GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: WASHINGTON (2-0) at NY ISLANDERS (2-0)

NHL: WASHINGTON (2-0) at NY ISLANDERS (2-0)

<h3>Ovechkin, Caps look to open season with third straight win</h3>

<div class="pre">Washington (2-0-0) at NY Islanders (2-0-0) 2:00 pm EDT</div>

<div class="pre">UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) - A pair of teams not used to fast</div>starts get together on Monday when the Washington Capitalstravel to Nassau Coliseum to meet the New York Islanders.

Left wing Alex Ovechkin, who scored his first goal of thecampaign to give him 200 points in his career, has sparked theseemingly rejuvenated Capitals to their best start in fiveseasons, which also is the last time they made the playoffs.Only Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, who hit the 200-point mark in142 games has reached that mark faster among active players.

Buoyed by the contributions of newcomers such as centers ViktorKozlov, rookie Nicklas Backstrom and Michael Nylander - who havecombined for two goals and three assists - Washington pulledoff a pair of two-goal victories over the weekend against theFlorida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes.


It's not as if the Capitals have needed all that much offensethough, as goaltenders Olaf Kolzig and Brent Johnson havestopped all but one of the 52 shots they have faced. Kolzigrecorded his 35th career shutout on Saturday in the Capitals'2-0 win on over the Panthers.


Much like Washington, New York is off to its best starts in sometime - six seasons, in fact. And much like the Capitals, anewcomer has been a key reason why.


Center Mike Comrie, signed a free agent in the offseason afterspending last season with the Ottawa Senators and PhoenixCoyotes, has scored two goals in each of the team's first twotriumphs. Comrie and his linemates - left wing Ruslan Fedotenkoand right wing Bill Guerin - have already combined for 16points to pace the Islanders to their quick start.

New York has received some pretty solid play in net as RickDiPietro has recorded 52 saves on 58 shots to start 2-0 for thefirst time in his career.


The 26-year-old netminder went 3-0-1 with a 1.47 goals-againstaverage against the Capitals last season, and is 6-2-1 with a1.99 GAA in his career against them - his best GAA against anyEastern Conference opponent.

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL AT NY ISLANDERS
STARTING GOALIES: WAS - OLAF KOLZIG
NYI - RICK DIPIETRO

OFFICIALS: REF - DON KOHARSKI, IAN WALSH
LIN - BRIAN MACH, DARREN GIBBS</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">WASHINGTON VS NY ISLANDERS - SCRATCHES

WASHINGTON NY ISLANDERS

S MORRISONN HEALTHY C SIMON SUSPENDED NHL
B SUTHERBY HEALTHY A JOHNSON HEALTHY
J SCHULTZ HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 0 17:10 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 0 16:01 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 0 15:34 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1
1ST PRD: NYI - RICHARD PARK 1 (DARRYL BOOTLAND) 6:30</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 11:24 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 9:01 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 8:22 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 6:20 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 5:34 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 4:27 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 2:36 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WASHINGTON 0 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 1 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: NYI - RICHARD PARK 1 (DARRYL BOOTLAND) 6:30

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WAS 6 6
NYI 8 8

GOALIES: WAS - OLAF KOLZIG
NYI - RICK DIPIETRO</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">------------------------
Washington 0 --0
Ny Islanders 1 --1
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Ny Islanders, Richard Park 1 (Darryl
Bootland), 6:30. Penalties: R Martinek, Nyi (tripping), 9:32; M
Sillinger, Nyi (slashing), 11:20.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Washington 6 --6
Ny Islanders 8 --8
-----------------------------

Goalies : Washington, Olaf Kolzig (8 shots, 7 saves). Ny Islanders,
Rick DiPietro (6 shots, 6 saves). Referees: Don Koharski, Ian Walsh.
Linesmen: Brian Mach, Darren Gibbs.</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1 18:29 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at NY ISLANDERS

<div class="pre">CORRECTION

NHL WASHINGTON 0
NY ISLANDERS 1
1ST PRD: NYI - RICHARD PARK 1 (DARRYL BOOTLAND, SEAN BERGENHEIM) 6:30</div>