Green's PPG gives Caps OT win over Rangers

Truthfully, the Caps were the fresher team and that's part of why they cameback to pull out a hard fought 3-2 overtime win over the Rangers earlier today in the nation's capital.

However, this was another one of those games the Blueshirts should've gotten two points in instead of the annoying brownie point. How many times can they outshoot opponents and not cash in on power plays? In case you're wondering, they took a collar finishing a deadful 0-for-6 on the man-advantage. Why not just decline it? That would make it easier for fans to watch.

Just how costly was it? In a game they controlled outshooting the Caps 33-24, their damn PP was the difference because the opportunistic Caps managed to go 2-for-3 including lethal defenseman Mike Green's OT winner just 23 seconds into the extra session.

To be quite frank, the Blueshirts have only one PP unit now. That would be the more North American one featuring leading scorer Scott Gomez, the sizzling Chris Drury (sixth goal in last seven) along with Nigel Dawes and defensemen Fedor Tyutin and Daniel Girardi.

The Euro-overpassing unit featuring non-leader Jaromir Jagr, Michal Rozsival, Martin Straka, Petr Prucha and Brandon Dubinsky was just brutal wasting precious seconds. It was pretty easy for the Caps to kill off time when clueless coach Tom Renney stuck them out there. Why bother making a change? Right.

And is it his novel concept to stick stonehands fourth liners Blair Betts, Ryan Hollweg and Colton Orr near the end of the PP? Geez. This team is run so ass backwards, it's no wonder they're treading water just trying to stay afloat and make a third consecutive postseason while lesser opponents such as the Caps and Bruins continue to work harder and netting impressive results.

If they do make the cut, it's only going to because the East sucks. Mediocrity is what Gary Bettman wanted and he sure is getting it. Call me a traditionalist but I'd prefer getting no points for losing in OT.

Why reward a loser? For the same exact reasons these brainwashed stripes waved off a perfectly legit tying goal by Wings' defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom with under a minute left in a whale of a game on NBC between the NHL's best and the Ducks.

Such is the nature of the rules. If you caught the couple of Ranger games this weekend, then you know exactly what I'm referring to. The soft calls which have no business being in the game. It's gotten stupid.

I'm embarrassed to be a fan of this sport. That's how much they've dumbed it down. It doesn't help that my team continues to underachieve with Jagr managing no points in the last seven games. How is that possible?!?!?!?!?! I got into a heated argument with some fans earlier this season about what No.68 has become. They didn't want to believe it and labeled me a "non-Ranger fan." LMAO...who's laughing now?

Sadly, no one is these days. Nobody feels sorry for this heartless team. I see Drury and Gomez putting a heck of a lot better effort in than Jagr or Rozsival, who suddenly is making me long for Marek Malik back in the lineup. Dawes and Dubinsky always put a good effort in and Ryan Callahan looks all the way back finally.

Is it the coach? Do they need a tougher one? There's only 23 games remaining. Less than anyone else. The next one isn't till the following Saturday which means teams are going to finally make up ground on our team who could be out of playoff position when they take to the ice again.

I haven't really said much about the game which they didn't play badly in. Problem was Alexander Ovechkin played for the opponent and once again impacted the game, factoring in on every Caps' goal. His hard work setup the tying Boyd Gordon marker with 15 seconds left in the second. AO also notched the primary assist on Green's 15th- a blast which unfortunately went off Marc Staal past a valiant Steven Valiquette, who in his second straight start finished with 21 saves.

Problem was Olie Kolzig was better garnering first star with 31 stops including highway robbery on Sean Avery, sliding across to rob the Rangers' first goalscorer of a sure second one in the third.

Congrats go out to Olie The Goalie for becoming only the eighth netminder to play in 800 career games. He certainly came up large in lifting his team back into first in the topsy turvy Southeast.


Props again to Lenny for providing some excellent coverage the past couple of days. All your hard work is very appreciated. I only wish our team could work just as hard and consistently as you do.

Ovechkin's four goals lift Caps over Sens 8-6

Alexander Ovechkin decided to join Russian comrade Ilya Kovalchuk in the 30-goal club this season. He just decided to do it with a vintage night Saturday against the East's best team up at Scotia Bank Place.

The exciting third-year 22 year-old from Moscow scored four goals and an assist in a high scoring 8-6 win over the Senators. It was his first career four-goal game.

Even more amazing was that he was coming off a leg cut suffered in an OT loss to the Penguins Thursday which needed stitches.

No matter as the former 2005-06 Calder winner pulled within two goals of league leader Kovalchuk who tallied once in a 5-0 Thrashing of Boston last night.

"Oh yeah, it was bothering me," Ovechkin later admitted to the AP. "It was a little bit of pain but it's OK, I feel pretty good tonight. My parents were here, they arrived from Moscow and I was excited. It was a great time."

No wonder he put on a show.

"What impresses me most is that he actually played tonight," Capital teammate Olaf Kolzig noted. "If you guys would have seen the gash on his leg and I know a lot of guys were, not begging him but leaning towards, 'Hey, you think you can play tonight?' He had a lot of courage and he put on a heck of a show."

The 14 total goals made for a tough night in net. Something Kolzig eluded to.

"It was definitely a ratings booster for the TV stations and I'm sure the fans got their money's worth, but I'm too old for these kind of games," he said. "It's going to force me to retire sooner than I want."

The game featured the first career hat trick for underrated Ottawa center Mike Fisher. He scored all three in the third period trying to lead a comeback from 5-2 down.

"It's frustrating to lose that one when we were kind of close and it was not a great game for us," Fisher said after tallying shorthanded, on the power play and at even strength to be tabbed as the game's 2nd Star in the loss. "That would have been sweet to be able to come back but overall we've got to be better. We can't put ourselves in that position."

Teammate Daniel Alfredsson also scored twice including on a penalty shot- becoming just the ninth shooter to beat a goalie in over 30 chances this season.

Caps' rookie center Nicklas Backstrom finished with a goal and two helpers as did Alexander Semin. Ex-Ranger Michael Nylander also scored twice in a wild game which saw nine players (Wsh-5, Ott-4) post multi-point nights.

It was Ovechkin's third career hat trick and first since Dec. 1, 2006 against Atlanta.

Here are the highlights:

Ovechkin's first career four-goal game