Caps sending a message

By Joe Haggerty, CSNNE.com, Sept. 29, 2010:

BOSTON – Here are five thoughts from the first period with the Capitals leading the B’s by a 1-0 score at the TD Garden in Boston’s final exhibition game prior to leaving for Europe.

1) The Gregory Campbell fight with former B's minor leaguer Matt Hendricks two seconds into the game is likely a carry-over from last night’s third period fireworks with Alexander Ovechkin in Washington DC. Campbell was cross-checked by AO, and he promptly threw Ovechkin into the boards before the Russian sniper came back with a hard slash at Campbell. Johnny Boychuk came to Campbell’s aid and both players were sent to the penalty box before it escalated. Clearly Washington looking to send a message that “you don’t go after our Ovie” and rightfully so.

By Mike Petraglia, Sept. 29, 2010, Capitals 4, Bruins 1:

The 24 hours leading up to Wednesday night’s red-eye, 5 1/2-hour flight to Belfast, couldn’t have been more hectic for the Bruins.

They played Tuesday night in Washington and lost to the Capitals, 3-2, in a tense game that featured third-period rough-housing between Gregory Campbell and Alexander Ovechkin.

They hopped on a plane and had to come to Boston for the team’s annual media day Wednesday morning.

They then went home to finish up packing for a 12-day trip to Europe and came back to play the same Capitals team at TD Garden.

So it was hardly a surprise that in their final North American preseason tuneup before getting on a plane for Belfast, Ireland and their season opener on Oct. 9 in Prague, the Bruins dropped a 4-1 decision to the Capitals.

Tim Thomas saw his first action of the preseason and played all 60 minutes, allowing four goals on 24 shots. Niklas Backstrom scored the first two goals before the Capitals built their lead to 4-0 early in the third period.

Mark Recchi scored his first of the preseason midway through the third on a power play, with assists from Patrice Bergeron and Michael Ryder. The Bruins left immediately after the game for Logan Airport, where they caught a charter flight to Belfast. They will play an elite area team in Ireland on Oct. 3 before opening with the Phoenix Coyotes in a pair of games Oct. 9 and 10.

The Bruins finished their NHL portion of preseason with a 1-3-1 mark, while the Capitals, who did not travel superstar Alexander Ovechkin to Boston, remained perfect at 4-0-0 in preseason.

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