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Mother Nature called for icing: Red-hot Capitals still waiting to play Mother Nature called for icing: Red-hot Capitals still waiting to play
(35 minutes later)
Barry Trotz went outside to shovel every two hours. Karl Alzner hosted teammates and took his daughter sledding. Mike Richards played cards with his dad. Nate Schmidt climbed to the top of a snow heap in Clarendon.Barry Trotz went outside to shovel every two hours. Karl Alzner hosted teammates and took his daughter sledding. Mike Richards played cards with his dad. Nate Schmidt climbed to the top of a snow heap in Clarendon.
What the Washington Capitals didn’t do during the blizzard this weekend is play their two scheduled games — against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. Now begins the considerable challenge of rescheduling those postponed games and adjusting to a lull in the schedule. What the Washington Capitals didn’t do during the blizzard last weekend is play their two scheduled games — against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. Now begins the considerable challenge of adjusting to a significant lull in the schedule.
The Capitals’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday will be their first in more than a week, and that’s followed by the all-star break, meaning Washington is in the midst of a 13-day stretch that includes only one game. For a team that has rolled to 73 points and a 35-8-3 record to this point, a break in momentum isn’t ideal, but it’s also an opportunity for players with various ailments to heal.The Capitals’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday will be their first in more than a week, and that’s followed by the all-star break, meaning Washington is in the midst of a 13-day stretch that includes only one game. For a team that has rolled to 73 points and a 35-8-3 record to this point, a break in momentum isn’t ideal, but it’s also an opportunity for players with various ailments to heal.
“I think they’re anxious to play,” Trotz said. “It’s a long stretch here for us. You can tell just by the way guys are enthused to be out there, and they worked hard. We’re probably going to be a little rusty game-wise. I think you get a little bit of rhythm when you play. I think the guys recognize that it’s nothing we can control, so you don’t worry about it.”“I think they’re anxious to play,” Trotz said. “It’s a long stretch here for us. You can tell just by the way guys are enthused to be out there, and they worked hard. We’re probably going to be a little rusty game-wise. I think you get a little bit of rhythm when you play. I think the guys recognize that it’s nothing we can control, so you don’t worry about it.”
These guys flew from Sweden to watch the Caps; then games were snowed outThese guys flew from Sweden to watch the Caps; then games were snowed out
Most players were about to head to the Verizon Center when they got word that Friday’s game would be postponed. Alzner invited the teammates that live near him — Matt Niskanen, Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson — over to his house. With no practice for three days, he and others started to speculate how the NHL would reschedule a game against a distant opponent such as Anaheim. Most players were about to head to Verizon Center when they got word that Friday’s game would be postponed. Alzner invited the teammates that live near him — Matt Niskanen, Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson — over to his house. With no practice for three days, he and others started to speculate as to how the NHL would reschedule a postponed game against a distant opponent such as Anaheim.
“We’ve jokingly thrown around a bunch of ideas about staying in California a little bit longer when we’re there and getting some more sun,” Alzner said. “Depending on how the standings are at the end of the year and if some teams are fortunate enough to have some games that don’t mean a whole lot with standing implications, if we were one of those teams, to just let those games slide. I don’t know how they would do it.” “We’ve jokingly thrown around a bunch of ideas about staying in California a little bit longer when we’re there and getting some more sun,” Alzner said. “Depending on how the standings are at the end of the year and if some teams are fortunate enough to have some games that don’t mean a whole lot with standing implications — if we were one of those teams, [the league could maybe] just let those games slide. I don’t know how they would do it.”
Trotz indicated the games would get played, and it wouldn’t be while the team is on its Southern California swing in early March because “it’s our home game.” He said a few dates have been floated, but no determination has been made. Rescheduling Sunday’s postponed game against the Penguins figures to be simpler because of proximity. Trotz indicated that the games would get played, and it wouldn’t be while the team is on its Southern California swing in early March because “it’s our home game.” He said a few dates have been floated but no determination made. Because of proximity, rescheduling Sunday’s postponed game against the Penguins figures to be simpler.
“The good thing is that both teams have to see us,” Trotz said. “There won’t be any travel for us. It’s going to probably just put in another game somewhere in our schedule when they announce it. . . . It probably affects the other team more because they have to travel and we don’t. It’ll just mean another game in a week when we have three or four games, probably turn something into a three [games] in four [days] or four in five.”“The good thing is that both teams have to see us,” Trotz said. “There won’t be any travel for us. It’s going to probably just put in another game somewhere in our schedule when they announce it. . . . It probably affects the other team more because they have to travel and we don’t. It’ll just mean another game in a week when we have three or four games, probably turn something into a three [games] in four [days] or four in five.”
Said Alzner: “We’re going to get hit sometime down the road, and it’s going to make the schedule tougher. It’s nice now, but in the end, it’ll be tough.”Said Alzner: “We’re going to get hit sometime down the road, and it’s going to make the schedule tougher. It’s nice now, but in the end, it’ll be tough.”
Carlson might not return until after all-star breakCarlson might not return until after all-star break
Several players said they were unconcerned about how a lengthy break would affect the team’s momentum because the Capitals have won in situations when they’ve come off a four-day break and also when they’ve had multiple games jammed into one week. Several players said they were unconcerned about how a lengthy break would affect the Capitals’ momentum: The team, they noted, has won in situations when it’s been coming off a four-day break and also when it’s had multiple games jammed into one week.
A few days of extra rest might have been a good thing for defenseman John Carlson, who has been out of the lineup for 12 days because of a lower-body injury and has just recently started practicing with the team again, seemingly close to playing. But it was a nuisance for Richards, still trying to catch up to mid-season pace after not playing an NHL game for about nine months. A few days of extra rest might have been a good thing for defenseman John Carlson, who has been out of the lineup for 12 games because of a lower-body injury and has just recently started practicing with the team again, seemingly close to playing. But it was a nuisance for Richards, still trying to catch up to mid-season pace after not playing an NHL game for about nine months.
Whatever the circumstance, the Capitals know they have no choice but to adjust. Still, whatever the circumstances, the Capitals know they have no choice but to adjust.
“It shouldn’t be a problem,” Backstrom said. “We should be well-rested then. It’s not the perfect scenario, but it is what it is, and you’ve got to deal with it. You’ve just got to look forward here.” “It shouldn’t be a problem,” Backstrom said. “We should be well rested then. It’s not the perfect scenario, but it is what it is, and you’ve got to deal with it. You’ve just got to look forward here.”