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Green Sets Record In Caps' Win

The Associated Press

Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green (52) fires the puck past Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Matt Smaby (32) and goaltender Karri Ramo.

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 14, 2009

Updated: 02/15/2009 12:13 am

TAMPA - The Washington red light district is officially Green.

Washington defenseman Mike Green established an NHL record in the Capitals' 5-1 victory against Tampa Bay on Saturday, scoring a goal in a league record eighth consecutive game.

Green broke a record he shared with Boston's Mike O'Connell, who scored in seven consecutive games during the 1983-84 season. The goal was Green's 22nd of the season, eight more than any other defenseman in the league.

The record-setting goal came at the 5:33 mark of the second period after Green collected his own rebound of a shot Matt Pettinger blocked from the center slot. Green corralled the loose puck and put a 28-foot wrist shot past Karri Ramo for a power-play goal that gave the Capitals a 4-0 lead.

"I was excited. It almost brought a little tear to my eye, so I was pretty jacked up," said Green, who was mobbed by his teammates after they flooded over the bench to congratulate his accomplishment.

"It seemed like they weren't very responsible back door and in the slot, so I kind of had to slip in there, and I'm playing with some of the best players in the world ... it's incredible."

The power-play marker was Green's 15th of the season, which is tied for the league lead by any player, forward or defense.

Since Bruce Boudreau, who coached Green in the minors at Hershey, took over the head coaching duties for Washington on Thanksgiving Day last season, Green has transformed from an unknown kid lacking confidence to a Norris Trophy candidate in a little more than a year.

In 104 games under Boudreau, Green has 37 goals and 99 points and is a plus-41; he had six goals, 22 points and was a minus-26 in 113 games under former coach Glen Hanlon.

Boudreau, however, declined to take credit for Green's success.

"He could have Mickey Mouse coaching him and eventually he was going to be a great hockey player," Boudreau said. "I'm just happy I'm the one who right now is able to coach Mike."

While Green was busy making league history, the Lightning didn't do enough to put themselves in position to win.

With 20-year-old goaltender Michal Neuvirth making his NHL debut for Washington, Tampa Bay didn't put enough pressure on the rookie. Though Neuvirth made his fair share of quality stops - including a glove save on a Vinny Lecavalier breakaway 9:08 into the game - the Lightning didn't do enough to test him despite putting 32 shots on goal.

Coming off a six-goal outburst on Thursday against Toronto, Tampa Bay passed up too many shots looking for higher-risk opportunities with cross-ice and cross-crease passes that led to turnovers.

"I felt a couple of times we had pucks in the slot and we were passing it and that's the thing that kind of upsets me ... shoot the puck and get to the net," Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet said. "You stress in practice, don't be fancy, shoot the puck, no cross-ice passes, short shifts."

Spotting the Capitals a 3-0 lead in the first period didn't help the Lightning cause, either. Mike McKenna, a week removed from posting his first victory in a shutout, was pulled after allowing three goals on 12 shots in the first period, including a Shoane Morrisson point shot through a screen with 39.8 seconds left.

"I've got to find a way to find that shot," McKenna said. "I wish I would have been a lot better in the first so it would have given us a chance to come of out that period even."

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835.

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