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NY RANGERS |
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| 5 | WASHINGTON | +160 | Ov 5,-110 | +160 | Ov 5,-110 | | 6 | NY RANGERS | -180 | Un 5,-110 | -180 | Un 5,-110 |
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| All Games | 41-40-0 | -5 | 41-40 | -5 | 38-37 | 2.7 | 28.1 | 2.8 | 30.1 | | Team Stats (Road Games) | 15-25-0 | -11 | 15-25 | -11 | 22-16 | 2.5 | 27.8 | 3.2 | 30.8 | | Last 5 Games | 3-2-0 | +0.9 | 3-2 | +0.9 | 2-2 | 2.6 | 31.6 | 3.0 | 30.8 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 81 | 218 | 56 | 69 | 82 | 11 | 10 | 2278 | 9.6% | 242 | 40 | 16.5% | 355 | | Team Stats (Road Games) | 40 | 101 | 23 | 30 | 45 | 3 | 4 | 1114 | 9.1% | 119 | 17 | 14.3% | 157 | | Team Stats (Last 5 Games) | 5 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 158 | 8.2% | 14 | 0 | 0.0% | 18 | | Stats Against (All Games) | | 229 | 67 | 84 | 70 | 8 | 12 | 2439 | 9.4% | 263 | 49 | 18.6% | 383 | | Stats Against (Road Games) | | 128 | 41 | 45 | 38 | 4 | 9 | 1233 | 10.4% | 143 | 30 | 21.0% | 214 | | Stats Against (Last 5 Games) | | 15 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 154 | 9.7% | 11 | 1 | 9.1% | 25 |
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| BRADEN HOLTBY (All Games) | 6 | 5 | 156 | 142 | 91.0% | 1 | 2-3 | -0.5 | 2-3-0 | 0 | 3-2 | | BRADEN HOLTBY (Road Games) | 2 | 2 | 61 | 57 | 93.4% | 0 | 1-1 | +0.6 | 1-1-0 | +1 | 1-1 | | BRADEN HOLTBY (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 3 | 88 | 82 | 93.2% | 1 | 1-2 | -1.2 | 1-2-0 | -1 | 1-2 | | MICHAL NEUVIRTH (All Games) | 38 | 32 | 976 | 881 | 90.3% | 1 | 14-18 | -7.2 | 14-18-0 | -6 | 16-12 | | MICHAL NEUVIRTH (Road Games) | 21 | 17 | 524 | 470 | 89.7% | 0 | 6-11 | -5.2 | 6-11-0 | -6 | 10-5 | | MICHAL NEUVIRTH (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 4 | 101 | 94 | 93.1% | 0 | 3-1 | +2 | 3-1-0 | +2 | 1-2 | | TOMAS VOKOUN (All Games) | 48 | 44 | 1299 | 1191 | 91.7% | 4 | 25-19 | +2.8 | 25-19-0 | +3 | 19-23 | | TOMAS VOKOUN (Road Games) | 25 | 21 | 641 | 580 | 90.5% | 1 | 8-13 | -6.4 | 8-13-0 | -6 | 11-10 | | TOMAS VOKOUN (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 3 | 94 | 86 | 91.5% | 0 | 2-1 | +1.8 | 2-1-0 | +2 | 1-2 |
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| All Games | 51-30-0 | +12.3 | 51-30 | +12.3 | 32-29 | 2.8 | 28.4 | 2.3 | 28.0 | | Team Stats (Home Games) | 27-13-0 | +6.9 | 27-13 | +6.9 | 18-15 | 2.8 | 30.3 | 2.1 | 25.7 | | Last 5 Games | 3-2-0 | +0.7 | 3-2 | +0.7 | 3-1 | 3.2 | 30.4 | 2.6 | 27.4 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 81 | 225 | 57 | 80 | 76 | 12 | 14 | 2302 | 9.8% | 278 | 44 | 15.8% | 385 | | Team Stats (Home Games) | 40 | 114 | 29 | 42 | 35 | 8 | 9 | 1212 | 9.4% | 144 | 23 | 16.0% | 197 | | Team Stats (Last 5 Games) | 5 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 152 | 10.5% | 24 | 8 | 33.3% | 28 | | Stats Against (All Games) | | 183 | 46 | 69 | 61 | 7 | 14 | 2264 | 8.1% | 258 | 35 | 13.6% | 319 | | Stats Against (Home Games) | | 84 | 19 | 31 | 32 | 2 | 5 | 1030 | 8.2% | 115 | 17 | 14.8% | 142 | | Stats Against (Last 5 Games) | | 13 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 137 | 9.5% | 19 | 2 | 10.5% | 24 |
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| MARTIN BIRON (All Games) | 21 | 20 | 519 | 469 | 90.4% | 2 | 12-8 | +2.3 | 12-8-0 | +2 | 10-6 | | MARTIN BIRON (Home Games) | 8 | 8 | 196 | 176 | 89.8% | 1 | 6-2 | +3.5 | 6-2-0 | +3 | 6-1 | | MARTIN BIRON (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 4 | 113 | 99 | 87.6% | 0 | 1-3 | -2.1 | 1-3-0 | -2 | 3-0 | | HENRIK LUNDQVIST (All Games) | 61 | 61 | 1736 | 1617 | 93.1% | 6 | 39-22 | +10 | 39-22-0 | +10 | 22-23 | | HENRIK LUNDQVIST (Home Games) | 32 | 32 | 831 | 772 | 92.9% | 5 | 21-11 | +3.4 | 21-11-0 | +1 | 12-14 | | HENRIK LUNDQVIST (Last 4 Games) | 4 | 4 | 105 | 97 | 92.4% | 0 | 3-1 | +1.7 | 3-1-0 | +2 | 2-1 |
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| | Average power rating of opponents played: WASHINGTON 3.07, NY RANGERS 3.17 |
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| 3/11/2012 | TORONTO | 2-0 | W | 0, -145 | W | 5.5 un | U | | 3/13/2012 | at NY ISLANDERS | 5-4 | W | 0, -120 | W | 5.5 un | O | | 3/16/2012 | at WINNIPEG | 2-3 | L | 0, +110 | L | 5.5 un | U | | 3/18/2012 | at CHICAGO | 2-5 | L | 0, +135 | L | 5.5 un | O | | 3/19/2012 | at DETROIT | 5-3 | W | 0, +160 | W | 5.5 un | O | | 3/22/2012 | at PHILADELPHIA | 1-2 | L | 0, +145 | L | 5.5 un | U | | 3/23/2012 | WINNIPEG | 3-4 | L | 0, -120 | L | 5.5 un | O | | 3/25/2012 | MINNESOTA | 3-0 | W | 0, -240 | W | 5 ov | U | | 3/27/2012 | BUFFALO | 1-5 | L | 0, -115 | L | 5 ov | O | | 3/29/2012 | at BOSTON | 3-2 | W | 0, +160 | W | 5.5 un | U | | 3/31/2012 | MONTREAL | 3-2 | W | 0, -260 | W | 5.5 un | U | | 4/2/2012 | at TAMPA BAY | 2-4 | L | 0, -155 | L | 6 un | P | | 4/5/2012 | FLORIDA | 4-2 | W | 0, -145 | W | 5 ov | O | | 4/7/2012 | at NY RANGERS | |
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| 3/11/2012 | NY ISLANDERS | 4-3 | W | 0, -240 | W | 5 ev | O | | 3/13/2012 | CAROLINA | 4-2 | W | 0, -160 | W | 5 ov | O | | 3/15/2012 | PITTSBURGH | 2-5 | L | 0, +115 | L | 5.5 un | O | | 3/17/2012 | COLORADO | 1-3 | L | 0, -165 | L | 5 ev | U | | 3/19/2012 | NEW JERSEY | 4-2 | W | 0, -140 | W | 5 ev | O | | 3/21/2012 | DETROIT | 2-1 | W | 0, -145 | W | 5 ov | U | | 3/23/2012 | BUFFALO | 1-4 | L | 0, -160 | L | 5 ev | P | | 3/24/2012 | at TORONTO | 4-3 | W | 0, -150 | W | 5.5 un | O | | 3/27/2012 | at MINNESOTA | 3-2 | W | 0, -200 | W | 5 un | P | | 3/28/2012 | at WINNIPEG | 4-2 | W | 0, -110 | W | 5 ov | O | | 3/30/2012 | MONTREAL | 4-1 | W | 0, -230 | W | 5 ov | P | | 4/1/2012 | BOSTON | 1-2 | L | 0, -130 | L | 5 ov | U | | 4/3/2012 | at PHILADELPHIA | 5-3 | W | 0, +100 | W | 5 ov | O | | 4/5/2012 | at PITTSBURGH | 2-5 | L | 0, +160 | L | 6 un | O | | 4/7/2012 | WASHINGTON | |
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| |  | WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON (AP) - Alex Ovechkin and the talented core of the Washington Capitals are past their NHL adolescence. Youth doesn't work as an excuse any more. It's time to be a little more grown-up, act a little less selfish and actually make that strong push for the Stanley Cup that everyone's been expecting.
As if to ram home the point, coach Bruce Boudreau has made a remedial sports lesson as one of his themes of the season: The best thing for yourself isn't always the best thing for your team.
``I don't know if they need to hear it, but they're hearing it,'' Boudreau said. ``They're hearing it every day from all the coaches. And I think it's something we're going to pound into them, and it'll get done right.''
Is this being emphasized more this year?
``More so than in previous years, yeah,'' Boudreau said.
Take Ovechkin. Last year he made the audacious decision to try to work his way into shape during the regular season to be primed for the playoffs. If every player had that attitude, the Capitals would have collapsed long before May. It certainly didn't work for the two-time league MVP, who had his worst season as a pro - career lows of 32 goals and 85 points - and had trouble staying healthy.
And, by the way, he's the team captain.
This year, Ovechkin is promising - again - to be a better leader. He changed his offseason workout routine and arrived at training camp looking like someone in prime condition.
``Last year, everybody can't wait until the playoffs start,'' Ovechkin said. ``This year, everybody can't wait until the season starts.''
Take Alexander Semin, the enigmatic scorer often considered to have as much - if not more - skill than Ovechkin. The rap on Semin has always been that he's aloof and just doesn't seem to have any passion, a feeling expressed in blunt terms this summer when former teammate Matt Bradley told an Ottawa radio station that Semin ``could easily be the best player in the league, and just for whatever reason, just doesn't care.''
Another ex-teammate, David Steckel, added that Bradley was just saying what everyone already knew.
Over the last few weeks, Semin and the Capitals have started taking steps to let everyone know that he does care. He's been defended by owner Ted Leonsis and general manager George McPhee, and - for the first time - has started doing limited interviews in English. If there's been one lasting image from training camp, it's the emergence of the Semin smile.
``I don't worry about this situation,'' Semin said in an interview posted on the Capitals' website when asked about Bradley's comments. ``Different people have different opinions.''
Just in case the talented quartet of Ovechkin, Semin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green - all between 23 and 27 - aren't fully grasping Boudreau's message, the Capitals can turn to a new quintet of veterans meant to get the team over its postseason blahs once and for all. Goalie Tomas Vokoun, defenseman Roman Hamrlik and forwards Joel Ward and Jeff Halpern are in their 30s. The fifth addition, forward Troy Brouwer, won the Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.
All five have marveled at the Capitals' talent from afar, then watched with curiosity as the team reeled off the last four Southeast Division titles - then failed each time in the early rounds of the playoffs. Shortly after he signed, Brouwer said ``sometimes you need a little bit of outside views'' and that he was looking forward to using his experience to help lead.
Now that he's had a few weeks to practice with his new team, Brouwer praises Ovechkin as someone great at ``leading by example.'' The unspoken implication is that the veterans are still the ones who will have to step up when it comes time to lead with words.
Perhaps the player they should listen to is Vokoun, who has been in the NHL since 1996 and has been to the playoffs just twice, an elite goaltender toiling away for bad teams. He is relishing his chance to contend for the Cup, and his teammates need to know what a precious opportunity it is.
``It something I definitely appreciate,'' Vokoun said. ``You don't know how many chances you're going to have - certainly not for me because I'm 35, but even for these guys. Some guys think, `Oh, it's going to be like this always.' That's not true.''
If that's not enough motivation, Leonsis has offered what sounds like the ultimate word from ownership that it's high time to live up to expectations.
``There's not another dollar to spend, there's not another ticket to sell,'' Leonsis said. ``It's all up to the organization now to be very, very focused and improve upon last year. But there's not much that we have left to do in management. It's now up to the players and coaches and I think they've all internalized that. The fan base is built. The team is rebuilt. We're ready to go.''
| | NY RANGERS: NEW YORK (AP) - Since Brad Richards relocated to New York with a big free-agent deal, he has endured an earthquake and a hurricane.
Those might turn out to be the calm days if he and the Rangers stumble this season.
Richards was the big prize available when the NHL shopping season started on July 1, and the Rangers landed him with a nine-year, $60 million contract that was reminiscent of their big-spending ways before the salary cap. The money will be considered very well spent if the skilled playmaking center clicks with top forward Marian Gaborik, who is looking to get back to his 40-goal days.
In their preseason debut as teammates and linemates, Richards and Gaborik both scored a goal with an assist from the other.
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| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER HOCKEY PREVIEW (WASHINGTON-NY RANGERS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Updating with Holtby starting)
*Capitals-Rangers Preview* ==========================
By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer
Washington (41-32-8) at New York (51-23-7), 6:30 p.m. EDT
The New York Rangers and Washington Capitals face off in Saturday night's season finale at Madison Square Garden, and could be back there again next week to meet in the first round of the playoffs for a second straight year.
While the Rangers are still playing for the Presidents' Trophy, the Capitals have more at stake and their goalie situation is suddenly a big concern.
Washington (41-32-8) clinched a playoff berth with Thursday's 4-2 win over Florida, coupled with Philadelphia beating Buffalo to eliminate the Sabres from contention. Alex Ovechkin scored his team-leading 37th goal for the Capitals, who won for the third time in four games since a devastating 5-1 home loss to Buffalo on March 27.
"To learn to win in these big games it's going to benefit us in the playoffs," forward Jay Beagle said. "These last two weeks we've been grinding out these wins and we've got to carry it over to the playoffs."
The Capitals are in eighth place and will stay there with a loss to the Eastern Conference champion Rangers (51-23-7). They can, however, overtake the Panthers to earn their fifth straight Southeast Division crown - and the East's No. 3 seed - with a win and a Florida regulation loss. The Panthers host lowly Carolina on Saturday night.
Washington also could move into seventh place if it wins while Ottawa loses in regulation at New Jersey.
The Rangers already have secured home-ice advantage throughout the East playoffs, and a win Saturday would guarantee their first Presidents' Trophy since the 1993-94 Stanley Cup-winning team.
Last season, it was New York which was the eighth seed and Washington which finished atop the East before opening the playoffs by ousting the Rangers in five games. New York has won two of three meetings this season.
While there are several playoff scenarios for the Capitals, their biggest focus is the health of their goaltenders.
Michal Neuvirth was hurt in the second period Thursday when the Panthers' Marco Strum fell on his left leg. Neuvirth, who has appeared in the last five games, couldn't put any weight on his left skate as Ovechkin and Karl Alzner helped him to the bench.
Coach Dale Hunter said Neuvirth is "day-to-day."
With Tomas Vokoun, the team leader with 25 wins and a 2.51 goals-against average, out indefinitely with a groin injury, the Capitals will turn to Braden Holtby to start Saturday.
Holtby made his sixth appearance of the season Thursday and stopped 12 of 14 shots. It was his first action since being pulled after yielding three goals on 18 shots in just over one period of work in last week's loss to Buffalo.
The Rangers had some fears about their goalie situation when Henrik Lundqvist had a swollen right forearm after Tuesday's victory over the Flyers, but he said during Thursday morning's skate that his arm was OK. He was given the night off as his team faced Pittsburgh, not playing for the first time in 11 games, but said he could have started if the matchup was crucial.
Lundqvist, whose 39 wins and 1.93 GAA are career bests, has posted a 1.25 GAA and two shutouts in winning his last four starts against Washington.
New York's biggest concern now may be the health of center Derek Stepan, who suffered a knee-to-knee hit from Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik in Thursday's 5-2 loss. Stepan, fourth on the Rangers in goals (17) and points (51), remained on the bench after the play.
"It's a cheap, dirty hit," coach John Tortorella said. "I wonder what would happen if we did it to their two whining stars over there. ... It's one of the most arrogant organizations in the league."
New York and Pittsburgh could possibly meet in the conference semifinals.
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| | Last Updated: 5/1/2024 2:32:03 PM EST. |
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