Category Archives: Nicklas Backstrom

Watch Your Back, Philly et al.: Caps Are on the Move

New Capital Dennis Wideman said Tuesday after a 2-1 overtime win against the Islanders that it was the type of game that could turn things around, good news for a team hoarding untapped potential for much of the season. Thursday, the team started proving him right, beating the St. Louis Blues 3-2 at Verizon. Even better, the second line combination of Jason Arnott, Brooks Laich, and Alexander Semin has everyone salivating over early-achieved chemistry and its production capability.
Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Semin, Brooks Laich, Bruce Boudreau, Jason Arnott, Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals | 8 Comments

More Caps-Pens: Backstrom on Coming to Ovie’s Defense: “I Was Just Trying to Back Up My Boy There”

In addition to Andrew’s excellent game write-up of the Caps 3-0 shutout of Pittsburgh yesterday (in the first of the city’s doubleheader of  losses) , I wanted to add a few quick notes from talking to Nicklas Backstrom and Matt … Continue reading

Posted in Matt Bradley, Matt Cooke, Nicklas Backstrom | 4 Comments

If Not a ‘Must-Win,’ Certainly a Statement Showing

Friday night we saw something that’s been in conspicuously short supply this hockey season in D.C. : passion. Also, 60 minutes of quality play.  The result was perhaps the Caps’ finest road showing of the season, relative to the caliber … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Eastern Conference, Matt Hendricks, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Semyon Varlamov, Southeast Division, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | 6 Comments

The View from Charlottesville (Take II)

Will speedster Jason Chimera shift the Caps’ first line into high gear? Also, hockey ratings are on the rise… but you wouldn’t know it to watch the “Worldwide Leader in Sports.” Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Jason Chimera, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, New media, Nicklas Backstrom, OFB, OFB guest blogger, Tara Wheeler, Washington Capitals | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Identity Crisis (cont’d.): Greyhounds, Masquerading as Huskies

If you have a kennel full of greyhounds, can you make sled-pullers out of them? And: should you? An individual NHL game in midseason is but a proverbial snapshot in time — a single frame in a long-running motion picture. … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Bruce Boudreau, George McPhee, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Nicklas Backstrom, Southeast Division, The Red Army, Trap hockey, Washington Capitals | 16 Comments

Day 1 Guide at Heinz Field: The Ice, the Players, and the New Start Time

Mike Green said after the Caps skated Friday afternoon (by 5 pm, it was still in the 50’s) that he probably skated in weather this warm before as a kid, but never with his full gear on for a full … Continue reading

Posted in Mike Green, Mike Knuble, Nicklas Backstrom, Winter Classic | 2 Comments

Nicky’s New Digs

In their “Luxury Homes” column, the Washingtonian detailed Backstrom’s recent home purchase. Looks like someone got a $200,000 price cut from his buddy:

Capitals star center Niklas Backstrom bought a house in Arlington from his former teammate Jose Theodore for $2 million. The six-bedroom, eight-bath home has a fitness room, Irish pub, wine cellar, and theater. It listed for $2.2 million. Continue reading

Posted in Jose Theodore, Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals, Washington the would-be sports town | Leave a comment

“Unfamiliar Territory” — Also, Intolerable

Can a legitimate Stanley Cup contender lose any hockey game by a touchdown — and to a middle-of-the-pack outfit at that? “Unfamiliar territory” is where the Caps are these days, according to the head coach after Sunday night’s preposterous 7-0 … Continue reading

Posted in Al koken, Alexander Ovechkin, Bruce Boudreau, Comcast SportsNet, National Hockey League, New York Rangers, Nicklas Backstrom, Semyon Varlamov, Washington Capitals | 41 Comments

Still a Work in Progress: Skating with Killer Instinct

Who knew HBO cameras would arrive in town this week to begin filming a horror movie? Monday night at Verizon Center was a drama that took a horrific turn for the hosts in the game’s final 10 minutes, when a … Continue reading

Posted in Alexander Semin, Bruce Boudreau, HBO's 24/7, Hershey Bears, Jeff Schultz, Mathieu Perreault, Morning cup-a-joe, National Hockey League, Nicklas Backstrom, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals | 8 Comments

A Sunday Skate Outdoors with the Pros

How about receiving an early Christmas card? Thanks to the Washington Capitals, we have some very seasonal images from a skate at the Sculpture Gardens Ice Rink at the National Gallery of Art that a band of Caps took earlier … Continue reading

Posted in John Carlson, Karl Alzner, Marcus Johansson, Nicklas Backstrom, Outdoor hockey, Sculpture Gardens Ice Rink, Washington Capitals, Washington the hockey town, Winter Classic 2011 | 3 Comments