Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Caps end five-year drought in Calgary Date: Sat, 31 Oct 92 14:00:15 EST Message-ID: \SE D;SPORTS \HD Caps end five-year drought in Calgary \BY SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES \DT CALGARY, Alberta CALGARY, Alberta - If there was a game the Washington Capitals figured to lose this month, it was last night. The Caps had lost four straight to fall into the Patrick Division cellar and hadn't won in Calgary since 1987. The Flames had won four of five to take the Smythe Division lead. Washington's forwards didn't break out of their slump, but the Caps did as defenseman Kevin Hatcher and Sylvain Cote scored all their goals in a 3-1 victory over the Flames at the Saddledome. Thanks to Hatcher's doubling his season goal output, Cote's first goal and some impressive point-blank saves by goalie Jim Hrivnak, the Caps won on the road for the first time since their Oct. 6 season opener in Toronto and for just the fifth time in 31 tries in Calgary. With his team faltering, other than right wing Peter Bondra, Caps coach Terry Murray scratched captain Rod Langway and the goal-less Kevin Miller and dressed the just-recalled Steve Konwalchuk and Keith Jones for their second and first NHL games, respectively. The Caps survived the scoreless first period despite shaky play in the first eight minutes and the final five minutes. Hrivnak, getting his third start of the season and second in the past three games, made a sparkling pad save on Sergei Makarov right off the bat. Jones took an interference penalty on his first shift. The Flames took two shots during the power play but couldn't score. When Bondra went off for interference at 7:28, Calgary already had six of the seven shots. However, sharp penalty-killing limited the Flames to just one shot during the advantage, albeit an excellent one when Robert Reichel left Al Iafrate standing still and went in alone on Hrivnak. Not long afterwards, speedy Washington left wing Todd Krygier took a head-man pass from Pat Elynuik. However, Calgary goalie Jeff Reese foiled Krygier's No. 5-hole breakaway attempt. The Caps have been hurt all month by giving up too many great chances, and the problem cropped up again late in the period. In less than a minute, Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts were both ignored by the Washington defense until they had fired on Hrivnak from the doorstep. The goalie was fortunate moments later when Reichel faked him down and nearly out of the net but shot wide. And before the period ended, Hrivnak was in trouble again when Iafrate dove to block Leeman's shot. Just one minute into the second period, Bondra threw the puck on net from the left side and when Reese gave up the rebound, Hatcher was there to knock it in the net. However, when Brad Schlegel went off for interfering with Joel Otto at 2:08, it took the Flames just 16 seconds to get even as Makarov redirected Theoren Fleury's shot off the post. Calle Johansson tripped during a subsequent Caps power play, giving Frank Musil and Lindberg a breakaway, but Hrivnak held his ground and robbed Musil. When Musil interfered with Johansson at 13:34. Dale Hunter, working the right boards, passed between the circles to Hatcher, who fired a backhand past Reese at 15:07. Kevin Dahl left the Flames shorthanded again just 16 seconds later, and the Caps seemingly didn't waste time taking advantage as Iafrate's drive caromed off Calgary's Chris Dalhquist and into the net at 15:52. However, referee Paul Stewart, despite being called over for a consultation with the replay official, ruled that Bondra had knocked the puck in with a high-stick. ****BOX WASHINGTON CAPITALS UPDATE TONIGHT: Edmonton Oilers * When: 8:05 p.m. * Where: Northlands Coliseum, Edmonton, Alberta. * TV/Radio: Ch. 20, AM-630. * Series: First of two meetings. The Caps took last season's series 2-0, winning 6-5 at Edmonton. The Caps have won their past five games at Northlands and lead the all-time series 19-16-5. * Injuries: Caps - RW Mark Hunter (concussion), C Michal Pivonka (groin), LW Dimitri Khristich (foot), D Jason Woolley (wrist) and LW Randy Burridge (knee) are out. Oilers - LW Petr Klima (knee) is out. * Notes: Caps - Visited Calgary last night, where they hadn't won since 1987. RW Peter Bondra had nine of the Caps' 31 goals. No other Cap had more than four goals. Washington had lost four consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 22-29, 1990. Oilers - Beat Minnesota 5-2 on Wednesday to end a four-game losing streak and improve to 2-8-1. RW Joe Murphy and D Kevin Lowe continue to hold out. The penalty-killing is the NHL's worst. LW Petr Klima has missed six games and is still tied for the team lead with six of the Oilers' pathetic 29 goals. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM