BOSTON -- Alex Ovechkin looks as if hes ready to carry the Washington Capitals
to one of the Eastern Conferences final playoff spots.
Nike Roshe One Grå . Coming off a strong game
two days earlier, Ovechkin collected his 800th career point and raised his
league-leading total to 43 goals with a pair of power-play scores, leading the
Capitals to a 4-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon. "I think
were just playing more solid right now," said Ovechkin, who became the 150th
player to collect 800 points. "We dont have time to make mistakes. Every point
right now is very important for us." Joel Ward and Eric Fehr also scored, and
Braden Holtby made 36 saves for the Capitals, who won their fourth straight in
their push for the playoffs. "I think we were missing our swagger a little bit,"
Ward said of his teams play before the Olympic break. "When our team plays with
a little bit of cockiness we seem to get wins. We were missing that before the
break. Were finding ways to win. The bottom line is were winning games."
Ovechkin had the go-ahead goal and two assists in a 5-4 win at Florida on
Thursday. Its his first season of 40-plus goals since collecting 40-plus in his
first five seasons from 2005-06 to 2009-10. The Capitals star winger even
impressed Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask with his second goal. "The second one it
seemed like he was going short side and it just kind of knuckled in," Rask said,
breaking into a slight smile to show how impressed he was with the shot. "I was
trying to ask him and he was kind of shaking his shoulders. Its funny when you
see those. He was kind of leaning into it. Its like impossible to go the other
way and it goes the other way. Youre like, Come on, buddy." Washington, which
hosts Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, remained one point behind the Flyers for
the conferences eighth and final playoff spot. Patrice Bergeron and
Shawn Thornton had Bostons goals. Rask stopped 27 shots in his first start since
winning the bronze medal with Finland at the Sochi Olympics. It was just the
Bruins second regulation loss in their past 13 games (8-2-3). The Bruins lost
5-4 in overtime at Buffalo on Wednesday. "Were getting caught cheating too much
in the offensive side and its ending up in the back of the net," Boston coach
Claude Julien said. "Its something we need to fix because were giving up too
many goals." Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was disappointed how his team started
out. "For sure that wasnt our best game," he said. "We could have done a number
of things differently and better. We have to learn from games like this,
especially against an opponent like this." The Capitals opened a 3-0 lead on
second-period goals by Ovechkin and Ward. Similar to his first score of the
game, Ovechkin one-timed a blistering shot over the right shoulder of Rask
inside the far post from the left circle for his milestone point. Ward stole a
puck near the blue line from defenceman Johnny Boychuk, broke in alone and
shifted to his backhand before tucking a shot behind Rask for an unassisted
score midway into the period. The Bruins cut it to 3-1 on Bergerons power-play
goal 41 seconds later when he snapped off a shot from the slot that beat Holtby
inside the left post. Thorntons centring pass was inadvertently tipped past
Holtby by defenceman Mike Green as he was skating hard to the net battling for
position with Bruins forward Gregory Campbell at 17:32. The goal was originally
credited to Campbell, but changed early in the third. But the Capitals made it
4-2 when Fehr scored on a clean breakaway midway into the third. He poked the
puck into an open area near centre ice from his own blue line, skated in on Rask
and beat him between the pads. Holtby made a key pad save on Chris Kellys
breakaway bid while his team was on a power play with 3:06 to play. Washington
led 1-0 after one on Ovechkins first goal. He one-timed John Carlsons pass from
the left circle inside the far post at 18:39. The Capitals held Boston to one
shot on goal when they were short-handed for a full two minutes after Jay Beagle
was called for holding and Tom Wilson high-sticking during the delayed penalty
early in the first period. "That was a big kill for us," Holtby said. "I didnt
know it was a 5-on-3 until I looked up on the faceoff. The guys made some big
plays. I think one or two shots got through." NOTES: Capitals RW Martin Erat,
who had to leave Thursdays game after injuring his left foot, tried to skate
during pregame warmups but came off quickly and was not in the lineup. ...
Washington C Mikhail Grabovski was also out after re-injuring his left ankle
Thursday. ... It was the first of three meetings between the teams. ...
Nicklas Backstrom collected an assist on Ovechkins first goal to pass
Peter Bondra for seventh place on the clubs all-time list with 354 assists. ...
It was the second game since the Olympic break for both teams. ... Boston faces
the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night. ... Washingtons entered
the game with the leagues second-best power play.
Nike Air Huarache Dam . In many ways he was a
different person with different responsibilities, different motivations. He had
a lot to prove but he wasnt fully ready to prove it, not like he is now.
Nike Roshe One Slip . On Thursday, they
signed former Browns linebacker DQwell Jackson. Terms of the deal were not
immediately available.President Barack Obama sent Russia a clear message about
its treatment of gays and lesbians with who he is -- and isnt -- sending to
represent the United States at the Sochi Olympics. Billie Jean King will be one
of two openly gay athletes in the U.S. delegation for the opening and closing
ceremonies, Obama announced Tuesday. For the first time since 2000, however, the
U.S. will not send a president, former president, first lady or vice-president
to the Games. Russia has come under fierce criticism for passing national laws
banning "gay propaganda." Though the White House did not specifically address
the Russian laws in making its announcement, spokesman Shin Inouye said the
delegation "represents the diversity that is the United States" and that Obama
"knows they will showcase to the world the best of America -- diversity,
determination and teamwork." The White House said Obamas schedule will not
permit him to attend the Games. "Its a positive sign to see openly gay
representatives in the delegation," said Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesman for
the Human Rights Campaign, which recently sent a letter urging Obama to include
gays and lesbians in the delegation. "Hopefully it sends a message to the
Russian people and the rest of the world that the United States values the civil
and human rights of LGBT people." King said she was "deeply honoured" to be
named to the delegation. "I am equally proud to stand with the members of the
LGBT community in support of all athletes who will be competing in Sochi and I
hope these Olympic Games will indeed be a watershed moment for the universal
acceptance of all people," said King, who will attend the opening ceremony.
Hockey player Caitlin Cahow is the other openly gay representative to the
delegation. Shell attend the closing ceremony. The U.S. Olympic Committee made
no comment about the sexual orientation of the delegation. In a nod to its
disapproval of the law, however, the USOC recently revised its
non-discrimination policy to includee sexual orientation.
Nike Air Max Thea Dam Svart. . France and
Germany are among the other countries who will not send their presidents to
Sochi for the Games. Earlier this year, Obama rejected the idea of a U.S.
boycott of the Olympics despite a number of differences with Russia, including
the anti-gay law. This move, however, sends a strong signal: In 2010,
Vice-President Joe Biden led the delegation, and in 2012, first lady Michelle
Obama held the honour. This years group is led by former Homeland Security
Secretary Janet Napolitano. Others in the delegation include U.S. Ambassador to
Russia Michael McFaul, figure skater Brian Boitano and presidential adviser Rob
Nabors. King, the iconic tennis player, might be the most recognizable face in
the group. Shes a 39-time Grand Slam title winner (singles, doubles and mixed),
a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and one of the most prominent
advocates of equality for women in sports and society over the past several
decades. Shell attend the Olympics in a country that is creating tension for
several key players because of the laws, including the International Olympic
Committee, which awarded the Games to Russia. Earlier this month, IOC President
Thomas Bach said Russia would set up public protest zones in Sochi for "people
who want to express their opinion or want to demonstrate for or against
something." Meanwhile, the IOC approved a letter going out to athletes reminding
them to refrain from protests or political gestures during the Sochi Games --
reiterating Rule 50 of the Olympic charter, which forbids demonstrations on
Olympic grounds. Bach had previously said hed received assurances from Russian
President Vladimir Putin that gays will not be discriminated against in Sochi.
But the Russian law has raised questions about what could happen to athletes who
wear pins or badges or carry flags supporting gay rights. Earlier this fall,
skier Bode Miller was one of the few American athletes to speak out against the
Russian law, calling it "absolutely embarrassing."
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