Archive for January, 2009

The 2009 NHL All-Star Game Skills Competition – Breakaway Challenge just concluded, and just like last year, it entertained. Alex Ovechkin shot last, and below is video from his attempts. As we noted earlier, Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin have had an interesting relationship, but Malkin came to Ovechkin’s assistance on Ovechkin’s final attempt and goal. Ovechkin scored with Malkin’s stick, wrong handed.

Ok, not exactly, but at All Star Weekend in Montreal, the two Ruskies exchanged words, shook hands and posed for photographs together. The two former roommates were supposedly ‘fighting’ over some heavy checks Ovechkin delivered during a couple of Caps-Pens games, and it’s said that Ovie once hit Malkin’s manager in a club. Those Ovechkin hits caused Malkin recently to comment, “Ovechkin is a great player, but every time he hits me, I don’t know why.” Who knows. Who cares? Just play hockey, fellas. The next time the Penguins and Capitals play each other (Feb. 22 in Washington), lets hope, [...]

Anyone who attended the Capitals-Flyers game Tuesday was made to wait an extra few minutes as the Philadelphia Flyers, in enemy territory, protested the way the Zamboni drivers surfaced the ice before the overtime shootout. Both Zambonis reappeared from the underbelly of the Verizon Center, as one of the drivers had a discussion — or maybe even an argument — with the referee, before driving, again, over the center of the ice several times. But it didn’t help as Jose Theodore turned away all three Flyers during the shootout as the Capitals scored once and won the game, 2-1. And [...]

Apparently, without AK47s, Russians don’t know what to do during a fight. On Saturday, Capitals star and often-injured forward Alexander Semin got into it with the Ranger’s Marc Staal, but instead of throwing punches, Semin likely delivered the most slaps to an opposing player in any fight in NHL history. After Staal pulled off Semin’s jersey and shoulder pads, Staal fell to the ice, at which time Semin wasted no time wailing his open hands at Staal’s face, like a 12 year old girl. I blame Donald Brashear, who should be teaching these youngsters how to throw down.