So Close: Ch. 4 – The Start of the 1997-98 Regular Season

With training camp and the preseason in the books, the Washington Capitals would enter the 1997-98 regular season with two key players missing, but with lots of optimism.

The Season Opener

On October 1st, 1997 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the Washington Capitals started their 1997-98 season on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but they did so without all-star forward Peter Bondra and young defender Sergei Gonchar. However, despite both players missing, the team was still enthusiastic.

For general manager George McPhee and head coach Ron Wilson, this was the beginning of a new era for the Capitals, beginning at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens. “It’s going to be a neat atmosphere,” Wilson said. “I played there as a player, and they put on a pretty decent show. It’s very Canadian with different politicians, and a Canadian bagpipe group comes and plays ‘O Canada.’ It’s a great old building.”

After going 6-1-2 in the preseason, the players reminded each other the exhibition games don’t count toward the standings, and the confidence they built was warranted. “Sure it doesn’t mean anything, but it makes you feel good,” captain Dale Hunter said. “We’re upbeat. Everyone really expects to get a quick start. It’s been a long time since we’ve played, and we’re ready.”

Going into their season opener, four younger players got the opportunity to play. Jaroslav Svejkovsky, who turned 21 a few days later, filled in for Bondra on the first line with Adam Oates and Joe Juneau. Center Jan Bulis, 19, and winger Richard Zednik, 21, played on the second line with veteran Steve Konowalchuk. Finally, forward Jan Benda, 25, played with Michal Pivonka and Chris Simon on the third line. To round out the forward corps, Kelly Miller, Dale Hunter, and Craig Berube played on the fourth line.

“I really didn’t know how good they were,” Wilson said. “They basically all deserve to be in the top two lines. This team didn’t make the playoffs last season, and it might be good to get some fresh faces and enthusiasm around here.”

Going into the game, Wilson started veteran goalie Bill Ranford for the Capitals, but an awkward incident took place 2 minutes and 29 seconds into the game. Ranford took a Per Gustafsson shot to the groin, requiring trainer Stan Wong to come out and check on him. Ranford remained in the game, but then the fireworks went off.

Seconds after Ranford took the shot off the groin, Toronto forward Igor Korolev took a tripping penalty, putting the Capitals on powerplay. With the man advantage, Svejkovsky scored the first goal of the season for the Capitals, taking a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Calle Johansson and Juneau provided assists on the goal 3:07 minutes into the game. Then 1 minute, 31 seconds later, defenseman Joe Reekie would score to grow the Capitals’ lead to two. However, defenseman Sylvain Cote was called for interference, and with the powerplay, Toronto’s Korolev made up for his earlier penalty by scoring to get the Maple Leafs back within one. The Capitals responded with goals from Juneau (12:22) and Zednik (18:06) to give them the commanding 4-1 lead. The Capitals got one more powerplay opportunity during the first period, but they did not capitalize on it. The Capitals also gave the Maple Leafs two more powerplay chances, but the penalty killers were up to the task.

Going into the second period, Ranford would not be able to continue playing, so Olaf Kolzig replaced him between the pipes for the Capitals. In the final 40 minutes of play, Kolzig stopped all 19 shots he faced. Maple Leafs goaltender Felix Potvin also made 19 saves in the final two periods to keep the score at 4-1 in favor of the Capitals. Despite the win, the Capitals needed to clean up facets of their game, and one of those was staying out of the penalty box. The Capitals went 1 for 4 on powerplay, but they gave the Maple Leafs seven powerplays, and one goal while on the penalty kill.

“As a coach, you couldn’t script it any better to come out of the first period with a 4-1 lead, but I watched the New York Yankee-Cleveland Indians game [Sept. 30th] and Cleveland lost after scoring five in the first inning,” Wilson said. “So you think sometimes that’s the worst thing that can happen. It’s so hard after going up 4-1 to keep everyone’s attention focused.”

However, the players still had a lot of excitement after the win. “I feel like I could have scored even more tonight – a hat trick,” said Svejkovsky. “I’m nervous before every game, but this one I was more because it’s our first game and it’s important to start winning. We couldn’t have asked for more tonight.”

“I think I proved something to [Wilson] in camp, so I think he had confidence in me,” Kolzig said. “It was good to get in there right away.”

“I knew if I got it to Reekie, he would score,” joked forward Steve Konowalchuk. The goal would mark Reekie’s sixth career goal as a Capital in the 5 years since he had been with the team.

Defenseman Mark Tinordi spoke with caution though. “I don’t think we played our best, but we got the goals early and held on,” Tinordi said. “We did well in the preseason, but it’s still only exhibition, so you still wonder what’s going to happen when the hitting gets harder and the shots are for real. Now we’re off for real.”

Bondra Returns

Heading into the season opener, Peter Bondra did something he hadn’t done in a while, watch the game from home. Still dealing with his suspension from the team while wanting to renegotiate his contract, Bondra wasn’t in Toronto with the team as he hoped. “I’ll watch the game on TV, and for sure, it’s strange,” Bondra said. “Basically, I’m just waiting for this to be resolved. If it goes on for more than [another] week or so, I may go back to Slovakia. My brother coaches a team there that I could practice with twice a day.”

On October 2nd, 1997, Bondra had his suspension lifted, and returned to the Capitals. With the suspension lifted, Bondra could return to the lineup for the Capitals home opener against the Buffalo Sabres at US Airways Arena. “I’m not sure about playing [Oct. 3rd] because of the time off–we’ll see after the morning practice,” Bondra said. “But I want to get back and play hockey. That’s what I have always wanted. I’m looking forward to it.”

“The parties have agreed that neither the club nor the player will comment on contract issues,” general manager George McPhee said in a statement. “Peter’s focus will be hockey, starting with practice Friday.”

Developments around the league and in Washington softened Bondra’s position on holding out. Both Keith Tkachuk of the Phoenix Coyotes and John LeClair of the Philadelphia Flyers, were also holding out with their teams over renegotiation issues. Both the Flyers and Coyotes took similar stances as McPhee’s. Both LeClair and Tkachuk returned to their teams. Also, for Bondra, another factor was public opinion. With this being Bondra’s second holdout in 2 years, public sentiment was not on his side.

A third factor in Bondra’s decision to return was he seemed pained with being away from the game. “It was hard to watch on TV,” Bondra said of the regular season opener. “I don’t feel like hockey’s my job; I really love it. So it’s hard for anyone who feels like that to just sit there.”

Forward Steve Konowalchuk said there were no hard feelings from the locker room toward Bondra. “He’s obviously one of our top players, so he’s welcome on any team, any time,” Konowalchuk said. “Guys know that everyone has to do what they think is right for themselves. We know he still wants to help the team win and we know he’ll do everything he can to make that happen.”

On October 3rd, 1997, the Capitals played to a sold out crowd at US Airways Arena, and a segment of the crowd booed Bondra as he skated on the ice during player introductions. However, those boos turned to cheers as Bondra scored a pair of goals in the first 2 minutes of the third period to guide the Capitals to a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

“I feel great–when you’re excited, your feet are going to fly,” Bondra said. “It was hard [to miss playing time], especially to watch [the season opener] on TV. Even my daughter asked me, ‘Daddy, why don’t you play?’”

Sergei Gonchar Agrees to Terms with the Capitals

Just like with Bondra, Sergei Gonchar wasn’t with the Capitals for their season opener in Toronto, and with a deadline coming up in a few days, getting Gonchar signed was a priority. “We are still making decisions, but I’ve thought about it, and I feel very comfortable here,” Gonchar said in a telephone interview. “If I play in Germany, the money is tax free, and I get an apartment and a car and don’t have to drive a speed limit. That sounds okay to me. What the Capitals are offering now, I wouldn’t be happy, and if you’re not happy, you don’t play well.”

On October 6th, 1997, Gonchar ended his holdout by agreeing to a one year contract with the Washington Capitals. Per his agent, Jay Grossman, the one year deal will pay a base salary $1.15 million, but the bonuses included in the contract could push it up to $1.3 or $1.4 million. “What really clinched the deal is that these were legitimate bonuses, some for things he’s already done in the past,” Grossman said. “We’re pleased with the outcome, having Sergei back in the lineup of what appears to be a team on the move.”

Gonchar did not play for any team in Europe on or after October 1st, so he did not have to clear waivers in order to join the Capitals.

After returning to the team, Gonchar didn’t play in his first two games back, but made his regular season debut on October 11th, 1997 when the Capitals hosted the New York Islanders. Gonchar scored a powerplay goal in the game. “When you can end the period with a goal like that, it’s always a big boost for the team,” forward Joe Juneau said. “After that point, we had control of the hockey game.”

“I think he was a little shocked with the tempo of the game, so he struggled at times a little early,” coach Ron Wilson said. “But as the game wore on, he’s a great athlete, he made some adjustments. Seeing him jump in from the blueline, there aren’t many guys who get to the net faster.”

October

On October, 3rd, 1997, the Capitals placed goaltender Bill Ranford on injured reserve, and they recalled goalie Martin Brochu from the Portland Pirates. “You get hit all the time, and you feel kind of brutal for the rest of the day, but it’s not like that this time,” Ranford said. “I had a numbness in my right leg that went all the way up to my kidneys.”

For the home opener, Olaf Kolzig was scheduled to start with Ranford as his backup then have Ranford start against the New Jersey Devils the next night, but late October 2nd, the team doctors told coach Ron Wilson that Ranford should not be on skates for a week. “I thought he was 100 percent to go, but then the doctors told me he has to rest,” Wilson said. “But this is a great chance for Olie [Kolzig] to play, and I’d be confident putting Brochu in there if we needed him.”

In the Capitals home opener on October 3rd, 1997, they routed the Buffalo Sabres 6-2. Along with Bondra’s two goals, the Capitals got goals from forwards Craig Berube and Richard Zednik, and defensemen Calle Johansson and Phil Housley. Kolzig stopped 21 of 23 shots faced. “We’re all looser out there, and when that happens, you play better,” Berube said. “I’m just trying to play my game, bang around in front of the net. When you have a guy like Dale Hunter passing to you, you are going to score some goals.”

On October 4th, 1997, the Capitals played host to the New Jersey Devils, and Zednik remained hot. He got his third goal in as many games, which helped propel the Capitals to a 4-1 victory over the Devils. “When he finishes like that, you have to have him on your hockey club,” coach Ron Wilson said. “We’re feeling real good about ourselves right now. This was our best game–not just getting offense but smothering the other team.” 

Forwards Steve Konowalchuk and Hunter, and defenseman Mark Tinordi got the other goals for the Capitals while Kolzig stopped 23 of 24 shots faced, for the victory.

On October 8th, 1997, the Capitals tied a franchise record with their defeat of the New York Islanders 6-3 at Nassau Coliseum. The Capitals started the season 4-0, and tied their franchise best, previously set by the 1991-92 club. The game featured forward Adam Oates recording a hat trick and two assists for a five point game. Forwards Yogi Svejkovsky, Berube, and Bondra recorded the other three goals for the Capitals in the victory. 

“Sure, there was a little [payback],” Kolzig said, noting that during the 1996-97 season the Islanders owned them, including three shutout losses. “They embarrassed us last year. They owned us.”

With Ranford on the shelf, Olaf Kolzig, who was viewed as the backup, built a foundation for himself with the past 3 2/3 games. “For me, it’s good to get in there now because I don’t play as much the rest of the season,” Kolzig said. “I feel like I proved something to the coach, that if he needs me, he can count on me.”

Kolzig’s 1.64 goals-against-average, .938 save percentage, and 3-0 record proved what his teammates knew about him all along. “Olie’s more than a backup to us,” forward Steve Konowalchuk said. “He’s had some unfortunate breaks over the years, but I think this season it’s going to come through that he could be a number one a lot of places.”

On October 9th, 1997, goalie Bill Ranford found himself back between the pipes for the Capitals in Buffalo for another matchup with the Sabres. Despite a first period goal from Tinordi and a third period tally from Johansson, the Capitals faltered in the second and third periods, giving up five goals in a 5-2 loss to the Sabres. “I was obviously not as sharp as I’d like, so it was pretty disappointing,” Ranford said. “Everything that could have gone wrong did.”

On October 11th, 1997, the Capitals bounced back against the Islanders with a 3-1 victory. Along with Gonchar’s tally, forward Jan Bulis netted his first career NHL goal, and Svejkovsky also scored for the Capitals. Kolzig turned aside 17 of 18 shots faced. “We came into [the Islanders game] having to bounce back from a really bad game in Buffalo,” Kolzig said. “We had a slow start, but we really put it together the rest of the game.”

On October 15th, 1997, the Capitals hit the road, starting with a visit to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks. However, before the game, coach Ron Wilson was eager for rookie forwards Yogi Svejkovsky, Jan Bulis, Jan Benda, and Richard Zednik to experience the singing of the national anthem at United Center. The traditional opening, including constant clapping from fans and an opera singer, “is one of the greatest things,” Wilson said. “I love this building. We’ve got guys here who have never heard it, and it should pump them up.”

In the game, Kolzig stopped all 30 shots faced to earn his first shutout of the season to lead the Capitals to the 2-0 victory over the Blackhawks. Both goals came in the third period as forward Chris Simon netted his first of the season followed by an empty netter by Johansson. 

“Tonight was a game where whomever let in the first goal was going to lose,” Kolzig said. “It was good because the last five or six games I’ve had so much offensive support, I haven’t been put in this situation where one goal could determine the game. So I felt real confident and real strong that I made the saves that I had to.”

“It was an ugly kind of game without much flow,” Wilson said. “We were just happy to get into the third period tied. Then [Peter] Bondra made a great play, and we pretty much rode the horse in the last 10 minutes of the third period.”

Going into the October 18th game, Wilson wanted the Capitals to return to their forechecking style going into their game against the Montreal Canadiens at Molson Centre. “Our forecheck has tailed off,” Wilson said. “Our goals are going down and so are our chances and shots because we’re not creating any turnovers. They’re sort of reverting back to last year’s style of play a little bit. They’re waiting to create chances off the rush, which generally aren’t there in the NHL.”

The Capitals rallied to defeat the Canadiens 3-2 when forward Kelly Miller scored a late shorthanded goal to push the Capitals to victory. “It’s been a rough start for me, so it was just nice to get back in there and help the team win, and I did help the team out tonight in a big way,” Miller said. “It’s satisfying.”

Forwards Chris Simon and Jan Bulis scored for the Capitals while defenseman Dave Manson and forward Saku Koivu struck for the Canadiens. The win improved the Capitals record to 7-1.

On October 22nd, 1997, the Capitals went to McNichols Arena to take on the Colorado Avalanche. The Capitals started strong with forward Peter Bondra scoring on the powerplay in the first period for the 1-0 lead. In the second period, forwards Michal Pivonka and Adam Oates scored for the Capitals, but an Adam Foote goal allowed the Capitals to enter the third period with the two goal lead. Then the Capitals collapsed as the Avalanche got goals from forwards Valeri Kamensky, Joe Sakic, and Wade Belak to defeat the Capitals 4-3. 

“They came at us a lot harder in the third period, and we exposed the puck in the middle of the ice,” Wilson said. “And once the cat was out of the bag, we couldn’t respond.”

“We blew it, that’s all there is to it,” defenseman Brendan Witt said. “We can’t lose these games. We let up, we got a little cocky and it bit us in the foot.”

On October 23rd, the Capitals turned their focus to their former head coach Jim Schoenfeld and his new team, the Phoenix Coyotes. “As a player, you always want to win against your old teammates after you’ve been traded; it’s a matter of pride,” defenseman Phil Housley said. “In this case, I know a lot of guys want to play well because it’s Schoney…give a little something extra.”

The Capitals lost both Svejkovsky and Pivonka to injuries, but tied the Coyotes 3-3, with the Capitals blowing another third period lead. “[At the start of the third period] we fell completely asleep,” Wilson said. “We should have learned from our mistakes [against Colorado] but we fell asleep. And then every time we wanted to get going, we had a penalty.”

For the Capitals, the loss of Svejkovsky and Pivonka added to the number of forwards the Capitals had out due to injury. They joined Craig Berube (hip flexor), Andrei Nikolishin (knee), and Pat Peake (illness). The Capitals recalled forward Ryan Mulhern from the Portland Pirates so general manager George McPhee could see what Mulhern could do. 

“It’s an opportunity to find out what we have,” McPhee said. “He’s kind of feisty, he’s scored a lot and he shoots the puck well. He’s come a long way in a hurry. The other reason is that when guys play well, you want to reward them.”

On October 25th, 1997, the Capitals visited the St. Louis Blues, ending the road trip on a low point. The Blues dominated the Capitals with a 5-2 victory, and the Capitals lost forward Chris Simon to a shoulder injury. “We made a lot of mental mistakes and got caught out of position,” Wilson said. “In the first half especially, we didn’t respect how hard the Blues were going to work. Things started to break down, we didn’t trust each other and we sort of imploded as the game went on.”

With the injuries piling up, the Capitals recalled forwards Todd Krygier and Andrew Brunette. “Our goal scorers are out–that’s a heavy portion of our offense,” Wilson said. “So we have to make sure the guys we are putting in can score. Todd Krygier is a very good skater, and Andrew Brunette showed in training camp that he’s [a good scorer] around the net. We’re going to need help on our powerplay, and Krygier can forecheck and generate things with his speed.”

The Capitals also sent forward Jan Benda to Portland. “It’s important that he gets more ice time and the opportunity to score some goals,” McPhee said. “He seems to be lacking some confidence, and that’s the surest way to get a guy going.”

On October 29th, 1997, at home, the Capitals continued to struggle. They lost two more players to injury as defenseman Sergei Gonchar strained his back, and forward Joe Juneau strained his groin. The Capitals also continued to falter, losing to the Dallas Stars 4-3. “We’re allowing teams to get second and third shots,” defenseman Joe Reekie said. “We have to concentrate a little harder in the defensive zone. We can’t start worrying about scoring until we get out of our zone.”

“It’s not our young players, it’s the veterans that let [goalie] Olie [Kolzig] down,” Wilson said. “I obviously see what we have to work on in practice–defensive zone coverage. We’re not getting the job done in our own end. All you can ask a goalie to do is watch the first shot.”

“We have to be stronger in front of our own net,” center Dale Hunter said. “Olie played great, but we didn’t clear the rebounds in front of him. They changed the momentum and we made mistakes. If you keep playing that way, eventually it’s going to go in.”

To end October, the Capitals hosted the Philadelphia Flyers for a Halloween matchup. After going down two goals, the Capitals mounted a comeback with goals from forward Steve Konowalchuk and defenseman Calle Johansson to tie the game at two. In the third period, both Kolzig and the Flyers goalie Ron Hextall took over, stopping all 15 and 14 shots faced respectively, ending the game in a 2-2 tie. 

“That’s where the goaltenders comes up big, and he did and I did,” Kolzig said. “I thought it was a great hockey game to watch. I love this. This is what I’ve been waiting for for the last 3 or 4 years.”

However, the Capitals lost defenseman Mark Tinordi to a sprained knee injury late in the second period to add to the Capitals injury woes. “It seems like we’re dropping like flies, but we have to keep our heads up and concentrate on playing like we did [against Philadelphia],” defenseman Brendan Witt said. “The last couple of games, we got the lead and then let them back in it. We didn’t do that, especially after they scored that shorthanded goal in the second period.”

The Capitals ended October with a 7-4-2 (W-L-T) record.

November

The Capitals entered November looking to get back to their winning ways, but on November 1st, they fell to the New Jersey Devils 3-1. “We had a couple of breakdowns, and a team like that takes advantage,” coach Ron Wilson said. “We’re a little thin in terms of finishing plays up front, so we have to work a little harder to create opportunities. But when you have chances and you don’t shoot, that’s not good enough. We have to put more shots toward the net.”

Goalie Bill Ranford made his return from a back injury. “There were some good saves but definitely some ugly ones,” Ranford said of his performance. “I was happy with the way it went, but we didn’t win tonight and that’s a disappointment.”

“They were missing some guys and they looked a little tired in the last two periods,” Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur said. “They had some chances at the end, but they are struggling right now.”

On November 4th, 1997, the Capitals played host to the Vancouver Canucks for a matchup that would carry meaning for general manager George McPhee. However, in an ironic twist of fate, McPhee wasn’t in town for the game. Instead, he was in Dallas, TX for the NHL’s general managers meetings. “I’m sort of glad I’m not there; it’d be one of those really emotional games,” McPhee said. “I don’t think I’m even going to watch it. I just want people to tell me that we won when it’s over.”

And win they did. The Capitals ended their six game winless streak with a 2-1 victory over the Canucks. After the Capitals gave up the first goal to the Canucks, forward Peter Bondra and defenseman Calle Johansson scored, securing the win. “I’m just happy we won the game,” defenseman Phil Housley said. “We’ve been in a little rut, as Vancouver has, and we’re just happy to get things rolling again and start somewhere.”

“I’m glad we got the two points, but there were a lot of parts of our game I wasn’t happy with,” Wilson said. “We had a lack of commitment in our end. On their goal, we didn’t backcheck. And in the last few minutes, the goalie shouldn’t have to make a stop on three or four point-blank shots while we’ve got people standing outside the blueline.”

However, Wilson praised goaltender Olaf Kolzig for his performance against the Canucks. “Olie hasn’t met a bump in the road and I’m happy for him,” Wilson said. “Bill Ranford is healthy now, and because they’re going to alternate for a while, this is sort of a little test for Olie to see if he stays sharp and to see how it affects his game emotionally and mentally. He was outstanding.”

On November 6th, 1997, the Capitals shipped up to Boston for a match with the Bruins for the first time since their blockbuster trade back in March. For forward Adam Oates and goalie Bill Ranford, this was a game they circled on the schedule, and so did former Capitals goalie Jim Carey. However, Carey didn’t get the start for the Bruins, which went to Byron Dafoe, another former Capitals goaltender. When asked about playing Dafoe over Carey, Bruins coach Pat Burns said: “I don’t care if he [Carey] did or not… Jim’s had some hard times and struggled at home. It’s not the end of the world. He’ll be back, he’ll play better, but I have to win hockey games and Byron is playing well.”

The Capitals fell to the Bruins 2-0 at the FleetCenter. “They raised the level of their game and we just didn’t show enough character to battle,” Wilson said. “That’s four or five times now on the road when our forwards don’t get any shots in the third period. I mean, literally get to the net or even make the effort to get there. We literally throw our hands up and surrender. It’s frustrating to watch.”

When asked about the injuries plaguing the Capitals, Wilson said it had little to do with the loss. “We can’t say it’s because we don’t have some players in the lineup–the top players have to show up and make an effort to do something,” Wilson said while noting more players were expected to return for the next game. “I guess now you take people out of the lineup. If you don’t want to play hard on the road, don’t play. We get some healthy people back this weekend, and we’ll get some people out of there who don’t want to compete. You have to compete at home and on the road. It’s 82 games, and we can’t just play hard at home, you have to try on the road as well.”

“I don’t want to get in a situation when my response is a negative one,” Wilson continued. “So if I keep seeing the same things from certain people, they won’t play. It doesn’t matter who they are, they just won’t play. Yelling and screaming doesn’t do anything; it’s ice time that corrects things.”

Defenseman Mark Tinordi addressed Wilson’s concerns with his teammates. “[I] told the guys I think we need better practices to get our heads ready for games. In practices we’ve been doing some lazy stuff, missing passes and cheating a little. It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it’s creeping into our games, and we have to stop that.”

“I think that’s a very good thing; if I was a coach, that’s the same way I would be,” forward Chris Simon said. “If you give a guy a hard time, it can go in one ear and out the other. We’re all grown men, so yelling sometimes doesn’t help. The most effective thing is to take away ice time. If you’re doing something wrong, and you’re told once or twice, and after that you don’t listen, you shouldn’t be out there, because you don’t care or you’re not smart enough.”

On November 8th, the Capitals hosted the Edmonton Oilers in what would be an encouraging win, but it was marred by comments Simon made toward Oilers forward Mike Grier after the final buzzer. 

The game was momentous for a variety of reasons, but especially for forward Pat Peake who made his season debut after missing time due to illness and then needing additional time to recondition his heel, which he shattered in the 1996 playoffs. “The way I look at it, it’s been two years,” Peake said. “It’s been a tough road, but the coaches and George [McPhee] have been very, very supportive. They’ve done a lot for me.”

On November 9th, and with Simon suspended, the Capitals traveled to Florida to take on the Panthers. In what would be a tightly contested matchup, mistakes late in the third period allowed the Panthers to score two goals giving them a 3-2 victory over the Capitals. “Just missed my man coverage there, and that’s the game,” forward Craig Berube said. “The guys played a hard-fought game, and it was a shame to lose it. We can’t make mistakes like that, though, bottom line.”

“I don’t think we were tired, we just made a couple of mistakes in our own end,” Wilson said. “That’s not from being tired, it’s not paying attention when you get out there, not sensing a situation.”

On November 12th, the Capitals offense burst onto the scene in Pittsburgh, defeating the Penguins, 4-1. After a scoreless first period Peter Bondra, Ken Klee, Adam Oates, and Phil Housley scored, propelling the Capitals to victory. The offense re-emerged under strange conditions with six forwards out due to injury and Simon suspended, putting Housley and Klee in the lineup as forwards. 

“You never know when they’re going to go in,” said forward Steve Konowalchuk, who had a potential third period goal waived after video review. “Sometimes you can have your full lineup in there and you don’t score at all. Sometimes you don’t have the guys and they go in anyways. Tonight was just a fun game. We got up a couple and really relaxed, and it paid off.”

For Housley, who normally plays defense, it wasn’t the first time he played forward for the Capitals, but it was the first time this season. “Sometimes it’s a relief to play forward because if you make a mistake, you’re not the last guy back there, so you can try things you normally don’t try on defense,” Housley said.

On November 13th, the Capitals traveled to Buffalo to battle the struggling Sabres, and picked up the 3-2 victory when Peter Bondra scored his tenth goal of the season in the third period. Goaltender Olaf Kolzig earned his tenth win of the season in his 16th game played. “We talked about establishing a winning streak,” coach Ron Wilson said. “Sometimes you stumble toward a losing streak, it’s the same way you get out going toward winning. You don’t have a bad spell and then win six games in a row. Usually you sputter a bit, you have a couple setbacks, and then you get going, and I think we’re about ready to get up and going again.”

On November 15th, the Capitals ended their road trip with a matchup against the Montreal Canadiens. Forwards Chris Simon and Joe Juneau returned from suspension and injury respectively for the Capitals. Plus, Peter Bondra scored his second straight third period game-winning goal to give the Capitals the 3-2 victory, and snap the Canadiens seven-game winning streak. 

“We kept it simple and we had a good game,” said Bondra, who had two goals in the game. “I’ve been playing better defensively and have been more aggressive, and I’ve gotten some good plays from my teammates.”

A quarter way through the season the Capitals compiled a record of 12 wins, 7 losses, and 2 ties with 26 points for fourth best in the Eastern Conference.

On November 18th, goalie Bill Ranford made his first start at home for the Washington Capitals as they hosted the Colorado Avalanche. Peter Bondra recorded two goals for the second straight game in a wild 6-6 tie. “This looked like two teams that have been on the road for two months and were playing at a neutral site,” Avalanche forward Claude Lemieux, who had three goals and two assists for five points, said. “That’s what’s going to happen when you play as much as we do, but you just have to hang in there.”

“Their team is very good, they have a lot of skill, but we scored six goals, too,” Bondra said. “We had a chance to win the game, they had a chance to win–it was like a roller coaster.”

The Capitals claimed forward Jeff Toms off of waivers on November 19th, from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning was trying to send the 6-foot-5, 200 pound winger to the minors.

On November 22nd, the Capital’s four game undefeated streak snapped in a 5-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks at home. “We actually played pretty hard toward the end of the third period; if we had played that way the rest of the game, it would have been a different story,” forward Chris Simon said. “They out-worked us and did the little things well.”

“We recognized what was going on–they’ve played one game in the last week,” Sharks coach Darryl Sutter said. “We thought they may be a little flat defensively. But with their skill, they’d also be hitting on all cylinders the other way and they had a lot of chances in the first period. [Goaltender Kelly Hrudey] made some big saves for us.”

The Capitals faced off with the Florida Panthers on November 23rd, and got back into the win column with a 5-2 victory. Bondra had another two-goal game, and goalie Olaf Kolzig made 28 saves on 30 shots faced for the victory. “It’s a funny game,” forward Adam Oates said. “Two weeks ago, I thought we outplayed them and we lost, and tonight in the second period they outplayed us and we scored two goals and that made the difference. But overall, in the last 10 games we’ve been pretty solid.”

“For the first period, we dominated for 15 minutes, and all we could come up with was one goal,” coach Ron Wilson said. “In the second period, they completely dominated us, and we scored two goals. In the third period, we got back to doing what we did successfully in the first period. Our gunners are scoring and feeling good about themselves.”

After giving US Airways Center its sendoff, the Capitals hit the road to close out November. On November 27th, the Capitals fell to the Ottawa Senators 3-1. The win ended the Senators 9-game winless streak. “I asked the guys what was the problem here with Ottawa last year, and they said ‘We have to forecheck them and dump the puck in, we have to be patient’,” coach Ron Wilson said. “But then we just didn’t just do the things we were supposed to do. We didn’t deserve [to win] this. I almost would have been embarrassed to get a point, because it wouldn’t have been the right message to our team. To give that effort and come up with a point wouldn’t have been the right reward. The right team got rewarded. This isn’t just about who has more skill. It’s who’s willing to get their nose dirty, and we weren’t tonight.”

After a lackluster effort in Ottawa, Wilson sent his team a message with a long, exhausting practice. “It was supposed to wake us up; he was a little frustrated at our effort,” defenseman Phil Housley said. “I remember him saying once, before training camp, that he’d never punish us off the ice or away from the game, that it’s always going to be on the ice. Let’s just say, now I know what he means.”

“We have guys who, if it’s not going right, they fold up after the first five minutes,” Wilson said. “This isn’t just about who has more skill. You have to work hard to win every night. The teams that do seem to handle us are the ones where we go into the game as a group without the same respect. You look and say there’s not as much talent on that team, but it’s the teams that are disciplined for 60 minutes that are the ones that give us trouble. That’s why I’m afraid to play the Bruins; that’s the way the Bruins play. I remember coaching the Mighty Ducks and our success against Washington was based on the same principles. It was work hard for 60 minutes, get in their faces and they won’t make adjustments. We’re going to have to start to adjust.”

“If you didn’t get that message at practice, you’re not a very smart person,” forward Adam Oates said. “But I think the remedy will come [Saturday, November 29th]. There’s that statistic that we haven’t been able to come back at the end of games, and that has some merit–you can’t argue with that. We have to start picking it up. It’s our job.”

On November 29th, goalies and best friends Olaf Kolzig and Byron Dafoe faced each other for the second year in a row. Both goalies were drafted by the Capitals in 1989, but Dafoe was traded to the Los Angeles Kings during the summer of 1995. Dafoe then landed in Boston via trade in August 1997. “It’s a little different than in L.A.,” Kolzig said. “He played well. He had no chance on Bondra’s goal. It was one of the best shots I’ve seen, and he made numerous saves to keep them [Bruins] in the game. They got a point tonight because of him.”

“I thought we played great; we had to kill seven penalties,” coach Ron Wilson said after the Capitals tied the Bruins 1-1. “Every time we got something going, we sat in the penalty box. But in spite of what [one] might think in the third period, I think we played well the whole game. We got the point, although there were too many opportunities missed in the first two periods where we could have built ourselves a cushion.”

The Capitals had 6 wins, 6 losses, and 2 ties for the month of November.

With the first two months of games in the rearview mirror, we turn our attention to two incidents that took place in November 1997. Stay tuned for Chapter 5 – Ugly Incidents and Diversity Training.

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RESOURCES

• Alexander, Rachel. “Caps Ready to Break the Ice,” October 1, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/01/caps-ready-to-break-the-ice/c9e6b7e6-9a0d-4392-b9b1-0d931b7189ba/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “For Caps, A Grand Opening,” October 2, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/02/for-caps-a-grand-opening/43e3f8a3-732f-4471-8e3d-8035928f58d2/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Caps’ Bondra to Return From Suspension,” October 3, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/03/caps-bondra-to-return-from-suspension/622e1ab8-7506-4237-be8b-1d1ae979d5dd/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Notebook: Ranford Placed on Injured Reserve; Kolzig Gets Start,” October 4, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/capitals-notebook/docview/1458329838/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “With Two Goals, Bondra Breaks the Ice,” October 4, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/04/with-two-goals-bondra-breaks-the-ice/e4d0f70f-cd3e-4cf1-83f5-5741baac65f1/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Another Goal for Zednik, Another Win for Capitals,” October 5, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/05/another-goal-for-zednik-another-win-for-capitals/116b4e90-bfb6-4ab8-a3af-0d69cca58c06/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Caps Savor Win-Win-Win Situation,” October 6, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/06/caps-savor-win-win-win-situation/7c2078ea-c661-4a31-a2cb-25abe26f5bee/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Agree to Terms With Gonchar,” October 7, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/07/capitals-agree-to-terms-with-gonchar/7a4452fd-6ea2-45a3-9bdb-36d2c0257c3e/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “In a Grand Performance, Oates Leads Capitals, 6-3,” October 9, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/09/in-a-grand-performance-oates-leads-capitals-6-3/e9beb229-ef62-43be-8195-c72c83399b30/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Notebook: Back From Groin Injury, Ranford Minds the Net Again,” October 10, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/professional-hockey/docview/1457119263/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Undefeated No More, Caps Are Buffaloed, 5-2,” October 10, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/undefeated-no-more-caps-are-buffaloed-5-2/docview/1457120645/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Gonchar Returns With a Goal,” October 12, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/capitals-3-islanders-1/docview/1444634350/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Gonchar Is Slowly Getting Up to Speed,” October 16, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/16/gonchar-is-slowly-getting-up-to-speed/9daff391-28cf-4fb0-bbc2-99a9cdc0699a/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Kolzig, Caps Shut Down Winless Blackhawks, 2-0,” October 16, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/kolzig-caps-shut-down-winless-blackhawks-2-0/docview/1457163118/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Have More Goals in Mind,” October 18, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/capitals-have-more-goals-mind/docview/1458159907/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Rally Past Canadiens,” October 19, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/19/capitals-rally-past-canadiens/8c0d520b-6822-49f3-9004-96f90e56671d/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Collapse in Third and Lose Their Second, 4-3,” October 23, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/capitals-collapse-third-lose-their-second-4-3/docview/1456311775/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Date With Schoenfeld Tops the Calendar,” October 23, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/capitals-notebook/docview/1456308795/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Caps Give Schoenfeld A Tie, 3-3,” October 24, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/caps-give-schoenfeld-tie-3/docview/1457221755/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Recall Mulhern; Injuries Mount on Road,” October 25, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/professional-hockey/docview/1457209829/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Simon Is Hurt as Winless Streak Extends to 3,” October 26, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/26/simon-is-hurt-as-winless-streak-extends-to-3/e5cf909a-41c4-4f2e-9a0f-aab3d1063b8d/?itid=sr_1_10307cd8-f4aa-421c-907d-51d1cd24095a.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Back Home, Caps Go Forward,” October 28, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/back-home-caps-go-forward/docview/1458161584/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Caps Lose More Players, Another Lead, to Dallas, 4-3,” October 30, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/10/30/caps-lose-more-players-another-lead-to-dallas-4-3/f43586c2-e8e2-4ce6-b19a-91506ff35847/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Caps Get It Half Right, 2-2,” November 1, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/01/caps-get-it-half-right-2-2/e275f701-3042-4d01-896c-693406c4d96f/?itid=sr_1_c08954d7-3f5f-4b17-9aeb-98598a5851d5.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Caps Continue Winless Ways By Losing to the Devils, 3-1,” November 2, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/02/caps-continue-winless-ways-by-losing-to-the-devils-3-1/5c02a577-ee64-4570-a6ae-955f1b1e3bd9/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “With Old Team in Town, Caps’ McPhee Won’t Be,” November 4, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/04/with-old-team-in-town-caps-mcphee-wont-be/0cb0733b-3b12-4688-8c0c-023a28639c7b/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Break a Long Skid, 2-1,” November 5, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/05/capitals-break-a-long-skid-2-1/a587c0f8-ea1d-4853-9fb6-bf010815851e/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Carey Not on Thin Ice, But He Is on the Bench,” November 6, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/06/carey-not-on-thin-ice-but-he-is-on-the-bench/23813f9c-358c-4a4b-bfd8-8b6ad7342020/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Trade Wind Blows Way Of Bruins,” November 7, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/trade-wind-blows-way-bruins/docview/1457297899/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Wilson Hopes His Capitals Get the Point,” November 8, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/08/wilson-hopes-his-capitals-get-the-point/05574e24-e5b7-4c0e-85c1-72f5ecafd749/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Alleged Slur Mars Caps’ Win,” November 9, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/09/alleged-slur-mars-caps-win/ebbf5841-467f-425f-97b3-cab0b08ec1c9/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Niedermayer’s Assist Goal Sink Washington,” November 10, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/panthers-3-capitals-2/docview/1458333064/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Burst of Offense Propels Capitals, 4-1,” November 13, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/13/burst-of-offense-propels-capitals-4-1/3f297399-6a03-481d-a8bb-8c49ef4218e2/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Hold off Sabres, 3-2,” November 14, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/capitals-hold-off-sabres-3-2/docview/1455985102/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “For Capitals, Three Is Lucky Number,” November 16, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/16/for-capitals-three-is-lucky-number/df88b599-e97a-491c-b90e-6f0e97892b55/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Able to Match Avalanche of Goals,” November 19, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/19/capitals-able-to-match-avalanche-of-goals/c8b6784d-4efa-46eb-9b3f-08aab11fbe95/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Hull Refutes Olympic Boycott Threat,” November 20, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/hull-refutes-olympic-boycott-threat/docview/1457298578/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Sharks’ Early Explosion Snaps Caps’ Streak, 5-2,” November 23, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/23/sharks-early-explosion-snaps-caps-streak-5-2/5f71a86c-c6bb-457b-9ef6-8869d0c53a1b/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Capitals Top Panthers, 5-2, Win Fourth Consecutive Road Game,” November 24, 1997. https://montgomery.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpwashingtonpost/historical-newspapers/capitals-top-panthers-5-2-win-fourth-consecutive/docview/1458334402/sem-2?accountid=47412.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Caps Trying to Correct Breakdowns,” November 29, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/29/caps-trying-to-correct-breakdowns/a52a0c9f-a478-4d22-bd2c-7e49c0963921/.
• Alexander, Rachel. “Goalies Kolzig, Dafoe Are Fit to Be Tied,” November 30, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/11/30/goalies-kolzig-dafoe-are-fit-to-be-tied/f8bf0d96-ead2-4357-a208-cd4742c649a2/.