Caps top Habs 5-4

Capitals 5, Canadiens 4 (OT)

Saturday's matinée between the Canadiens and the Caps ended in a familiar fashion for each team with the Capitals picking up another come from behind win and the Habs continuing their struggles in the Bell Centre.

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For the moment the Caps are only four points out of a playoff spot and seven out of the division lead, heading into a five-game homestand. This is the Capitals' best chance to get themselves into a playoff position until a four-game stint at home in mid-March and they look poised to put up a lot of points as they're playing well, within striking distance of the teams in front of them, playing mostly average teams during the homestand and have three days to rest, get healthy and prepare.

There has to be a little concern over Olaf Kolzig's less than stellar showing, not necessarily because of of the raw numbers, but because of the way he looked. Earlier this year Kolzig allowed far too many goals through the five hole; now he is allowing too many where the opposition has a wide open net to shoot at, the result of Olie's lack of lateral movement and positioning bringing him out well beyond the blue paint. Kolzig is still enough to contribute to a good team but at times it feels like every shot on goal the opposition takes is a scoring chance.

DMG's 3 Stars
(1) Alex Ovechkin - 2 goals, 23:53 ice time
(2) Mike Green - 1 goal (game winner), 2 assists, 27:46 of ice time
(3) Michael Nylander - 2 assists

Quick Hits

• I'm really glad the Capitals are able to come from behind to pick up wins now that Bruce Boudreau is coaching, but they have to try and prove it every game?
  
• By my count there were four times in the first period alone that the puck bounced over the stick of Caps defensemen at the Montréal blue line.
• In his return to the Capitals lineup Steve Eminger played just 6:32, which was 3:01 less than forward Donald Brashear and less than any other player in the game on either team. This organization really has clearly lost faith in him.
• Michael Nylander had only 13:13 of ice time.
• For whatever reason the Montréal media didn't feel that Mike Green's game winner, two assists and +1 rating were worthy of making him one of the three stars. Raisins aigres, non?
  
• Ovechkin made a great play coming out of the penalty box to break in and score his second goal but without the great look and pass from John Erskine the play doesn't happen.
• On the play that resulted in the game winner I'm pretty sure everyone in the building - including Mike Green - expected Nylander to shoot, not pass.
• Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin were really laying into Carey Price. Joe B. described Backstrom's goal as "making [Price] look like a rec leaguer" and after Gordon's slapshot goal Laughlin said Price looked disgusted with himself "and he should be".

All photos AP