Turned out Ovechkin the other night was cut in the leg by a skate blade (LeTaing's)... he's stitched up, and will be in the lineup tonight. Johnson is out for a few weeks, strained ligament in his knee. Cassivi has been called up.

So- Caps with 5 points in last 5 games (only 1 win, though), Senators tough (15-2-0 last 17)....

we shall see.

Kolzig vs. Gerber....

game on.

:55 into the period, Semin comes racing off the bench.... challenges Gerber for the puck behind the net.... comes forward....

AND STUFFS IT IN BEFORE GERBER CAN GET BACK IN POSITION!

1-0 Caps at 1:01 !

The Caps with 3 icing calls against them in the first 2:57 (JB says good- slowing down the Sens), and now a PP at 3:53 gone....

the Caps keep it in a good long time, finally.... out to the point, Ovechkin walks in.....

2-0!!!!!!

 

Over 7:00 gone in the 1st, and the Sens have yet to get a SOG......

And they still don't- they get a PP and try one from very close range, but Steckel cuts it off before it gets to Kolzig....

killed. Good job.

 

Not so good on the next PK, as the Sens score, but it's under review.....

it counts.

2-1

Caps had another PP, but the Sens killed.

3:30 left 1st, SOGs are 11-2..... Caps.

2-1 Caps, end 1st.

The 2nd starts, Backstrom to the box after only :47..... but the Caps kill. Then, an Ott mistake, a Caps' 3 on 2 turns into a 3 on 1, and a nice pass from Poti to.....

OVECHKIN!!

It's 3-1!

But now another Ott PP....

An Ott penalty makes it :24 of 4 on 4, then a Caps' PP.... good pressure..... Backstrom, to... Nylander on the doorstep!!!

It's 4-1!!!!

Caps get a PP, but..... Alfie gets behind everybody, and the pass hits him in stride.... Ovie has no choice but to hook him down....

penalty shot....

4-2.

Since the PS, been watching rather than typing. Caps have looked pretty good.

Less than 2:00 left, Ovie hits Kozlov with a fine pass, he's in ahead,  all alone.... stoned easily. Never got it up. A few seconds left, Caps on the attack.... the puck is loose....

:02.6 left and IT'S IN!!!!! Backstrom's goal, I think! Under review, but nobody seems to know why....

5-2 Caps, end 2nd. Ott may have 10 or less SOGs to this point.

As usual, juuuuuuust as I hit post, gloves dropped- Neil and Brashear.....

Donald throws maybe 10 unanswered lefts, most connect very well.... but Neil gets the knockdown with a fine punch. Brashear skates off, giving the "I finished him easily" hand wipe to the fans....

good fight.

A post by tbm over on official, dead-on:

This is why I love Chris Neil.

He does not have to fight Brashear. He could let McGrats do it. But he answers for the hit on Backstrom and he doesn't go hiding for cover just because he can since he's not a 4th liner anymore. And he takes 7 jackhammer lefts from Brashear and refuses to duck or go down. Super character, super tough for a player who's only 6ft tall.

Helluva showing by Brashear also. He hasn't hit someone that hard that much in a long time and Neil still didn't go down.

Took a few off to check out the football game, and I come back with 14:04 left in regulation, and the score now 5-3.....

And no sooner do I type that, than the Caps get a PP, but.... Fisher gets by Green, and the second SHG of the night for the Sens.....

it's 5-4....

And, no sooner do I type that, and Semin steps up and steals in the neutral zone, brings it in with Nylander to his left.... over to Nylander....

6-4Caps!!!!!!

Another Sens' PP, another goal....

it's 6-5.

7:24 left in regulation....

Bad change by the Sens, pressure from the Caps.....

HAT TRICK! OVECHKIN!!!

7-5!!!!!!!

The Sens decide they have to do something to get back in this, and pull Gerber with about 2:40 left....

and score.

It's 7-6, with about 2:05 left.

Still an EN, Ovechkin takes a shot at it, and hits the outside of the post.... icing, Caps....

:45 left... Alfie just misses

ENG FOR OVECHKIN!!!!

8-6!!!!!!!!

:20 left....

stoppage at :11.9....

Caps win!!!!!!!!

8-6 final.

 

And, I won't say this anywhere else, but I think the injury the last game is the best thing to happen to Ovechkin in a long time- he couldn't really be his reckless self, and took his time on plays he's been rushing all season.

Sometimes, the longest way 'round.... is the shortest route to the net.

YouTube video of the Brashear-Neil tilt:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VYb5BBpH0OU