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BASEBALL

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HOCKEY

Chimera returns to familiar place

by Tarik El-Bashir

Although Jason Chimera has

gone through a homecoming once before in his career, the rugged winger said he expects Saturday’s game in Columbus to be an emo- tionally charged experience. “Hopefully I’ll get some cheers and not some boos from the crowd,” said Chimera, who spent

41

⁄2

tured ribbing in the dressing room or a well-timed wisecrack on the bench, Chimera specializes in lightening the mood. Espe- cially, teammate Eric Fehr said, when “he has a Red Bull before the game because then he’s really off the wall. He’s always smiling, looking for trouble.” “I think when you’re loose,

seasons with the Blue Jackets

before being dealt to the Washing- ton Capitals on Dec. 28. “It was a good time in my life. I really got my career started in Columbus. I became a better player there.” In the 34 games since the trade

that sent Chris Clark and Milan Jurcina to Columbus, Chimera has proved to be one of the Cap- itals’ most effective role players. He’s big, fast, can skate on the left side of either the third or fourth lines, and, with three fights and countless other post-whistle con- frontations, adds a measure of scrappiness the Capitals had lacked. Those elements were expected

from Chimera. What the team couldn’t anticipate was how seamlessly the 30-year-old Ed- monton native would fit into an already tight dressing room. “He’s a jokester,” Coach Bruce Boudreau said. Whether it’s some good-na-

you’re playing your best,” Chimera said. “There’s a fine line between being loose and too loose. But I’m not always joking around. I’m pretty serious about what I do.” Chimera’s most significant con- tributions have been on the ice. His offensive output has re- mained level since the trade de- spite receiving less ice time with Washington (he’s averaging 12 minutes 30 seconds per game here as opposed to 14:46 in Co- lumbus).

Against Atlanta, Boudreau dropped Chimera to the fourth line with David Steckel and Matt Bradley. The trio was dominant in the third period and combined for Bradley’s game-winner. Chimera was credited with the primary as- sist, his third point in four games. Chimera has not returned to Columbus since two hours after the trade. He sold his house in five days and the family already has settled into a new home in North- ern Virginia. Things, Chimera said with a big

TRACEE HAMILTON

Capitals are facing another tough call at goalie

hamilton from D1

STEVEN SENNE/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington Nationals pitcher Scott Olsen had his best outing of the spring on Friday against Boston.

Picking a fifth starter

is far from final answer

Whether Olsen or Mock, their ascension may be short-lived

by Adam Kilgore

fort myers, fla. — On

Thursday morning, sitting in the visitor’s dugout in Port St. Lucie, Scott Olsen admitted he felt “in the dark” about his place on the Washington Nationals. He wished he had a clear idea if he would begin the year as the Na- tionals’ fifth starter or as part of Class AAA Syracuse. The vague- ness had started to wear on him. Olsen’s dominance Friday against the Boston Red Sox did nothing to change his uncertain- ty. Olsen had his best start this spring, but the Nationals will not decide his fate until Saturday af- ternoon. But Olsen’s attitude toward his situation had changed. “I’ve been waiting a couple

days,” Olsen said. “Twenty-four hours ain’t going to kill me.” Olsen should make peace now with the ambiguity, because job security is not one of the perks of the position he is trying to land. By Saturday afternoon, the Na- tionals will have chosen either Garrett Mock or Olsen as their fifth starter. In finalizing their roster for Monday’s opening day, it is one of their biggest deci- sions. In shaping their team for this season, it is likely to soon be- come moot. Under normal circumstances,

Nationals Manager Jim Riggle- man would prefer cycling through the same five starters all season long. His fifth starter opening would be the fifth start at year’s end, too. But the Nation- als, with Stephen Strasburg ready to ride buses in the East- ern League and Chien-Mien Wang throwing rehab bullpen sessions, are not operating un- der normal circumstances. “Ideally, you’d like to name

your five guys and go,” Riggle- man said. “But that’s not the na- ture of it. It would be unrealistic to think we’re going to start out the season with five starters and two or three months later still have the same five.” The Nationals’ rotation will al- most certainly look much differ- ent in September than it will Monday. Every season, every team experiences turnover in its starting rotation over the course of 162 games. Several factors will make Washington’s pitching staff particularly fluid.

Red Sox at Nationals

Exhibition Game

Today: 4:05 p.m. Where: Nationals Park. TV/Radio: MASN, WFED (820 AM, 1500 AM)

At some point around the

start of June, Strasburg is going to become a major leaguer for good. Someone is going to have to make room for him. In the meantime, Nationals starters will have to keep from looking over their shoulders. “I’m sure as a player, you think about it,” Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty said. “But basically, you control your own destiny.”

By the time Strasburg steals a spot this summer, Wang and Ross Detwiler may have already reinforced the staff. Wang won 19 games in 2006 and 2007. Det- wiler, the sixth pick in the 2007 draft, showed promise last sea- son.

But neither is a sure thing.

Wang has not pitched since last summer and is recovering from shoulder surgery. In 42 innings last season, he compiled a 9.64 ERA. Detwiler is rehabbing from the hip surgery he underwent at the start of spring, and he has only pitched past the sixth in- ning once in 14 career starts. Wang and Detwiler will add

two more options to an already overflowing stable of choices. The competition to start for the Nationals did not end when the Nationals boarded a team plane bound for Washington. The mul- titude of pitchers who vied for a role in the starting rotation re- main within the system, and they all still want to prove them- selves deserving. “Everybody is still in the or-

ganization,” McCatty said. “They’re not automatically out of it just because Strasburg is down in Double A.”

So the decision between Mock and Olsen, closely followed for the final stretch of spring, may not matter much by summer. But it does right now, and Olsen provided a stirring last impres- sion Friday. He allowed one run on five hits and one walk in five innings against the complete Red Sox lineup while striking out seven.

Olsen threw his fastball con- sistently at 88 miles per hour and reached 91. He mixed in changeups and a biting slider, the best he has thrown this spring. “He’s throwing really good,” said one scout watching from behind home plate. It was easily his best start in a spring spent recovering from shoulder surgery. It also helped reduce the sting from recent out- ings, including when Olsen sur- rendered 12 hits in 41

⁄3

innings

against the Detroit Tigers. “I told you guys in the begin-

ning it’s going to get stronger,” Olsen said. “I wasn’t lying. I know what my body is going to do.” The Nationals, though, had vowed not to be swayed by one start. Before the game, Riggle- man said, “we may go with Mock either way.” Afterward, McCatty said he would not use Olsen’s start as “an argument for him or against him.” Instead, they will weigh their

respective springs. Olsen ended with a 5.49 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched), allowing three home runs and striking out 13. He also pitched his best games at the end of spring. Mock worsened as camp churned along and fin- ished with a 5.79 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP while striking out 12 and surrendering four home runs. The decision had not been made, in large part, because nei- ther had obviously earned a po- sition. “I would have liked for those two to make this decision based on that they’re really throwing good,” Riggleman said. Olsen came closest Friday. “He’s really competing,” Rig- gleman said. “He’s a veteran guy, but it’s impressive to see him out there competing for a job. He’s not taking anything for granted. He’s fighting for his opportunity to start. We recognize he did a good job against a good ball club. Just got to weigh it all out, take it all into consideration, make a decision tomorrow.”

Olsen was content to wait. Considering everything that might happen this year, there was no point to worrying. “I’ve had opportunities to prove myself,” Olsen said. “I’m not going to think about it now. Let the chips fall where they may.”

kilgorea@washpost.com

“I would have liked for those two to make this

decision based on that they’re really throwing good.”

— Nationals Manager Jim Riggleman on the fifth starter competition

playoffs. Theodore has far more playoff experience than Varlamov — but not with the Caps. Theodore started just one game last year during the Caps’ run to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals before Coach Bruce Boudreau yanked him in favor of Varlamov. With the playoffs again in sight, all of this came bubbling up during the Caps’ recent three-game losing streak. Although two of those losses were Varlamov’s, Theodore seemed to take the larger share of the blame for the skid, in part because he gave up three goals on Calgary’s first 10 shots in an ugly March 28 loss. So Boudreau put Varlamov in

goal Thursday night against Atlanta, and the losing streak ended with a 2-1 victory. And talk of a goaltending “controversy” began percolating among Caps followers. “It doesn’t really matter what

they’re saying,” Boudreau said. “We know what we’re doing and we’ll make the right decision when the time comes.” The right decision for Saturday

night in Columbus apparently is Theodore. After that, who knows? It’s not a problem Boudreau spends a lot of time worrying about, or so he says. “I don’t see how it would be a bad thing,” he said of the goalie situation. “I think some of the other teams wish they had it.

We’ve got guys who can play and it makes for tough decisions but I don’t think it’s a controversy.” Neither does Theodore. After

14 seasons in the NHL, he knows such talk is par for the course. “The goalie is always a hot topic on every team,” he said. “I was reading articles about the L.A. Kings talking about they have two goalies who could play, same thing with Montreal, Philly, you look around the league and it’s pretty much like that. “I think when the team is first

overall, the goalies have played well. Me and Semyon are a really good team. When the team is first overall I don’t think there is any controversy. Whatever the system is, the system’s working.” According to Boudreau, there is no system. “It’s tough to manage both of them when you think you have two good ones,” he said. “Managing all egos is tough. It’s not something where you say, ’This is the way I’m doing it.’ It’s a day-by-day thing, in my world, anyway.” Whether or not there is a system, Boudreau has done a good job of managing the situation thus far. The Capitals (50-15-12) have clinched home-ice advantage through the Eastern Conference finals and are closing in on the Presidents’ Trophy for most points in the league.

But in the playoffs, Boudreau has shown little patience with a

STANDINGS AND SUMMARIES

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Team

3. yNew Jersey (A)

W L OL Pts. GF GA

1. vWashington (SE) 50 15 12 112 298 220 2. yBuffalo (NE)

43 30 5 91 214 223 38 32 8 84 206 210 38 34 6 82 225 217 35 30 12 82 191 190

N.Y. Islanders (A) Florida (SE)

Tampa Bay (SE) Toronto (NE)

Team

1. ySan Jose (P) 2. yChicago (C)

35 32 10 80 206 206 34 32 12 80 228 244 33 35 10 76 215 241 32 35 10 74 205 240 31 34 12 74 198 226 31 35 12 74 201 245 29 36 13 71 208 255

W L OL Pts. GF GA

48 20 10 106 251 205 48 22 7 103 249 196

x3. Vancouver (NW) 46 27 4 96 251 204 4. yPhoenix (P) 5. Nashville (C) 6. Detroit (C)

7. Los Angeles (P) x8. Colorado (NW)

xCalgary (NW) St. Louis (C) xAnaheim (P) xDallas (P)

Minnesota (NW) Columbus (C)

xEdmonton (NW)

39 29 9 87 196 194 37 31 9 83 209 210 37 31 8 82 216 229 34 29 14 82 221 239 37 35 6 80 210 233 32 33 13 77 210 249 24 45 7 55 194 260

Top 8 teams in conference—denoted by line— make playoffs. Division leaders are top 3 seeds. NOTE: Two points for win, one point for overtime loss.

x-Late Game;

y-clinched playoff spot; v-clinched conference

Friday’s Results

Chicago 2 ...................... at New Jersey 1 (shootout) Montreal 1 ....................................... at Philadelphia 0 N.Y. Rangers 5 .................................. at Tampa Bay 0 San Jose 3 ........................................... at Minnesota 2 Edmonton at Dallas ............................................. Late Calgary at Colorado ............................................ Late Vancouver at Anaheim ....................................... Late

Saturday’s Games

Washington at Columbus ......................................... 7 Atlanta at Pittsburgh ................................................ 1 Ottawa at N.Y. Islanders .......................................... 2 Nashville at Detroit .................................................... 2 Boston at Toronto ...................................................... 7 Buffalo at Montreal ................................................... 7 New Jersey at Carolina ............................................. 7 N.Y. Rangers at Florida ............................................. 7 Dallas at St. Louis ....................................................... 8 Edmonton at Phoenix .............................................. 10 Anaheim at Los Angeles ................................... 10:30

SCORING

N.Y. Rangers ............................ 4 0 1 — 5 Tampa Bay ............................... 0 0 0 — 0

FIRST PERIOD

Scoring: 1, N.Y. Rangers, Prust 3 (Anisimov), 3:09. 2, N.Y. Rangers, Staal 7 (Gaborik), 3:34. 3, N.Y. Rang- ers, Prospal 19, 11:21. 4, N.Y. Rangers, Dubinsky 19 (Girardi, Eriksson), 14:55 (pp).

THIRD PERIOD

Scoring: 5, N.Y. Rangers, Voros 2 (Del Zotto), 13:50.

SHOTS ON GOAL

N.Y. Rangers .................................. 7 7 8 — 22 Tampa Bay ..................................... 6 8 16 — 30

Power-play opportunities: N.Y. Rangers 1 of 3; Tampa Bay 0 of 4. Goalies: N.Y. Rangers, Lundqvist 32-26-9 (30 shots-30 saves). Tampa Bay, Smith 11-17-7 (7-3), Niittymaki (0:00 second, 15-14). A: 17,909 (19,758). T: 2:21.

47 25 6 100 212 193 45 28 6 96 217 216 41 23 13 95 215 203 44 27 6 94 228 205 41 28 7 89 227 212

43 24 10 96 223 195 44 26 7 95 204 186

4. yPittsburgh (A) 44 26 7 95 237 219 5. yOttawa (NE) 6. Montreal (NE) 7. Philadelphia (A) 8. Boston (NE)

N.Y. Rangers (A) Atlanta (SE) Carolina (SE)

Jonathan Toews scored the only shootout goal and Antti Niemi made 32 saves as Chicago topped New Jer- sey.

Niemi only had to make one save

during the shootout, but it was a mag- nificent pad stop on Zach Parise.

SCORING

Chicago ................................. 0010 — 2 New Jersey ........................... 1000 — 1

FIRST PERIOD

Scoring: 1, New Jersey, Kovalchuk 40 (Elias, Zhar- kov), 5:49.

THIRD PERIOD

Scoring: 2, Chicago, Versteeg 18 (Byfuglien, Hos- sa), 19:34.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

SHOOTOUT

Chicago 1 (Toews G, Kane NG), New Jersey 0 (Lan- genbrunner NG, Parise NG).

SHOTS ON GOAL

Chicago ...................................... 9791 — 26 New Jersey ................................ 12 10 8 3 — 33

Power-play opportunities: Chicago 0 of 0; New Jersey 0 of 0. Goalies: Chicago, Niemi 22-7-3 (33 shots-32 saves). New Jersey, Brodeur 41-24-6 (26-25). A: 17,625 (17,625). T: 2:22.

SCORING

Montreal ................................... 1 0 0 — 1 Philadelphia ............................ 0 0 0 — 0

FIRST PERIOD

Scoring: 1, Montreal, Plekanec 24 (A.Kostitsyn, Bergeron), 9:25.

SHOTS ON GOAL

Montreal ........................................ 9 11 3 — 23 Philadelphia .................................. 8 13 14 — 35

Power-play opportunities: Montreal 0 of 2; Philadel- phia 0 of 2. Goalies: Montreal, Halak 25-12-3 (35 shots-35 saves). Philadelphia, Boucher 6-17-3 (23-22). A: 19,801 (19,537). T: 2:22.

struggling goalie. Who else would pull his starter after one playoff game and replace him with a rookie? That’s what happened last year, when Theodore struggled in the Caps’ opener against the New York Rangers. It’s the kind of gutsy move Boudreau has become known for, and it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t do exactly the same thing this year, especially because Varlamov is far more experienced than a year ago.

“I think that was one of the

keys for this year; when maybe one goalie wasn’t as sharp, the other guy was usually digging it up and playing really well,” Theodore acknowledged. “For Bruce it makes it sometimes maybe a tougher decision but I think actually goaltending is the last of his worries.” Maybe not the last, or least, but it doesn’t seem to be at the top of his list with five games to go. Injuries and line combinations are taking precedent at the moment. After all, where goaltending is concerned, he can choose the hot hand — hot glove? — of the moment. A skillful coach will milk that scenario for all it’s worth, getting the most he can out of both players. That doesn’t sound like a controversy or even situation, truthfully. It sounds like more of a luxury to me.

hamiltont@washpost.com

smile, are going well. Especially when he takes a glance at the standings. The Cap- itals are on the verge of clinching their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy. The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, have changed coaches, gut- ted their roster and will miss the playoffs for the eighth time in their nine-season history. “It’s like being a kid in a candy store and you could only have one candy” in Columbus, Chimera said. “Now you get to have the whole damn store. Anytime you’re going to the playoffs, you get goose bumps on your skin. In Co- lumbus, they’re a week and a half from going home and that’s no fun.” Capitals notes: Clark has a knee injury and will not suit up for Columbus. . . . Atlanta’s Colby Armstrong was suspended two games for his el- bow to the head of Capitals pros- pect Mathieu Perreault in Thurs- day’s game. . . . John Carlson (upper body) and Brendan Morrison (groin-muscle strain) did not practice but are ex- pected to skate Saturday. . . . The reacquired Jurcina, out since undergoing sports hernia surgery last month, is expected to resume skating next week and could return during the first round of the playoffs.

elbashirt@washpost.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2010

BLACKHAWKS 2, DEVILS 1 (SO)

CANADIENS 1, FLYERS 0

Jaroslav Halak made 35 saves and

Tomas Plekanec scored the only goal in Montreal’s win over Philadelphia. The Flyers lost for the second straight night and have only one win in eight games (1-6-1).

Brian Boucher finished with 22

saves for Philadelphia. Boucher, one of six goalies used by the Flyers this season, has only one win in his past seven starts.

RANGERS 5, LIGHTNING 0

Brandon Prust started New York’s four-goal first period, and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 29 shots for his fourth shutout of the season as the Rangers routed Tampa Bay. The Rangers moved ahead of Atlan- ta and into ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

SHARKS 3, WILD 2

Logan Couture’s late third-period goal lifted San Jose to a win over Min- nesota that eliminated the Wild from the Western Conference playoff race. Evgeni Nabokov improved to 12-0-1 in his last 13 starts against the Wild.

SCORING

San Jose .................................... 2 0 1 — 3 Minnesota ................................ 0 2 0 — 2

FIRST PERIOD

Scoring: 1, San Jose, Malhotra 13 (Blake, McGinn), 7:19. 2, San Jose, Nichol 4 (Mitchell, Blake), 12:22.

SECOND PERIOD

Scoring: 3, Minnesota, Clutterbuck 13 (Laten- dresse, Zanon), 5:10. 4, Minnesota, Miettinen 19 (Brunette, Zidlicky), 6:59 (pp).

THIRD PERIOD

Scoring: 5, San Jose, Couture 4 (Boyle, Clowe), 16:09.

SHOTS ON GOAL

San Jose ......................................... 11 9 8 — 28 Minnesota ..................................... 7 11 11 — 29

Power-play opportunities: San Jose 0 of 3; Minnesota 1 of 6. Goalies: San Jose, Nabokov 41-16-9 (29 shots-27 saves). Minnesota, Backstrom 26-22-6 (28-25). A: 18,584 (18,064). T: 2:19. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36