May 19, 2013

Washington Capitals Friday Practice Update: Oates, Alzner, Erskine

March 29, 2013 by

ARLINGTON, VA–The Washington Capitals held one last practice today before they head out on a three-game road trip that could decide the season.

Eric Fehr (upper body) skated for about 10 minutes before practice, but came off the ice.

John Erskine (upper body), Tomas Kundratek (lower body) & Tom Poti (upper body) all skated today.

Erskine said, “I don’t think I’m ready to play a game yet, but I think I’m getting closer.”

He still hopes to play this weekend or Tuesday.

Capitals Head Coach Adam Oates said Erskine is going on the trip.  They aren’t sure about Tomas Kundratek and Tom Poti isn’t going on the trip.  Eric Fehr isn’t going on the trip to start, will skate at KCI and if he feels good could meet them in Carolina.

Jack Hillen (illness) was back on the ice today after not skating yesterday.

Caps forward lines today: Johansson-Backstrom-Ovi, Laich-Ribeiro-Brouwer, Chimera-Perreault-Ward, Volpatti-Hendricks-Beagle-Wolski

Ovechkin (stitches in chin) left practice early, but Oates says it’s nothing and that he asked to come off early and already got a good sweat in.

Oates said he hasn’t decided who will be in net tomorrow, but did say Braden Holtby & Michal Neuvirth will split the weekend between Buffalo and Philadelphia.

Listen here to what Adam Oates, Karl Alzner & John Erskine had to say following practice today.

Adam Oates Practice Audio

03-29-13 Adam Oates Practice RAW

Karl Alzner Practice Audio

03-29-13 Karl Alzner Practice RAW

John Erskine Practice Audio

03-29-13 John Erskine Practice RAW

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PHOTOS: Washington Capitals Practice, March 28

March 29, 2013 by

Dave and I are back in DC for a visit so we went over to Kettler Iceplex on Thursday, March 28 to watch the Washington Capitals practice. The last time we saw the Caps on the ice in person was in September before the lockout. We’re looking forward to seeing a few games at Verizon Center in the next couple of weeks!

There was a scary moment when Alex Ovechkin left the ice after catching a puck with his chin. He didn’t return to practice and tweeted photos from the doctor’s office before and after the 22 stitches. Ouch.

Here are a handful of photos from practice. It was great to take hockey photos again! As always, please feel free to comment on the post. I really appreciate feedback. Thanks.

This is what hockey fans do on their spring break! - Washington Capitals practice at Kettler, 3/28/2013 (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

This is what hockey fans do on their spring break! – Washington Capitals practice at Kettler, 3/28/2013 (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

 

[Read more...]

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Washington Capitals Game 19 Postgame Audio: Oates, Ovechkin, Grubauer & more

February 27, 2013 by

Audio courtesy Sky Kerstein

The Washington Capitals were dominated by the Philadelphia Flyers on the road one night after playing perhaps their best game of the season in Tuesday’s shutout of Carolina. Head coach Adam Oates said it was apparent his team didn’t have the jump to compete, for whatever reason.

“We had a terrible start. The first shift and then down quick, playing against a team that needs it as bad as us and we had no answer for them.”

“It’s our first bad game in while and I think it was all of us and we looked a little tired,” Oates continued. “We didn’t have enough fight to fight back through them. I think it’s a little bit of the produce with the league right now because of the lockout with scheduling. Teams are tired. We will chalk it up to that and find ways to work on stuff.”

For Oates’ full comments, along with those of Alex Ovechkin, Phillipp Grubauer (who made his NHL debut with 14-of-14 saves) and the rest, please click the links below.

02-27-13 Adam Oates Postgame RAW

02-27-13 Alex Ovechkin Postgame RAW

02-27-13 Philipp Grubauer Postgame RAW

02-27-13 Braden Holtby Postgame RAW

02-27-13 Joel Ward Postgame RAW

02-27-13 Karl Alzner Postgame RAW

 

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Washington Capitals Re-Sign Holtby & Erskine; Brouwer goes off as Caps prepare for Canes

February 25, 2013 by

ARLINGTON, VA–Crazy day today in Arlington as the Washington Capitals re-signed goalie Braden Holtby and defenseman John Erskine to two-year deals as they prepare for the return of Alexander Semin and the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow.

Braden Holtby, 23, signed a two-year contract extension worth $3.7 million.  Holtby has has played in eleven games this season, has a  5-6-0 record with a 3.37 GAA and a .896 Save pct. plus one shut out.  Holtby had a 1.95 GAA, .935 save pct. in the playoffs last season.  Holtby will start his seventh game in a row tomorrow night.

“Just trying to do it ahead of time,”  Capitals General Manager George McPhee said.  “We all believe there is a lot of upside there, good young goalie.”

John Erskine, 32, signed a two-year contract extension worth $3.925 million.  Erskine has played in eleven games this season and has one goal and one assist.  This is John Erskine’s eleventh NHL season and has been playing with John Carlson for the majority of the year.

“I thought he should’ve played more last year,”  McPhee said on Erskine.  “Unfortunately he didn’t.”

The veteran defenseman is very happy with his current role.

“Things have worked out this season and I’m glad to be here a couple more years,”  Erskine said.

If that wasn’t enough, forward Troy Brouwer went off on Alexander Semin and the system they played under Bruce Boudreau.

“Some nights you didn’t even know if he was gonna come to the rink,”  Brouwer said on Semin.

On playing under Bruce Boudreau, Brouwer said, “It was very laxidasical…kind of guys were able to do whatever they pleased. There wasn’t a whole lot of accountability and then when we had a little bit of trouble and there needed to be accountability it wasn’t received exactly with open arms, I’ll say.”

Brouwer does though enjoy playing under Adam Oates, “Everyone’s still accountable. Everyone has to do their job, but he’s letting guys play the way that makes them successful.”

Capitals Captain Alex Ovechkin says he still talks to Semin once a week and wishes he was still playing here.

“Yeah. Of course. He’s great player, good guy, but you know it’s a business.”

On the injury front…Mike Green (groin) says he’s “100 percent” and ready to go for tomorrow.

Marcus Johansson (upper body) is still not ready to go.  “Marcus is progressing,”  McPhee said.  “We’ll see how he is the next few days.”

Nicklas Backstrom (sick) missed practice today and went to go see the doctor.   ”A little under the weather, we’ll see how he is tomorrow morning,”  McPhee said.

Jason Chimera (lower body) left practice early today.  “Nothing major, should be fine. Just being careful,”  McPhee said.

Brooks Laich (groin) hasn’t skated in nine days.  McPhee says he is “concerned about it” and has his “fingers crossed”.  McPhee added that Laich’s current treatment that he is on takes two weeks.

McPhee said “we’ll see” if they’ll need to make a recall tomorrow and added that “it’s already been discussed and what we might do if we need to recall”.

The Caps forward lines today looked like Chimera-Ribeiro-Ovechkin, Fehr-Johansson-Brouwer, Wolski-Perreault-Ward, Hendricks-Beagle-Crabb.

Oates said we could see Michal Neuvirth in net on Wednesday in Philadelphia on the second game of a back-to-back.

Listen here to what George McPhee, Adam Oates, Troy Brouwer, Braden Holtby, John Erskine, Mike Green, Karl Alzner, Alex Ovechkin & Michal Neuvirth.

George McPhee Practice Audio

02-25-13 George McPhee Presser RAW

Adam Oates Practice Audio

02-25-13 Adam Oates Practice RAW

Troy Brouwer Practice Audio

02-25-13 Troy Brouwer Practice RAW

Braden Holtby Practice Audio

02-25-13 Braden Holtby Practice RAW

John Erskine Practice Audio

02-25-13 John Erskine Practice RAW

Mike Green Practice Audio

02-25-13 Mike Green Practice RAW

Karl Alzner Practice Audio

02-25-13 Karl Alzner Practice RAW

Alex Ovechkin Practice Audio

02-25-13 Alex Ovechkin Practice RAW

Michal Neuvirth Practice Audio

02-25-13 Michal Neuvirth Practice RAW

 

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Washington Capitals Game 16 Postgame Audio: Oates, Brouwer, Backstrom & More

February 21, 2013 by

WASHINGTON–The Washington Capitals are back in the basement of the NHL as they have a total collapse in the third period against the New Jersey Devils and fall 3-2.

“It’s hard,”  Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner said.  “It’s very frustrating. I thought we were in pretty good control there, playing good. They came out hard in the first and we stuck with it there and that’s what we want to see from this team. It’s frustrating, what happened in the third period there.”

The Capitals committed six minors in the third, five of which put them shorthanded and they were down two men twice.

“You start the third period, you’ve got a lead, then you give them two 5-on-3s in one period, obviously that’s too much,”  Capitals Head Coach Adam Oates said.  “I thought maybe a couple of calls were tough calls. I didn’t think Alex’s was a call. Bottom line is, that’s too many. It’s been too many times.”

Capitals forward Troy Brouwer received a ten minute misconduct following the game for yelling at the officials and would not talk about the officiating following the loss.

“I’m not discussing it right now. I don’t feel like getting fined tonight.”

But Brouwer did say, “We feel like we were robbed a little bit tonight. Two points, one point, anything kind of that was taken away from us there.”

Alzner summed up the night.

“I thought we played pretty decent. Besides that first ten minutes or whatever it was. I don’t know – whatever the time was in the third – we played a good hockey game. So we take what we’ve been taking out of the games is that we’re right there. We just got to find a way to finish every game because we haven’t been doing it.”

Listen here to what Adam Oates, Troy Brouwer, Nicklas Backstrom, Karl Alzner & Mathieu Perreault had to say following the loss.

Adam Oates Postgame Audio

02-21-13 Adam Oates Postgame RAW

Troy Brouwer Postgame Audio

02-21-13 Troy Brouwer Postgame RAW

Nicklas Backstrom Postgame Audio

02-21-13 Nicklas Backstrom Postgame RAW

Karl Alzner Postgame Audio

02-21-13 Karl Alzner Postgame RAW

Mathieu Perreault Postgame Audio

02-21-13 Mathieu Perreault Postgame RAW

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Washington Capitals Practice Update & Audio from Oates, Ovechkin, Alzner & Wolski

February 20, 2013 by

ARLINGTON, VA–The Washington Capitals held another practice today as they prepare for their three game home stand starting with back-to-back home games against the New Jersey Devils tomorrow.

Mike Green (lower body) skated about thirty minutes before practice and ten minutes into practice before coming off.

“He felt pretty good,”  Capitals Head Coach Adam Oates said.  “He just didn’t want to be explosive, but he felt fine with everything else.”

Oates added that he didn’t read anything into the fact that Green left practice after ten minutes and they are preparing for the chances of him playing and not to play tomorrow.  If he can’t go, watch for Tomas Kundratek and Karl Alzner to be together again.

Marcus Johansson (upper body) skated for about thirty minutes before practice before coming off the ice before practice started and Oates had no update on him.

Brooks Laich (groin) did not skate and Oates said, “Brooks is fine. He’s just been doing treatment where they want him to stay off the ice…for strength purposes.”

Jack Hillen (upper body) practiced, but has not been cleared for contact.

The Capitals rolled their same forward lines at practice today that they’ve been doing: Wolski-Backstr0om-Brouwer, Chimera-Ribeiro-Ovechkin, Fehr-Perreault-Ward, Hendricks-Beagle-Crabb.

Braden Holtby (4-5-0, 3.68 GAA, .888 Save pct.) will start his sixth game in a row tomorrow for the Caps.

Listen here to what Adam Oates, Alex Ovechkin, Karl Alzner & Wojtek Wolski had to say following practice today.

Adam Oates Practice Audio

02-20-13 Adam Oates Practice RAW

Alex Ovechkin Practice Audio

02-20-13 Alex Ovechkin Practice RAW

Karl Alzner Practice Audio

02-20-13 Karl Alzner Practice RAW

Wojtek Wolski Practice Audio

02-20-13 Wojtek Wolski Practice RAW

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Washington Capitals Morning Skate Update & Audio for Feb. 9: Oates & Alzner

February 9, 2013 by

Audio courtesy Sky Kerstein

It was a pretty quiet morning at Kettler Capitals Iceplex as the Washington Capitals prepare to face the Florida Panthers this evening at 7:00 pm at Verizon Center. Several Caps players took their option of not skating this morning, including Alex Ovechkin, Nick Backstrom, Mike Ribeiro, Mike Green and Joel Ward.

Head coach Adam Oates indicated Marcus Johansson would be a healthy scratch tonight and Matthieu Perreault would be back in the lineup. Tom Poti will be a gametime decision after missing the last game with an “upper body injury” resulting from the cross-check he took against Toronot Tuesday night. Braden Holtby will get the start in goal.

For Oates’ comments, alogn with Karl Alzner’s daily press briefing, please click the links below.

 02-09-13 Adam Oates Practice RAW

02-09-13 Karl Alzner Practice RAW

 

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Washington Capitals Game 11 Recap: Frustration mounts as Caps are buried by Penguins

February 7, 2013 by

If you thought the Washington Capitals’ loss Tuesday on home ice to the Toronto Maple Leafs was bad, well, it was. But the five-goal onslaught in the second period by the Pittsburgh Penguins was probably the worst 20 minutes of hockey the Caps have played all season, and the resultant 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh drops the Cpas to a league-worst 2-8-1.

Their five points earned in 11 games would be a 37-point pace over 82 games.

It’s the Caps first regulation loss in Pittsburgh since 2007. The Capitals are still winless on the road this season.

The Caps actually got on the board first, with Mike Ribeiro netting his fourth goal of the season. Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury got tangled up with his own defenseman, Brooks Orpik, and lost his mask, giving Ribeiro an opportunity to take advantage of a rare mistake by the opposition this season. [Read more...]

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CAPS: Washington Capitals to Celebrate Hockey is for Everyone Month

February 7, 2013 by
Jason Chimera teaching Caps Club Kids how to shoot the puck at Kettler (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Jason Chimera teaching Caps Club Kids how to shoot the puck at Kettler (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

Washington Capitals to Celebrate Hockey is for Everyone Month

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals will celebrate the National Hockey League’s Hockey is for Everyone™ Month with several events and initiatives throughout February.

For the 15th year, the NHL has designated February Hockey is for Everyone™ Month to celebrate grassroots hockey and the game’s growing diversity. The program offers children of all backgrounds opportunities to play hockey and leverages the sport of hockey as a catalyst to teach essential life skills and the core values of hockey: commitment, perseverance and teamwork. In addition, the initiative supports hockey programs that assist disabled military personnel in returning to their active, mainstream lifestyles.

The Capitals support of Hockey is for Everyone™ includes:

Feb. 8 For the third-consecutive year the Capitals will team up with children’s charity Dreams for Kids to host an Extreme Recess Hockey Clinic at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. Washington Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner, forward Jason Chimera and goaltender Braden Holtby will skate and play hockey with more than 100 children with physical and developmental disabilities.

Feb. 11 As part of the Capitals Hockey School program, the Capitals will host a Hockey School assembly at the team’s adopted school, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in northeast Washington, D.C. Hockey School is a free program, designed to be both instructional and interactive, with the goal of exposing students to floor hockey while teaching proper technique.

Feb. 14-18 The Capitals and Washington Pride will host the annual Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) Challenge Cup at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. The Capitals Junior Women’s Hockey League All-Star Girls Clinic will be hosted at Kettler Capitals Iceplex from 6:20-7:20 p.m. on Feb. 14, with an All-Star game at 7:30 p.m. The free clinic is offered to local girls as part of the JWHL Challenge Cup All-Star game. Players are required to preregister online at www.Kettlercapitalsiceplex.com.

Feb. 18 Capitals forward Joel Ward will visit Fort Dupont Ice Arena where he will skate with and provide instruction to children involved with Neal Henderson’s hockey program. The Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club is a development program that provides local and inner-city youth in Washington, D.C., the opportunity to participate in an organized ice hockey program.

Feb. 20 During the second of two Hockey Schools in February, the Capitals will instruct children at the Latin American Youth Center’s Rita Bright Family and Youth Center in northwest Washington, D.C. Students from Meridian Public Charter School will attend the visit featuring Capitals forward Mike Ribeiro.

Feb. 23 Kids Club members will be admitted to the game against the New Jersey Devils one hour prior to opening for activities on the 400 level during Kids Club Day at Verizon Center. A game ticket is required for admission at the F Street entrance.

Feb. 26 The month will culminate in the Capitals Hockey is For Everyone Night when the Capitals play the Carolina Hurricanes at Verizon Center. Various local youth hockey programs will join in the festivities throughout the game, including the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, the Wheaton Ice Arena Learn-to-Play program, Special Hockey Washington and the Richmond Royals Hockey Club.

Hockey is for Everyone
Hockey is for Everyone™ (HIFE) is the official youth development program of the National Hockey League (NHL) and a component of The Biggest Assist Happens off the Ice™, the NHL’s social responsibility program that builds on the League’s long-standing tradition of addressing important social issues in North America and around the world. HIFE provides support and unique programing to non-profit youth hockey organizations across North America that are committed to offering children of all backgrounds opportunities to play hockey. For more information, visit hockeyisforeveryone.NHL.com.

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Washington Capitals Practice Update & Audio for Feb. 4: Oates, Erskine, Backstrom & More

February 4, 2013 by

ARLINGTON, VA–The Washington Capitals practiced Monday as they look for their third win of the season Tuesday as they host the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Caps forward lines today were…Wolski-Ribeiro-Ovi, Chimera-Backstrom-Brouwer, Johansson-Crabb-Ward, Hendricks-Perreault-Beagle-Fehr.

Capitals Head Coach Adam Oates still happy with their play despite only two wins, “The team is playing correct hockey. Yeah, there’s mistakes. We try and fix mistakes every day, but I think the team is playing correct.”

More Oates, “I think we’re going the right direction.”

Oates added that he hasn’t decided who will be in goal tomorrow.

Capitals defenseman John Erskine is suspended for two more games (three total) for his elbow to the Philadelphia Flyers Wayne Simmonds.  He said he texted Simmonds to apologize and that he hopes he’s back in the line-up soon.

Erskine said on the incident,  “It was more like a reflex thing, my elbow kind of came up at the last second.”

Tom Poti replaced John Erskine in the line-up yesterday and Oates said he’s going with that group because they’ve been playing well.

On Roman Hamrlik still being a healthy scratch, “He’s a big boy, he’ll get his chance.”

Oates had no update on Brooks Laich.

Listen here to what Adam Oates, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Ribeiro, Karl Alzner, John Erskine, Joel Ward & Mike Ribeiro had to say today.

Adam Oates Practice Audio

02-04-13 Adam Oates Practice RAW

Nicklas Backstrom Practice Audio

02-04-13 Nicklas Backstrom Practice RAW

Mike Ribeiro Practice Audio

02-04-13 Mike Ribeiro Practice RAW

Karl Alzner Practice Audio

02-04-13 Karl Alzner Practice RAW

John Erskine Practice Audio

02-04-13 John Erskine Practice RAW

Joel Ward Practice Audio

02-04-13 Joel Ward Practice RAW

Mike Ribeiro Practice Audio

02-04-13 Mike Ribeiro Practice RAW

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