Showing posts tagged “Alexander Ovechkin”
Kate Shefte ·
30 Nov 2009, 11:33 PM ·
1 Comment
RBC CENTER/ RALEIGH—Caniac Nation couldn’t take another five-goal third period meltdown, and thankfully the ‘Canes provided an alternative – they lost this one the old-fashioned way. 39 shots on goal and a very late – like, 14 seconds left in the game late – Matt Cullen comeback bid didn’t pan out and the ‘Canes dropped their fifth in a row.
The entire game was a sideshow to the drama that unfolded in the first period, which saw Alex Ovechkin deliver an illegal blow and injure himself in the process. But while the Capitals recovered from the loss of their unequivocal leader, Carolina couldn’t muster enough to win after losing underrated defenseman Joe Corvo to injury.
***UPDATE: The ‘Canes announced this morning that Corvo will miss 8-10 weeks after undergoing surgery. He has been placed on injured reserve.***
Corvo got the scoring started four and a half minutes in on the power play when he scooped up a Tuomo Ruutu rebound and found a way around Jose Theodore.
Corvo strikes early in the first period, though would soon leave the ice with a sliced-up leg. Photo by Peggy Boone, IndyWeekBlogs
After that, Carolina players started dropping like flies. Less than a minute after his goal, Corvo sidestepped an innocent looking hit in front of his own bench from Washington’s Karl Alzner. But as Alzner skated away, Corvo clutched the back of his leg as Alzner’s skate cut it. He was helped back to the locker room, almost having to be carried by six Carolina trainers.
Corvo was taken to the hospital immediately to get the cut closed. Hopefully it isn’t too serious – the ‘Canes have had more than enough deep lacerations for one autumn.
Maurice knew just about as much as everyone else after the game, though he said it was a “significant” injury.
“He went to the hospital. He’s stable, he’s fine,” Mo said. “We won’t know the extent of the injury until the doctor looks at it and sees how deep it is and what [the blade] caught.”
Continue reading »
Carolina Hurricanes, Hockey Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Ovechkin, hit, Joe Corvo, knee, laceration, Michael Leighton, Nicklas Backstrom, surgery, suspension, Tim Gleason, Washington Capitals
Kate Shefte ·
21 Mar 2009, 10:49 PM ·
3 Comments
RBC CENTER/ RALEIGH—The Carolina Hurricanes won their eighth in a row on home ice and third in a row overall against the Washington Capitals, 4-1. This time, Carolina was the tired team, having beaten the Islanders 5-4 at home last night. The Carolina defense came alive in the third to break a 1-1 tie with three goals.
The ‘Canes evened the six-game series against the Caps in the teams’ final regular season meeting, and if the season ended right now, the two teams would be facing each other in the playoffs. More importantly, the Hurricanes gained ground on Florida and Buffalo, which are on the outside looking in, and Montreal in eighth place. All three teams lost tonight.
Continue reading »
Carolina Hurricanes, Hockey 50th, Alexander Ovechkin, Anton Babchuk, Cam Ward, celebration, defense, empty netter, goal, Joe Corvo, Joni Pitkanen, Rod Brind'Amour, starts, Washington Capitals
Kate Shefte ·
12 Nov 2008, 10:02 PM ·
Comment
Brandon Sutter (Gregg Forwerck, Carolina Hurricanes)
Brandon Sutter, Matt Cullen, and Joni Pitkanen all made surprising and simultaneous comebacks, giving the Hurricanes a line-up that was closer to normal than it has been on months. However, if this game was an indication of how their bolstered line-up is going to play, the ‘Canes are in deep trouble. If wunderkind Alexander Semin didn’t score it, he set it up, and the Hurricanes were crushed by a Southeast Division opponent in their second straight game.
“We’re only fooling ourselves if we think we’re playing the right way right now,” Scott Walker said after the game. “It’s not a matter of systems or design out there, you have to want to get back there, you have to want the puck. We’re just not getting it done, and it’s unacceptable.”
The Hurricanes are now missing only Patrick Eaves and Justin Williams from their ranks. The team couldn’t get anything going against the Capitals again and fell, 5-1, giving up the division lead and losing back-to-back games in regulation for the first time this season. Those who were hoping for a quick fix didn’t get it; the Hurricanes obviously need time to gel and adjust after being without these players for so long.
Aside from Brandon Sutter, who boosted the Hurricanes’ penalty kill, Laviolette said he didn’t “think anyone really stood out” from the injured players in their first game back.
With Carolina employing both of its defensemen on the rush and pushing too far into the offensive zone – yet again – Alexander Semin and Alexander Ovechkin slipped by on a two-on-one. Tim Gleason, stuck in the middle, went with the safer choice, attempting to sweep the puck off of NHL second leading scorer Semin. Gleason missed, and although Ovechkin is currently mired in a scoring slump, he hasn’t forgotten how to torture a Carolina goaltender. He forced Michael Leighton down and tossed the puck over his head effortlessly.
Continue reading »
Carolina Hurricanes, Hockey Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Brandon Sutter, Scott Walker, Washington Capitals
Kate Shefte ·
6 Nov 2008, 10:46 PM ·
Comment
Wow.
Just…wow.
The Hurricanes held a one-goal lead off a 3-on-1 Tuomo Ruutu goal with three minutes left in the game, and was assured of at least a point against the team that swiped the division lead out from under the ‘Canes last season. Alexander Semin (most unfortunate name in all of hockey? Quite possibly. And if you haven’t read his scathing criticism of superstar Sidney Crosby, check it out. Doesn’t he know that no one criticizes Crosby and lives to tell the tale?) scored with three minutes remaining to tie it up. Although the Hurricanes had been defensively sound throughout the game, they allowed Semin to sneak in with 11 seconds remaining and the left winger blasted a shot past Cam Ward. ‘Cane killer Alexander Ovechkin notched three assists, and Washington closed the gap on the division lead by two points. Washington has a game in hand.
Serving as the cherry on top of a devastating night, Semin’s follow-through struck Rod Brind’Amour in the face, and the captain limped off the ice, pouring blood. The play was entirely legal, and had no effect on the game-winning tally. The banged-up Brind’Amour will have to make a quick recovery and possibly find a face shield in order to log his customary 20-plus minutes against the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night.
This sudden collapse would not be so worrisome if the same thing had not happened a week ago against Edmonton, in which the Hurricanes surrendered another late lead. The Washington game proved to be a polar opposite of Tuesday night’s rematch against Toronto, in which the Hurricanes played a near-perfect first period and held on against an explosive Toronto offense to win in overtime. Aside from the recently-returned Scott Walker’s early goal, the ‘Canes failed to assert themselves in the first period, and instead relied on another strong game by their grinders. Ruutu and Walker provided the offense instead of All-Star hopefuls Brind’Amour, Eric Staal, and Whitney. Brind’Amour and Staal were held without points for the second straight game.
An otherwise good effort by the Hurricanes was wasted as they fell to the pesky Capitals, the team’s strongest contender for the Southeast Division title…and that invaluable guaranteed top-3 seed. The Hurricanes will have a chance to redeem themselves tomorrow night at home, where they are 2-2, against the Ottawa Senators.
Carolina Hurricanes, Hockey Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, face injury, Rod Brind'Amour, Tuomo Ruutu, Washington Capitals
