Johnson in goal, the Caps trying to get a little breathing room on the pack.

:37 in Bradley and Walker gone 5:00 each, for fighting....

The 'Canes seem to have the early control, and Cole gives them the lead 3:56 into the period. Nice move, pretty goal, really.

14:35 left, now Brookbank and Erskine 5:00 each.... not much of a fight though.

Caps get a PP, couple of good efforts, no goal.... right after it ends, a 'Cane crushes Laich into the boards, and it's right back on the PP... 7:57 left 1st.

Stats show Carolina as the WORST PK in the entire league, but you can't prove it by the Caps... 2 for 2 killing by the 'Canes.

A shot from Johnson's left, a rebound out to his right, and a tapp-in goal from Ladd.

2-0 Hurricanes.

Carolina on the PP with 3:34 left 1st....

and killed.

2-0 Hurricanes, end 1st.

It took 2:00 of the 2nd for me to realize they had returned to play... since then, not much happened. Now the Caps get another PP, and the Canes are killing easily.... oops! 2MA for the Caps.... look out Johnson....

Thought I was kidding, didn't you? First SOG on the 2MA was by "Canes.... and 1:10 of 2MA disappeared quickly without any puck control, and one SOG (the 'Canes had 2)....  then, on the remaining PP, the 'Canes hit the crossbar.... and killed.

Ugh. Did Hanlon come back?

And now Carolina on the PP, an open shot from Johnson's left, and....

HUUUUUUUUUGE save!!! Then, Laing dives and pokes the puck out of the zone.... nice kill, in the end, when it could have been real disaster...  7:30 left 2nd.

It's been going on for a while, but I learn reading at official Semin has moved up to the 1st line, Fehr down to the 2nd....

Canes had a 4:00 PP going, but slashed on it to make a 4 on 4.... the period ends.

2-0 Carolina, end 2nd.

There will be :09 of the 4 on 4, then the Caps on a short PP to start the 3rd.

sportsfan882 at official sums it up:

uggggggh.. Caps have been outscored 4-0 in the last 5 periods against the Canes and Thrashers at home in the past week.

Almost 4:00 gone 3rd, Caps go on the PP for the 6th time tonight against the LEAGUE-WORST PK unit....

Erskine hasn't skated since his "fight" early in the 1st- speculation is he's injured....

waxed again on the PP.

Sam trying to inspire the team and the huge crowd that showed tonight, to no avail.

10:25 left... Semin with the puck, around behind the net, out to the goalie's right, acorss the ice, he's hooked, but keeps control, gets his stick back on the puck off his own rebound, and....

2-1!!!! That was very awesome shift by Semin- dominant puck control!

One goal, and the crowd is alive now, and the Caps are working harder than they have all game. Under 6:00 left in regulation.... lots of work along the boards at both ends... 4:45 left.... 3:30, Canes working behind Johnson.... 3:09, it's a Caps' PP! If they're going to score on it tonight, I'd dare say now is the time.... half of it's gone, not much to show.... as the penalty ends, the 'CANES get a 3 on 1, with Whitney coming out of the box..... ANOTHER HUUUUUUGE save from Johnson!!!!

Under 1:00.... EN for the Caps.... Semin to the box (slashing), :27.6 left....

2-1 Carolina, final.

1st place gone for now, back to something like 10th in the conference....

Yes, that's the problem with that system. We'd better try to also make the playoffs with the conference standings, but it will take more games. I said early March in a post some time ago, I think. Maybe sooner.

Just saw the video summary: looked like a great game to watch. Good play-by-play too ('Canes), and crowd.

Agree about Cole's goal, very smart move, Johnson will remember it (he had a great game, by the way, apparently).

LOL about the 2MA.

Great play by Semin on his goal and before, yes.

Green didn't forget to defend, this time, it seems, unlike Schultz and Erskine on Whitney's attempt about 2 minutes into the game.


It's OK if they lose games like this one. At least they really tried to win it. PP didn't work, but PK did.

Cam Ward got the first star, so I guess he's the main reason why the Caps lost tonight.