Our weekly temperature-taking of the mainstream media’s opinions on the Washington Capitals:
Outlet | This Week | Last Week | What They’re Saying |
6 | NR |
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4 | 11 | Doing it with the D these days. Caps have turned things around in the past few weeks by allowing only 13 goals in their past eight games. | |
8 | 4 | Eric Fehr is shown on camera with his wife packing up boxes of toys for underprivileged kids on Christmas, and he bags two goals in the Winter Classic win. Karma is a great thing. | |
5 | 11 | What’s happened to Mike Green? With 7-11-18, on pace for half of last season’s totals, he’s barely leading Caps defensemen in scoring. | |
5 | 8 | That eight-game winless streak is now a memory. The Caps signaled their healthy return with a gripping Winter Classic win over the rival Pens. They’ve also taken 11 of a possible 12 points since that swoon. They’re back. (LeBrun) | |
8 | 10 | Surprisingly, Eric Fehr was a huge contributor to the Caps’ cause in Week 13. Not only did the 25-year-old winger pick up an assist on the game-winning goal against Montreal last Tuesday, Fehr also upstaged NHL superstars Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day by posting two goals — including the game-decider — in the first nighttime version of the outdoor affair. |
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– | – | Pending | |
6 | 15 | Capitals celebrated their Winter Classic victory over Penguins as if it were the Stanley Cup finale. Save it for June, guys — if you get that far. | |
– | – | Pending | |
6 | 7 | A win at the Winter Classic and a strong performance from Alexander Ovechkin could be a launching point for the inconsistent Caps. | |
6 | 9 | It’s too soon to suggest all is right with the Caps now that they are 5-0-1 in their last six games, particularly as long as Alex Ovechkin is scoring on just 7.8% of his shots, down from a career average of 12.5% entering this season. | |
4 | 7 | Will huge Winter Classic victory spark second-half surge? |
Click on logos for links to full power rankings.