Addison H – We Love DC http://www.welovedc.com Your Life Beyond The Capitol Sat, 05 May 2012 19:42:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9.9 Capitals Beat Rangers By a Nose, 3-2 http://www.welovedc.com/2012/05/05/capitals-edge-rangers-by-a-nose-3-2/ Sat, 05 May 2012 19:42:11 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=84048 Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Holtby Bats puck
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After a …

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Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Holtby Bats puck
courtesy of clydeorama

After a triple overtime loss on Wednesday night, the danger existed the the Capitals would stumble, break a leg and get blown away by the Rangers on Saturday afternoon. The Caps came out of the gate strong, fought through a weak second period, and finally crossed the finish line ahead, winning the game and tying up the series at two games apiece.

Even with two days off after the epic three overtime match on Wednesday, there was the danger that the Caps would not be conditioned well enough to keep up. The Caps proved their critics wrong and surged to an early lead in the first period, absolutely dominating play for the entire twenty minutes. After subjecting Rangers’ goalie Henrik Lunqvist to a withering barrage of shots, the Capitals finally broke through on an Alex Ovechkin goal. Ovechkin intercepted an errant Rangers pass in the slot in front of Lundqivst and fired a screamer that hit Lunqvist’s glove and bounced into the net, to the delight of the red-clad throng.

Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Callahan Scores on Power Play
courtesy of clydeorama

The second period, however, was a much more even affair, with both teams jockeying for position up and down the ice. The Rangers scored first, when Artem Anisimov was left unguarded in front of the net by some blown defensive coverage. Anisimov used a craft deke to beat Braden Holtby and cash in from in close.

The Caps quickly returned the favor, however. Nicklas Backstrom laid waste to a Rangers’ defender below the red line, then moved into position in front of the net to take a beautiful feed from Jason Chimera and score the Caps’ second goal of the game. The Rangers responded with a score after Dennis Wideman and Jeff Schultz both inextricably stopped playing on a washed-out icing that evened the score at two apiece.

Washington got their third and final lead of the game with just under six minutes left in the third period. Mike Green sent a slapshot galloping past Lunqvist through several defenders and the Caps were able to hang on for the win. The tied series moves to New York for game 5 Monday night and then back to DC for game 6 on Wednesday night.

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Won’t Admit Defeat: Caps 2, Bruins 1 (OT) http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/26/wont-admit-defeat-caps-2-bruins-1-ot/ Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:28:16 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=83759

Credit: John McDonnell / The Washington Post

The previous six games in the series between the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals were decided by one goal, so there was no reason to expect game seven would be any different. The Caps and Bruins did not disappoint, taking another close game to the overtime period, where Joel Ward, added by the Caps in the offseason specifically for his past playoff heroics, backhanded a rebound past Tim Thomas to send the Caps to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the defending Stanley Cup champions to the golf course.

The Caps started the scoring off first. Matt Hendricks redirected a shot from John Carlson past Thomas halfway through the first period, giving the Caps a slim lead to protect. The Caps did an admirable job with that singular task for the rest of the period, slowing down the game and controlling the flow by getting the puck back into the Bruins’ zone every time if crossed their blue line.

Things got a little out of control for the Caps in second, as the Bruins sped of the game and controlled possession of the puck in the Caps’ zone. The tactic paid off for the Bruins, as Tyler Seguin, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime of game six, poked a loose puck past Braden Holtby and a number of Caps defenders and into the back of the net.

The third period was not enough to settle the game and the two teams headed into yet another overtime game. Thankfully, the suspense did not last long. Mike Knuble recovered a Boston turnover in the neutral zone and broke into the zone with Ward flanking him. Knuble’s initial shot rebounded off Thomas’ pads and right to Ward, who had cut across in front of Thomas. Ward backhanded the puck past Thomas for his first goal of the playoffs. And what a goal it was, instantly cementing Ward’s place alongside Dale Hunter as a Caps playoff overtime hero.

Because the NHL playoffs re-seed after the first round, the Caps will not know their second round opponent until after the conclusion of the games Friday night. The Caps could face the Devils, Rangers, or Flyers, possibly as early as Saturday.

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Bruins Beat Capitals, 4-3 (OT) http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/23/bruins-beat-capitals-4-3-ot/ Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:30:27 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=83622 Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Krejci Celebrates Win in Overtime
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Krejci Celebrates Win in Overtime
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Well we’re shipping up to Boston one more time, and this time the series is on the line for both teams. The Caps came into Sunday afternoon’s game against the Bruins leading three games to two in the series, but couldn’t quite close out the series at home, falling behind three times and tying up the score three times, only to lose in the overtime frame.

The game itself seemed to be a microcosm of the series in general. One team would get momentum, only to see the other come roaring back. After the Bruins took the lead in the first period, the Caps absolutely dominated the second, outshooting and outhitting the Bruins by wide margins.

The Caps got help from two of their stars, with Mike Green and Alex Ovechkin contributing their first and second playoff goals, respectively. Jason Chimera also scored his first goal of the playoffs on a two-on-one breakaway to tie the game at two with under a minute left to play in the second period.

Rookie goaltender Braden Holtby was stellar in net yet again. Despite the four goals against him on the scoreboard, Several of the goals were more the result of lucky bounces or blown defensive coverage, especially on the part of Dennis Wideman, who looked absolutely lost at times on the ice. Holtby did shoulder the blame for the overtime goal, noting that “it’s a save I want to make,” and that he might have been overly aggressive challenging Tyler Seguin.

So, after two games two days, the Capitals will make the trip to Boston one last time, with the season on the line. The first six games of the series have all been decided by one goal (an NHL first), so look for Wednesday night’s tilt to feature more close, tight hockey. As Matt Hendricks said in the locker room after the loss Sunday evening, “[we’ve] already seen them six times; I don’t think anything’s going to change.”

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Bruins Beat Caps 4-3, Dive to 2-1 Series Lead http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/17/bruins-beat-caps-4-3-dive-to-2-1-series-lead/ Tue, 17 Apr 2012 04:50:03 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=83473 Photo courtesy of bhrome
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courtesy of bhrome

The Capitals came into Monday night’s game fresh off an inspired overtime victory in Boston, hoping to turn the tide in their favor in the friendly red confines of the Verizon Center. Despite a fast start, a few unfortunate bounces and defensive miscues prevented the Caps from taking the lead in the series.

The scoring teetered back and forth for most of the game. The Caps opened the scoring with a filthy Alex Semin snipe past a screened Tim Thomas, but were matched by Boston a short time later. Alex Ovechkin buried a chance on a semi-breakaway, but the Bruins cashed in on a loose rebound in front of Holtby. Then the Bruins took the lead, but brilliant goal by Brooks Laich on a breakaway (and better pass by Nicklas Backstrom to get him the puck) tied the game up late.

The Bruins’ winning goal deflected off of Roman Hamrlik, who actually might have been the best defenseman on the ice Monday night, and flew past Holtby, who saw the puck but didn’t have a chance at stopping it.

The consistency of officiating was definitely a sore point in this game. There were several missed calls and several made calls that probably shouldn’t have been. It also seemed as though the few times the Bruins got called for an infraction a Capitals player was also sent off as well.

More significantly, at the end of the game, Caps center Nicklas Backstrom was assessed a match penalty for cross-checking Rich Peverley in the face after time had expired. The penalty comes with an automatic review by the NHL’s discipline committee for a possible suspension, which, with the league looking to crack down on cheap shots after Sunday’s melee-filled Penguins-Flyers game, seems likely, and would be devastating for the Capitals.

One of the highlights of the game was the creativity of Caps fans in making signs to taunt noted political activist, Tea Party member (and sometime Bruins goalie) Tim Thomas, who has made clear his dislike for President Obama.

Campaigns by local blogs BrooksLaichYear, Russian Machine Never Breaks, and Sick, Unbelievable all provided readers with plenty of assistance preparing for the game. Numerous signs were plastered on the glass behind Thomas during warmups, many fans wore Obama masks, and even a couple of giant Obama faces were spotted in the crowd.

Game four of the series is Thursday night at 7:30pm at the Verizon Center.

Photo courtesy the author

Photo courtesy the author

Photo courtesy the author

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Capitals Block Bruins in Beantown, 2-1 (2OT) http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/15/capitals-block-bruins-in-beantown-2-1-2ot/ Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:22:29 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=83405 Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Backstrom Checks Stewart
courtesy of clydeorama

Well folks, it looks like we might just have a series on our hands. And if you are a hockey, what a series this is turning out to be. The Caps took on the Bruins in a Saturday matinee game that required five periods to complete, but in the end, the bonus hockey ended up being well worth the wait with the Caps securing a 2-1 win to bring a tied series back to Washington on Monday.

Just over two minutes into the second overtime frame, Nicklas Backstrom took a pass from behind the net by Marcus Johansson and beat Bruins’ goalie Tim Thomas up high to end the game, sending the mercurial goalie quickly to the locker room in a huff. The Capitals celebrated their win in front of a dejected Boston crowd, save for a few jubilant fans in red jerseys scattered throughout.

The game was another tight one, remaining scoreless until almost the end of the second period, when Troy Brouwer tapped a loose puck past Thomas to put the Caps in the lead. The Caps played sound defense, and it looked as though they might have enough to hang on for the win, but with seven minutes left in the game, the Bruins evened up the score.

Rookie goaltender Braden Holtby over-committed to a poke check on Benoit Pouliot, who was able to backhand the puck into a yawning net to tie the game. Holtby, however, despite what some (clearly partisan) critics were claiming, turned in his second stellar effort in as many games, stopping 43 of 44 shots by the Bruins. The Caps defense also helped out the goalie, blocking a whopping 27 shots before they even got to the keeper.

The fact that the young goalie is gaining confidence and playing with a chip on his shoulder, perhaps owing both to his draft position and goalie confusion early in the season, couldn’t come at a better time for the Caps, who are without the services of Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth, due to injuries.

The series heads back to DC tomorrow night, with the Caps hosting the Bruins at 7:30pm at the Verizon Center.

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WWE Raw Comes to the Verizon Center http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/10/wwe-raw-comes-to-the-verizon-center/ http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/10/wwe-raw-comes-to-the-verizon-center/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:05:52 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=83254

Photo courtesy the author

Fresh off one of the best WrestleMania events in recent memory, the WWE Superstars invaded a packed Verizon Center last night for their weekly RAW Supershow. The boisterous crowd was on their game, filling the air with several “yes! yes! yes!” chants (for Daniel Bryan) and dueling “let’s go Cena” “Cena sucks” cheers.

The action in the squared circle was all top notch. Among the more notable matches, “Funkasaurus” Broadus Clay and Santino Morrella defeated Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger, Mark Henry won against CM Punk after Punk hit him with a TV monitor (followed up by Chris Jericho pouring two cases of Baltimore’s finest, Natty Boh, over Punk’s head), Alberto Del Rio made quick work of Long Island’s own Zack Ryder, R-Truth beat Cody Rhodes after a Big Show distraction, and John Cena beat David Otunga with his Five Moves of Doom.

There were, however, several notable omissions from the card tonight. Mid-card wrestler, and Fairfax VA native, Alex Riley did not wrestle. Neither did fan favorites “Great White Hope” Seamus nor recent Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan, but the crowd did not seem to go home unhappy.

The next announced date for a WWE event at the Verizon Center is another RAW episode on December 29th, but traditionally there is usually a Pay-Per-View event in DC during the summer.

Photo courtesy the author

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Possible Space Shuttle Flyby April 17th http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/05/possible-space-shuttle-flyby-april-17th/ http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/05/possible-space-shuttle-flyby-april-17th/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 03:23:59 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=83152 Photo courtesy of deg.io
Space Shuttle Endeavour Sunrise
courtesy of deg.io

When NASA released information yesterday about two T-38 jets doing a low flyby over the city of DC, it probably didn’t spark a whole lot of interest. The DC region is often abuzz with low-flying jets for military funerals at Arlington Cemetery or various training missions.

The additional details NASA provided today, however, should cause more than a few ears to perk up. The T-38s were taking photography in preparation for a potential flyby of the National Mall and Capitol by the Space Shuttle Discovery on April 17th. Discovery will be delivered to the Air and Space’s Udvar-Hazy Center on the 17th on the back of a specially-modified Boeing 747.

If all goes as planned, this presents the opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity. So mark April 17th on your calendars as a day to bring your cameras to the office and take an extra long lunch if you work downtown, or to just take the day off to enjoy the sight of a true American marvel in the skies over our city.

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Capitals Squeak Past Canadiens, 3-2 (SO) http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/01/capitals-squeak-past-canadiens-3-2-so/ http://www.welovedc.com/2012/04/01/capitals-squeak-past-canadiens-3-2-so/#comments Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:10:12 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=82946 Photo courtesy of Garyisajoke
Caps/Habs (April 15, 2010) – 5
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Caps/Habs (April 15, 2010) – 5
courtesy of Garyisajoke

Despite what, at times, seemed to be their best efforts to the contrary, the Capitals managed to beat the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night, winning 3-2 in a shootout, and, more importantly, securing control over the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Caps got some help in the standings as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Buffalo Sabres earlier in the evening, solidifying their grasp on the playoffs with three games left to play this season, even as the Caps seemed determined to waste an early lead.

The Capitals rode a surge of early momentum from the return of star center Nicklas Backstrom to an early two goal lead. The Verizon Center was louder than it had been in months, with the sellout crowd throatily voicing their appreciation for the return of the injured Swede beginning when he took the ice for warmups.

Like many of the other recent games, though, it was like there were two different Caps teams playing. As Japers Rink noted in their recap, the Caps have blown 3, 2, and 2 goal leads in the last five games. Early in the game the Caps played well, but after goals by Perreault and Beagle, the team seemed content to sit on its heels and try to protect the lead.

Just 4 minutes into the game, a patient Alex Semin took a rebound off Montreal goalie Peter Budaj and fired a perfect pass to Mathieu Perreault charging in from the wing. Perreault flipped the puck past Budaj before he had a chance to react. The second goal was scored similarly, with Jay Beagle going to the net to stuff a Matt Hendricks pass into a yawning chasm of a net.

In the shootout, Matt Hendricks employed his patented move to claim yet another victim, and Alex Semin put the nail in the coffin to ensure the win for the home team.

For all the talk of the last several games being playoff-like, this was the first one where the atmosphere and game play actually matched the pre-game hype. The two teams were in each others faces, with several post-whistle scrums and extracurricular activities throughout the game. In a lighter moment, Matt Hendricks attempted to fight P.K. Subban, but the later ignored the request and skated away. On Frozen Blog got Hendricks to explain the situation after the game.

Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Backstrom About to Faceoff
courtesy of clydeorama

The Capitals’ next game is Monday at 7pm against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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Capital Brewers: Bill Butcher of Port City http://www.welovedc.com/2012/03/23/capital-brewers-bill-butcher-of-port-city/ http://www.welovedc.com/2012/03/23/capital-brewers-bill-butcher-of-port-city/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:00:57 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=82410 Port City Brewing Company #14
Photo courtesy of Hans Bruesch

Tucked away in an unassuming former building supply warehouse in an Alexandria industrial park, a pineapple – a symbol of American hospitality since the colonial era – perches on the sign advertising Port City Brewery, one of several local breweries that have cropped up in the DC area over the last few years. As it turned out, the advertising is correct, and we were warmly welcomed into the brewery by its founder and owner, Bill Butcher.

The quintessential businessman, Bill is actually a wine guy by trade, having spent 18 years working as the Mid-Atlantic representative for the Mondavi wine empire. Prior to that, Bill got his exposure to the alcohol industry working as a shift and floor manager at The Wharf restaurant in Alexandria, where he would often have to sample wines as one of his duties. But it was that exposure to wine that got him interested in beer. As Bill explained, tasting wines all day made him want something different, namely beer.

Although it was Butcher’s career that brought him to his product, it was his family ties that helped him settle on a location. Butcher’s family has lived in the Alexandria area since 1908, and he stayed local as well, attending T.C. Williams High School and James Madison University. This combination of market knowledge and local sensibilities led to the founding of Port City just over a year ago after Bill asked himself why the growing American craft beer movement seemed to be passing over the DC area.

Port City Brewing Company #15Photo courtesy of Hans Bruesch

Since its founding, Port City has quickly grown into a successful brand. When I visited Bill, the tasting room was packed with people eager to sample one of Port City’s offerings. A planned run of 2500 barrels (35,000 cases) for the first year of production swelled to 3000 barrels (42,000 cases) as word spread about the new brew. This year, Butcher expects the brewery to pump out close to 5000 barrels, with an expansion of capacity to 6000 barrels in 2013 after the installation of two new brewing tanks.

Although Port City has experienced initial success, its owner is hesitant to try to do too much too quickly. The brewery is taking its time in expanding into the area – for now, it is only available inside the Beltway and in Virginia, but by the end of 2012 it will have expanded into Maryland and North Carolina, with a future expansion to Pennsylvania planned but not scheduled. Butcher doesn’t plan to take the beer much farther than that, preferring to be able to meet the local demand and keep quality high.

Port City Brewing Company #19Photo courtesy of Hans Bruesch

Quality is one of the key drivers that Bill has sought to implement in Port City Beer. His vision is a beer drinker’s beer where the the product sells itself with minimal marketing or gimmicks. Port City’s place in the community is also important to Butcher. Although the brewery is not able to source all of their grain locally, they have used wheat from the Northern Neck of Virginia and Maryland wildflower honey in two of their seasonal offerings. Additionally, Port City is working on an oyster stout using Chesapeake Bay oysters that will benefit the Oyster Recovery project.

That vision comes through in all of Port City’s offerings. All of the beers that we sampled were complex enough to appeal to even the most season beer drinker, but simple enough to not scare away more casual drinkers with exotic herbs and spices. Of these, the best, in my opinion, was the porter. Port City also does do a number of more complex, limited-edition beers, such as their first anniversary brew, which was only released on draft in a select number of bars.

Port City Brewing Company #17Photo courtesy of Hans Bruesch

Port City Brewing Company #22
Photo courtesy of Hans Bruesch


Port City Brewing is located at 3950 Wheeler Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304. Public tours take place at 6:30 pm on Friday; 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 pm on Saturday; and 2:00 pm on Sunday — reservations are not required. The cost is $7 and includes a tasting glass to keep and a full tasting of all of the beers on tap. For more information, please contact Port City at 703.797.2739 or visit the website at www.portcitybrewing.com. Port City’s beers are available at most local retailers and many area drinking establishments.

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Capitals Bag Up Maple Leafs, 2-0 http://www.welovedc.com/2012/03/11/capitals-bag-up-maple-leafs-2-0/ http://www.welovedc.com/2012/03/11/capitals-bag-up-maple-leafs-2-0/#comments Mon, 12 Mar 2012 02:29:31 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=81842 Photo courtesy of bridgetds
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Desperati…

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Desperation may be a stinky cologne, but, for one day at least, the Caps ended up smelling like roses. The Capitals faced the Toronto Maple Leafs in a Sunday matinee contest – their last home game for a while as they take to the road on their most important extended trip of the year. Although the Caps did not make up any ground on Florida, which holds a slim two point lead on the Southeast Division, they managed to tighten their grasp on the eighth (and final) playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, extending their lead over Winnipeg to four points.

The Caps came out of the locker room strong and rode solid netminding from goalie Michal Neuvirth to their third win in as many tries. In the first period, with the Caps shorthanded on the penalty kill, Brooks Laich intercepted a pass a center ice and streaked into the zone, beating Jonas Gustavsson on the short side to put the Caps up by a goal. Laich is only the second Capitals player to to score a short-handed goal this season. After the game, Laich admitted that he was anticipating that pass from the Leafs after seeing them utilize it in their game the night before.

Forty-two seconds into the third period, the Caps got some insurance on their first goal. Alex Semin made a disgusting spin move to beat the Leafs’ defender guarding him at the top of the circles, but lost a handle on the puck and trickled it weakly on net. The rebound came right to the stick of Mathieu Perreault, who banged home the rebound to double the lead.

Starting their five game road swing on a (modest) winning streak should hopefully be a huge boost to the team’s confidence at a time when every point is absolutely crucial, especially since the Caps have not been a particularly good road team this year (12-18-3). If the Caps can return home on the 23rd with 3-4 wins under their belt, confidence of making the playoffs will be much higher, and winning the division might even be back in the conversation.

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Capitals Crumble Against Flyers, 1-0 http://www.welovedc.com/2012/03/05/capitals-crumble-against-flyers-1-0/ Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:32:27 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=81676 Photo courtesy of BrianMKA
Alexander Semin
courtesy of BrianMKA

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Photo courtesy of BrianMKA
Alexander Semin
courtesy of BrianMKA

Thanks to NBC Sport’s prerogative in scheduling some games for television, Sunday’s Capitals game against the Flyers was pushed back to 7pm. Unfortunately, it seems as though the Caps didn’t get their afternoon naps, and while they started well, they could not sustain the necessary fortitude to grin out a victory against one of the East’s tougher teams, and fell to the Flyers, 1-0.

The Capitals came onto the ice in the first period with some noticeable snarl. The team was playing well, which was a relief to many after they were shellacked by the Devils on Friday night. The Caps forechecked well and were hitting the Flyers hard – Troy Brouwer drew the ire of Scott Hartnell for one particularly hard clean check, and the two fought to a draw at center ice.

However, as has been a bothersome trend of late, the Caps gave up a goal and just, well, gave up. Early in the second period, Eric Wellwood tipped a pass from Pavol Kubina and Matt Carle that found its way past Michal Neuvirth, who was stellar for the majority of the game. After the goal it looked like a completely different Capitals team was on the ice, one that wasn’t hurrying or attempting to win puck battles along the boards.

The Caps frustrations were evident during and after the game. In the second period, it appeared that Ovechkin had been benched by coach Dale Hunter after he missed a significant amount of playing time. But, after the game, Hunter downplayed the move, claiming that it was just an attempt to match lines

After the game, the mood in the locker room was subdued. The players that did choose to speak to the media all echoed the same sentiment: that while the game might have been an improvement over Friday night, it was still a loss that was ill-afforded. According to Troy Brouwer, “tonight was a tough way to lose, but we still lost… at this point in the season a loss is a loss.”

The loss leaves the Caps in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, one point out of a playoff spot and five points behind the division-leading Florida Panthers. The Caps face a crucial two games this week against divisional foes Carolina and Tampa (who are only one point back of the Capitals).

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We Love Weekends: Mar 2 – 4 http://www.welovedc.com/2012/03/01/we-love-weekends-mar-2-%e2%80%93-4/ Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:00:51 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=81610 Photo courtesy of philliefan99
winter’s a faded memory
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winter’s a faded memory
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Happy March, everyone; it’s weekend time again! Unfortunately, it looks like the weekend weather is going to come a bit early this week – gorgeous today and Friday, but 100% chance of some early spring thunderstorms (lousy Smarch weather) on Saturday and back to chilly on Sunday. Back to indoor activities it is!

Brittany: This is a big launch party weekend. Thursday, I will be at the W for the opening party of the Mick Rock photo exhibit. I hope the weather looks clear for enjoying my favorite terrace in town. Depending on when my companion and I slip out of there, we might head to Jack Rose to enjoy the new Stillwater and Bols “Kopstootje.”
Local 16 is hosting the launch party of online fashion/satire publication asterisk* on Saturday, and given that there are all too few really positive, self-aware fashion publications going, you know I want to support that. On Sunday, I will be heading to Passenger to toast another new venture: The first event of DC’s chapter of LUPEC – hosted, among other fabulous ladies, by my lovely editor Jenn.

Tom: A weekend full of service and stuff! Saturday, I’ll first be at the Friends of Rhode Island Ave Cleanup in the morning, spiffing up a couple blocks in my neighborhood with over 100 of my neighbors. Next up is the DC Democrats “Pre-Caucus” to help select the delegates who will vote for Barack Obama in North Carolina this summer up at UDC. Top it all off with the Brookland Heartbeat debate for Ward 5 council candidates and you’ve got a great Saturday!

Photo courtesy of Tony DeFilippo
7/365
courtesy of Tony DeFilippo

Don: I swear this isn’t just a re-run of last weeks entry even if it has all the same stuff in it. I didn’t get to Peter Pan last week and this one has been full of obligations and family. Mostly good, but cutting into my theater and friend time. So I’m going to take a shot at getting into Saturday’s closing night production and heading to the Passenger on Sunday to see folks I haven’t had time to chew the fat with for a few weeks.

Huzzard: While everybody else is working for the weekend it will once again be taking a piece of my heart as I am working on the weekend. This exciting adventure kicks off with me helping to host a free home buyers seminar at the Weichert, Realtors office in Fair Oaks. I actually get rewarded if people show up so if you are in the market for a new home in the Northern Virginia region by all means come on down. The office address can be found on my site. Now for the truly exciting part of the weekend. BASEBALL!!!!! The Nats start Grapefruit League action this weekend and we will be watching live from the Crystal City Sports Pub. As it always is with food and drinks the more the merrier. Show up, say hello, and stay and enjoy some Nats baseball action. It has been a long cold lonely winter, but here comes the sun.

Photo courtesy of Max Cook
Zimmerman Wins It
courtesy of Max Cook

Joanna: I’m spending a rare Friday night out, starting with a happy hour at Cava and then an opening reception at Homebody. Saturday I’ll either bike or metro into the district from o’er here in VA and dream of pending cherry blossoms before meeting a friend at Ted’s Bulletin. I’m on a Thomas Jefferson kick, so maybe I’ll go crush on him at his memorial, too. Saturday night I have a date with the ever-busy love of my life, so we might try out the Malbec options at Screwtop in Clarendon. Since Downton Abbey is over for a while and I’m all caught up, I’ll probably spend Sunday doing useful things like catching up on work and errands, but if I can get up the energy after dish cleaning and copywriting, I’ll reward myself with Jenn and the gang at The Passenger for the first DC LUPEC event.

Rachel: After a crazy and exciting week, all I want is the weekend. Friday night I’ll start with birthday drinks for a friend at my favorite bar in town — The Gibson. Then, after sleeping all day Saturday (I’m too excited for that, btw), I’ll be watching the Nats with Tom and Dave at Crystal City Sports Pub as we start prepping for our 2012 regular season coverage of the team. Should be a quick few days but it’ll be nice and relaxing … just the way I need it to be.

Fedward: Actual conversation that happened last night: Me: “Are we going to the LUPEC thing?” Social Chair: “What?” Me: “The LUPEC thing.” Social Chair: “You mean the thing at the Passenger on Sunday? I don’t know why you’re asking me.” So, yeah. We’ll be there. We’re starting our weekend tonight with at least one round at the Passenger to commemorate the DC repeal of prohibition. I do still have to go to work tomorrow, so the full celebration will have to wait until Friday. Saturday night we’re babysitting in Mt. Pleasant, so perhaps some pupusas and other deliciousness from Ercilia’s will be in order. And you already know how our weekend will end.

Alexia: Friday night I’m going to support my Dad (he plays Euphonium) and see The NOVA Alexandria Band perform at the Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria at 7:30pm. Saturday I hope to head over to the Mexican Cultural Institute to see their new exhibit “A Thousand and One Faces of Mexico” featuring over 140 masks, as well as photographs, figurines, costumes and musical instruments. Saturday night I’ll be playing with my band The Torches at Iota in Arlington. The show starts at 9, and we go on first! After us will be Leland Sundries, and headlining the night is The Beanstalk Library. Sunday I’m heading over to Sixth & I Synagogue for “What Makes It Great?”, a lecture about and performance of the Beethoven Cello Sonata No. 3.

Photo courtesy of LaTur
Love is like a violin…….
courtesy of LaTur

Jenn: If this weekend weren’t all about various crazy house tasks, I’m sure I would be out gallivanting as much as possible. But, I can only juggle one event – the launch of LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails, to be precise)! I’m proud to be the member of the inaugural chapter (any boozy ladies interested in pledging this year? talk to me at the event) of a national organization dedicating to the cocktail craft and the women who mix them. Come join us this Sunday from 4pm to 7pm, at the Passenger, for a fun time with DC Brau specials and one helluva huge Pisco Sour. It’s benefitting breast cancer research, so of course there will be bras. Yeah, we’re an irreverent bunch of dames. See you there.

Rebecca: To kick start the weekend, I’ll be hanging with my homies and hitting up some of the bars around Dupont Circle, which I haven’t done in a while. The Big Hunt is definitely on my list of stop ins, as it’s got a fair about of sentimental, nostalgia for me. Doesn’t hurt that it also has a great selection of beers on tap. Saturday I’m continuing my New Year’s Healthfest by hitting up the gym, soaking in the warmth of the sauna, and getting my post-gym veggies/fruity goodness at Wonji Juice Bar in the Glover Park Whole Foods; my fav to date is the Green Goddess. Saturday evening I’ll head over to the new Town Hall, which took over Mason Inn’s location, for some ACC Tournament action. Sunday, I’m taking a tour of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception over in NE. It’s the largest Roman Catholic church in North America, is one of the ten largest churches in the world and is renown for its architecture and sacred, contemporary ecclesiastical art.

Photo courtesy of Jenn Larsen
Pisco Sour, Lincoln
courtesy of Jenn Larsen

Natalia: Hello global warming, how I love thee right now. Weekend starts tonight, because its March 1st, crazy warm, and Standard is re-opening its patio for some boozy, porky bliss. I have also been meaning to try Mintwood, and now that they accept reservations that may be an easy Friday plan. Saturday’s rain can finally get me up to date with all the Oscar nominated movies, so a trip to E Street Cinema is in order. Sunday, I am headed to the Passenger for LUPEC’s first event. In case you haven’t read any of the posts above, know this: there is a group of ladies with a big mission: to preserve endangered cocktails, and deliver the finest concoctions of spirits known to man. See the WeloveDC crew and all you readers there.

Addison: This weekend is going to be all hockey all the time for me. I’m covering the 3/2, 3/4, and 3/6 Capitals’ games for WLDC, so I expect to see a lot of the Verizon Center press box. Friday, I’ve got to do some clothes shopping, so perhaps a visit to Tyson’s Corner or Georgetown. Saturday, I will be doing a long bridge-to-bridge loop run in the morning, hopefully the rain holds off early. In the evening, I’m throwing a baby shower for my best friend and his wife, who are expecting in June. Sunday will be a recovery day with brunch somewhere in Arlington (any recommendations?) and then an unusual evening Sunday hockey game when the Caps take on the Flyers.

Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Celebrating Perreault’s First Goal of Night
courtesy of clydeorama

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Capitals Deport Canadiens, 4-1 http://www.welovedc.com/2012/02/24/capitals-deport-canadiens-3-1/ Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:00:26 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=81440 Photo courtesy of bhrome
“Matty P” full throttle
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Photo courtesy of bhrome
“Matty P” full throttle
courtesy of bhrome

Coming into Friday night’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, the Capitals had been struggling against most of the other teams, posting an abysmal record and generally playing in a funk. Luckily for the Caps, however, the one team they have been dominating as of late was at the other end of the ice this evening.

The Capitals entered the matchup against Montreal having shut them out for over 200 minutes, spanning three games and three goalies – the last Montreal goal against Washington was on March 15, 2011 – and that streak continued for the first period Friday night. Even more importantly, the Capitals put the first points on the board for the first time in several games as a pass from Jason Chimera found Mathieu Perreault parked in front of the net. Perreault tipped the puck past Canadiens goaltender Carey and the Caps found themselves on the right side of the score early, something of a rarity lately.

In another rarity, the Capitals also managed to string together a series of goals, opening up a three-goal lead for the first time since February 7th. Jason Chimera scored the second Caps goal of the game, streaking in on a breakaway to tuck the puck between Price’s pad after a nifty head fake. Just 16 seconds later, Alex Ovechkin took a Dmitry Orlov pass and hammered a one-time shot past Carey Price, who just watched the puck sail by him into the net. Price thought he could recuse himself after the third goal, but was denied when he skated back to the bench

All good things must come to an end, c’est la vie, and in the third period the Caps seemed to struggle a little bit more than they had the previous two. The team’s shutout streak ended in an inglorious fashion, with Rene Bourque scoring a shorthanded goal to draw the Canadiens back within striking distance. The Caps managed to hold on to their lead though, and defeated the Canadiens for the 3rd time this season.

While the win kept the the Capitals in playoff contention, leaving the team only 1 point out of 8th place in the Eastern Conference and two points out of first place in the Southeast Division, it also muddied the waters in terms of the trade picture. Even with only three days until the NHL trade deadline on Monday, it remains unclear if the Capitals will be buyers – and acquire some talent to make a playoff push – or sellers – and shed players and salary to reload for next season.

The players themselves, however, remained optimistic about the team’s chances. After the game, forward Matt Hendricks stated that “we think we deserve to be in the playoffs, but we are on the outside looking in.” And Mathieu Perreault, who scored the game’s first goal, asserted: “we did it tonight; we can do it again tomorrow.” The game tomorrow might be the most important of the season, when the Capitals take on the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are currently tied with the Caps for ninth in the East.

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Capitals Devoured by Sharks, 5-3 http://www.welovedc.com/2012/02/13/capitals-devoured-by-sharks-5-3/ Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:15:38 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=80976 Photo courtesy of bridgetds
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courtesy of bridgetds

Down a numb…

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Photo courtesy of bridgetds
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courtesy of bridgetds

Down a number of players to injury and illness, the Capitals came into Monday night’s game against the San Jose Sharks desperately needing a win to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. Unfortunately, despite getting several goals from unlikely sources, the Caps were easy dispatched by San Jose and fell further behind in the playoff race.

The night started off on a strange note with the news that minor league goalie Braden Holtby had been called up to start in net, in place of Michael Neuvirth, who lost to the Rangers on Sunday, and Tomas Vokoun, who has been sick with the flu.

Things only got weirder from there. As JP from Japers Rink mentioned in his Monday article, although it may not seem like it, according to one statistic, the Caps have actually been getting a fair amount of “puck luck” recently. Monday night, however, that was certainly not the case.

The Sharks first goal came from behind the blue line as a Joe Pavelski shot took a couple of weird bounces and caromed past Braden Holtby. The Sharks scored two more goals before a Dmitry Orlov blast from long-range trickled over the goal line as the second period expired.

The Caps added goals from Roman Hamrlik and Jeff Schultz, but couldn’t keep pace as the Sharks scored a number of their own. Although the score was somewhat close on paper, the Caps were handily outplayed, and looked lost, often having trouble maintaining possession in the offensive zone or even moving the puck through the neutral zone.

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A Capital Dilemma: Point/Counterpoint http://www.welovedc.com/2012/02/06/a-capital-dilemma-pointcounterpoint/ http://www.welovedc.com/2012/02/06/a-capital-dilemma-pointcounterpoint/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:00:12 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=80389 Photo courtesy of clydeorama
This is Laich
courtesy of clydeorama

While the C…

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Photo courtesy of clydeorama
This is Laich
courtesy of clydeorama

While the Capitals lost on the scoreboard to the Bruins yesterday afternoon, the bigger loss might have been in the locker room. Versatile forward Brooks Laich was helped off the ice after a hard check into the board and did not return for the remainder of the game. Laich was seen leaving Verizon Center in a leg brace and on crutches, leading to speculation about his return, and is currently listed as “day-to-day” by coach Dale Hunter. If this was the beginning of the season, there would not be much to worry about. Hockey is a rough sport and players are often injured. However, right now we are entering the thick of the playoff race and the games are all looking like they are “must win.”

Laich, who is currently sixth on the team in points (10 goals, 18 assists), joins Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green on the list of highly-paid, important Caps personnel who are unable to assist the team as it attempts to claw its way into the playoffs from its present position in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. The three players represent about $16.5, or 25%, of the team’s total payroll.

When Laich went down and was helped to the dressing room, many fans on Twitter were remarking that it might be the nail in the coffin for the Caps chances at the Stanley Cup or even the playoffs at all. With the NHL trade deadline looming in only three weeks, and clear knowledge that some sort of changes must be made, the Capitals are faced with the decision to either fish or cut bait.

Since arguing with yourself is not the most productive (or sane) of pastimes, Kevin Klein (follow him on Twitter @sickunbelievabl) of the new and highly recommended Capitals blog Sick, Unbelievable has provided one (probably more popular) option for the Caps: be buyers over the next month and make a hard run at the playoffs and Cup.

Kevin argues that acquiring one good piece could vault the Caps into the mix of things, especially since the Eastern Conference is so tight this season:

The trade deadline looms at the end of a shortened month, and the Capitals’ needs are painfully evident. Washington is a team that is built to win now, not later, and a failure to secure a playoff berth would mark one of the biggest disappointments in the franchise’s 38 season history. Their best players are entering the primes of their careers, and the team has now experienced four consecutive postseasons with the same core of players. But always there has been a missing element. Thus, it makes sense that the Capitals will be buyers, not sellers.

Though general managers are a clandestine bunch when it comes to the status of their players, a few names have emerged as trade-deadline candidates around the league. At center— a position at which the Caps currently resemble a one armed man clinging to a piece of sodden flotsam­­­­— the following options have been bandied about: Derek Roy, Ryan Getzlaf, Sam Gagner, and Jeff Carter.

The assumption was that one of these players, upon acquisition, could center the team’s second line, thereby bolstering the offense in both even strength and powerplay scenarios. But now, with Nicklas Backstrom and Brooks Laich’s health hanging in the balance, a trade target’s responsibilities within his hypothetical new team could be even greater.

A brief analysis of each: Gagner, already labeled a bust by some at age 22, spent the week in the record books after reeling off points in 11 consecutive Edmonton goals over a span of 3 periods. But Gagner is unproven, and this streak may have made him pricier than he’s worth. Getzlaf is a proven, big bodied center with a scoring touch. In a perfect world he’d end the season wearing a Caps sweater. Getzlaf’s con however, is his cap hit of $5.3m— a trait he shares with Jeff Carter, who also boasts an enormous 11 year contract. As Getzlaf has only one year left on his contract, it makes him a much lower-risk option.

Derek Roy, perhaps the quintessential fit for Washington’s roster needs and salary allowances, is another veteran top-2 center, under contract through next season, with a cap hit of only $4m. Any of these players, though, would greatly improve the Caps’ chances at a sustained playoff run.

There is still much to be learned between now and February 27th— Backstrom, Laich, and Mike Green’s health paramount among them— but one thing is certain: February will not be a quiet month for George McPhee.

However, there is also the possibility that the inverse is true in this situation. That is, what the Capitals can pick up at the trade deadline is not enough to help them achieve postseason success. There are two important aspects that must be considered when examining the Caps’ personnel situation: the present and the future. I think that a serious argument could be made that it would be in the best interests of the Capitals in both the short-term and long-term to sell, sell, sell as the trade deadline approaches.

In the short term, there is the question of just how much talent would have to be acquired in order for the Capitals to be successful. Mike Green, arguably the team’s number one defenseman, is out for at least a few more weeks recovering from a groin injury (which are notoriously hard to recover from) and abdominal surgery for a sports hernia. Nicklas Backstrom is still experiencing concussion-like symptoms from a Rene Bourque cheap shot, similar to Sidney Crosby, who has been benched almost the entire 2011-12 season after sustaining a similar injury last year, and Marc Savard, who hasn’t played since a concussion in the 2009-10 season. If Brooks Laich is also sidelined with an injury for an extended period of time, there might not be enough quality players available for the Caps to sign or trade for to be successful this season, or the cost of acquiring such replacement players might be ruinous to the Capitals’ future chances.

Thinking long-term also leads to the same conclusion. After the Caps fired coach Bruce Boudreau early in the season, not only did it soon become abundantly clear that the previous coach was not the problem, but also that the team believed that new coach Dale Hunter figured prominently in their long-term plans. According to GM George McPhee, the team had “talked consistently over 12 years [to Hunter], and was always hoping that one day Dale could coach this team.”

Hunter will be the coach next season. As constructed, however, the team is not set up to succeed under Hunter’s system, evidenced by its lackluster performance since November. It is obvious that Hunter can coach: he was the fastest Ontario Hockey League coach to record 400 wins (although his success remains to be proven at the NHL level). The solution, then, is to give Hunter players with which he can implement his system and win hockey games. In order to get those players, the Capitals will need to give up assets of their own and give the players time (read: an offseason of practice) to gel and become a cohesive unit.

Next year’s Caps team will probably look much different than it now appears. Mike Knuble is aging and will likely retire. Enigmatic Russian winger Alex Semin will likely not be re-signed due to both the disconnect between his whopping salary ($6.7 million) and mediocre performance (currently 112th in the NHL in points) and the advent of prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov next season. Goalie Tomas Vokoun has been solid in net for Washington, but only signed a one-year deal, one in which he was disappointed and that convinced him to fire his agent, which invites speculation that he might be looking for a bigger payday with the Caps or elsewhere this offseason.

In addition to those players, the Capitals will also have to re-sign or replace Mike Green ($5.25 million), Dennis Wideman ($3.93 million), and John Carlson, who will be due a raise from his rookie contract. In order to make some or all of these deals, salary will need to be shed. Why not move some players now to a contending team and stockpile draft picks and prospects with which to make moves over the summer, instead of letting them leave in free agency for nothing. That way, the Capitals will have the cap space and the incentives with which to get Dale Hunter exactly the players he wants for next season’s campaign. A well-constructed team with a plan and on the same page as its coach has a much higher chance of success than one cobbled together at the trade deadline, such as Washington has tried the past few seasons.

In my opinion, it is worth going through a rebuild (although not a complete fire sale) and missing the playoffs for a few seasons and then winning the Cup as opposed to barely making the playoffs every season and getting quickly eliminated. For these reasons I think the Caps will be sellers as we approach the trade deadline in a few weeks.

In either case, as Kevin mentioned, February will not be a quiet month for the Capitals.

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Bruins Beat Caps by a Field Goal, 4-1 http://www.welovedc.com/2012/02/05/bruins-beat-caps-by-a-field-goal-4-1/ http://www.welovedc.com/2012/02/05/bruins-beat-caps-by-a-field-goal-4-1/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:10:03 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=80375 Photo courtesy of bhrome
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courtesy of bhrome

Two weeks ago, the C…

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Photo courtesy of bhrome
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courtesy of bhrome

Two weeks ago, the Capitals came into their game against the Boston Bruins on the hockey equivalent of fourth and long: reeling from consecutive losses and missing their captain, Alex Ovechkin. With the help of a hat trick from an unexpected source, diminutive Mathieu Perreault, the Caps hung on to beat the Bruins and set the stage for today’s Super Sunday rematch.

The Bruins opened the scoring, after Milan Lucic caught Dennis Wideman napping and buried a midrange attempt. That play was the end result of the Caps being unable to generate any sustained zone pressure early in the game. An unsuccessful Jeff Schultz dump in led to the Bruins rush. Eight minutes later, Patrice Bergeron out-hustled half of the Caps team to chase down a loose puck behind the net and found Brad Marchand wide open for the second Bruins goal of the afternoon.

The second period was unremarkable. Neither team scored, and the Caps were outshot by the Bruins. Worryingly, the Caps lost one of the faces of their franchise, venerable forward Brooks Laich to an apparent leg injury late in the second period as a result of a clean check by Dennis Seidenberg.

The Caps’ ineffectual play continued throughout the third period. A woeful offensive zone presence and defensive miscue after defensive miscue doomed the Capitals. Additionally, the Caps’ injury concerns piled up after Dmitry Orlov left the ice trailing blood after being struck by a puck in the face (for the second time in two days). In a slight positive, the Capitals did manage to avoid getting shut out as Marcus Johansson finally solved Tim Thomas and banked in a hail mary shot off Dennis Seidenberg late in the third period. Rich Peverley added an empty net goal to seal the win for the Bruins.

Washington’s next game is Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.

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Capitals Declaw Bruins, 5 -3 http://www.welovedc.com/2012/01/24/capitals-declaw-bruins-5-3/ Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:31:54 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=80080 With the team missing Alex Ovechkin (suspensio…

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Photo courtesy the author

With the team missing Alex Ovechkin (suspension), Nicklas Backstrom (injury) and Mike Green (injury), expectations for the Capitals’ Tuesday night tilt against the Boston Bruins were not high. In fact, most commentators expected the Bruins to steamroll the Caps like so much Boston asphalt.

The Bruins, however, were in for some rude awakenings as the Capitals refused to roll over and die, even when facing a Bruins’ team with a +71 goal differential. Early on, it looked like the Caps were going to be the walking dead, like they were in recent shutout losses to the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes. A crossing pass by Rich Peverley bounced off Karl Alzner’s stick and found the back of the net to leave the Capitals down early.

But the Caps roared back and picked up their play, winning battles along the dirty glass and in the offensive zone. Cody Eakin opened the scoring for Washington, sneaking a trickler through the pads of Tuuka Rask to tie up the game.

Matthieu Perreault sandwiched his first two goals of the night, both beautiful sneaky wrist shots (one on a breakaway) around a Boston goal by Tyler Seguin that came on an awful defensive giveaway by John Carlson. Brad Marchand scored late in the second period to even things up for the Bruins.

Talk about going out in style – the game winning goal was scored by diminutive French Canadian Matthieu Perreault, his third of the night, a notable accomplishment for a player with only 15 NHL goals until tonight. All-star Dennis Wideman added an empty-net goal to seal the win for the Capitals and send the crowd home with free wings.

This was definitely a quality win for the Capitals, and it should be interesting to see what memories remain the next time the two teams meet, which will be in a Sunday hardcore matinee before the Super Bowl on February 5th.

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Rustico’s Beer Academy http://www.welovedc.com/2012/01/23/rusticos-beer-academy/ Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:00:39 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=78971 IMG_9022
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courtesy of Hans Bruesch

Remember tha…

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courtesy of Hans Bruesch

Remember that class you took in college where after fifteen minutes or so you realized that the professor had forgotten more about the subject at hand than you could ever hope to learn? This past Saturday, Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Beer Director, Greg Engert, did his best professor impression (complete with button-down sweater) and reminded the participants in the inaugural Beer Academy class just how little they really knew about beer. Add in six absolutely delicious beers and even the frigid weather and coating of ice couldn’t keep the class from being a huge success.

I used to think I knew a lot about beer. After two hours of listening to Greg school the assembled crowd that packed Rustico’s back room on the intricacies of beer, brewing, and the associated geopolitical and regional complexities, I realized that I had only begun to scratch the surface on the knowledge of beer.

According to Greg, he had been wanting to do such a class since 2006, but had been limited by space constraints at his various restaurants, until the Arlington Rustico opened in 2010. The curriculum follows the same one that Greg uses for his well-versed bartenders and servers at NRG’s restaurants.

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courtesy of Hans Bruesch

The initial class covered the basics of beer and the six main flavor profiles of the beer that Greg serves: tart and funky, smoke, fruit and spice, hop, roast, and crisp. Participants were able to sip on a (healthy) sample of one beer from each flavor while the class was taking place, resulting in a good mixing of education and imbibing. While this initial class was more of an general beer overview, future classes promise to focus more on specific types of beer (see schedule below).

In general, the beer academy was a great way to spend two hours on a Saturday afternoon. There were a couple of faults with the class, but they were more technical than anything else. The class takes place in a restaurant, not an actual classroom, so things were a bit noisy, but Greg did assure us that the restaurant would have a PA and microphone in place in time for the next class, which should help assuage the noise situation.

Additionally, while the amount of beer wasn’t particularly large, some of the beers were higher alcohol, and there was no food available. Even some pretzels or nuts would have been nice to clear the palate and cut down the buzz a little bit.

Overall, however, the class was informative, humorous, and, at $24 a session, an absolutely fantastic value. Whether you know nothing about beer or everything, Rustico’s year long Beer Academy will surely be a hit with area beer aficionados.

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courtesy of Hans Bruesch

Scheduled Classes:
Jan 21 & 28 (BOTH SOLD OUT) – Craft Beer Flavor Spectrum
Feb 11 & 18 (18th SOLD OUT) – Farmhouse Ales
March 17 & 24 (17th SOLD OUT) – Local Brewing & Sourcing
April 14 & 21 (14th SOLD OUT) – Sour Ales: The Old & New
May 12: Real Ale: A Cask Ale Primer
June 9: Barrel-Aged Beers
Rest of the year TBD.

Beer Academy classes are $24 per person, with reduced pricing offered for packages of 3, 6 or 12 classes. All classes include tasters of at least six beers and are held at Rustico at 4075 Wilson Blvd in Arlington from 1 to 3 p.m. Call 571-384-1820 to reserve.

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Islanders give Capitals a Rough Ride, win 3-0 http://www.welovedc.com/2012/01/17/islanders-give-capitals-a-rough-ride-win-3-0/ Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:19:59 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=79856 Photo courtesy of bhrome
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When the Capitals c…

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When the Capitals came into Tuesday night’s game against the New York Islanders at the end of an unusual homestand: every one of the four teams the Caps played had played within the previous 24 hours. Tuesday night, however, the Caps came out looking like the tired team and were shut out for the first time this season.

While the Capitals’ penalty killing at home has been vaunted of late, the Islanders scored on their first power play of the game. Islanders’ star John Tavares banged home a lose puck into a yawning net and the Capitals fell behind at home for the first time in over a month. The goal seemed to put the Capitals on their heels, and the team struggled to hold any semblance of form for the remainder of the period.

Worrisomely, the Caps also came out flat in the second period, making less than crisp passes and struggling to enter the Islanders’ zone. The sloppy, uninspired play came back to bite them again when P.A. Parentaeu intercepted an errant Dmitry Orlov pass in the Capitals defensive zone, and faster than you can say “you know it,” flicked a wrist shot past Tomas Vokoun to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead.

Yet, the Caps were able to find a small bit of momentum towards the end of the second and beginning of the third, they were again unable to sustain any sort of challenge to the Islanders.

Killing the Caps’ chances for any sort of a comeback was a silly cross-checking penalty by Alex Ovechkin. Although the call may have been a bit disputable, it was certainly an ill-advised hit, and one the NHL is trying to legislate out of the game. The Islanders made the Caps pay for their transgression, with P.A. Parentaeu scoring his second of the night on the ensuing power play.

If some wins are team wins, this was definitely a team loss. Not a single player was very noticeable on the ice, and the team didn’t even crack the 20 shot marker – a concerning statistic. The Capitals head to Montreal tomorrow to face the Canadiens.

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Capitals Parry Sabres 3-1 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/12/30/capitals-parry-sabres-3-1/ Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:33:47 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=79271 Photo courtesy of The 2-Belo
semin scores!
courtesy of The 2-Belo

The Washin…

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Photo courtesy of The 2-Belo
semin scores!
courtesy of The 2-Belo

The Washington Capitals came into tonight’s game having dropped their last two matchups with the Buffalo Sabres, both in decisive fashion. Although the Caps turned in yet another incomplete effort – coasting through the second period – they came up where it mattered and secured an important victory in the last game of 2011.

The Capitals turned the tables on the Sabres, reversing the trend of their previous games, and scored early (and on the powerplay). Alex Ovechkin took a pass from Tomas Vokoun and streaked down the right side wall, firing a crossing pass that clicked off of defender Christian Ehrhoff’s stick and into the net. Although the scoring did not continue for the remainder of the first period, the hitting certainly did. Jason Chimera fought Mike Weber and Troy Brouwer fought Christian Ehrhoff.

It seemed as though the Caps’ up-tempo game would continue in the second period. Roman Hamrlik fed Alex Semin, who faked a shot, freezing Ryan Miller. Semin deftly passed to Nicklas Backstrom, wide open in the slot, and Backstrom slid home his 100th NHL goal past a diving Miller. For some reason, the Caps lost momentum after that, letting the Sabres spend way too much time in the offensive zone and failing to clear pucks, leading to the Sabres cutting the lead in half late in the second.

The third period was much of the same, with the Caps hanging on to the lead for dear life as the Sabres recorded shot after shot. Late in the third, however, Alex Semin and Nicklas Backstrom set Alex Ovechkin up for a bomb one-timer to give the Caps some insurance and seal the victory.

Notes:
The Caps first goal came off a lucky bounce. Nice to see those going their way for once.

Ovechkin definitely looks like the Ovechkin of old again. Not sure what changed, but hopefully it is permanent.

The Caps came out hard in the first period, but seemed to fall back into their disturbing trend of settling back for the second, getting outshot handily, 15-6, by the Sabres in that frame.

The Sabres first goal was a direct result of the Caps being unable to clear the puck out of their own zone, another seeming trend this season.

Tomas Vokoun played his second solid game in a row, notching 18 saves and an assist.

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