Our weekly temperature-taking of the mainstream media’s opinions on the Washington Capitals:
| Outlet | This Week | Last Week | What They’re Saying |
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3 | 3 |
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3 | 3 | Ovie hasn’t scored in seven games, but he’s helping set up buddy Alexander Semin nicely for contract talks. |
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2 | 2 | The Caps are 3-0, and Alex Ovechkin has six points and a plus-4 rating in the three games since CSNWashington’s Corey Masisak took AO to task for laughing with Ilya Kovalchuk in the hallway following a loss. Perhaps that should happen more often.. |
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4 | 3 | The NHL’s version of Boise State. The Caps are 11-3-1 against the Southeast and Atlantic divisions. |
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2 | 3 | The Caps are 3-0-0 since the Ovechkin-Kovalchuk laugh-in controversy. |
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2 | 2 | The Caps opened Week 8 up by getting shut out for the second time in three games, but the club bounced back by week’s end, picking up three wins in a row. Alexander Semin netted four goals in Washington’s three wins, including his sixth career NHL hat trick. |
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2 | 2 | Nicklas Backstrom (four goals), Brooks Laich and Mike Green (three apiece) have more power play goals than Alex Ovechkin (two). |
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2 | 4 | Have won three straight. Defenseman Mike Green, out two games with undisclosed injury, left during OT Sunday after blocking a shot with his knee. |
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– | 1 | Pending. |
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3 | 1 |
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1 | 1 | It’s a good thing Alexander Semin is scoring (four goals in two games) because Alex Ovechkin isn’t (no goals in seven games), although he did get the shootout winner against Carolina. |
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2 | 4 | The return of G Semyon Varlamov brought a three-game winning streak to the Caps, with Varlamov allowing only four goals in the process. If healthy, he gives the Caps an advantage between the pipes. Key Injuries: None. |
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2 | – | Varlamov returns with three consecutive victories. |
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1 | 1 | Thumbs up: Yes, the real focus of the Caps’ season will be how they fare in the playoffs, but getting results and establishing good habits now is important. |
Click on logos for links to full power rankings.
