Alex Ovechkin took a nasty blow to the knee so that is not punished, when reacted with a punch to the face.
It was just a taste of the hostility of the Washington Capitals '3 -0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, two rivals put on a show Super Sunday for the second consecutive year, and yet left no doubt that they hang out together after seeing the big game in the NFL.
“They don’t like us. We don’t like them,” Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. “That’s the way it should be.”
Boudreau has been particularly feisty after the Capitals eighth straight Super Bowl win a match in the afternoon when David Steckel was targeted because of a blow to Sidney Crosby (notes) on New Year's Day. Washington broke the string of five victories in the Penguins star of hunger facing a probable late-season knee injury to Evgeni Malkin (notes) and looks Crosby returned from a concussion.
“They don’t like us. We don’t like them,” Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. “That’s the way it should be.”
Michal Neuvirth (notes), which has been called "shaky" by Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma during the HBO series that have clouded these two teams under construction at the Winter Classic, made 22 saves for the shutout career second. Neuvirth made his first start since Jan. 18 because the starter Semyon Varlamov (Notes) was ill. The young Czech was no lack of motivation.
"Before the game, I remembered when he said," Neuvirth said, and I kind of looked at him during the warm-up and told me I have to stop these guys tonight. "
Brooks Laich (Notes) scored a goal in blue collar in the first period,
Marcus Johansson (Notes) obtained a remarkable few players in the second period and Mike KNUBLE (Notes) added an empty net in the third to the capital, which gathered some momentum for his second consecutive solid after 5-2 win over Tampa Bay on Friday, ending a sequence of three defeats.
At first it seemed no Sunday's game could recapture the magic of two of the teams latest high-level meetings. A year ago, the Super Sunday that the horse Capitals 'hat trick' Ovechkin to overcome a three-goal deficit in serious insults win in overtime, while the rest of the nation's capital has been digging since "a snowstorm mass.
Then, on New Year's Day, the teams met at Heinz Field, home of the Steelers' Super Bowl, where Washington took a 3-1 victory in prime time Winter Classic.
Sunday was the first opportunity for revenge Penguins Crosby for the coup has taken the initiative to David Steckel Thu 01 January. Crosby took another blow to the head from Tampa Bay, Victor Hedman (notes) on 5 January and has missed 13 games since then.
It seemed the right time, then, when Pittsburgh Tim Wallace (notes), recalled Saturday from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL, Steckel led the gloves after a faceoff in the third period.
"I really thought he did a good job of fighting to strengthen and Steckel," Bylsma said.
Boudreau was not happy. He stated emphatically that Steckel hit Crosby was exaggerated because it was not intentional.
"I trained for eight years and never once did," Boudreau said. "So if you want to use it as a motivational tool, go ahead. But to send a man he calls (to fight). And Mike Rupp, who is a fighter, knowing Dave never fought, he challenged. For me, it was (garbage)."
Then, with 3:42 to play, Matt Cooke (Notes) triggered Ovechkin knee to knee in the open ice. Ovechkin got up, and he and Nicklas Backstrom (Notes) immediately accused Cooke landing two blows to the face. Cooke was given two minutes for tripping ; Ovechkin or Backstrom has been penalized.
"I do not think many of us have been," said Bylsma. "Maybe their shoes can be landed together."
Boudreau would have none of that.
"It's Matt Cooke. Need I say more?" Boudreau said. "It's not like his first rodeo. He did it for everyone. And then he goes to the referee and said:" What have I done? He knows what he did. There is no doubt in my mind. He is good at it. "
There was resentment that when the blood has been spilled on the ice at the end of the first season. Mike Green (known) was hit on the right side of the head by a slap shot by Brooks Orpik (notes) and did not return, forcing the Capitals play with five defenders. Green was close to his ear points and headache after the game and on a daily basis
The Capitals also were without injured players Alexander Semin (Notes), Tom Poti (notes) and Eric Fehr (notes). The Penguins have done it without Crosby and Malkin, who tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee on Friday. Mark Letestu (notes) is also four to six weeks with a knee injury.
Boudreau figures it more or less evened out.
"We had no Semin,Poti,Fehr," Boudreau said. "They have always had a lot of guys that won the Stanley Cup there. I don’t buy any of that stuff.”
Notes: The Capitals are 14-3-1 , In the afternoon hosting a Super Bowl. ... Scarlett Johansson became the first rookie to score a goal Capitals Ovechkin few players who had three in 2005-06.
It was just a taste of the hostility of the Washington Capitals '3 -0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, two rivals put on a show Super Sunday for the second consecutive year, and yet left no doubt that they hang out together after seeing the big game in the NFL.
“They don’t like us. We don’t like them,” Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. “That’s the way it should be.”
Boudreau has been particularly feisty after the Capitals eighth straight Super Bowl win a match in the afternoon when David Steckel was targeted because of a blow to Sidney Crosby (notes) on New Year's Day. Washington broke the string of five victories in the Penguins star of hunger facing a probable late-season knee injury to Evgeni Malkin (notes) and looks Crosby returned from a concussion.
“They don’t like us. We don’t like them,” Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. “That’s the way it should be.”
Michal Neuvirth (notes), which has been called "shaky" by Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma during the HBO series that have clouded these two teams under construction at the Winter Classic, made 22 saves for the shutout career second. Neuvirth made his first start since Jan. 18 because the starter Semyon Varlamov (Notes) was ill. The young Czech was no lack of motivation.
"Before the game, I remembered when he said," Neuvirth said, and I kind of looked at him during the warm-up and told me I have to stop these guys tonight. "
Brooks Laich (Notes) scored a goal in blue collar in the first period,
Marcus Johansson (Notes) obtained a remarkable few players in the second period and Mike KNUBLE (Notes) added an empty net in the third to the capital, which gathered some momentum for his second consecutive solid after 5-2 win over Tampa Bay on Friday, ending a sequence of three defeats.
At first it seemed no Sunday's game could recapture the magic of two of the teams latest high-level meetings. A year ago, the Super Sunday that the horse Capitals 'hat trick' Ovechkin to overcome a three-goal deficit in serious insults win in overtime, while the rest of the nation's capital has been digging since "a snowstorm mass.
Then, on New Year's Day, the teams met at Heinz Field, home of the Steelers' Super Bowl, where Washington took a 3-1 victory in prime time Winter Classic.
Sunday was the first opportunity for revenge Penguins Crosby for the coup has taken the initiative to David Steckel Thu 01 January. Crosby took another blow to the head from Tampa Bay, Victor Hedman (notes) on 5 January and has missed 13 games since then.
It seemed the right time, then, when Pittsburgh Tim Wallace (notes), recalled Saturday from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL, Steckel led the gloves after a faceoff in the third period.
"I really thought he did a good job of fighting to strengthen and Steckel," Bylsma said.
Boudreau was not happy. He stated emphatically that Steckel hit Crosby was exaggerated because it was not intentional.
"I trained for eight years and never once did," Boudreau said. "So if you want to use it as a motivational tool, go ahead. But to send a man he calls (to fight). And Mike Rupp, who is a fighter, knowing Dave never fought, he challenged. For me, it was (garbage)."
Then, with 3:42 to play, Matt Cooke (Notes) triggered Ovechkin knee to knee in the open ice. Ovechkin got up, and he and Nicklas Backstrom (Notes) immediately accused Cooke landing two blows to the face. Cooke was given two minutes for tripping ; Ovechkin or Backstrom has been penalized.
"I do not think many of us have been," said Bylsma. "Maybe their shoes can be landed together."
Boudreau would have none of that.
"It's Matt Cooke. Need I say more?" Boudreau said. "It's not like his first rodeo. He did it for everyone. And then he goes to the referee and said:" What have I done? He knows what he did. There is no doubt in my mind. He is good at it. "
There was resentment that when the blood has been spilled on the ice at the end of the first season. Mike Green (known) was hit on the right side of the head by a slap shot by Brooks Orpik (notes) and did not return, forcing the Capitals play with five defenders. Green was close to his ear points and headache after the game and on a daily basis
The Capitals also were without injured players Alexander Semin (Notes), Tom Poti (notes) and Eric Fehr (notes). The Penguins have done it without Crosby and Malkin, who tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee on Friday. Mark Letestu (notes) is also four to six weeks with a knee injury.
Boudreau figures it more or less evened out.
"We had no Semin,Poti,Fehr," Boudreau said. "They have always had a lot of guys that won the Stanley Cup there. I don’t buy any of that stuff.”
Notes: The Capitals are 14-3-1 , In the afternoon hosting a Super Bowl. ... Scarlett Johansson became the first rookie to score a goal Capitals Ovechkin few players who had three in 2005-06.
