner or a scrape-by-your-pants-into-the-playoffs type club.

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By Ian Oland 2 years ago

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Peter Laviolette’s speech before Nicklas Backstrom’s 1,000th game

Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette made two special speeches on Thursday. He congratulated Conor Sheary on his new two-year extension out on the ice. Inside the locker room, Laviolette gave props to Nicklas Backstrom for what will be his 1,000th NHL game on Thursday night.

The Capitals gave fans a rare glimpse inside of the room and posted video of what Lavy said to Backstrom.

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By Ian Oland 2 years ago

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Capitals players excited about fans returning to Capital One Arena: ‘They’re like an extra player for us’

The Washington Capitals received some thrilling news before puck drop against the Buffalo Sabres. The DC government approved Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s waiver to reopen Capital One Arena for Capitals and Wizards games “effective immediately.” The approval means that Washington’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers will have up to 2,100 fans in the building on Tuesday.

Jakub Vrana and head coach Peter Laviolette responded to the news after the Capitals’ 4-3 victory over the Sabres.

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By Ian Oland 2 years ago

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Time to make some changes

The Washington Capitals have been playing poorly for a while now. There was the 8-4 disaster on April Fools, the sludge of that 1-0 loss to the Isles, and that  unearned overtime win over the Devils.

After being one of the more fearsome NHL teams in March, the Caps of April are scary in the other way — allowing their opponents lots of good looks at the net without putting up much offense at all in response.

What’s changed?

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By Peter Hassett 2 years ago

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Jakub Vrana is a healthy scratch against the Devils tonight

In his pregame media availability, Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette announced that forward Jakob Vrana will not play in Friday night’s game. For the first time this season, Vrana will be a healthy scratch.

Richard Panik will return to active play.

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By Peter Hassett 2 years ago

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