Capitals

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- It appeared Dale Hunter simply was trying to pass to teammate Pat Elynuik.With the Washington Capitals and Minnesota tied 2-2 early in the third period, Hunter got the puck behind the North Stars' goal line and spotted Elynuik moving to the net. Hunter threw the puck toward the goal -- and it hit the stick of Stars goalie Jon Casey, bouncing into the net to give the Capitals a 3-2 win last night at the Met Center.The North Stars allowed the Capitals to score first, then tied the game at 1. They went ahead 2-1 before Hunter scored the tying goal at 5:21 of the second period, then the winning goal at 6:32 of the third.

The Washington Capitals announced yesterday that defenseman and captain Rod Langway will play at least two more years with the team and will have a place in the front office when he retires.Langway, 34, signed a two-year playing contract yesterday, and Capitals general manager David Poile said his playing status will be reviewed at its conclusion. Poile also said Langway will join the team in a yet-to-be-determined position when he retires."When you build a house, you need a foundation, and Rod has been the foundation that this franchise needed from its inception," Poile said.

LANDOVER -- Aesthetically, it was very nice. Players in different shades of blue with splashes of red and white, swirling around the ice.The Capitals did what they do best, outshooting the other team (34-19), but lost to the Quebec Nordiques, 4-3.The Nordiques, doing what the Capitals allow their opponents to best, rallied from a 3-1 deficit on three power-play goals to send Washington off on a three-game road trip carrying a six-game winless streak."It's individuals," said Capitals center Mike Ridley.

Don Beaupre is expected to be in goal when the Washington Capitals meet the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum tonight.Beaupre, who missed all of training camp and the preseason in a contract dispute, spent Friday and Saturday on rehabilitation assignment with the Baltimore Skipjacks of the American Hockey League and led them to 5-2 and 7-1 victories over the Fredericton Canadiens.Beaupre made 49 saves in the two wins, and two of the goals he allowed were during Fredericton power plays. After Saturday's sharp performance, in which Beaupre made 29 saves, stopping three breakaways, he was recalled to the Capitals and practiced with the National Hockey League club yesterday.

LANDOVER -- The Washington Capitals threw out the ghosts of playoffs past last night and beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-3, to advance to the NHL's Eastern Conference semifinals.With confetti showering down from the stands at USAir Arena, their fans on their feet madly shaking red and white pompons and the clock winding down to zero, the Capitals hurled themselves into each other's arms in a wild celebration."This was a courageously played series, with the amount of physical play and stick work," Capitals general manager David Poile said.

The Washington Capitals introduced nine rookies to the NHL last season, but yesterday they took care of two of their players who are much closer to the end of their careers than to the beginning.The Capitals re-signed team captain Dale Hunter and forward Mike Eagles to two-year contracts. Hunter turns 35 in July and has been with Washington since 1987. Eagles, 32, is entering his 12th NHL season and second with the Caps. Goaltender Olie Kolzig, one of the nine rookies, was signed to a one-year contract.

PITTSBURGH -- The Washington Capitals' chances of upsetting the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs suffered a major blow yesterday, when the team learned it had lost veteran defenseman Sylvain Cote for up to three weeks.Cote, the Capitals' most reliable defenseman, suffered a fractured right orbital bone when he was hit in the face with the butt end of a stick during the second period Sunday, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.At first, it appeared he was hit by Peter Taglianetti, but a replay showed it was Penguins left wing Kevin Stevens who delivered the punch to Cote's face.

The Washington Capitals have been without key personnel because of injuries for most the season. Yet, the Capitals had remained contenders in the Patrick Division race.Over the last week, however, Washington has slumped with a five-game winless streak (0-4-1) and dropped from second place in the division to next-to-last.One of the main reasons for its success had been Washington's proficiency on the power play and in penalty killing. A week ago, the Capitals led the National Hockey League in both categories.

LANDOVER -- When the Washington Capitals rally from two goals down and score five times, they have every right to expect a victory.And yesterday, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Capitals needed a victory. But, evidently still in the holiday spirit, they settled for a 5-5 tie."We'll take the point," said Capitals coach Terry Murray. "But we're not satisfied. It was clearly a game we dominated from the second period on. We had quality chances, at least 10 in the third period. The right people had the chances and we were still not able to get the goal we needed."

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Washington Capitals returned to an old remedy over the weekend: They played a couple of very weak teams.But even that didn't translate into two wins. The expansion Tampa Bay Lightning gave Washington a scare in a 2-2 tie Friday night. But Saturday, the Hartford Whalers solved the Caps' problems.In Washington's 6-2 victory, offense was found, defense was sound and goaltending was solid.So the Capitals -- with two victories and a tie in their past three games after a 1-3 western trip -- play at the New York Rangers Wendesday, then have a home-and-home series with the New Jersey Devils Friday and Saturday.