Nicklas Backstrom News

Nicklas Backstrom attempts a wrap around on goalie Brian Elliott in the first period as the Ottawa Senators meet the Washington Capitals in NHL action at Scotiabank Place November 23, 2009.

An opportunistic foe and an offense that got started too late led to only the second regulation loss at Verizon Center this season for the Washington Capitals .

Record: 13-4-4, 30 points Leading scorers: Alex Ovechkin 15-9-24, Nicklas Backstrom 4-18-22, Brooks Laich 9-11-20, Mike Green 3-17-20. The skinny: The Caps already are running away with the Southeast Division and they've even done some of the damage without Ovechkin; the back-to-back Hart Trophy winner missed six games with an upper-body strain.

Got an idea for the Leafs? Log on for Damien Cox's live chat Monday at noon at www.thestar.com/sports . T he plan was to suffocate Alex Ovechkin.

Read up on the latest tidbits and trends as Hockey Night in Canadaa s play-by-play voice Jim Hughson takes you behind the scenes and into the game.

Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin returned to the lineup after a six-game absence due to an upper-body strain.

NEWARK -- The NHL's most electrifying player is set to make his anticipated return in a most fitting place: under Broadway's bright lights.

Alex Ovechkin wore his familiar red jersey during practice Monday morning, the surest sign yet that the two-time MVP, who is tied for the league lead in goals with 14, is ready to return to the Washington Capitals' lineup after being sidelined for six games.

'As of today he is,' Boudreau said when asked if Ovechkin would play Tuesday at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers. 'I think he's fine. 'He practiced today [so] there's a good probability of it happening.'

Two-time reigning league MVP Alex Ovechkin appears set to return from his injury layoff when the Washington Capitals visit the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

Sheesh. The Wild win 5-2 and the game isn't even on TV. Went over to a friend's house who has Center Ice package, and the power went out right after the Wild went up 2-1, and stayed off the rest of the game.

Stream live Washington Capitals vs Minnesota Wild >> Watch live stream Washington Capitals VS Minnesota Wild NHL, United States of America 13 November, 2009 7:00 PM ET Last 10 matches: Minnesota 5-4-1; Washington 7-1-2 Its not yet Thanksgiving in the nation's capital and the Capitals stand poised to run away with the Southeast Division unless ...

Scoring depth and relief goaltending helped counter a bad start and late penalties as the Washington Capitals prevailed 5-4 in a shootout against the New York Islanders at Verizon Center.

If you were to come across Washington Capitals forward Mathieu Perreault on the street, a professional hockey player is probably not the first profession that would come to mind.

Thanks to a three-point night from , 28 saves by Jose Theodore and some excellent late work on the penalty kill, the short-handed Caps ended a three-game skid with a 4-1 victory against the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center.

Mike Knuble registered two goals and picked up two assists, as the Washington Capitals scored five times in the third period to defeat the Florida Panthers, 7-4, at Verizon Center.

Alexander Ovechkin keeps doing it and he keeps making the otherworldly look commonplace.

The Washington Capitals will try to end a two-game slide without the services of superstar Alex Ovechkin when they visit the New Jersey Devils for tonight's battle at Prudential Center.

Often lost in the radiant aura of Alex Ovechkin are the equally mesmerizing, unfortunately under-admired talents of No.

The Washington Capitals will try to rebound from a close loss and extend their point streak to nine games when they welcome the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets for today's clash at Verizon Center.

Just who is running the ghost ship that is the office of the NHL Players' Association? Well, for now, it's Mike Ouellet and Rolland Lee.

Six teams in action on Tuesday night, and five enter the evening above .500 . Can you guess the one team that's below .500, from among the Capitals, Flyers, Oilers, Avs, Canucks and Red Wings? That's right, the Detroit Red Wings.