Capital Ups and Downs: Week 13

by J.P. on Jan 3, 2012 10:00 AM EST in Capitals Ups and Downs

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 30: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with Dennis Wideman #6 of the Washington Capitals and Nicklas Backstrom #19 of the Washington Capitals after scoring a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period at Verizon Center on December 30, 2011 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Our weekly look at individual Washington Capitals' ups and downs¹:

Goalies	Trend	Notes
Michal Neuvirth		It didn't take long to see that Dale Hunter is an ardent believer in "win and you're in" for his goaltenders. Neuvirth didn't... and hasn't been since. Of course, that's not entirely his fault...
Tomas Vokoun		Three starts (including a pair on back-to-back nights), three wins, and a sparkling 1.33 goals against average and .957 save percentage to go along with that trio of much-needed victories. Throw in his relief appearance last Monday and Vokoun has stopped 106 of the last 111 shots he's faced (.954). Stout. Oh, and he added a power-play assist against the Sabres, which is like a pitcher hitting a homerun.
Defensemen
Karl Alzner		On the ice for three of the four goals the Caps allowed for the week (and eight of the last 11 overall), but also on for five Caps goals, two of which he assisted on, giving the Caps' plus/minus leader four helpers in his last seven games, a new single-season career-high in assists and as many points as he had in that career year one season ago.
John Carlson		On ice for all four goals-against and has gone ten games without a goal of his own... but there's no real need for concern.
John Erskine		Pointless in December (and in his last 16 games overall), Erskine ended the month as a healthy scratch in C'bus after a pair of low-minute/low-impact efforts earlier in the week.
Mike Green		Targeting a return to the lineup at some point this week, and when he plays it will be just his second game since October 22, the last game in the team's season-opening seven-game win streak. It's hard to overstate Mike Green's importance to the Caps' success.
Roman Hamrlik		Jumping into the play and picking up points (a helper in each of the last two games) and pluses (plus-four in those last two). But if you want a stat that's really going to blow your mind, here it is - in 11 games since the coaching change, Hamrlik has been on the ice for just two goals-against (after being on for 31 in 22 games under Bruce Boudreau).
Dmitry Orlov		The points will come, but the poise is already there. Orlov did pick up an assist against the Jackets, but now has just one shot on goal - and seven misses - in his last seven games. Get 'em on net, Dima.
Tom Poti		Is anyone else surprised that we haven't heard a quote from Poti on Green's persistent lower-body injury woes? If anyone would be able to offer some insight here, you'd think it'd be Number Three.
Jeff Schultz		Played! Got credited with a hit and a blocked shot! But probably hasn't done enough to change anyone's mind with regards to his role on this team... though they have won four of the last five games he's played and just two of the last five for which Erskine's dressed (but correlation isn't causation and all that).
Dennis Wideman		Was on the ice for seven of the 11 goals the Caps scored last week and was only on for a single goal-against, capping a plus-five week with the game-winning goal, an assist and four blocked shots in Columbus to ring in the New Year.
Forwards
Nicklas Backstrom		Had the Friday night game-winner, an assist in each game, and a plus-four rating for a week spent centering a pair of highly-skilled Russians. You'd like to see more shots (one on goal for the week), a better face-off percentage (46% over the three games) and some power-play scoring (he didn't have a hand in either of the week's extra-man tallies), but the overall production was there.
Jay Beagle		Returned to the lineup after missing 31 games with a concussion (and the associated unpleasant symptoms and whatnot), which is an achievement unto itself, but he'll have to do more than just show up to get a sweater on a regular basis going forward.
Troy Brouwer		Scored the game-winner against the Rangers and took the Sabres' top defenseman off the ice for five minutes (and, unfortunately, a lot more than that) on Friday night. He's been shuffled around quite a bit, line-wise, but keeps delivering the same honest effort night-in, night-out.
Jason Chimera		Firing just one shot on net in the last four games is no way to hold on to the team lead in goals, Chimmer.
Cody Eakin		Rewarded for strong play down on the farm with a call-up, a dozen low-impact shifts against C'bus, and a quick return to Hershey. Happy New Year!
Jeff Halpern		One assist and a plus-three rating for the second- or third- or whatever line center doesn't sound like much, but winning 73% of defensive-zone draws (65% overall) and being on for nary a goal-against is exactly what you hope Halpern will give you.
Matt Hendricks		It's been 26 games since Hendricks recorded an assist and he has just one goal on the season, but four hits in each of last week's three games gives an indication that he's at least delivering in that part of his game.
Marcus Johansson		Broke a lengthy goal-scoring drought against the Rangers and added a helper against the Jackets, but has been shifted to the wing for the most part, raising some eyebrows.
Mike Knuble		A one-goal/one-assist (neither of which came last week) December coming on the heels of a no-goal/one-assist November, all the while playing largely fourth-line minutes with next-to-no power-play time... is this really tenable? I suppose the last two months indicate that it is.
Brooks Laich		No points and a minus-two for the week, Laich needs to produce a bit more offense while continuing to provide solid defensive efforts. A lot to ask? Not at that salary.
Alex Ovechkin		2005-2009 called; it wants its Ovi back. Ovechkin earned "Second Star of the Week" honors after he posted three two-point games in a row (including a pair of two-goal efforts to end the calendar year), marking the first time he's done that since November, 2010 and the first time he's had four goals in a two-game span since the end of the 2009-10 season. Ovechkin was on the ice for eight of the last nine goals the Caps scored last week, averaged four shots and three hits per game, and has seen a spike in his SWAGGER/60. More, please.
Mathieu Perreault		Missed the week after damn-near impaling himself along the boards in Buffalo, but it doesn't seem as if the coaching staff is in any great hurry to pop him back into the lineup.
Alexander Semin		Two goals against the Rangers, a pair of assists against the Sabres, and another tally against the Jackets close out a month of December that matched his combined totals (five goals, five assists) for October and November for Semin. Maybe he remembered that he could sign another contract extension once January 1 rolled around...
Joel Ward		What's going on with JWard? He's not killing penalties, he's certainly not scoring (no points in his last eight games, no goals in his last 25)... among the forwards, he seems to have taken the biggest turn for the worst under Hunter.

¹ Though the first Caps/Sabres game last week took place, uh, last week, it was covered in last week's Ups and Downs and thus isn't included in this week's analysis... which makes this week's Ups and Downs even more enjoyable.

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Comments

Joel Ward is looking like a bad fit for the Caps…hopefully we can get someone to take his contract off our hands…Montreal, interested? :)

by OvechkinGR8 on Jan 3, 2012 10:08 AM EST reply actions

He just looks like he’s slowed down. In theory, he’s a perfect fit for Hunter’s systems one would think.

Besides, we all know he turns into Mark Messier come April, which is all that matters.

The keyboard is mightier.

by breed16 on Jan 3, 2012 11:45 AM EST up reply actions

Giving up after less than 1/2 a season?

Nice guys finish first, but sometimes the season is awfully long.
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by STLSpidey on Jan 3, 2012 12:25 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, I don’t buy that he’s a bad fit – he played well at the beginning of the year and hasn’t looked completely useless since Hunter took over, for that matter, he’s just had a few bad games and some unlucky bounces.

I’d chalk it up to him just having a bit of difficulty adjusting to the new system. Can’t imagine it’s easy to go from one system in Nashville to another in DC to another under Hunter in the course of a few months; granted, the other new guys seem fine but everyone adjusts at different rates.

But talk to me again if he’s still playing like crap in March/April, yeah? I reserve the right to change my mind ;)

The definition of being a Caps fan is watching the same team over and over and expecting different results.

by Becca H on Jan 3, 2012 3:29 PM EST up reply actions

i sure as hell hope not. i just got his shersey

by j762 on Jan 3, 2012 12:27 PM EST up reply actions

Tom Poti – Allergic to talking.

by Rather Bengt on Jan 3, 2012 10:09 AM EST reply actions

It’s been a while since both Alexes got an up arrow, hasn’t it? Great to see that. Also could see giving Laich a down – he just didn’t seem that good in the last few games.

Failure is always an option.

by timmyv38 on Jan 3, 2012 10:12 AM EST reply actions

So I assume Mackan isn’t playing C because of his FO and defensive abilities at this point. Does anything else really make sense?

I missed that Ehrhoff was concussed (I assume) in that fight. Not good news, but obviously that’s not on Brouwer.

Great to see AO have a productive week, but unless he keeps his shots up I don’t think we’re going to continue to see that kind of output.

Nice to finally get some of that goaltending we all expected at the start of the year.

I preached patience with RomHam and it’s starting to look like it has paid off. Systems, comfort with teammates and goalies, or maybe just luck evening out, but I never believed he could have fallen off as badly as he looked early in the season.

Please, call me F&B.

by Rob Parker on Jan 3, 2012 10:19 AM EST reply actions

Frankovic tweeted after that game that a source told him it was a fractured rib, not concussion. I haven’t read anything since then, so I’m not sure if that’s still the case.

by jopierce on Jan 3, 2012 10:24 AM EST up reply actions

I’m just not buying FO’s as a valid reason – he’s less than one FO win (vs. loss) per game away from 50%. Is that enough to dissuade you from playing a guy at center if that’s where he’s most effective otherwise, and where you’re shallow (in the top six)? I’d buy the defensive responsibilities part. I’d also buy "that’s where he’s going to play when we acquire a 2C, so get him used to it.

Agreed on the rest.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Jan 3, 2012 10:24 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah, you know I’m with you on the total impact of FOs. The %s make them look like a much bigger difference maker than they really are for a guy like Mackan (and really, I’m not sure anyone takes enough draws to have a huge single game difference in raw numbers).

And the thought of Mackan as a full time wing is interesting. I’m not sure that’s where he’s best suited, but if Laich locks down the 3C and we actually get a legit 2C then it makes sense. There are worse problems to have than playing a C at W.

Please, call me F&B.

by Rob Parker on Jan 3, 2012 10:33 AM EST up reply actions

I’m looking at this two ways. First, it didn’t seem like Mackan was generating/facilitating much offense when he was playing center, so I’m not surprised they’ve shuffled things around. Second, bumping Mackan to wing allowed Halpern to get more icetime with better linemates. In DH’s system that relies more heavily on using the top three lines, Halpern was being wasted on the 4th.

I don't want to work, I want to hang on the blog all day.

by cainoo7x on Jan 3, 2012 11:13 AM EST up reply actions

In Washington, folks think sighting of the groundhog on Groundhog Day means “four more weeks of scouting potential 2C’s for a trade”

If you've read this far...seek help.

by ThePeerless on Jan 3, 2012 10:35 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t think the C vs. LW is too big of a deal. As I said in the past, as long as he is playing, his ‘natural’ position should work out with whatever cast surrounds him. Look at San Jose Saturday night for an example. They have 4 natural centers – Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski, Couture – all playing on the first two lines. Thornton is the only constant center, and the other three are doing just fine playing wing. In terms of a trade, I prefer they trade for offensive scoring potential, as opposed to position. Let’s get some more pure scorers and Dale can figure out where to play them.

by Wilderthing on Jan 3, 2012 11:12 AM EST up reply actions

Sadly, as long as this has been a problem for this team, it seems more important now than ever. Over on CI, Neil posted and put into perspective that despite the recent wins, the Caps are losing the Fenwick battle under Hunter and that doesn’t bode well for future success.

I don't want to work, I want to hang on the blog all day.

by cainoo7x on Jan 3, 2012 11:17 AM EST up reply actions