Last night at Verizon Center
SEEN AND HEARD
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Alex Ovechkin confirmed that he and Alexander Semin will play for the Russian national team in the IIHF World Championship, which starts April 27. The tournament is in Ovechkin’s hometown of Moscow. Both general manager George McPhee and coach Glen Hanlon said they have no problems with the franchise players representing their country in the event. In seven world championship games last year, Ovechkin had six goals and nine points while Semin had three goals and six points.
“It would be sort of hypocritical myself [to not want them to play],” Hanlon said. “The last two years I have coached in it [for Belarus]. They’re playing in Moscow and it will be exciting for them. I think those experiences just make them better hockey players.”
Ovechkin and Semin will not face Caps prospect Nicklas Backstrom and Sweden in the preliminary round.
BY THE NUMBERS
200 Career NHL games for Caps goaltender Brent Johnson, who made his ninth consecutive start last night in place of Olie Kolzig. It ties Kolzig’s stretch from Dec. 27 to Jan. 13 as the most by a Caps netminder this season.
— Corey Masisak
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