Jeff Schultz News

1, Washington figured to experience a dropoff in offense. After a 3-2 loss at New Jersey in their first game without Ovechkin, the Capitals scored 11 goals in a home-and-home sweep of Florida, capped with a 7-4 home victory Saturday.

's timetable to return to the lineup for the Washington Capitals remains unclear, but all signs at practice Monday point to sooner rather than later.

Playing without Alex Ovechkin is one thing, but the Washington Capitals were losing a player a period Friday night.

Fear not, angst-filled puckheads. Dr. LeBrun is here again this week to soothe you with therapeutic thoughts.

The New York Islanders will try to post back-to-back victories for the first time since last March when they visit the streaking Washington Capitals tonight at Verizon Center.

We found common ground: TV. It pretty much ends there. Five years ago, Thrashers general manager Don Waddell was asked about his plans for the upcoming NHL draft.

For moments in the second period, it looked like the Washington Capitals were not going to be able to match the Philadelphia Flyers' intensity, physically.

SA's leading business cycle indicator has risen for the fifth month running, boosting expectations that the economy will emerge from recession in the fourth quarter.

Jeff Schultz tallied three points and scored the go-ahead goal on an odd bounce, and the Washington Capitals used three scores in an 88-second span during the second period to defeat the Atlanta Thrashers, 5-4, at Philips Arena.

Jeff Schultz #55 of the Washington Capitals looks on during Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers on April 15, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC.

Jeff Schultz, Matt Bradley and Chris Clark scored in an 88-second span of the second period, Semyon Varlamov stopped 22 shots and the Washington Capitals beat the Atlanta Thrashers 5-4 on Thursday night for their third straight win.

Alex Ovechkin provided all of Washington's offense in the first 65 minutes of Saturday night's game. Then the two-time MVP scored the only goal in the shootout to lift the Capitals to their second straight victory, a 3-2 decision over a Nashville Predators team they probably should have finished off in regulation.

'We had them 2-0 there, and they are a team that is mentally battling themselves right now,' center Brendan Morrison said. 'I think if we get that third goal, the floodgates open. But we didn't and we let them back in it.'

The Washington Capitals earned a point in the standings, but their performance against the New Jersey Devils did little to quell concerns about their ability to hold on to a late lead or stay out of the penalty box at critical times.

The Capitals lost their fourth straight game Monday at Verizon Center, 3-2, in a shootout after blowing a one-goal lead with less than seven minutes left to play, then giving the Devils a power play in overtime.

'Even though we have a fairly veteran team, it's learning how to win again,' Coach Bruce Boudreau said. 'When you've got it, instead of thinking, 'Uh-oh, what's going to happen, what's going to go wrong?' You're thinking, 'No problem, we're going to win it.' That's the mind-set a little bit right now. So it would be good to eventually win a game again.'

Coach Bruce Boudreau has plenty to be pleased about after his team's first two games. The Washington Capitals are scoring goals in bunches, the goaltending has been solid and special teams have been, well, special.

But, as Boudreau said after Monday's practice, it's far too early for any back-patting, particularly with the most challenging portion of the regular season schedule set to begin Tuesday against the undefeated Flyers.

Mike Knuble's return to Philadelphia marks the start of a stretch in which all six of the Capitals' opponents qualified for the playoffs last season, including two -- the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks -- who would surprise no one if they ended up playing for the Stanley Cup in June.

Sign up Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau for 81 more of those. The Caps opened the 2009-10 campaign Thursday night with a 4-1 throttling of the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on the strength of a stout defensive effort and a pair of goals from both Alex Ovechkin and Brooks Laich .

For the past four seasons, the world's best hockey player has performed in Washington. As a member of the Capitals, Alex Ovechkin has won a scoring title, led the National Hockey League in goals twice and been named MVP two years in a row.

The prize he's expected to deliver, though, has so far eluded him.

This could be the year that changes. Surrounded by the best supporting cast since his arrival, and likely the most talented lineup in the franchise's 36-year history, expectations have never been so high for the gregarious 24-year-old Russian or the Capitals.

Professional athletes sometimes speak out, but usually not about their teammates.

Alexander Ovechkin is the trigger man on the team's potent offense, but for coach Bruce Boudreau the biggest question is who will be the No.

Jeff Schultz #55 of the Washington Capitals looks on during Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers on April 15, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC.

None of the Washington Capitals have fond memories of how last season ended, but the postseason was a particularly sour one for Jeff Schultz .