Washington (8-3-4) at Florida (5-7-1)

  • Game info: 7:30 pm EST Fri Nov 6, 2009
  • TV: RDS, FSFL

By ALAN FERGUSON, STATS Writer Nov 5, 6:35 pm EST

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

After the Washington Capitals’ first game without Alex Ovechkin(notes), coach Bruce Boudreau thought his team might have concentrated too much on the two-time defending MVP’s absence.

As they attempt to snap a three-game slide, the Capitals will likely have to play without Ovechkin again during a home-and-home series with the surging Florida Panthers that begins Friday night.

Ovechkin is considered “week to week” after suffering an upper-body injury, believed to be his shoulder, in Sunday’s 5-4 overtime loss to visiting Columbus. He practiced for the first time Thursday, but said afterward he might need a little more time to heal.

“I’ll probably miss tomorrow and the next game too,” Ovechkin said. “I hope it’s going to be better. I miss (playing). It’s not my thing to sit in the press box and watch the game.”

Ovechkin missed only his fifth game in five seasons Wednesday night, and Washington dropped to 1-4-0 all-time without him with a 3-2 defeat at New Jersey.

After taking an early lead, the Capitals (8-3-4) allowed the Devils to score three straight times—twice in the final 8:40.

“Guys didn’t come to play,” Boudreau said. “Whether they are feeling sorry for themselves because Alex is not in, I don’t know. Same thing happened last year when we went into Buffalo and got smoked 5-0 when he wasn’t there.

“This isn’t a one-man team, but those guys have got to understand that. People can get hurt at any moment.”

With 14 goals in 14 games, Ovechkin has accounted for more than a quarter of Washington’s scoring, and he had five of the Capitals’ 14 goals last season as they split six meetings with the Panthers.

Washington will now face a Florida team that’s found its scoring punch during a season-high three-game win streak, outscoring opponents 13-5.

Steven Reinprecht(notes) has four goals and two assists in those victories, notching his first hat trick for his new team in a 6-5 shootout win at Dallas on Oct. 30. Reinprecht added a goal and an assist in Wednesday night’s 3-0 victory over visiting Carolina.

“We’ve been crashing the net, getting pucks there, things have been bouncing around and getting lucky,” said Reinprecht, whose team-leading nine goals have all come in the last eight games. “When you go to the net, sometimes you get bounces.”

Tomas Vokoun(notes) posted back-to-back shutouts for the fourth time in his career Wednesday after winning 4-0 at St. Louis on Saturday. Vokoun enters Friday’s game with a career-best 142:03 scoreless streak.

He hasn’t posted a shutout in 16 games against the Capitals, allowing at least two goals in each of his last eight matchups—losing six. Vokoun will likely play just one of the weekend games against Washington with Scott Clemmensen(notes) taking the other.

The Capitals might do the same with Jose Theodore(notes) and Semyon Varlamov(notes), who has never faced the Panthers (5-7-1). Theodore allowed a season-high six goals in Washington’s previous trip to Florida on April 11, a 7-4 loss.

These teams play again Saturday night at the Verizon Center.

Updated Nov 5, 6:35 pm EST
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Team Comparison

Team G W L OTL Pts Standings GF GA Road/Home
Washington 24 13 5 6 32 1st, Southeast 85 73 6-3-3 Road
Florida 22 10 9 3 23 4th, Southeast 62 71 3-5-2 Home

Notes

The Capitals became the 21st team in NHL history to win a best-of-seven playoff series after losing three of the first four games. ... This was the second straight year in which Washington forced a Game Seven after being down three games to one. Last season, the Capitals lost the seventh game at home in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers in the conference quarterfinals. ... Washington outshot New York, 13-1, in the third period. ... LW Donald Brashear began serving his suspension for his actions prior to and during Game Six. The enforcer received a one-game ban for initiating contact with New York's Colton Orr during pregame warmups on Sunday and a five-game suspension for a blind-side hit on Blair Betts during the contest. ... RW Chris Clark made his first appearance since January 27. The captain had been sidelined with a wrist injury that required surgery.

Apr 28, 11:36 pm EDT

The Panthers finished the season 41-30-11. ... LW David Booth recorded two goals and three assists on Saturday. Booth's goals were his 30th and 31st of the season; he became the sixth player in Florida's franchise history to reach the 30-goal mark. ... D Jay Bouwmeester was honored as the team's defenseman of the year and Booth was selected as the MVP. Fans voted for the awards online.

Apr 11, 11:09 pm EDT
NHL

20 Comments

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  1. Chuck
    20. Posted by Chuck Sat Nov 7 7:48pm EST

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    wow bag em and tag em everyone is injured
  2. dropthegloves
    19. Posted by dropthegloves Sat Nov 7 7:37pm EST

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    They won but lost Mike Green, and Jeff Schultz to injuries. Mike got upper body and Jeff got lower body.
  3. gerard
    18. Posted by gerard Sat Nov 7 3:31pm EST

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    Very impressive, performance. LETS GO CAPS...
  4. <i>pgsportsman</i>
    17. Posted by pgsportsman Sat Nov 7 1:52pm EST

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    The Caps still need help ! They are lucky that they arent playing anybody that is an average team right now . Watching that game last night was pathetic . Florida is one of the worst offenses in hockey . If the caps would of played any better team , they probably would of been blown out , just like game 7 last year .... Caps are a good team SOMETIMES but right now they still need help . They really do miss Ovy . At least they are in the worst division on hockey too ... That way they can win their divivsion and get knocked out of the playoffs once again .
  5. jeffo79
    16. Posted by jeffo79 Sat Nov 7 10:34am EST

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    still semin star in that movie The Invisible cause he has been that fot thet past 3 weeks, he needs to get going with ovie out. I am busting out my Don Beaupre jersey hes the reason i started liking the caps his mask was the best one out there with the capital building on it
  6. Jay-Jay
    15. Posted by Jay-Jay Sat Nov 7 1:59am EST

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    @Brett P

    sorry, that was before my time. zilla was in net when i went to my first game. but still, been a caps fan since the first time i watched a nhl game
  7. Brett P
    14. Posted by Brett P Sat Nov 7 1:11am EST

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    Let;s go CAPS, but no BANDWAGONERS!!!!! Who else is sporting their Jim Carrey #30????
  8. Tom C
    13. Posted by Tom C Sat Nov 7 12:01am EST

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    Caps with a great 5 minute major penalty kill in the third, and Semin floats through another game.
  9. JayL
    12. Posted by JayL Fri Nov 6 11:35pm EST

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    retweet this lol: Quit taking stupid penalties in your own zone, and then there's no reason why you can't win.
    GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  10. NatsCapsSkins
    11. Posted by NatsCapsSkins Fri Nov 6 11:33pm EST

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    Green should be fine never saw what happened to Schultz and the Sho Mo hit, I hope its like other sports and he can appeal and keep playing. Don't know about any of them playing on Sat. Theo was great and Sloan with a goal and a save! Going to the game in DC. Hope for the same outcome. Spock is right lets see Alzner, I kinda like him.
  11. HOOK
    10. Posted by HOOK Fri Nov 6 11:27pm EST

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    Green left the game with an undisclosed injury and I hope he is ok. Besides the penalties towards the end of the game, the Caps did a good job. Hope to see the same tomorrow.
  12. Spock
    9. Posted by Spock Fri Nov 6 11:24pm EST

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    Good game for the CAPS. Brendan Morrison is looking better every game. The CAPS defense was really good tonight. However both Mike Green and Jeff Schultz left the game for undisclosed injuries. I was watching this game from FS Florida HD, and I didn't see how those injuries occurred. And those FLA announcers did not offer any insight either. But I would think that if these injuries were a result of a play that was that big a deal, those announcers would have said something.
    Another CAPS defenseman, Shaone Morrisonn was assessed a major for a wicked check from behind on Kenndal McArdle. Thus if he is suspended and Green and Schultz are out of the lineup tommorrow night (against these same Panthers), the CAPS could have some problems on defense. And Erskine probably isn't 100% either. . . . maybe Hello Karl Alzner.
  13. Jay-Jay
    8. Posted by Jay-Jay Fri Nov 6 10:29pm EST

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    whoot!!! even w/o the best player in the league, we still managed to get the win. GO CAPS GO!!!
  14. Eric
    7. Posted by Eric Fri Nov 6 10:23pm EST

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    Hey did somthing happen to Green i was lookin at the stats and i have him on my fantasy team and it said he only played 2:44 ???
  15. Daddy Mac
    6. Posted by Daddy Mac Fri Nov 6 10:22pm EST

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    What happened to Green?
  16. Spock
    5. Posted by Spock Fri Nov 6 4:47pm EST

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    Theodore is in goal tonight. The CAPS better not take these Panthers lightly. They just beat two pretty good teams on the road (Dallas, StL), followed by a win over Carolina. Go CAPS!!!!
  17. <i>quiksilver779</i>
    4. Posted by quiksilver779 Fri Nov 6 4:23pm EST

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    Cats are on the prowl...I'm going to the game tonight!!!
  18. jeffo79
    3. Posted by jeffo79 Fri Nov 6 3:20pm EST

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    caps need this one to get out of there funk, maybe semin can score a few goals
  19. HOOK
    2. Posted by HOOK Fri Nov 6 1:16am EST

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    Have 2 games in a row against a inferior team. LET'S GO CAPS!!!
  20. Ryan C.
    1. Posted by Ryan C. Thu Nov 5 9:18pm EST

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    Quit taking stupid penalties in your own zone, and then there's no reason why you can't win.
    GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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