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Capital Ups and Downs: Week 22

Our weekly look at individual Washington Capitals‘ ups and downs:

Goalies Trend Notes
Jose Theodore https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 The 2.85 goals against average and .889 save percentage for the week don’t sparkle, but the two overtime wins in two starts do.
Semyon Varlamov https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Dropped both starts (one in a shootout) and had a 2.90 goals against average and .887 save percentage on the week (though, in fairness, Bruce Boudreau dressed his “B” team on Friday night). He’s getting more consistent… but not consistently good.
Defensemen
John Carlson https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217733/up.png?w=640 Had 49:40 of ice time and was on for just one goal against (two goals for) while picking up a pair of helpers. Already one of the team’s top-six defenseman. Easily.
Joe Corvo https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217737/down.png?w=640 Picked up a third-period helper on Sunday to avoid a scoreless week (despite 5:38 of power-play time) and was on the ice for six of the 12 goals the team allowed over the four-game span (two of the goals for which Corvo was on the ice came with the Caps down a man).
John Erskine https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Two games played, no points, minus-one.
Mike Green https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217733/up.png?w=640 Two goals, four assists on the week with both of the goals and two of the assists helping the power play to a six-for-16 (37.5%) week. Chalk up his off-night defensively – minus-two against Tampa – to the absence from the lineup of his normal partner, Jeff Schultz.
Milan Jurcina https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217725/cross.png?w=640 I’m betting that being injured in D.C. beats the hell out of sitting out in Columbus.
Shaone Morrisonn https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217733/up.png?w=640 Settling in on the third paring with Carlson. His only “minus” game since the Olympics was the one Carlson sat out. Morrisonn is plus-seven in his other five games since the break. Also registered a whopping 19 hits in his three games on the week.
Tom Poti https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Continues to play big minutes well defensively (Poti was on the ice for only one five-on-five goal against in 73:01 of even strength ice time last week), but has just one point in six games since the break.
Jeff Schultz https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217737/down.png?w=640 Back-to-back minus-one outings landed Sarge in the press box for Friday night’s game, but he was back in the lineup on Sunday.
Tyler Sloan https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Played against Tampa, but didn’t do much.
Forwards
Nicklas Backstrom https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217733/up.png?w=640 Two goals (including the OT game-winner in Chicago) and four assists on the week, Backstrom joins Hall-of-Famers Wayne Gretzky and Peter Stastny as the only players in NHL history to have at least 55 helpers in each of their first three seasons. And, not for nothing, in four games Nick had 4:34 of penalty-killing time during which the Caps weren’t scored upon.
Eric Belanger https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Set up the overtime goal against the ‘Canes, but is still trying to find some rhythm and chemistry in D.C.
Matt Bradley https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Brads got less than nine minutes of ice time per game in each of the three for which he was dressed this week, and is still looking for his first goal since January 19, a span of 19 games.
Jason Chimera https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Point-less in three games this week (and in his last four overall), Chimmer seems to be doing some good things that don’t show up on the scoreboard. Perhaps more consistent linemates would help.
Eric Fehr https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Scored the game-tying goal in Chicago and had nine shots on goal in his two other games this week, but continues to fight for ice time, despite doing a lot with what little ice time he gets.
Tomas Fleischmann https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217733/up.png?w=640 Responded to a – gasp! – healthy scratch with goals in back-to-back games, including the OT winner against the ‘Canes, but his play at center still is not confidence-inspiring.
Boyd Gordon https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217737/down.png?w=640 When your job is to kill penalties and you’re the one player on the team who was on the ice for every power-play goal against for a week during which the kill was a woeful 63.6% successful, you get a down arrow.
Mike Knuble https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217737/down.png?w=640 No goals (on the plus side, he had several glorious chances on Sunday; on the minus side, he failed to convert any of them), one assist and minus-three for the week.
Brooks Laich https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217733/up.png?w=640 Two goals and a helper (all coming on the power play) on the week and at least five shots on goal in each of the four games.
Quintin Laing https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 No shirt, no shoes, no service.
Brendan Morrison https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217737/down.png?w=640 One assist in three games, BMo doesn’t have a goal since January 26 and has just five helpers in his 15 games since. He won 64% of his 44 draws this week, though, so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
Alex Ovechkin https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Two goals against Dallas. Two assists against Carolina. Two assists against Tampa. Two minutes for boarding against Chicago. What? He got more than that?
Alexander Semin https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217737/down.png?w=640 Scored a beauty of a goal against the ‘Canes, but had just one point the rest of the week and had two bad penalties against the ‘Hawks. It’s fair to expect a lot more from him.
David Steckel https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 Two assists on the week represent a quarter of his season total, but he’s not paid to put up big numbers – he’s paid to play like he did for most of Sunday’s game.
Scott Walker https://i0.wp.com/assets.sbnation.com/assets/217757/dash.png?w=640 No points, a penalty, a minus-one rating and just one shot on goal in three games. Are you there, Scott? It’s me, Reality.
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