Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - As the Capitals prepared this week for their upcoming four-game road trip, head coach Dale Hunter would not confirm if or when Mike Knuble will return to the Caps' lineup. Knuble has been a healthy scratch in three straight games - all Washington losses - and suggested this week that it might be time for a change of scenery.

On Thursday, Capitals General Manager George McPhee said he had no plans to trade Knuble and that he expects him to be back in the lineup this weekend.

Knuble has been a Capital since signing a two-year deal with the team July 1, 2009 -- the first day of free agency and just three days shy of his 37th birthday. He has since played 201 games for the Capitals (through Thursday), recording 56 goals and 104 points. He's also played 13 playoff games with the Caps, notching four goals and eight points.

If the end for Knuble in Washington is in fact near, the 39-year-old will be missed both for his on-ice contributions and his off-ice leadership. Below is a look at some of Knuble's more memorable moments from his tenure with the Caps.

Feb. 7, 2010 - Knuble's Snowmageddon OT winner: With much of the District covered in nearly two feet of snow, the Capitals played host to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Super Bowl Sunday 2010.

The Capitals were looking to extend their franchise record 13-game winning streak, but quickly fell behind 2-0 in the first period and later 4-1 in the second period.

It would take an Alex Ovechkin hat-trick and a dramatic third period comeback to pull the Caps even. The game eventually went to overtime where Knuble would score one of the biggest goals in his nearly three full seasons as a Capital.

Knuble parked himself in a familiar spot atop the crease and took advantage of an Ovechkin one-timer that caromed off the goal post. Before Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury could corral the puck, Knuble was already poking it through his pads.

It was Knuble's 21st goal of the season, and sent the Verizon Center crowd into a frenzy as the Caps earned their 14th straight win, the third longest streak in NHL history.

The game-winning goal also completed the second Gordie Howe hat-trick of Knuble's 15-year career. Earlier that afternoon, just seconds after Pittsburgh forward Craig Adams hit Alex Ovechkin from behind, Knuble came to his captain's defense and dropped the gloves with Adams for his first fight in seven years.

Knuble was given five minutes for fighting, two minutes for instigating and a ten-minute misconduct for instigating.

Add it up and Knuble finished the day with a career-high 17 penalty minutes while the Caps ended the day with a franchise-high 14 straight wins (a stretch in which Knuble had seven goals and 18 points).

March 24, 2010 - The shootout winner vs. Pittsburgh: By the time Knuble arrived in D.C. in 2009, there was little that the savvy veteran had not experienced in his NHL career. Scoring in a shootout was among the exceptions.

That all changed late in the 2009-10 season when Bruce Boudreau looked to Knuble to help win the skills competition against the Penguins.

Knuble was 0-for-4 in his career, but Boudreau "played a hunch" and tapped Knuble when a fourth shooter was needed.

"I thought my night was over when I didn't play in overtime," Knuble explained. "It's tough because you're not expecting to go and you can tune out a little bit, kind of looking around the crowd and then he taps you and you're like 'oh' and you have to try to center yourself again."

Knuble would beat Fleury high glove side, as the Capitals became the first team in the five year history of the NHL shootout to come back from a 2-0 deficit in the skills competition itself.

"[Knuble] just went in and did what he does which is shoot the puck and he scored a goal," Boudreau said. "I just felt that he was going to score."

April 11, 2010 - Knuble ends season on hot streak: The Capitals fell in a shootout to Boston in their 2009-10 regular-season finale, ending the regular-season with a franchise-best record of 54-15-13 (121 points).

Knuble scored in each of the final three games of the regular-season, but came up short in his bid to become the fourth Caps player that season to crack 30 goals. In 69 games in his first year with the Caps, Knuble finished with 29 goals and 53 points. Knuble spent much of the 2009-10 season playing alongside Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom and his 29 goals were tops among all players aged 34 or older.

Dec. 18, 2010 - Locker room speech captured by HBO: When speaking of his own experience as an NHL captain, Alex Ovechkin often references the support he's received from the veteran Knuble.

Knuble has been a respected voice in the Caps' locker room since his arrival in 2009, but the public rarely sees that side of him. That changed when fans were given a brief glimpse into one of Knuble's locker room speeches that aired on HBO's 24/7 Penguins-Capitals series.

With the Caps looking to snap a seven-game losing streak, they trailed Boston 3-0 at the first intermission. That's when Knuble took the floor with the previous week's 7-0 loss to the Rangers still fresh in his mind.

"It will not [expletive] turn into a 5-0, 7-0 [expletive] laugher where they're [expletive] giggling getting out of their [expletive] mess here," Knuble said while pacing the room.

"We're [expletive] down 3-0, and we are going to come back and we're going to [expletive] win this thing. We're not [expletive] going in the tank. That's enough right there. That's [expletive] more than a year's worth. It's not going to happen again."

The Caps would still lose their eighth straight game but as Knuble promised, the game did not turn into a laugher. The Bruins barely held on for a 3-2 win as the Caps outshot Boston 26-2 in the third period alone. One night later, the Caps snapped their losing streak in Ottawa.

Jan. 1, 2011- Knuble Scores at Winter Classic: With the Capitals trailing the Penguins 1-0 midway through the second period at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, Knuble scored the first of Washington's three unanswered goals.

Very much like his overtime game-winner against Marc-Andre Fleury the previous February, Knuble was parked atop the crease and able to jam a loose puck between Fleury's legs.

The power play marker extended Knuble's scoring streak against Pittsburgh to ten games and gave the Caps some much needed momentum in the Winter Classic. The Capitals went on to win the game 3-1.

Feb. 6, 2011 - Knuble scores against Pittsburgh… again: If there's one thing Knuble will be remembered for during his time with the Capitals, it may be his strong play against the rival Penguins.

From his overtime goal on Super Bowl Sunday 2010, to his first career shootout tally, to his power play marker at the Winter Classic, there is something about facing the Penguins that seems to bring out the best in No.22.

On Super Bowl Sunday 2011, Knuble again scored against Pittsburgh, albeit on an empty net, as the Capitals beat the Penguins 5-2.

It was Knuble's seventh game against Pittsburgh since joining the Caps in July 2009, and the savvy veteran had now scored a goal in all seven.

Knuble's goal-scoring streak against the Penguins would end two weeks later in Pittsburgh, but his overall point streak against the Pens would extend into the 2011-12 season.

March 13, 2011 - Knuble's OT winner beats Chicago: Two of the NHL's best met last March at Verizon Center when the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks (who entered the game 8-1-1 in their previous ten) paid a visit to the Capitals (9-1-0 in their previous ten).

Once again Knuble played the role of overtime hero, showing tremendous patience and great hands in getting the puck over the glove of Chicago goalie Corey Crawford.

Knuble's goal earned the Capitals their eighth straight win in what would become a season-long nine-game winning streak. Knuble has not scored a game-winning goal since.

March 22, 2011 - Another 20-goal season: Knuble became just the eighth active player to record eight consecutive 20-goal seasons when he beat Sergei Bobrovsky in the Capitals' 5-4 shootout win in Philadelphia.

Knuble finished with a goal and two assists against the Flyers -- his second straight three-point game after scoring twice and adding a helper against the New Jersey Devils four nights earlier.

The back-to-back three point games were part of Knuble's strong finish to the 2010-11 campaign in which he'd record 13 points over the final 14 games.

April 5, 2011- Knuble's shootout clincher earns Caps the Southeast Division title: With the chance to clinch a fourth straight Southeast Division title, the Capitals went to a shootout against the Toronto Maple Leafs with the game tied 2-2.

When none of the first three shooters on either team could find the back of the net, extra shooters were needed.

More than a year after picking Knuble for a shootout attempt because of a "gut feeling," Boudreau sent Knuble to shoot again, this time in Toronto. This decision, Boudreau explained, was based on Knuble's birth certificate.

"I was going down the [roster] oldest to youngest and I had [Jason] Arnott up," Boudreau said. "I looked down and said, 'Oh geez Knuble's older.' So I went with him. There's no science or anything involved in that tonight."

Knuble would beat Toronto goalie James Reimer high glove side for his second career shootout tally. More importantly, it gave the Capitals the win and secured a fourth straight Southeast Division crown.

Sept. 18, 2011 - Knuble impresses at Caps conditioning test: Much had been made during the 2011 offseason about the grueling conditioning test that would greet the Capitals on the first day of training camp.

The test included 900-foot sprints to be done five separate times with little time for recovery in between. The 39-year-old Knuble impressed many by finishing ahead of most teammates in all five heats.

"Knubs was flying," said teammate Brooks Laich. "I was right beside him trying to keep up to him… I don't know where he got it from."

General Manager George McPhee also chimed in with some humor.

"Mike Knuble was remarkable at 39 or 49 or whatever he is," McPhee joked. "It's a great example of never judging a player based on age. You judge them on how they play and how they perform."

Five months earlier, McPhee signed Knuble to a one-year extension, assuring that he would return to D.C. for the 2011-12 campaign.

Oct. 13, 2011 - Knuble extends streak vs. Penguins: Knuble extended his scoring streak against the Penguins to 13 games with a second period goal in the Caps' 3-2 overtime win in Pittsburgh on Oct. 13 (12 goals and 16 points over that stretch).

"You might focus on Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom and Ovechkin, but Knuble has been the guy at the net that's hurt us the most," Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said prior to that Oct. 13 meeting.

"That's something we have to be aware of because he's been the guy, really, who's scoring the big goal at the net. If he's not scoring the goal, he's got our goalie back in the crease while one of the more skilled guys is putting it in the net."

Knuble was finally held without a point against Pittsburgh in their next meeting, Dec. 1, but his numbers against the flightless fowl remain his highest against any NHL team.

In 68 career games against the Penguins, Knuble has 31 goals and 46 points.

Dec. 20, 2011 - Knuble plays in his 1000th NHL game: Knuble became the 269th player in NHL history to play 1,000 career games when he took the Verizon Center ice Dec. 20 against the Nashville Predators.

Not bad for a guy who did not play a full NHL season until he was 26, and whose goal was once to reach the work stoppage in 2004 with 400 games just to assure himself of a better pension.

"It's something I've been looking forward to for the last couple of years," Knuble said of reaching the milestone. "If you get up there in the high [800s] you start to think it's possible. … You have to stay healthy, have good fortune and be in the right situation."

At 39 years and five months, Knuble will become the second oldest player to reach 1,000 games (behind only Grant Ledyard), and after notching 50 goals while in his twenties, the power forward has scored 221 times in his thirties.

"It was like night and day," Knuble said. "I've lived two different careers through all this."

Knuble was honored before the opening faceoff with his teammates all sporting No.22 jerseys during pregame warm-ups and a video tribute on the scoreboard. Knuble was also given the traditional 'silver stick' that goes to all players who reach the 1,000 game milestone and a sea doo to be used on the lake at his Michigan summer home.

The Capitals went on to beat the Predators 4-1.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Ben Raby, wtop.com

ARLINGTON, Va. - Even before Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin declined his invite to the NHL All-Star Game while serving a three-game suspension, there were whispers the former Hart Trophy winner wasn't deserving of a trip to the midseason classic in the first place.

For the second straight season, Ovechkin's numbers are well below his career averages. The four-time, 50-goal scorer is on pace for career-lows of 34 goals and 65 points, and the team he captains remains on the outside of a playoff position.

"I think a lot is frustration," said Olaf Kolzig, a former Ovechkin teammate and current Caps' associate goaltending coach. "Obviously he's not scoring at the clip that he's accustomed to. Part of that is not having Nicklas Backstrom [sidelined since Jan.3 with a concussion] in the lineup."

While Backstrom's injury may have something to do with Ovechkin's recent slide, an argument can be made that Ovechkin has played below expectations for the last year-and-a-half.

Along the way, Ovechkin's ice-time has dropped, new systems have been implemented and coaches have come and gone. The once high-flying Capitals have been replaced by a team that aims to win games 2-1. Still, Kolzig says the onus is on Ovechkin himself to return to his old form.

"For Alex, it's a work ethic. He just has to get back to being the way he was in his younger days and maybe not get wrapped up too much in the rock star status that comes with being Alex Ovechkin."

Kolzig is in his first year as a Capitals coach, but has worked primarily with the team's minor league affiliates in Hershey and South Carolina. The longtime Caps goalie made a rare appearance at the team's practice facility Wednesday to work with Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth. Kolzig also weighed in on the differences in Ovechkin's game today as compared to earlier in his career.

"Alex has gotten away from playing hard, no-nonsense, honesty type of hockey -- exuberant hockey -- that he displayed the first three years that he was in the league.

"I think that's what endeared him to everybody. Then all of a sudden, he was still the same Alex, he was celebrating a certain way but what endeared him to everybody now made him look like a villain. Part of it is he's probably feeling not as loved as he used to be. So he brings that on himself sometimes."

Kolzig was teammates with Ovechkin from 2005 to 2008, and says players and coaches around the NHL have made the appropriate adjustments to better defend the league's 42nd leading scorer.

"Teams have kind of got a handle on him on maybe how to close the gap on him and not allow him those fantastic one-on-one goals that he's used to scoring."

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

WASHINGTON - One day after learning of his three-game suspension for an illegal hit on Penguins defenseman Zbynek Michalek, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has decided against participating in this weekend's NHL All-Star festivities in Ottawa, Ontario.

"My heart is not there," said Ovechkin, who has rarely shied away from the spotlight throughout his seven year career. "I'm suspended so why should I go?

"I love the game, it's a great event and I'd love to be there, but I'm suspended and I don't want to be a target. I feel I don't deserve to be there right now. If I have to be suspended, I have to be suspended, that's why I give up my roster spot."

General Manager George McPhee said that he supports Ovechkin's decision but remains disappointed with the suspension itself.

"I was surprised and disappointed," McPhee said of the NHL's decision. "I didn't anticipate that he'd be suspended for three games. We presented our case to the league yesterday and I thought we did real well but we didn't get the result we wanted."

McPhee said he was anticipating nothing more than a fine or at most, a one-game suspension.

Ovechkin is considered a repeat offender having twice been suspended during the 2009-10 season. In Nov. 2009, Ovechkin was suspended two games for a knee-on-knee hit on Hurricanes defenseman Tim Gleason. In March 2010, Ovechkin received another two-game ban for a hit from behind on then-Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell.

When Ovechkin returned from his second suspension during the 2009-10 campaign he appeared to play more conservatively for the remainder of the regular season. McPhee hopes that Ovechkin's game remains unchanged when he returns Feb. 4 in Montreal.

"We're concerned about it certainly," McPhee said. "But when he comes back, we want him to play the way he's always played. We want him to be relentless, we want him to score goals and we want him to be physical. Unfortunately, our game has changed recently. Where we are with hits in today's games has changed a lot in the last couple of years… Ovi, like a lot of players is trying to adjust, but it's hard."

Added Ovechkin: "My game is to play physical. My game is to play hard. I don't think it was a dirty hit. Yeah, I jumped but I think he don't get hurt, I don't get two minutes. I don't think it was three-game suspension."

Ovechkin will begin serving his suspension Tuesday night as the Caps host the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. He will also miss games next week in Florida and Tampa Bay.

Had he played in this weekend's All-Star Game, Ovechkin would have tied Peter Bondra's franchise record with his fifth career All-Star Game appearance.

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

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth arrived at the Verizon Center Monday afternoon prepared to start that night's game against the San Jose Sharks.

Neuvirth was never actually told by head coach Dale Hunter that he would start for the second straight day, but with No.1 goalie Tomas Vokoun battling the flu and unable to take part in the morning skate, Neuvirth can be forgiven for assuming he would play in Vokoun's stead.

"No one told me anything," Neuvirth explained Tuesday, "so I just figured I haven't seen Tomas on the ice and I took the morning skate. I just figured I was going to play."

Upon arriving at the Verizon Center though, Neuvirth was told otherwise. The Capitals had recalled Braden Holtby from the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears earlier in the day, and the decision had been made that Holtby would make his NHL season debut.

"It is tough, but what can I do?" Neuvirth said. "At least if I knew 'Holtsy' was going to get the start, but, you know, no one told me, so I was getting prepared for the game. And when I showed up, I found out I was not playing. It was tough to swallow."

The Sharks beat the Capitals 5-3, with Holtby stopping 30 of 35 shots. The 22-year-old returned to Hershey Tuesday morning with Vokoun feeling well enough to return to practice.

Neuvirth's numbers this season have been rather mediocre -- a 6-9-3 record, a 3.07 goals-against average and an .894 save percentage -- but his play in recent weeks gave reason for optimism that the 23-year-old was growing more confident.

In his last four starts, including Sunday's 3-2 loss in New York, Neuvirth was 1-2-1, with a 2.50 GAA and .918 save percentage. He also had a 31-save shutout in Montreal Jan. 18. Hunter apparently wanted to see more.

"He's a professional," Hunter said of Neuvirth, "and it's one of those things where if he was standing on his head every night, would Braden be playing? No. So it's always judged on how you play."

It's been nearly two months since Neuvirth last played at home -- a 4-1 win over Nashville on Dec. 20 -- and overall under Hunter, Neuvirth has started just twice at Verizon Center.

The Capitals begin a four-game road trip Friday against the Southeast Division-leading Florida Panthers. It's then a quick turnaround when the Caps visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

Catch the Capitals and Florida Panthers Friday at 7:30 p.m. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame at 7:00 on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500AM and online at FederalNewsRadio.com.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Capitals defenseman Jeff Schultz could be forgiven if he felt a little dejected as the Caps trained back to D.C. after Sunday's 3-2 loss in New York.

Not only had the Caps lost, but Schultz was once again relegated to the press box -- a healthy scratch during the Caps' annual Mentors Trip with his father John in attendance. Sunday was also the 13th time in the last 18 games overall that Schultz failed to crack Dale Hunter's lineup.

Despite the lingering frustration, Sunday's train ride to D.C. is one that neither Jeff nor John Schultz will soon forget.

"We were about halfway home on the train after the game," Jeff explained Monday morning, "and I got a text from my brother just saying that he had just been called up to the NHL."

The Montreal Canadiens recalled Ian Schultz yesterday and the 22-year-old could make his NHL debut as soon as tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes.

"My dad and I couldn't be happier for him. It's kind of every kid's dream to get that call when they say that you're going up to the big club with the chance to make your NHL debut."

Ian Schultz was acquired by the Canadiens in June 2010 in the deal that sent Caps nemesis Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues.

"We were in the car together," Jeff told WTOP shortly after the trade, "and he got a call from the GM of St. Louis Larry Pleau and he was saying that he had just been traded for Jaroslav Halak. It was almost like somebody was playing a joke.

"ian didn't know if it was true and we called our agents and they didn't know either. But we went on the computer and we went on TSN and we saw them reporting it so we knew it was real. I think it's a better opportunity for him and Montreal is such a great hockey city."

In the 20 months since the trade though, Ian Schultz has spent very little time at Montreal's Bell Centre. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound forward has played 81 games with the American Hockey League's Hamilton Bulldogs over the past year and a half, recording six goals and 17 points and 132 penalty minutes.

"He's a little grittier than I am," big brother Jeff said. "I would say he's similar to a Troy Brouwer type of player- he can score, he fights quite a bit and if he just goes out and plays he can hopefully get a few points."

Ian Schultz is expected to add some muscle to the Canadiens lineup with veteran Travis Moen sidelined with an upper-body injury. In 45 games with Hamilton this season, Schultz has nine fights.

Jeff's advice for his younger brother- "just go out and have fun and make the most of it up there because your first game, you always remember that one."

Jeff also said that his father John was prepared to fly up to Montreal for tonight's game, but wanted to first make sure that Ian would in fact be in the Canadiens lineup before making arrangements.

Catch the Capitals and San Jose Sharks tonight at 7:30 p.m. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame at 7:00 on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500AM and online at wfed.com.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)