Ovechkin, Capitals Fans To Receive Parting Gifts
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Washington Capitals rookie Alex Ovechkin will be honored twice during tonight's home finale against the Atlanta Thrashers at Verizon Center, before the game for his record-breaking season and afterward when he'll be presented with a Rolex watch for winning the team's Three Stars of the Year award. The team will also recognize its fans.
Ovechkin scored his 51st goal against the Florida Panthers on Saturday to move into a tie with Joe Nieuwendyk for third place on the all-time rookie goal scoring list; with two games remaining, the 20-year-old Russian can equal or overtake Mike Bossy 's mark of 53. Teemu Selanne 's rookie record of 76 is out of reach.
Fan Appreciation Night will include a giveaway of Capitals practice jerseys to everyone in attendance, random prize drawings throughout the evening and year-in-review videos, among other things. At the game's end, selected fans will be escorted to the ice and receive jerseys worn by each player during the game.
The Capitals can end Atlanta's faint hopes of earning its first playoff bid with a victory over their Southeast Division rival. Washington concludes the season tomorrow in Tampa.
· TENNIS: It's been a long comeback for American Mardy Fish , and he's not done yet.
Two wrist surgeries last year kept him from competing much, but he proved he is finding his form, rallying from a set down to beat Jurgen Melzer , 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, to win the U.S. Clay Court Championship in Houston.
Next on his to-do list: making the main draw at Wimbledon in late June.
"It's reachable now," he said. "I need to bear down again, forget about the last two weeks and start over." . . .
In Charleston, S.C., Nadia Petrova battled stifling heat, sore legs and the temptation to retire to defeat Patty Schnyder , 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, and win the Family Circle Cup for her second straight tournament victory.
Petrova, who also won last week at Amelia Island, now has four tour victories, all in the last six months. . . .
In Spain, qualifier Nicolas Almagro won his first ATP title, beating Gilles Simon of France, 6-3, 6-2, at the Valencia Open. The 20-year-old Spaniard, ranked 77th, easily won the first set and broke his opponent again in the first game of the second set at Valencia Tennis Club.
