Jonathan Warner, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Here we go again. For the fifth-straight year, the Capitals are in the playoffs. They took early exits the previous four.

So, what can we expect this time?

Well, for one thing, the Caps will be starting their fifth-different goaltender. Christobal Huet back-stopped the young Caps into the postseason in 2008. Jose Theodore started the next two-years, but was quickly yanked in favor of Semyon Varlamov.

Last year, Michael Neuvirth got the Capitals into the second round. But, he and top goalie Tomas Vokoun are both hurt this time around. We may still see them in net should the Capitals extend their series with the Boston Bruins or even advance past the first round.

But right now, Washington's hopes are in the catching glove of 22-year-old Braden Holtby. He has played in a grand total of 21 NHL games. This will be his first NHL playoff experience. But, he seems to have the makeup to rise to the challenge.

He has already won in Detroit and New York this season and his career record with the Caps is 14-4-3 with a sterling 2.02 goals-against-average. That includes three shutouts.

However, Holtby's abilities will be greatly tested by the defending Stanley Cup Champs, who boast six 20-goal scorers, the most in the NHL.

Capitals General Manager George McPhee calls the Bruins the most complete team in the league. They're the third-highest scoring team and have given up the sixth-least goals.

In net, they have Tim Thomas, who won the Vezina and Conn Smythe trophies last year as the top goalie during the season and MVP of the playoffs, helping Boston win the Stanley Cup.

That's where the Bruins have the biggest advantage, between the pipes. Also, they're tested, tough and balanced.

And big, boasting 6-foot-9 defenseman Zdeno Charra; the tallest player in NHL history. He's also the strongest.

So, what chance do the Caps have?

That's a question you could have asked about the Montreal Canadiens in 2010 and the Tampa Bay Lightning last year. Yet, both those teams still managed to beat the Capitals, who were the top-seed.

Unlike the previous three seasons, Washington struggled just to reach the playoffs. They've been in playoff mode now for about two-months, rather than being in cruise-control and then trying to ramp it up again.

Also, this time, Washington won't have home-ice advantage. And maybe that's a good thing.

It didn't quite work out when they were eliminated by Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Montreal all at Verizon Center. This season, the Capitals won three of four from the Bruins, including both games in Boston.

So, they know they can win on the road. Also, outside of the goaltending situation, the Capitals are the healthiest they've been since the start of the season with the returns of Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom.

The Bruins were basically a .500 club the second half of the season and when 82-games were played, had just seven more wins and three less losses than the Capitals. Not that big a difference.

With both teams having inconsistent seasons, anything can happen in the playoffs. And maybe, just maybe, with little expected of the Capitals going up against the defending champions, they'll surprise us again. This time for the good.

That's why even though my head says Bruins in five games, my heart picks the Capitals in six.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - With the regular-season complete and the Stanley Cup Playoffs set to begin Wednesday ( the Caps open in Boston on Thursday), WTOP.com has counted down the Top 10 games of the Capitals' regular season.

Today we look at games 10 through 6.

10. Nov. 23, 2011: Capitals 4 - Jets 3 (OT) - On the four-year anniversary of his first career win as Washington Capitals head coach, Bruce Boudreau earned what turned out to be his final win as the Capitals' bench boss.

Jason Chimera scored at 1:52 of overtime as the Caps improved to 8-1-1 at Verizon Center with the 4-3 win over Winnipeg. It was Chimera's second goal of the game and his eighth of the season, which at the time (20 games into the season) was good enough for the team lead.

Chimera also fired a season-high seven shots on goal and celebrated the OT win by diving headfirst and sliding along the ice in what turned out to be one of the Caps' images of the year.

Alexander Semin opened the scoring for the Capitals in his first game back after being made a healthy scratch two nights earlier in a 4-3 win over the Phoenix Coyotes (Joel Ward was a healthy scratch against Winnipeg after sleeping through his alarm and arriving late to a team meeting one day earlier).

Nicklas Backstrom also scored for the Caps on his 24th birthday. Rookie defenseman Dmitry Orlov collected his first career NHL point on the play with a secondary assist in his second career NHL game.

9. Dec. 3, 2011: Capitals 3 - Senators 2 (OT) - It was a milestone night at Verizon Center as Brooks Laich and Alex Ovechkin both skated in their 500th career NHL games.

Laich celebrated in (half a) grand style. He netted the game-winning goal just 12 seconds into overtime - a goal that produced another milestone, as Dale Hunter earned his first career win as an NHL head coach.

"It feels good," Hunter said. "It's something you want to get over with right away, hopefully the first game but it ends up being the third. It's one of those things you want to get and move on."

The Caps had dropped Hunter's first two games behind the bench, falling by identical 2-1 scores against St. Louis and Pittsburgh, and had lost four straight games overall for the first time in four years.

Laich made sure that the losing streak would not reach five games, fittingly netting the game-winner against the team that drafted him in 2001 and for whom he played his first career NHL game in 2004.

8. Feb. 28, 2012: Capitals 3 - Islanders 2 (OT) - One day after the 2011 NHL Trade Deadline, the Capitals hosted the New York Islanders and trailed going into the third period. The Caps eventually tied the game with goalie Michal Neuvirth pulled in the final minute of regulation, before winning in overtime on a goal from Alex Ovechkin.

One day after the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline, the script was nearly identical. Again, the Islanders were the visitors and again, the Caps were playing catch up late in the third period. But just as they did in 2011 with Neuvirth on the bench, the Caps tied the game in the final minute of regulation, and just as he did exactly 52 weeks earlier, Ovechkin netted the OT winner to beat the Islanders.

The third-period comeback made the Capitals overtime win all the more impressive. The Caps trailed 2-0 with less than four minutes to play, before Troy Brouwer broke a 13-game goalless drought and scored at 16:31 and at 19:34 of the third frame to pull Washington even.

When Ovechkin scored at 1:55 of overtime, it marked just the third time in franchise history that the Capitals won a game where they trailed by two goals in the final four minutes. The previous two such wins came on Dec. 6, 2002 (7-6 vs. Atlanta) and Dec. 1, 1984 (5-4 at Boston).

7. March 13, 2012: Capitals 5 - Islanders 4 (SO) - Without the guarantee of a fifth straight playoff appearance, the Capitals embarked on a season-long, five-game road trip in mid-March. At first glance, it looked like a grueling task with games in Uniondale, Winnipeg, Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia.

The Jets, Blackhawks, Red Wings and Flyers were among the NHL's best teams on home ice and while the Caps would not say so publicly, the game against the last-place Islanders seemed like the best bet to secure two points.

The Capitals had a slow start on Long Island, though. They trailed 2-0 at the first intermission and 4-1 late in the second period, thanks to a pair of goals from John Tavares. Not exactly the tone the Capitals were hoping to set at the beginning of their five-game trip.

But Alex Ovechkin scored with 53 seconds remaining in the second frame to jumpstart a Caps comeback reminiscent of so many come-from-behind wins of years past. Dmitry Orlov would score at 1:51 of the third period to pull the Caps within one before Ovechkin tied the game 4-4, with his second goal of the night.

Mike Knuble had also scored for the Capitals, snapping a personal 34-game goalless drought, and Keith Aucoin picked up an NHL career-high three assists. The Caps completed the comeback in the shootout when Matt Hendricks pulled off his patented pump-fake and beat Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabokov.

The win gave the Caps their first four-game winning streak in calendar year 2012 and their second four-game winning streak under head coach Dale Hunter. It also marked the first time the Capitals had come back from a 4-1 deficit to win 5-4 in a shootout since Jan. 13, 2010 against the Florida Panthers.

6. March 19, 2012: Capitals 5 - Red Wings 3 - One day after one of their uglier losses of the season, 5-2 in Chicago, the Capitals bounced back with one of their best road wins of the year.

With Braden Holtby making just his second NHL start of the season and the Caps facing the NHL's best team on home ice (the Red Wings were 28-4-4 heading into their mid-March game against the Caps), Washington built an early lead and never looked back.

Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring with a first-period power play goal, while Mike Knuble doubled the Caps lead less than four minutes later. It was Knuble's third goal in a four-game stretch after scoring three goals in his previous 60 games combined.

But the game turned late in the first period when the Red Wings appeared to cut the Caps' lead in half. A shot from defenseman Kyle Quincy eluded Holtby, but the goal was waved off due to goaltender interference. Tomas Holmstrom was assessed a two-minute penalty and Ovechkin scored on the ensuing power play, giving the Capitals a 3-0 lead.

Keith Aucoin would net the eventual game-winning goal with Alexander Semin drawing the primary assist for his 400th career point. Jason Chimera put the game away with an empty-net power play tally late in the third period. Chimera tied his career high with the 17th goal of the season, while Mike Green picked up a secondary assist for his first point since Oct. 22.

Washington's power play finished 3-for-4 for the night, marking the first time in 19 games that the Caps had multiple power play tallies. Holtby made 30 saves for his first NHL win in 359 days.

Ovechkin's two goals were also part of his most productive stretch of the season. The Caps' captain had nine goals in seven games from March 13-25, including at least one goal in five straight games from March 19-25.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals woke up this morning in unfamiliar territory -- on the outside of a playoff position with five games to play.

Since the 2008-09 season, the Caps have coasted into the NHL's second season with a playoff berth assured weeks in advance.

But after Tuesday's 5-1 loss against the Buffalo Sabres, the Caps find themselves in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the eighth place Sabres.

"We've always had seasons like last year and the year before," said defenseman Karl Alzner. "Being in such a close battle right up to the end is a little bit different. I like the pressure and [it's nice] that every game is so meaningful, but I think starting to experience both- I think I prefer to go in with a little more ease."

Even dating back to his time with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears, Alzner has never been in a playoff race that has come down to the final week of the regular-season. Ditto for teammates John Carlson, Jay Beagle, Michal Neuvirth and Braden Holtby who have all been part of first place teams in both Hershey and Washington.

"Right now we all know it's in our hands," Alzner said. We've got to win these games. We win all five then we're pretty much in I think because we've got the tie-breakers and all that. It's just guys are frustrated with us losing not only to Buffalo last night but [in overtime against] Winnipeg the way we did. We could have changed things and made it a heck of a lot easier on ourselves."

Instead, the Caps must now play catch up with Florida (five points), Ottawa (four points), and Buffalo (two points) still within reach even though the time is running low.

It is not an enviable position the Caps find themselves in, but one not uncommon to a few veterans who have experienced late season playoff races in their previous places of work.

"We were in a tough spot going into the final couple games of the season," Troy Brouwer said of last year's Chicago Blackhawks. "Same thing- we got in by another team losing on the very last day. There are a lot of situations going down the season where you've got to come into a game and you need to have a good effort and you have to find ways to get points."

Brouwer missed the last three games of the regular season with a shoulder injury but watched from the press box as the Blackhawks entered the final game of the season needing just one point to clinch a playoff berth.

Instead, the Blackhawks lost 4-3 at home against the Detroit Red Wings and needed the Minnesota Wild to beat the Dallas Stars later that same day to assure a playoff position. The Wild won 5-3 and Chicago was playoff-bound by the slimmest of margins.

During the 2008-09 season, then-Florida Panther Tomas Vokoun was not as lucky. The Panthers won six of their final eight regular-season games, but still finished in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, just shy of a playoff appearance.

"The thing is we won those games and we still weren't in control of what's going to happen," Vokoun said. "We ended up losing on a tie-breaker and having negative win against the team we were competing with [Montreal]. But right now we shouldn't be looking at anything- just at winning tomorrow and playing like we need to."

Catch the Capitals and Boston Bruins Thursday at 7pm. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame at 6:45 on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500 AM and online at www.wfed.com .

Follow Benand WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Injured Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom will accompany the team to Boston, but will not play tomorrow against the Bruins.

Backstrom took part in an optional skate Wednesday, marking the 15th time in the last 16 days that the Caps' No.1 center has taken the ice.

His return to Dale Hunter's lineup could come within the week, but both coach and player confirmed Wednesday that it won't be until at least this weekend.

"He's not going to play tomorrow," Hunter said. "We just want him with the team so that he can practice the drills -- the battle drills that if he gets in that's how he'll have to play. They're hard drills out there and everyday he's been fine so it's good news for us and for him."

Backstrom has not played since taking an elbow to the head from then-Calgary Flames forward Rene Bourque on Jan. 3. The Caps have won 17 of 39 games without Backstrom in the lineup.

"Well, I'm close," Backstrom said. "I'm close to playing, I think. Obviously it takes a while to get back in normal shape. But we don't have too much time, either. I'm feeling good. I've been practicing [well] the last couple days and I've been pushing it a little bit, too."

Backstrom was cleared for contact last Saturday and given the green light to fully practice with his teammates. Yesterday he passed an NHL-mandated concussion baseline test "with flying colors" according to general manager George McPhee.

Now it's up to Backstrom himself to determine when he is in the necessary game shape to return to the lineup.

"Maybe the lungs, after not being able to do anything in two months, 2 ½ months," Backstrom said of what still needs to improve. "Especially the lungs. But it's getting better. We'll take it day-by-day and see where it goes."

The 24-year-old Swede was the Capitals' leading scorer at the time of his injury with 42 points in 38 games and his return would be tremendous boost for a team that is on the outside of a playoff position with five games to play.

"Changes a lot for this team," defenseman Karl Alzner said of a possible Backstrom return. "Just looking at the things that he does for the team not only offensively but defensively, he logs a lot of minutes and makes everybody better. It's a huge, huge part for all the guys to have him back, we're hoping that he is, but at the same time it's a head thing you've got to take it easy."

Following tomorrow's game in Boston, the Capitals return home to face the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. The ninth place Capitals are two points behind the eighth place Buffalo Sabres.

Catch the Capitals and Boston Bruins Thursday at 7pm. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame at 6:45 on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500AM and online at www.wfed.com.

Follow WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Injured Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom has cleared another hurdle as he looks to return to Dale Hunter's lineup before the end of the regular season.

Caps general manager George McPhee confirmed Tuesday that Washington's No. 1 center has passed an NHL-mandated concussion baseline test "with flying colors."

Backstrom hasn't played since taking an elbow to the head from then-Calgary Flames forward Rene Bourque on Jan. 3. The Caps have won 17 of 39 games without Backstrom in the lineup.

"Obviously he's a terrific player, but it's got to be his decision," McPhee said, referring to when Backstrom may return to the ice. "He's a grown-up and he knows how he feels, and he'll make the decision as to whether he plays or not."

At the time of his injury, The 24-year-old Swede was the Capitals' leading scorer with 42 points in 38 games. His return would be a tremendous boost for a team on the outside of a playoff position with five games left.

It seems it's only a matter of Backstrom getting back to game-shape and in an effort to recondition, Backstrom skated 14 of the last 15 days .

Backstrom's progress is welcome news for the Capitals given the uncertainty surrounding concussions and the player's setbacks last winter.

"You don't know when these things happen whether it's going to be a day, a month, a year, two years," McPhee says. "We're just really relieved today that he feels great and he's out practicing again. He's a fabulous player that we need and this league needs. These are the guys you want to watch, the real difference-makers."

Backstrom's condition improved after visiting Sweden in March to see family. The trip was a mental break for Backstrom who grew frustrated being around a hockey environment but unable to participate.

"Maybe that's got to be part of the protocol now for guys starting to stall in his progress - send them home," McPhee said prior to the Capitals 5-1 loss against the Buffalo Sabres. The Tuesday loss leaves the Capitals in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, two points behind eighth place Sabres.

PROSPECT GRUBAUER UNDERGOES SURGERY:

McPhee also confirmed that goaltending prospect Philipp Grubauer underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a torn tendon in his wrist.

Washington's 2010 fourth-round draft pick was enjoying an impressive rookie campaign with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays before suffering his season-ending injury.

"We really like him," McPhee said. "Obviously we liked him enough to draft him and then after Dave Prior got to work with him for a little bit we said ‘Boy, this guy's even better than we thought.' So we're certainly happy that he's turning out to be as good as he is. And he's played a lot of hockey this year so he should be even better next year."

Grubauer, 20, also had his final season of junior hockey cut short last year due to a bout with mononucleosis, but associate goaltending coach Olaf Kolzig said last month that Grubauer is on track with his development.

"He's mature beyond his years," Kolzig said. "He's very athletic, very poised, doesn't get too high or get too low. As a goaltender, you have to develop that happy medium where you don't get too caught up when you're playing bad or too excited when you're playing good. Just go about it every game the same way."

In his first professional season, Grubauer went 23-15-5 with a 2.22 goals-against-average and .918 save percentage. He was also named the ECHL's Goaltender of the Month in November and its Rookie of the Month in January.

"He legitimately should be in the American League, and unfortunately with the numbers here he's in the East Coast League [ECHL]. And he went down with a great attitude and because of that he's had a fantastic year."

McPhee said that he's hopeful Grubauer will be fully recovered and able to participate in the team's summer development camp in mid-July.

CAPS SIGN FREE AGENT CAMERON SCHILLING:

The Capitals also announced Tuesday it has signed free agent defenseman Cameron Schilling to a two-year entry-level contract.

Schilling just completed his senior season at Miami University (Ohio) where he recorded 14 points in 39 games. In 144 career games at the collegiate level, Schilling collected 57 points (eight goals, 49 assists) and 155 penalty minutes.

"He feels like a good, solid pro -- a real mature kid and mature player," McPhee said. "Probably [a] shutdown D, but he's got good wheels. He gaps up quick; he retrieves pucks quick, gets to people quick. He's got some stiffness to him; he plays with some bite."

Schilling is expected to report to the AHL Hershey Bears later this week where he will spend the remainder of the season on a tryout contract.

Catch the Capitals and Boston Bruins Thursday at 7pm. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame at 6:45 on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500AM and online at www.wfed.com.

Follow WTOP on Twitter.

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals' depth at the goaltending position was on full display at practice Monday with Tomas Vokoun, Michal Neuvirth and Braden Holtby all taking the ice.

Vokoun remains sidelined with a groin injury while Neuvirth and Holtby have combined to start 13 of the last 16 games.

But in addition to Vokoun, Neuvirth and Holtby all practicing Monday, goaltending prospect Philipp Grubauer was also at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

Grubauer is in town for medical reasons and the 20-year-old told WTOP.com he is scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday on his injured wrist.

Washington's 2010 fourth-round draft pick was enjoying an impressive rookie campaign with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays before suffering his season-ending injury.

Grubauer also had his final season of junior hockey cut short last year due to a bout with mononucleosis, but associate goaltending coach Olaf Kolzig said last month that Grubauer is on track with his development.

"He's mature beyond his years," Kolzig said. "He's very athletic, very poised, doesn't get too high or get too low. As a goaltender, you have to develop that happy medium where you don't get too caught up when you're playing bad or too excited when you're playing good. Just go about it every game the same way."

In his first professional season, Grubauer went 23-15-5 with a 2.22 goals-against-average and .918 save percentage. He was also named the ECHL's Goaltender of the Month in November and its Rookie of the Month in January.

"He legitimately should be in the American League, and unfortunately with the numbers here he's in the East Coast league. And he went down with a great attitude and because of that he's had a fantastic year."

Catch the Capitals and Buffalo Sabres Tuesday at 7 p.m. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame at 6:45 p.m. on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500AM and online at federalnewsradio.com.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

WASHINGTON - Combine the movies "Airplane" and "Dude Where's my Car" and you may get a story that closely resembles the tale of Braden Holtby's recall from the AHL's Hershey Bears to the NHL's Washington Capitals.

It's not that Holtby's flight from Harrisburg, Pa., to Chicago over St. Patrick's Day Weekend required an automatic pilot or that he can't remember where he last parked his car.

In fact, after getting the call to join the Capitals two Saturdays ago, Holtby's flight to Chicago went smoothly and he safely stowed his car in the daily parking lot at the Harrisburg International Airport.

Soon after, he met the Capitals in the Windy City figuring that his stay with the Caps would be brief. With Tomas Vokoun considered day-to-day with a groin injury, Holtby served as Michal Neuvirth's during a 5-2 loss to the Blackhawks.

One day later, with Vokoun still sidelined and the Caps playing their second game in as many nights, Holtby earned his second NHL start of the season.

And then?

And then the 22-year-old stopped 30 of 33 shots in a 5-3 win in Detroit.

And then?

And then Holtby earned another start three nights later- a 2-1 shootout loss in Philadelphia.

And then?

And then he started for the third time in a week and was named the game's first star in a 3-0 shutout win over Minnesota.

And then?

And then he joined the Capitals Radio Network for a post-game interview and discussed his longer-than-expected stay with the Caps and the whereabouts of his car.

"It's funny, actually," he said. "I got told (Saturday) night -- we were playing in Hershey -- to go up Sunday morning. And I was basically told; See you at the start of the week. Basically, just go up there for a couple of days."

Dude!

"It was an early flight, so I thought I'd chance it with day-to-day parking at the airport in Harrisburg. So it's collecting a pretty big paycheck there right now. I don't want to tell somebody to go get it, don't want to change things up."

So Holtby would prefer to keep his car in the $20-a-day parking lot rather than have someone in Hershey pick it up for him.

Surely you can't be serious?!

"Twenty dollars a day," Holtby said. "I know, I keep thinking about going to ask someone (to move it)... It's collecting a pretty big toll over there."

He may not be Shirley. But apparently he is serious -- both about the status of his car and his play between the pipes.

Since his recall was made official nine days ago, Holtby has gone 2-0-1 and will likely start Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres in what is arguably the biggest game of the year.

So on behalf of Caps fans everywhere, we just want to say "Good luck Braden -- we're all counting on you."

Catch the Capitals and Buffalo Sabres Tuesday at 7pm. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame at 6:45 on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500AM and online at

WASHINGTON - Alex Ovechkin has been named NHL's Third Star of the Week for the week ending March 25, the team announced on Monday.

The Capitals forward led the NHL with six goals and also had an assist during the week in which Washington captured six of a possible eight points in four games. He is now tied for fourth in the league with 36 goals in 72 total games.

Ovechkin had two goals in a 5-3 win vs. Detroit on March 19, scored the team's only goal vs. Philadelphia on March 22, notched two more vs. Winnipeg on March 23, and added his sixth of the week in the Capitals' 3-0 win vs. Minnesota on Sunday night.

He has 10 goals in the month of March and nine in his last nine games. He has scored in five consecutive games dating back to March 18, which is seven total goals.

Ovechkin continued his recent resurgence with his ninth goal in seven games, and the Washington Capitals pulled back into the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with a 3-0 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

Jason Chimera and Mathieu Perrault also scored, and Braden Holtby made 28 saves in his fourth start of the season as the Capitals broke a two-game skid to move back into a tie on points with the Buffalo Sabres, with Washington holding the tiebreaker.

The Capitals and Sabres, both with just six games remaining in the regular season, meet in Washington on Tuesday night.

Looking again like the player who twice won league MVP, Ovechkin was influential throughout the game, highlighted from his blast from the left circle in the third period for Washington's third goal. He led the Capitals in ice time and had a superb shift during a second-period power play, hustling back to his own end to break up a short-handed odd-man rush and then supplying the secondary assist on Perrault's goal that made it 2-0.

Ovechkin has 36 goals on the season, having recently pass his career-low from last season, but he's still on pace for a career-low in points. He has 61, well below last season's mark of 85.

Recent call-up Holtby, sharing time with Michal Neuvirth while Tomas Vokoun recovers from a groin injury, started for the third time in four games and shut down the NHL's lowest- scoring team for his third career shutout. His point-blank save on Devin Setoguchi in the first period helped set the tone for the Capitals, who needed to re-establish momentum after blowing a 3-0 lead in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.

Another goaltender not long promoted from the minors, Matt Hackett, made 20 saves for the Wild. Niklas Backstrom did not make the trip because of a lower-body injury, and Josh Harding played Saturday in a 3-1 loss at Buffalo.

The Wild were shut out for the eighth time this season. Their latest injury casualty is center Matt Cullen, sidelined after breaking his right index finger in Saturday's loss at Buffalo.

After a scoreless first period, Chimera gave the Capitals the lead by converting the feed from Alexander Semin on a two-on-one break. Perrault poked in a pass from Troy Brouwer for Washington's second goal.

Notes: Capitals RW Joel Ward missed his second consecutive game with a lower body injury. Washington C Nicklas Backstrom, sidelined since early January with a concussion, has resumed practicing with the team and could return this season. ... Minnesota D Jared Spurgeon missed his second game since sustaining a concussion in Thursday's win over Calgary, and LW Matt Kassian sat out his third straight with a groin injury.

___

Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

Ben Raby, wtop.com

PHILADELPHIA - When the Washington Capitals looked at their schedule two weeks ago, they were met with what appeared to be a daunting task.

From March 10 - 22, the Caps would play six of seven games on the road, including a season-long five-game trip.

The list of opponents included the past two Stanley Cup champions in the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks and two of the NHL's best teams on home ice in the Winnipeg Jets and Detroit Red Wings.

But as the Capitals prepare for Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers -- the finale of what was potentially a grueling seven-game stretch -- they do so with the chance to finish with a 5-2-0 record.

"You want to tap right into that feeling we had in Detroit," Mike Knuble said of Monday's 5-3 win against the favored Red Wings. "We want to try to duplicate that. We know it won't happen like that all the time and that was an incredibly great start that we had … so if it doesn't go, hopefully you're tied after one period and can just play a strong road game from there."

Monday in the Motor City the Capitals jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead thanks to an even strength goal from Knuble and a pair of power play tallies from Alex Ovechkin. It marked the first time on the Caps' five-game road trip that Dale Hunter's bunch played with the lead.

"It was big," Hunter said of the early lead. "Any time you go into another arena if you fall behind, fans get behind their team and it's always tough to come back. But we took the fans out of it early in Detroit and it quiets them down."

Ovechkin's two goals on Monday gave him five in the last four games and 32 on the season (one shy of his total from last season).

"He's hitting on all cylinders right now," Hunter said. "Before, he was getting his chances but he was hitting posts and missing the net. But right now, he's in a zone and when you're in a zone good things happen."

Ovechkin could be challenged to keep his hot streak going Thursday against his countryman Ilya Bryzgalov. The Flyers No.1 goalie has been named the NHL's Player of the Week in each of the past two weeks, and has gone 8-2-1 in the month of March with a 1.28 goals-against-average and a .955 save percentage.

Bryzgalov also has four shutouts in March, including a 1-0 win at Verizon Center on March 4.

The Capitals have not officially announced who will start Thursday night, but it appears as though Braden Holtby will get the nod for the second straight game.

Holtby stopped 30 of 33 shots in Monday's win Detroit. Tomas Vokoun remains sidelined with a groin injury.

Catch the Capitals and Flyers tonight at 7:00 p.m. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame at 6:45 on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500AM and online at www.wfed.com .

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Jay Beagle was promoted to the Capitals' third line Tuesday and given the assignment of shutting down Hurricanes leading scorer Eric Staal. No easy task.

But Beagle responded by playing a career high 16 minutes and 40 seconds and scoring his first goal of the season.

Beagle also kept Staal from finding the back of the net and frustrated the Hurricanes No.1 center for much of the night.

"Staal didn't want to play with him," said coach Dale Hunter. "He was mad at him. You could see him kind of hitting him all the time because he works so darn hard out there and for a scorer like Staal, it's annoying to have [Beagle] all over him all the time."

Staal managed to extend his point streak to a season high 12 games thanks to a secondary assist on a Jiri Tlusty goal, but Beagle's line wasn't on the ice to prevent it.

It was one of the rare shifts that Staal could enjoy without Beagle hovering around him, providing those friendly reminders that he was nearby.

"I've kind of been bred to do that," Beagle said. "Down in Hershey for three or four years, that was my role. Third line center and with [other teams'] top guys, I would just annoy them and make it hard on them to get points and create offense."

Beagle is expected to center Washington's third line again Thursday and the task doesn't get any easier with a visit from Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Stamkos leads the NHL with 48 goals and is tied with Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin with a league best 81 points.

"If I'm called on to play against him it's going to be a challenge. It's going to be one that's fun and one that I'll be geared up for and ready to go," Beagle said. "Those challenges, as a player, are what you want. You want to play a major role on a team and if I get the chance to play against him, I've got to be ready and I'll have to make the most of it and do the job."

Beagle was joined by Matt Hendricks and Troy Brouwer on the third line Tuesday and the trio was often joined by defensemen Karl Alzner and John Carlson to form a five man unit against Carolina's No.1 trio.

All five will likely see plenty of time against Stamkos Thursday.

"I think he's upped his game to not just that superstar status, but that elite [status], like when [Alex Ovechkin] had 65 goals," said Alzner, teammates with Stamkos at the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships. "He's just one of those guys, there's a reason why he's there. He's hard to stop."

Alzner went on to compare Stamkos to a "game breaker on a video game" for his knack at scoring big goals. The 22-year-old Stamkos leads the NHL with ten game-winning goals this season.

"He's a smart player to begin with," said Hunter, who coached against Stamkos in the Ontario Hockey League from 2006-08. "He can pass and shoot. Even for goalies, he's got almost 50 goals but he also is a good passer."

Stamkos has an extremely quick release and a patented one-timer from the left faceoff circle that is particularly effective with open ice on a power play.

If the Caps are to end Stamkos' four-game goal scoring streak and put a dent in his bid to become the NHL's first 50-goal scorer of the season, they'll have to keep a close eye on No.91 in white and limit his time and space.

"You've got to be on top of him all the time," Beagle said, "and just make it a really tough game for him to play. If you're hounding him constantly, he'll get frustrated hopefully and you just make it tough on him. That's all you can do."

Tampa Bay has won four of five games and seven of their last ten games overall to climb back in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Lightning are in 11th place with 68 points four behind eighth place Winnipeg and two behind ninth place Washington.

It's no coincidence that as the Lightning have played some of their best hockey of the season, so too has Stamkos. Stamkos has 11 goals and 19 points in his last 10 games.

"He's tricky and he's always around the net," Beagle explained. "He works hard and for a skilled guy to work that hard it makes it a lot harder to play against him. He's a great player and I look forward to the challenge if called upon to do it."

Catch the Capitals and Lightning on Thursday at 7pm. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame at 6:45 on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500AM and online at www.wfed.com.

Follow Ben Raby and WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)