<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<rss version="2.0">
   <channel>
 	  <title>Capitals Recent Headlines</title>
		<link>http://capitals.nhl.com/index.html</link>
		<description>Capitals</description>
		<copyright>NHL Enterprises, L.P. (c) 2012 NHL. All Rights Reserved</copyright>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<lastBuildDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 17:57:48 EDT</lastBuildDate>
		
			<item>
				<title>Braden Holtby Feature on Hockey Night In Canada</title>
				
			    <link><![CDATA[http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=630843&cmpid=rss-News]]></link>

                <description><![CDATA[]]></description>

				
				<pubDate>Mon, 07 May 2012 09:18:00 EDT</pubDate>
				<guid><![CDATA[http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=630843]]></guid>
			</item>		
		
			<item>
				<title>Alex Ovechkin on ESPN</title>
				
			    <link><![CDATA[http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=624057&cmpid=rss-News]]></link>

                <description><![CDATA[ESPN profiles Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin in a segment called "Alexander the Great."]]></description>

				
				<pubDate>Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:42:00 EDT</pubDate>
				<guid><![CDATA[http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=624057]]></guid>
			</item>		
		
			<item>
				<title>Vancouver Hockey Centennial</title>
				
			    <link><![CDATA[http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=623559&cmpid=rss-News]]></link>

                <description><![CDATA[Vancouver Hockey CentennialIn honor of a dream. In tribute to the dreamers. Vancouver, to a century of excellence and contribution to the sport of hockey. To the fathers of the dream, Frank and Lester Patrick. Pioneers and builders of the game that holds a nations heart. To one of the greatest stories ever told in sport. Whose contribution created the game we play today. The Patrick brothers had played hockey at McGill University in Montreal. Lester had also played for the Montreal Wanderers. He became the very first defence man ever to score a goal. They were also pioneers in the establishment of Women's hockey. Founders of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. They became known as the ''brains of hockey.''

Building the sport to it's most brilliant and breathtaking level. Their vision and courage created the game we play. The face of hockey today is their contribution. They introduced the twenty two rules that have created the game, the sixty minute game being divided into three twenty minite periods, the first team system in hockey. As well as the playoff series, the blue line, forward passing, the penalty shot, numbers on sweaters so fans could identify the players.

Also, the practice of a defenseman bringing the puck up the ice, the goal assist, substitution of players while the game was being played, allowing a goaltender to fall to the ice to make a save, the gesture of raising the stick when a goal was being scored. To eventually allowing a team to dress two goaltenders before a game.

The Patrick brothers along with their father Joe sold their prosperous sawmill business. Single handily establishing and financing three West Coast Teams. The Victoria Senators, The New Westminster Royals and The Vancouver Millionaires, so called because of the high salaries the brothers were willing to pay to have the best talent re-establish themselves on the West Coast.

The brothers financed their own arena, the Denman Arena. Vancouver's climate necessitated playing on the first artificial ice rink in Canada. In a city were most people had never seen a hockey game or had any knowledge of the sport. The odds against them were immeasurable. Teams had to travel for days by train just to play a game. Yet the Vancouver Millionaires would go on to play for the Stanley Cup five times and win the Stanley Cup in 1915. They lived the dream.

The Centennial of the birth of professional hockey in Vancouver is also the Centennial of the expansion of hockey to become a North American sport we love and play today. Frank and Lester Patrick had a dream and the courage to pursue it. We are all the beneficiaries of their dream. They exhibited Imagination, Imitative and Integrity. We Honor them. The builders of hockey.

Join the Washington Capitals in celebrating this hockey milestone.]]></description>

				
				<pubDate>Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:32:00 EDT</pubDate>
				<guid><![CDATA[http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=623559]]></guid>
			</item>		
		
			<item>
				<title>Caps Help Military &#8216;Rock the Red&#8217; Overseas</title>
				
			    <link><![CDATA[http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=621007&cmpid=rss-zielinski]]></link>

                <description><![CDATA[It is now custom for the Washington Capitals to honor our country’s military heroes at each and every home game in the nation’s capital. 

During these contests in the District at Verizon Center, a sea of red claps in unison and players tap their sticks against the boards as various military personnel and “wounded warriors” receive an emotional standing ovation in Washington’s barn. 



Unfortunately though, not everyone can be present for the team’s display of gratitude. Capt. Mike Newman, signal officer with the 5/1 CAV., is one such case–a soldier in the U.S. Army stationed at Forward Outward Base (FOB) Frontenac just north of Kandahar in Afghanistan.

Newman, a big Caps fan, didn’t let the Middle Eastern heat melt his love for hockey. He and fellow soldiers took their love for the game to the streets after a group of Canadian soldiers in the area had built a street hockey rink and left it upon their departure. One of Newman’s fellow soldiers, who was also passionate about hockey, had his father ask the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Buffalo Sabres for equipment. The Sabres willingly donated ice hockey sticks, goalie leg pads, helmets, goals and balls.

After a number of the sticks splintered because they were made specifically for use on the ice, Newman followed in the footsteps of his fellow officer and connected with his brother, Tim Newman. Tim reached out to the Washington Capitals’ owner, Ted Leonsis.



Without hesitation, Leonsis forwarded the message on to the Capitals staff. Again, members of the Caps staff quickly responded and took initiative. 

Caps amateur hockey & fan development coordinator Peter Robinson was able to obtain a full set of street hockey equipment (sticks, balls, two goals, multiple goalie equipment and goalie masks) and two sets of practice jerseys for Newman and other hockey enthusiasts stationed with him. He was also able to make the delivery of the equipment a formal event.



Newman and his brother Tim explained the delivery method as “above and beyond” as General Martin E. Dempsey–Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff–personally delivered the equipment to Newman and the troops in Afghanistan. Newman also felt he was treated “like royalty” during the visit with Dempsey as he was driven around and allowed access to a V.I.P. room upon Dempsey’s arrival.

"It was great having a "special delivery" for the troops and they were excited to receive the equipment,” said Dempsey. “They wanted to test it out right away.” 

The troops, who played at least once a month–sometimes four to five times, depending on missions–“got to forget everything for one to two hours and it was a tremendous boost in morale,” Newman said. They also competed in three tournaments together over their time at the base.

While the back-and-forth e-mail communication and “thank-you’s” between the Newman’s and the Caps can’t come close to capturing the troops true appreciation, their pictures from the makeshift rink have helped.

“It was an amazing experience for me and the guys, and will be a permanent memory for the rest of my life,” Newman said.

Since receiving the equipment, Newman and his brigade have moved to a new location, but have left the gear and rink behind for others to use and enjoy. The rink and equipment can be seen as a reminder and symbol of support from the Washington Capitals for soldiers who are overseas.

To see a full photo gallery, click here.

NOTE: Washington also donates money to a different military charity each year through the selling of “Courage Caps” hats and T-shirts. The 2011-12 Courage Caps program presented by SKYDEX Technologies raised more than $100,000 for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). The Capitals presented a check to the president and founder of TAPS, Bonnie Carroll, during “Military Night” at Verizon Center for the total amount donated to the nonprofit. The sale of Courage Caps has raised almost $250,000 for charity in the five years of the program and more than $220,000 for local military charities in the past four seasons.]]></description>

				<author>mzielinski@washcaps.com</author>
				<pubDate>Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:06:00 EST</pubDate>
				<guid><![CDATA[http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=621007]]></guid>
			</item>		
		
	</channel>
</rss>
