Streaking along
Caps beat Islanders, hit season-high with 4th straight win
Posted: Tuesday January 12, 1999 12:25 AM
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The cat came back: Felix Potvin, playing in only his sixth game of the season, lost in his debut for the Islanders AP |
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Felix Potvin played well for a goaltender that hasn't
seen the ice for more than a month. Unfortunately for the New York
Islanders, he didn't play well enough to avert another loss.
Sergei Gonchar scored twice as the resurgent Washington Capitals
stretched their winning streak to a season-high four games by beating the
Islanders 4-3 Monday night to ruin Potvin's debut.
"He was a little rusty, obviously," Islanders coach Mike Milbury said
of Potvin, adding he will start the team's next game on Wednesday against
the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. "He let in a fluke one behind the
net."
"I know we were forcing him a little bit. I was glad he was able to
stand up and say he wanted to play. That was important for me."
Potvin -- acquired from Toronto on Jan. 9 for defenseman Bryan Berard,
the 1997 Rookie of the Year -- made 31 saves, but couldn't prevent New
York's winless streak from reaching eight games (0-7-1).
Though he came up with several sparkling saves, Potvin looked every
bit like a player who hasn't played since leaving the Maple Leafs in early
December, frustrated that Toronto wouldn't deal him after annointing Curtis
Joseph the No. 1 goalie.
Potvin admitted that he wasn't sharp, but said he has to play himself
into game shape quickly.
"In the situation the team is in right now, I can't afford to take too
long," he said. "I've got to be ready the next game. ... I've got to make
sure I'm going to be on top of my game."
The Capitals said Potvin looked sharper than expected.
"He looked good, sharp," said defenseman Calle Johansson, who scored
the first Washington goal. "And he hasn't played for a while, either, so he
looked very good."
Mike Eagles also scored for Washington, which improved to 9-0-1 in its
last 10 games against the Islanders. Washington's Joe Juneau had two
assists for his seventh multiple-point game of the season.
"We're trying to put a streak together ... set the table for the
second half of the season," said Capitals coach Ron Wilson. "Once you have
a couple of wins under your belt, your confidence goes up."
Robert Reichel, David Harlock and Ted Donato scored for New York,
which has lost seven straight on the road and three straight overall.
Potvin, playing in only his sixth game of the season and making his
first start since Nov. 20, was not tested early except for gobbling up a
point-blank shot by Juneau in the opening minute.
Midway through the first period, however, he came up with four good
stops over a three-minute span immediately before Johansson's power-play
goal gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead 12:31 into the game. The Islanders fell
to 0-20-1 when allowing the first goal of the game.
Reichel, who had an apparent first-period goal disallowed because a
teammate was in the crease, tied it 1:04 into the second period on a power
play. He scored his ninth goal on a sweeping shot from the far edge of the
right circle.
Gonchar broke the tie 4:40 into the second period, taking a lead pass
from Juneau, splitting the defense and beating Potvin from between the
circles.
Potvin then allowed a fluke goal by Eagles at 9:25 for a 3-1
Washington lead. Dale Hunter passed out of the left corner and to Eagles
behind the net. Eagles threw the puck in a centering attempt but it bounced
off Potvin's leg pad at the left post and into the goal.
Washington went ahead 4-1 on Gonchar's slap shot 34 seconds into the
third period. All seven of his goals have come since Dec. 12 and he's
scored five in his last six games.
Ironically, the stick Gonchar used to score both goals was deemed
illegal after a measurement by referee Stephen Walkom with 21 seconds
remaining.
"I'm going to have to work on it," said Gonchar. "It's just a long
curve."
Harlock sailed a shot from the left point past a screened Olaf Kolzig
4:41 into the third period, and Donato converted on a wrist shot from the
left circle with 3:30 left.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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