Capitals Insider

Caps 7, Panthers 4

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:53:06 -0500

Who needs Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green when you've got Mathieu Perreault and Quintin Laing? With two of the league's most talented players sidelined with injuries, secondary scoring came from all sorts of sources tonight as the Caps routed the Panthers, 7-4, with a five-goal third period. Mike Knuble had two goals and two assists. Tomas Fleischmann had a pair of goals. And, of course, Perreault and Laing chipped in, too, as the Caps proved for the second straight night that they can, in fact, generate offense without Ovechkin in the lineup. Check out my game story here and my notebook here and then come on back for some notes and quotes that didn't make the cut:

Tonight's lineup: Panthers at Caps

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:14:42 -0500

Jose Theodore will be back between the pipes tonight against the Panthers, but the Caps will be without Mike Green and Jeff Schultz. Both defensemen were injured last night in the Caps' 4-1 win at Florida and are listed as day to day. Scott Clemmensen, meantime, will start for the Panthers. Coach Bruce Boudreau said he does not believe the injuries to Green (upper body) and Schultz (lower body) are serious. "Both of them, they are not serious injuries, but it's enough to keep them out of tonight's game," Boudreau said. Asked if he expects either to play Wednesday, Boudreau said, "Who knows. They'll both skate [Monday] and we will reevaluate at that time." Boudreau added that Alex Ovechkin's status has not changed. Ovechkin will miss his third straight game tonight with a strain near his left shoulder. "Alex wants to push it but [if] he trips on someone's bad

Nylander put on waivers (updated)

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:15:26 -0500

It appears more news broke while I was at 35,000 feet this afternoon. According to Bob McKenzie's twitter page -- and now confirmed by a Caps official -- Michael Nylander has been placed on waivers.

Boudreau: 'If you wanna win, you have to pay the price'

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:38:52 -0500

Mark Giannotto checking in from a mostly empty Kettler Capitals Iceplex this morning... A groggy Bruce Boudreau just spoke with the media after arriving back into town from Florida at 2 a.m. First and foremost on his mind were the injuries suffered by defensemen Mike Green (upper body) and Jeff Schultz (lower body) during last night's 4-1 victory over Florida. Both Green and Schultz will be "game-time decisions" tonight in the second game of a home-and-home with the Panthers, but as Tarik mentioned in a previous post, both were seen walking gingerly to the team bus in Florida yesterday. In the meantime, the Caps have some contingency plans in place should neither be able to suit up. Like he did in last night's 4-1 victory, Tyler Sloan would move back to defense. If Green and Schultz are available, Sloan would remain on the fourth line alongside Chris Clark and Mathieu

Ovechkin on IR; Green, Schultz game-time decisions

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:20:17 -0500

A few quick updates: The Caps have placed Alex Ovechkin, who is still nursing a strain near his left shoulder, on injured reserve to make room for Eric Fehr on the roster. Ovechkin could, however, still return Wednesday against the Isles. Mike Green and Jeff Schultz, who both left last night's game with injuries, will be game-time decisions tonight against Florida at Verizon Center. Also, Shaone Morrisonn seems to have avoided a suspension for boarding Kenndal McArdle late in the third period against the Panthers. Coach Bruce Boudreau said that Morrisonn was put on probation at the end of last season and couldn't receive a major penalty in the Capitals' first 15 or 20 games -- he wasn't sure which -- but the league hasn't taken any disciplinary action yet. More to come in a bit from Mark Giannotto, who's stepping in for Tarik today (who's currently changing planes in

Caps 4, Panthers 1

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:58:57 -0500

The Caps snapped a three-game losing streak with a thorough 4-1 win tonight over the Panthers. But the story, once again, was the loss of key players to injury. Already without Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green and Jeff Schultz went down with upper- and lower-body injuries, respectively. Both are questionable for tomorrow's rematch between the Southeast Division rivals at Verizon Center. Something else to keep an eye on is the status of defenseman Shaone Morrisonn. It's unclear whether he'll be suspended, but Coach Bruce Boudreau was obviously concerned that he might not be able to suit up tomorrow. If I hear anything tonight, I'll post an update. But I'm hearing word might not come down from the league until tomorrow morning. Anyway, check out my gamer here and come back for some notes and quotes from a weird night in South Florida.

Updates on Green, Schultz and Morrisonn

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:32:42 -0500

Mike Green suffered an upper-body injury in the first period and did not return. He told me on the way to the team bus that he hopes to play Saturday, but won't know whether he'll be able to until tomorrow morning. Jeff Schultz sustained a lower-body injury in the second period and also did not return. He was spotted limping out of the visitors' dressing room here at BankAtlantic Center, and his status for Saturday is also unclear. Finally, Coach Bruce Boudreau was concerned that defenseman Shaone Morrisonn might face a suspension for boarding Kenndal McArdle late in the third period. Morrisonn received five minutes and a game misconduct, but Boudreau revealed that Morrisonn was put on probation at the end of last season and couldn't receive a major penalty in the Capitals' first 15 or 20 games. Boudreau couldn't remember which it was, but obviously that will be key.

Schultz injured, too

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:44:02 -0500

The Caps just lost another defenseman. Jeff Schultz has also suffered an injury and has left the bench, joining Mike Green in the visitors' dressing room here at BankAtlantic Center. The team says he may return. Tyler Sloan, meantime, has been switched back to defense.

Green injured

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:26:17 -0500

Defenseman Mike Green suffered an injury in the first period. He may return, the team says. I'll have an update as soon as more info is available.

Tonight's lineup: Caps at Panthers

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:27:30 -0500

Jose Theodore will start in goal tonight as the Caps attempt to snap a three game losing streak at BankAtlantic Center. Tomas Vokoun will get the nod for Florida, which has won three straight. Alex Ovechkin won't suit up and is expected to miss Saturday's rematch, as well. The Caps are 1-4-0 without him all-time and 0-3-0, with only three goals, in those last three games. The rest of the Caps' lineup should look like this: Forwards Fleischmann-Backstrom-Semin Laich-Morrison-Knuble Laing-Steckel-Bradley Sloan-Perreault-Clark Scratch: Ovechkin (strain near shoulder), Fehr (ribs), Gordon (back) Defense Morrisonn-Green Poti-Jurcina Schultz-Pothier Scratch: Erskine (healthy) Goalies Theodore Varlamov I'll have more after the game.

Theodore to start vs. Panthers

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:28:02 -0500

Based on the morning skate, it looks like Jose Theodore will get the nod in net tonight at BankAtlantic Center against the suddenly surging Panthers. There will also be a change on the Caps' blue line, with John Erskine coming out and Brian Pothier going back in. "He had three weeks off," Coach Bruce Boudreau said of Erskine. "I'm sure he's not 100-percent. Players want to play so bad, they fib a little bit about how good they feel."

Ovechkin update: No better, no worse

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:43:42 -0500

After returning to practice Thursday, Alex Ovechkin did not take the pre-game skate at BankAtlantic Center this morning. That doesn't necessarily mean he's had a setback, but when asked how he's feeling today, he said only, "Same." Ovechkin is expected to miss at least the next two games with a strain near his left shoulder. "It's getting better every day," Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "But [in terms] of percentages or degrees, I don't know. He might be one percent better. It's going to take time. He wants to play, but if he takes a major hit on it, and he's not 100-percent, he could be behind the eight ball for three weeks or four weeks. We don't want that." In their first game without Ovechkin on Wednesday, a 3-2 loss in New Jersey, the Caps did little to dispel the notion that they are significantly limited minus their two-time MVP.

Morning roundup: Ovechkin not ready to return

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:43:56 -0500

(Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) Alex Ovechkin skated at practice yesterday (video here), but he said an injury near his left shoulder will likely keep him out of back-to-back games against the Florida Panthers. "It's still a little sore," Ovechkin said of his shoulder. "I feel a little bit better, but there is still a little bit [of] pain. From last night to today, I feel much better. "I don't want to disturb my injury," he added. "Without my stick, it's better." Click here to read the rest of the story, which delves deeper into the Caps' penalty woes. Tonight's matchup: Capitals (8-3-4) Panthers (5-7-1) BankAtlantic Center, 7:30 p.m. TV: Comcast SportsNet + Radio: 820 AM, 1500 AM Some other odds and ends:

Video: Ovechkin back on the ice

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:36:15 -0500

Here's some video from Tarik down in Sunrise, Fla., where Alex Ovechkin returned to the ice for the first time since injuring his shoulder Sunday.

Ovechkin likely out this weekend

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:09:09 -0500

Alex Ovechkin said his injury -- it's obvious now that it's a strain near his left shoulder -- continues to improve by leaps and bounds. But it has not improved enough to allow him to play in this weekend's back-to-back series with the Panthers, he said, after returning to practice this afternoon in Sunrise, Fla. "It's still a little sore," Ovechkin said. "I feel a little bit better, but there is still a little bit pain. From last night to today, I feel much better. It's not disturb me." I've got to find my hotel now, but I'll have more on Ovechkin, the Caps' penalty woes and other items of interest on the blog later and in the paper tomorrow.

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Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:09:09 -0500