Four-Game Winning Streak Sparks Playoff Chances
The Washington Capitals haven't felt this good all season.
Injuries, slumps and everything short of the plague have put them
in the spot of playing must-win games each time they step on the
ice.
But as teams in the lower echelon of the National Hockey League
realize, talk is cheap. It's what you do from the opening faceoff
to the final horn that counts.
The Capitals know what it takes to win. They just haven't been
able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together on a consistent
basis, making their run to the finals last season look like a
fluke occurrence instead of what a good work ethic can
accomplish.
Despite the ongoing suffering from an injury plague that refuses
to subside (eight players are hurt), Washington has finally found
the all-too-allusive key that just might release them from the
NHL's penitentiary.
Coming off a miserable franchise-long eight-game road trip in
December at 2-6-0, the Capitals are currently in the midst of a
four-game winning streak with wins over Toronto, the New York
Rangers, New Jersey and the New York Islanders.
Yet, unfortunately for the Capitals and their 15-20-3 record (33
points), the Eastern Conference is having a dominant year over
its Western counterparts. Boston, currently holding the eighth
and final playoff spot, has 44 points (19-14-6), 11 more than the
12th place Capitals.
Washington, however, is playing its best hockey since capturing
the Eastern Conference crown with a dynamic Game 6 win over
Buffalo last June. If the Capitals continue to play with a sense
of urgency as they have displayed over the course of the last
four games, Boston's hold on the last playoff spot should loosen.
Bellows Collects 1,000th Career Point
It finally happened. Seventeen-year veteran Brian Bellows is now
a member of the 1,000-point club. He reached the milestone
against his favorite opponent, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and his
favorite arena, Maple Leaf Gardens. Bellows has recorded 60 goals
and 49 assists (109 points) in 87 career games against the Maple
Leafs.
The magical moment occurred three minutes, 34 seconds into the
third period when Bellows found left wing Jeff Toms cruising
untouched to the right of goaltender Curtis Joseph. Toms wasted
no time in depositing a wrist shot past a startled Joseph.
Bellows never thought 1,000 points was possible at this time last
year. Skating with Berlin in the German League, the thought of
ever wearing an NHL sweater again was just a figment of Bellows'
imagination. But suddenly, Capitals general manager George McPhee
phoned Bellows' agent two days after the March 20 trade deadline,
surprising a veteran on the verge of retirement.
"That was when it didn't look like anything was happening, and I
had set a deadline of March 20 - that was the time I would have
packed them up," said Bellows. "Let's face it, if it wasn't for
playing with [coach] Ron Wilson [in Minnesota] and playing for
Ron Wilson in Anaheim, my career would have been done."
Wilson, who may know more about Bellows than Bellows knows about
himself, is flattered by these comments.
"I think last year if you'd asked him, he'd never thought he
would score a thousand points, but I'm really glad that he could
do it and especially here in Toronto," said Wilson. "When I
played with him I couldn't stand him but as a coach I love him.
He'll know what I'm saying when I say that - he's matured a lot."
Bellows is the fourth Capital join the 1,000 point club in the
last two seasons. Adam Oates, Dale Hunter and the since-departed
Phil Housley accomplished the feat last season.
Bondra Lone Capital in All-Star Game
The rosters for the NHL All-Star Game, to be held in Tampa Bay on
Jan. 24, have been announced. Only one Capital, Peter Bondra,
made the cut. He will be playing for the World team.
Although Bondra is the only Washington player selected to
participate in the game, he will be joined by several members of
the Capitals training staff. Trainer Stan Wong (the most
overworked man in professional sports), equipment manager Doug
Shearer and assistant equipment manager Craig Leydig will handle
off-ice duties for the World team.
"It's going to be a thrill to get to work with some of the elite
players around the league," Shearer said. "It's a lot of work,
but from what I hear, it's a lot of fun, too."
Bondra will be making his fifth All-Star Game appearance, tying
him with defenseman Rod Langway for the most mid-season classics
played in Capitals history.
