Sport-scan daily brief

If facing his second-most amount of vulcanized rubber this shortened season — he saw 43 on Feb.19 at Chicago in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Blackhawks — Schneider will be the first to tell you that he plays better when he sees more pucks. But this was a little ridiculous. On Saturday, it took a weird double-clutch slapper by Dennis Wideman that got Schneider moving too much to his left and allowed the shot to creep between his arm and body. The Alex Tanguay undressing of Jason Garrison followed by a backhand deke and slipping the puck through the pads of Schneider was pure artistry. You tip your hat to Tanguay who’s motivation must be at an all-time low with linemate Jarome Iginla long gone and perhaps being a buyout candidate in Calgary. But I also counted at least six sensational saves in eye-to-eye confrontations and it started early because the sloppy Canucks had a half dozen give-aways in the first period. The Flames easily roamed the slot, drove the net and camped in the crease. It was either somebody all alone or a mosh pit in front of Schneider.

What does this all mean? Toss away that freak show in Edmonton on April 30 — two goals on the first two shots and the hook — and Schneider’s calm and neutral game has never been better. And on a night when his teammates were so bad defensively, Schneider was so good. He should have been the first star, not the third.

2. BACK TO THE FUTURE: Zack Kassian bounded out of the gym following the post-game workout like a big dog anxious to go for a long run. There was a spring in his step and a big smile plastered on his mug because — as we’ve documented several times — the winger is full of life and mischief. He’s also willing to do anything to get back into the good graces of the club and earned some more Brownie points against the Flames. Despite a bad back that had him recently miss eight of nine games, he fought enforcer Tim Jackman when the game was just two minutes old and more than held his own against the big bruiser. He plastered three Flames against the sideboards like they were advertising logos and had that jump in his step that should have the Canucks salivating.

At his worst, Kassian stands at the sideboards and awaits a pass and then tries to do too much while doing too little with his feet. At his best, there’s a giddy-up in his stride, an underrated ability to move the puck smartly through the neutral zone and create some terror in the offensive zone. He can get to the net. He can screen, agitate and finish. And it’s why Kassian must play in the top-six mix in the postseason. Put him on the top line or put him with Mason Raymond and Ryan Kesler. Give him reason to believe and the results may be unbelievable.

3. SCRATCHING THAT ITCH: Ryan Kesler speaks a different language when it comes to health issues. Here’s an attempt to analyze his offerings knowing that he could even return this week from a fractured right foot:

“There’s no timeline”: That means the only thing Kesler hasn’t decided on is what suit to wear to the game because in his mind, week-to-week doesn’t even mean day-to-day. It’s I’m going to play sooner than anyone thought. Now, simple suit or perhaps a vest?

“Baby steps”: No such thing. It’s more like giant leaps and bounds because he always returns early.

“I am itching big time:” Common sense would suggest Kesler needs a number of practices before returning. The Canucks were off Sunday and have practises scheduled Tuesday at Rogers Arena and Friday in Denver. For most, that wouldn’t be enough to get back into the lineup. For Kesler, it might just be just enough. He could play Saturday, even though there’s no timeline.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 04.08.2013

668871 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks’ Schneider in a happy place

By Ben Kuzma

The Province

April 7, 2013

In a seamless transition, the engaging Cory Schneider went from detailed analysis of a double-clutch slapshot by Dennis Wideman on Saturday to an amateur doctor assessment of the bicep strain suffered by pitcher John Lackey earlier in the day.

Welcome to Schneider’s world. All knowing and glowing after recently getting engaged, he has maintained a high level of professionalism through the awkward Roberto Luongo trade watch and brought his game back to re-enter the NHL top 10 in goals-against average and saves percentage. Yes, it’s good to be Cory.

Not only is the Boston native an ardent backer of the Red Sox — judging by his knowledge and quick diagnosis of the Lackey ailment — the balance of a strong professional and personal life has provided another avenue to deal with his demanding position.

In the court of public opinion, where you’re as good as your last game, there has to be a significant support system. As much as he values the competition and camaraderie provided in a tandem with the driven Luongo — and maintenance of his game with goalie coach Roland Melanson — there’s something to be said for having a great relationship with his teammates and a better one with his fiancée, Jill, whom he met by chance one summer in Boston.

“I won’t get into the details,” said Schneider. “It was no setup. Kind of a long story, but I’m glad it worked out.”

When Chris Higgins signed a four-year, $10-million extension Tuesday, the winger was expected to buy dinner that night for his teammate. He didn’t have to. Schneider had some big news, too, and gladly reached for his wallet.

“I took care of that,” chuckled Schneider. “It was my turn to buy, he gets the next one. The years come by pretty quickly and you’re 27 and your priorities change. You’re at a place where you’re just really content with your life both on and off the ice. Sometimes the balance is great to have and puts things in perspective.”

It’s the opposite of Luongo. After not moving at the Wednesday trade deadline and then allowing raw emotion to bubble to the surface, it spoke of his uncertainty and unrest. He just wants to play, but is saddled by nine years left on a contract that’s harder to move with the salary cap ceiling lowering to $64.3 million US next season. The contract is cap friendly at $5.3 million annually, but there’s a $6.7 million hit in real dollars the next five seasons. If that isn’t enough.

“He hasn’t changed one bit,” said Schneider. “Throughout this whole process, he’s almost been looking out for my interests more than his own. He’s still working hard and is a big part of this team. Guys have a lot of respect for him and you never know what can happen. You can have a guy like that step in at any time and be lights out. And that’s a big advantage. As we get closer to the playoffs, you can pick up on that wisdom and experience.”

Then again, it’s hard to imagine Schneider surrendering the crease unless it’s for rest.

A 36-save performance Saturday in a 5-2 shooting-gallery victory over the Calgary Flames put the calmness and economy of motion that Schneider has displayed in 10 straight starts on full display.

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, the biggest team focus is getting Ryan Kesler back playing. With games spaced out this week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, Luongo may not play again until there’s a back-to-back on the schedule in Nashville on April 15 and the next night in St. Louis.

Schneider was so good Saturday that he was only beaten by that weird Wideman effort and Alex Tanguay’s dance around Jason Garrison to tuck home a backhand deke. A puck going through a stopper suggests a technical breakdown or lack of concentration. It was more of the former on the Wideman goal.

“You’re kind of frozen on that slapshot because he can really hammer it,” recalled Schneider. “You want to hold your ground and all of a sudden he moves. You’re thinking short side first, to seal the five-hole and the glove side and your blocker is the last thing to come through. He got it off quick and it was a clever play by him. You kind of wish to stop those ones because it looks pretty bad.”

The only thing that really looked bad was the loose play by the Canucks. Wide gaps and soft coverage left Schneider in countless eye-to-eye confrontations. The 38 shots were the most he faced since Feb. 19 at Chicago when he saw 43 in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Blackhawks. On Saturday, with the Canucks nursing a 2-1 lead in the first period, he thwarted Roman Horak and Steve Begin off back-to-back giveaways. He then stopped Mark Giordano on a redirect and Mike Cammalleri when the Flames could have narrowed a 4-2 deficit.

Schneider has learned not to assume anything and that any team can surprise you. And maybe that’s what the Canucks will do in the postseason. All the playoff talk in the Western Conference is about Chicago, Anaheim, Los Angeles and surging San Jose.

“In general, we’re a slow-starting team and in a short season, it’s magnified more,” said Schneider, who has four shutouts. “We’re getting guys rounding into midseason form and we’ve learned it’s not the highest-seeded team that has success, it’s the team that’s playing well.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 04.08.2013

668872 Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin’s offensive tear continues with hat trick against Panthers

Katie Carrera

April 7, 2013 at 1:22 pm

Early into the second period Saturday night, Alex Ovechkin watched the play develop in the neutral zone and as Nicklas Backstrom gained control the puck the star winger began to cut through the middle of the ice so he would be in better position to receive a pass.

Ovechkin caught the puck as he turned up ice but as he crossed the offensive blue line he faced two Florida defensemen. Veteran blueliner Filip Kuba stepped up on Ovechkin and poked the puck away but lost control of it in the same motion. The Capitals’ captain powered behind Kuba, gained positioning near the loose puck and fired a tight angle shot over the shoulder of Jacob Markstrom for his second goal of the game.

“I try to beat [Kuba] and I thought he miss the puck,” Ovechkin said. “So I had time to see where goalie is. It was lucky goal but ill take it. It was good shot.”

It was the type of play that has seemed to come so easily for Ovechkin over the past 10 games as he’s come alive offensively, recording 13 goals and six assists in the past 11 games.

It was also the type of play that exemplifies everything Coach Adam Oates has been working on with Ovechkin this season. Ovechkin started the play on the right side, let his linemates gain control and feed him the puck with time and space to work with, followed up when his initial attempt to drive the net was derailed and then took the opportunity to put the puck on net.

“I love it,” Oates said of the second goal. “He was on right wing, involved in a play that wouldn’t have happened before. I love it. When things go your way you score those.”

Ovechkin recorded his second hat trick of the season and an assist Saturday night in Washington’s 4-3 win at the Florida Panthers. It was his fourth multi-goal game of the year, three of which have come during this 11-game streak that dates back to March 17 vs. Buffalo.

After his offensive outburst on Saturday, Ovechkin is second in the NHL in goals scored with 23, behind only Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos (25), who visits Verizon Center on Sunday evening. With 41 points, Ovechkin ranks seventh among all NHL scorers.

“We get used to our system, we play our way and when everybody get into the play and everybody play hard and play simple it’s going to work,” Ovechkin said when asked if anything changed to help spark this stretch. As a group, Washington has been finding its footing in Oates’s system over the past two to three weeks. The execution has been cleaner, the plays more precise and scoring chances a little more numerous.

“All of us, the whole team’s playing better,” Oates said. “That line’s playing better, Marcus is playing solid, Backie’s flying. They’re scoring goals, the power play I think has really helped him because the power play has been clicking. You know that you’re going to get one there and 5-on-5 is starting to click. Everything’s evolving and that’s the goal.”

In Ovechkin, though, it’s not hard to see his confidence rising. He’s grown into his place on the right side and doesn’t drift aimlessly over to the left wing. The chances that he couldn’t finish at the beginning of the season are going in. It makes it easier for any player to embrace a system when they can see the results.

When Ovechkin’s rolling, it serves as a renewable energy source for the rest of the Capitals. This is the dynamic, commanding on-ice presence they’ve come to expect of Ovechkin and when he meets those expectations, its hard not to follow suit – or simply enjoy the performance.

“You can tell he’s doing what we expect him to do, that’s the player we expect out of him and he’s doing a great job,” said goaltender Braden Holtby. “Maybe it’s a confidence thing. Who knows? But you can tell he’s back to peak form. This is the way he plays when he got himself his name. It’s fun to watch. He’s so powerful when he wants to be, and lately he’s really wanted to. No one can knock him off the puck.”

Washington Post LOADED: 04.08.2013

668873 Washington Capitals

Capitals want to learn from lackluster finish against Panthers

Katie Carrera

April 7, 2013 at 12:24 pm

The Capitals had just captured their seventh win in the past nine games and secured two points that ensured their place atop the Southeast Division, but Saturday night the visitors’ dressing room at BB&T Center was subdued.

While they were glad to capture a win, the Capitals weren’t happy with the way they finished the contest. Giving up three goals in the third period and allowing the Panthers to make it much closer than it needed to be left a sour aftertaste and offered a lesson moving forward.

“We can’t play like that. It starts in locker room, just go there, finish it up and play hard. We came out [poorly in the third] and that can’t happen if we gonna play longer,” Alex Ovechkin said. “We just have to be focus. When we not focusing, when we loosey goosey, that’s not going to work.”

To a certain extent, any team will let up once it’s established a four-goal lead. The key for the Capitals is finding a way to overcome those lulls by sticking with the system and preventing opponents from threatening a commanding lead as much as possible.

“It’s good that people realize that now, that no matter what the score is we’ve got to play our game a whole 60,” Braden Holtby said. “Even if it’s cliché, you’ve got to stick with it because guys in this league are so skilled, any team can come back.”

Washington is looking to let this serve as something of a wakeup call before hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning Sunday night at Verizon Center and as it goes forward in the final 10 games of the regular season.

While the players focused on learning from allowing the Panthers to mount a late-game comeback, Coach Adam Oates wasn’t as concerned. It might not have been an ideal finish to a game but even as Florida roared back, he didn’t sense worry on the bench.

“It’s one of those things where you get a four-goal lead, it’s really hard to play. Obviously everything was going our way and clicking,” Oates said. “I really thought that even though they scored, I didn’t detect any panic on the bench. We were fine. You don’t want to see that happen because you don’t want to plant any seeds, but the guys were good.”

It was interesting to contrast Oates’s perspective with that of the players. Often this season Oates has preached method above result, zeroing in on small detail,s win or lose. Saturday night, that perspective appeared to have rubbed off on the players.

Washington Post LOADED: 04.08.2013

668874 Washington Capitals

Brooks Laich, Martin Erat to miss Capitals’ game vs. Lightning

Katie Carrera

April 7, 2013 at 5:52 pm

The Capitals will be without both Brooks Laich and Martin Erat, who are both out with lower-body injuries, Sunday night when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning at Verizon Center.

Laich suffered an injury in Washington’s 2-1 shootout win over the Islanders on Thursday. Coach Adam Oates has said repeatedly that the forward did not aggravate the groin injury that caused him to miss the first 28 games of the season but this problem is affecting it.

Laich, 29, is scheduled to see groin specialist Michael Brunt on Tuesday in Washington. Brunt, who is listed as a general surgeon for the St. Louis Blues, performed sports hernia surgeries on both Mike Green and Joel Ward last year and is the doctor the Capitals regularly consult when dealing with groin injuries.

“They can’t quite get a handle on what it is. He just doesn’t feel good,” Oates said. “He’s a little sore everywhere but not necessarily where he was in the groin, so that’s why he’s seeing the specialist that he’s been seeing on Tuesday.”

While it’s uncertain how much time Laich will miss, this is certainly not an encouraging sign that the utility forward will make a speedy return to the lineup.

Erat suffered an apparent left leg injury after being smashed into the boards by Panthers defenseman Erik Gudbranson in the first period of Saturday’s game at Florida. Oates said Erat, whose head collided with the boards as a result of the hit as well, did not suffer a concussion in addition to the apparent left leg injury.

“Marty felt way better than he anticipated,” Oates said. “So I don’t think it’s going to be too long.”

With both Laich and Erat out for Sunday’s game, Eric Fehr will skate as the second-line left wing alongside Mike Ribeiro and Troy Brouwer. In other lineup notes, Michal Neuvirth gets the nod against the Lightning and will make his first start since March 16 at Boston.

Washington Post LOADED: 04.08.2013

668875 Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin scores empty-net goal

Katie Carrera

Updated: April 8, 2013

Alex Ovechkin missing chances to score an empty-net goal this season had become something of a running joke among the Washington Capitals. Coach Adam Oates would tease Ovechkin about it, his teammates would deadpan and drop the fact into their responses when asked about their captain.

In the 39th game of the season Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, though, Ovechkin made sure to skate all the way to the hash marks before firing into the wide open cage to seal a 4-2 Capitals’ win. The tally marked Ovechkin’s 25th of the season, tying him with Steven Stamkos for the league lead.

“I think he’s been missing five of them, at least, before,” Nicklas Backstrom said. “So it was good for him to find that empty-netter.”

On the CSN Washington broadcast, color analyst Craig Laughlin said Ovechkin had missed six chances to score an empty-net goal this season and the star winger knew he missed a few as well.

“Too many wasted opportunities from our team,” Ovechkin said. “I think this is our first goal in empty net don’t want to risk it.”

Regardless if Ovechkin had put the puck in the net, though, the goal would have counted. As Ovechkin made his way up ice and skated past the benches, Tampa Bay forward Alex Killorn reached his stick over the boards to try to impede the Ovechkin’s progress.

According to the NHL rule 56.7, Killorn’s obstruction attempt made the play result in an automatic goal for the Capitals.

Here’s the applicable text from the NHL rulebook:

If, when the goalkeeper has been removed from the ice, any member of his team (including the goalkeeper) not legally on the ice, including the Coach or non-playing Club personnel, interferes by means of his body, stick or any other object or piece of equipment with the movements of the puck or an opposing player in the neutral or attacking zone, the Referee shall immediately award a goal to the non-offending team.

“They actually made it a goal,” Oates said. “The ref had already called it, but he skated all the way in. The whole crowd knew, too.”

Washington Post LOADED: 04.08.2013

668876 Washington Capitals

Capitals vs. Lightning: Alex Ovechkin scores two more goals as Washington tops Tampa Bay, 4-2

By Katie Carrera

With his team up by a goal late in regulation Sunday night and having a chance to obtain sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division with a win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, Coach Adam Oates didn’t hesitate to put the Washington Capitals’ star winger on the ice.

It’s an opportunity in a critical situation that Alex Ovechkin didn’t always receive last season but one that the 27-year-old captain values and appreciates.

On this particular occasion, Ovechkin rewarded Oates’s confidence with an empty-net goal with 4.4 seconds left in the third period to seal a 4-2 Washington win over the Lightning.

The tally clinched the Capitals’ fourth consecutive victory, their eighth win in the past 10 games, and it pushed them to 42 points — two ahead of the Winnipeg Jets, who are their nearest competitor in the Southeast Division. It also marked Ovechkin’s 25th goal of the season, tying him with Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos as the league’s leading goal scorer and perhaps reminding the entire NHL that the dynamic winger is just as powerful an offensive force as he ever was.

“Right now I feel pretty good and again we win the games it’s most important thing,” Ovechkin said. “Of course I’m happy I score the goals, the beginning of the year was pretty hard time for all organization. Now we’re back on track and it’s good.”

In back-to-back contests this weekend against the Florida Panthers and Lightning, Ovechkin recorded six points (five goals, one assist) but this weekend is only the latest chapter of Ovechkin’s offensive explosiveness this season.

“He’s scoring on his chances; obviously he’s got a lot of shots during the game,” center Nicklas Backstrom said. “It makes it easier. And when he has confidence, it’s fun to see and helps the team a lot.”

For the better part of the past three weeks, Ovechkin has been the commanding and unstoppable on-ice presence that made him one of the league’s most ebullient players early in his career. It’s no coincidence that the Capitals’ rise up the Eastern Conference standings occurred at the same time. Over the past 12 games, Ovechkin has recorded 15 goals and 21 points and Washington is 9-2-1.

“I think that’s why we’ve been playing so good as a team,” rookie defenseman Steve Oleksy said. “I think everybody feeds off that and when we see him finding that next level I think everybody in the room finds that next level.”

Ovechkin’s 25th goal might not have been his most highlight-reel worthy of the season, considering it was already ruled an automatic goal before he put the puck in the empty net. Tampa Bay center Alex Killorn reached his stick over the bench to try to impede the winger as he made his way up the ice, making the tally a foregone conclusion before Ovechkin skated it the whole way up to the cage.

But Ovechkin’s first goal of the night against Tampa Bay was an example of the captain taking advantage of an opportunity he might not have previously in his career, which is among the things Oates has worked to help Ovechkin learn how to identify a variety of scoring chances and take advantage of all types rather than relying on a few set plays.

Tampa Bay carried a 1-0 lead into the second period thanks to a power-play goal by Vincent Lecavalier, but 3 minutes 14 seconds into the middle period Ovechkin put Washington on the board.

As the play worked up the left-side boards, Ovechkin realized a shot might be coming from his teammates up near the blue line and made a strong move to step in front of defensemen Keith Aulie to gain positioning in front of the Tampa Bay net. When Jack Hillen fired a shot from the point, Ovechkin was in position to redirect the puck past Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop to even it at 1.

“He’s got two tips in five games. When did he ever do that before?” Oates said. “He’s around the puck more.”