WASHINGTON - The game had a slightly surreal feel to it.
Before the opening faceoff, there was Scott Walker lined up next to Ray Whitney — Walker in a red Washington Capitals sweater, Whitney in Carolina Hurricanes white. Soon after the faceoff, there was Joe Corvo trying to chase down Eric Staal — Corvo No. 77 for the Caps, Staal controlling the puck for the Canes.
A little more than a week ago, the four were together on the ice, trying to win games for the Hurricanes. A big trade day changed all that, creating new faces in the lineups and new rivals in the Southeast Division rivalry.
But in the end, it was about playing hockey. It also was about overtime before the Caps won 4-3 Wednesday night at the Verizon Center.
Tomas Fleischmann's goal with 1:40 left in overtime was the difference, as Fleischmann took a pass from Eric Belanger in the right circle and beat goaltender Manny Legace with a low shot that hugged the ice.
Mike Green had a pair of power-play goals, and Alexander Semin an early even-strength score for the Caps in regulation. The Canes answered with goals from Patrick Dwyer, Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen in forcing a 3-3 tie after two periods, as the goaltenders, Legace and Jose Theodore of the Caps held strong in the third.
Walker and Corvo were traded by the Hurricanes to the Caps on March 3, the NHL trade deadline. The deal also brought defenseman Brian Pothier and prospect Oskar Osala to the Canes, and Osala was in the lineup after being recalled Wednesday from the Albany River Rats of the AHL to replace an ill Erik Cole.
Pothier said it would be awkward and a weird sensation facing off against his old team, the Eastern Conference leader. And so it had to be for Walker and Corvo, who helped the Canes reach the Eastern Conference finals last season.
The Caps were coming off a tasteless 4-3 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars on Monday that ended Washington's 13-game winning streak on home ice, a franchise record. But the Caps, who led 2-0 in that game, were 25-3-4 at the Verizon Center and not lost in regulation since a 6-3 loss on Dec. 28 -- to the Hurricanes.
Sure enough, the Caps grabbed another 2-0 lead. Semin, who always seems to torment the Canes, took a stretch pass, blew into the Carolina zone and backhanded a shot past Legace just 2:24 into the game.
Green's first power-play goal made it 2-0, but only after the Canes' Brandon Sutter failed on a penalty shot -- the result of a Green trip as Sutter roared in for a shorthanded try.
The Canes seemed outmatched to that point, especially on the back end. But Sutter's play, with some hustle from Chad LaRose on the penalty kill, energized the Hurricanes, who picked up the pace and kept up an aggressive forecheck.
Dwyer scored 18 seconds after Green's goal, banging a rebound past Theodore, and Ruutu's goal at 8:43 of the second tied the score 2-2. The Caps jumped back in front 3-2 on Green's second power-play goal, only to have Jokinen tie it again with a power-play score with 4:57 left in the second.
The goal, off an assist from Ruutu, was Jokinen's 27th and gave him goals in three straight games. It came after forward Zach Boychuk first had the puck stolen by Corvo, then was clipped by Walker near center ice.
The Canes began the third period on the power play but couldn't score, and Legace had a few adventures trying to handle the puck. Legace shut out the Atlanta Thrashers on Sunday, but the Caps offer relentless offensive pressure.
Another Carolina power play early in the third, after a Semin slash, went for naught. Alex Picard and then Staal got off hard shots, but Theodore made the stops.
Theodore, hardly tested the first 18 minutes of the game, was forced to make some solid stops in the final two minutes of the first as the Canes put seven shots on goal. The Canes were a different team after Chad LaRose and Sutter teamed up off the penalty kill to get Sutter the shorthanded breakaway and penalty shot.
Having played the Eastern Conference leaders, the Hurricanes return home to complete the back-to-back — against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the No. 2 team in the East and the defending Stanley Cup champions..
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
Yes, it is fun to watch a
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 11:13 — ctillYes, it is fun to watch a team like Washington that plays aggressively (the Laviolette style) instead of conservatively (the Maurice style). We'll see more aggressive play tonight, I expect.
As to last night, I stand by my position that if Harrison had foot-speed, he could have made Semin's rush more difficult. On the winning goal, Gleason was indecisive about which Cap he was going to cover -- and he got caught in between.
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Harrison is terrible. I
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 12:34 — imayagainknowantonHarrison is terrible. I would be extremely pleased to never have to watch him play hockey again unless it was for the opposing team. He has zero skill, zero speed, and zero hockey sense. He is an oaf who aimlessly "skates" around the ice and once in awhile throws a hit in between making horrible decisions and passes.
The only downside to getting rid of Wallin and Ward was that it meant that Jay Harrison moved up the depth chart far enough to the point that he is playing hockey for the Carolina Hurricanes despite no injuries on defense. However, that is the only downside as Ward and Wallin were either even more useless (in the case of Ward) or close to it (in the case of Wallin). The Hurricanes also saved a lot of money and got draft picks that can be used to select future fourth line grinders and Plymouth Whalers.
i feel that
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:11 — esteban1949the canes could have won last night...those who watched the game know what the canes as a team did wrong...what things the canes did right weren't followed up and there wasn't enough back pressure or forechecking of the caps...now those who did play or line up against ovie one...did a good job as he had to pass more than he shot...but when he did shoot there was too much space or air between him and the net...while i am pleased as a fan we got a point...but the canes could have won this in regulation so the OT would have been needed...but seeing they sdidn't...we look at the stats and see where the canes are in the east & over all ..has anything really changed ? and the magic number again was what ??
The Canes are Good,My Grandkids are Better, and Life is Great !!
Go Canes !!
Canes current D corps
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:09 — Hockeydad92Anyone who flames the young lads who were torched by the likes of Semin and Co. last night take heart that every other D in the league suffers the same when matched with the firepower the Caps can bring. We held our own and I would suspect that with Ward or Wallin we would have never made bonus hockey. We are going to make mistakes and miss guys who are super skilled. The last goal was a thing of beauty, textbook 4 on 4 change on the fly with a playmaker spotting a wing speeding up the high slot all alone. That is open ice 4 on 4 hockey, those things happen. These young guys are getting time that is nothing like what they would be seeing in the AHL, we will see the benefits for years to come.
Invisible
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 08:14 — mommyinwcpssWhere is Eric Staal and why does he get paid so much for doing nothing?
Hurricanes Defense
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 06:47 — abramsdougThe Hurricanes defense has been immeasurably improved by trading Wallin and Aaron Walker. Without question, the first goal was caused by poor positional play by Harrison, not by the entire defense being slow, hesitant, and confused. Harrison was out of position and Semin owned him as a result. Semin has made elite defenders look foolish with his skills; and Harrison doesn't have Pitkanen's speed and can't possibly give up that kind of space against Semin.
The fourth goal resulted when Whitney couldn't convert on a scoring chance in overtime. 4 on 4, the Hurricanes were caught low in their offensive zone. There was too much ice, and the Capitals made an excellent change to get a fresh player on the ice.
I respectfully disagree that the defense played poorly. Even more, I respectfully disagree that the loss in overtime against Washington supports a premise that Wallin and Aaron Ward are missed by the Hurricanes. Washington is an elite team and has amazing offensive firepower. The presence of intelligent, fast, physical, committed defensemen has kept the Hurricanes as one of the hottest teams in the NHL over the past twenty games. The very best thing about Wallin and Aaron Ward as players is that they are playing for other teams. The Hurricanes defense has improved with their loss and when one adds the fact that Pothier and Picard have played great, the difference in the Hurricanes defense is remarkable.
D/Osala
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:34 — GoShelfOur d has looked much better as of late and I like the infusion of youth. Based on the way Pothier played last night I hope we try to re-sign him at a price and term that makes sense - 2.25 to 2.75 for 2 years max. The only guy that looked a little out of place was Picard, he took 2 penalties both were attributed to poor gap control, he needs to play tighter and keep his feet moving so forwards don't barrel in on him while he's standing still. Osala was pretty invisible, he looked better as the game went on, it was his first game so can't be too critical, but if he's going to stay he needs to get enganged and not worry about making mistakes, just play.
Your Thoughts Please
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 08:44 — SkylinerAD, I acknowledge that you seem to know more about hockey than I and I'd appreciate knowing your assessment of Eric Stall's play.
It appears as if Eric is lazy out there. He does not seem to hustle...a minimal expectation of a captain...and that should be a minmal expectation of ANY NHL player.
When he loses the puck he does not chase it down or challenge the man who took it from him. It appears that at times, much of the time in fact, that he is waiting for something to happen instead of trying to make something happen.
Last night the left side of the net was open and Eric had a chance to pass off to Jussi and instead took the shot Himself. Certainly, that can happen in the split second heat of battle, but again, it appears to me that all too often Eric (when he does something) it is for Eric and not necessarily the team.
My son refers to him as "Mr 70 per cent", indicating Eric gives only about 70 per cent of his capability.
He certainly does not seem to have the same fire in his belly as other marquis players such as Crosby, Ovechkin, etc.
Not my intent to demonize anyone; just sharing my thoughts to determine if anyone else out there is getting the same impression from Eric's play.
What say y ou?
Lazy?
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:12 — GoShelfHe played 24 minutes last night, that's a lot of ice time for anyone, especially a centermen, some shifts he's got to skate goal line to goal line 3 times, so the fact he looked a little gased in the 3rd period in OT is not that surprising. We need to keep him in the 20-21 minute range and PM knows that. Everybody keeps talking about how hard he worked during the Olympics, keep in mind he was only getting 15-18 minutes/game. I'd like him to play a little more consistent, but at the end of the day I think we need to give him less minutes and have him fresher for the 3rd.
Eric Staal and the Hustle Factor
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 09:15 — abramsdougI continue to believe that Eric Staal can be one of the top five or six forwards in the NHL. I agree with your son's assessment in terms of Staal' performance versus his ability. I think Staal does not realize in his heart of hearts how good a player he is; and I think Staal is still learning how to channel his desire for perfection. I would agree that over all Staal tends to play at around 70% to 80% of his total ability.
Where I disagree with many fans is that I absolutely do to believe Staal is lazy. To the contrary, I am convinced Staal desperately wants to win. As I see it, Staal wants to win so badly that when adversity comes and particularly where he fails to meet his own expectations, he gets exceedingly frustrated. I would offer a comparison as between the mental make up of Staal and Sutter. Both players had golden opportunities and neither converted. Staal's reaction was to get frustrated and to "glide" back to the bench or back to defense. Sutter's reaction was to get incensed with the fact he had not scored, and he ratcheted up his own level of play and intensity.
With regard to the 2 on 1, the defender's sole obligation is to stop the pass and to force a shot. Staal's obligation was to take the shot if the pass was not open. Staal made the right play in terms of shooting. The failure of execution was that Staal lacked Jokinen's ability to force the goalie to move one direction or another by Jokinen's various shake and bake moves. Staal tried to over power the goalie rather than using body control to force the goalie to move his weight and positioning. It's equivalent to a basketball player going one on one, for example. He who commits first loses.
I too disagree that Staal is all about Staal. Staal's mind tells him he is the Hurricanes' franchise player, and he really wants to be that guy. He wants it so badly, he sometimes doesn't slow his brain down (say like a Peyton Manning slows the game down in his brain) and tries to carry the burden of the team on his shoulders. The reason I am so adamant that the Hurricanes need one more franchise player forward on Staal's line is that I am convinced with Staal/Jokinen and another franchise player, Staal's play will become geometrically better.
In the interim, if I were king, I would have Staal watch videos of himself tearing up and down the ice. I would use only positive reinforcement; but would work with him on instinctively intensifying his play after a mistake rather than being hampered by the thought of that mis-play still lingering in his mind. Few players in hockey's history have accomplished in their entire career what Staal has already accomplished. We need to appreciate the fact that Staal is still growing as a player while acknowledging there are areas of his play that coninue to require coaching and improvement.
Agreed
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 09:13 — biggssalvatoreWhen he is on, he can put the team on his back and create opportunities for himself and the rest of the team. Too often it looks like he is just going through the motions on the ice.
We are paying him to be a 100+ point player, but he has only done that once in his career. He seems to be more of a point per game player, and is being paid way too much for that.
When he took over the captaincy he seemed to be performing at a higher level. Perhaps the grind of the Olympics and the long season are catching up to him and there are some nagging injuries that he is fighting through.
Everybody who regularly
Thu, 03/11/2010 - 06:22 — ctillEverybody who regularly flamed Wallin and Aaron Ward for being foot-slow, take note that the younger Canes D was outskated on the first and last goals by Washington.