Tabaracci

LANDOVER -- The Washington Capitals must have thought they'd gone to Fantasyland last night.As a crowd of 17,616 -- 515 short of a sellout -- watched, Washington goaltender Rick Tabaracci returned to action for the first time since spraining his wrist Dec. 23 and shut out the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, 3-0, as the Capitals evened their record at 17-17-3.It was Washington's first shutout of the season and the first since Tabaracci blanked the New York Rangers on April 14.Last night, Tabaracci stopped all 26 of Anaheim's shots.

Baseball Indians: Named Tom Candiotti special assistant to baseball operations. Hockey Panthers: Assigned G Sean Gauthier, D Peter Ratchuk, D Lance Ward, F Serge Payer, F Dave Duerden, F Rocky Thompson and F Ivan Novoseltsev to AHL Louisville. Senators: Re-signed restricted free-agent RW Andreas Dackell to multi-year contract. Stars: Assigned C Greg Leeb, D Jeff MacMillan and G Rick Tabaracci to IHL Utah.

PHILADELPHIA -- After playing like an offensive wonder against Ottawa, then wondering how to play in their next game against Hartford, the Washington Capitals came up with a defensive beauty last night to defeat the Flyers, 4-1, at The Spectrum.With Washington goalie Rick Tabaracci using everything from histick to his face to make 28 saves, the Caps came within 12.3 seconds of their first shutout of the season."We just dominated five on five," said Tabaracci, who was pullein the middle of each of his previous two starts.

The Washington Capitals granted goaltender Rick Tabaracci's wish yesterday and traded him, then increased their depth for the season-ending playoff run by working a deal with the Winnipeg Jets.Tabaracci, 26, who wound up the odd man out in the Washington goaltending race, was traded to the Calgary Flames for a conditional fifth-round draft pick in 1995 or 1996.Washington also sent 1995 third- and fifth-round picks to Winnipeg for center Mike Eagles (27 games, two goals, one assist) and defenseman Igor Ulanov.

The Washington Capitals granted goaltender Rick Tabaracci's wish yesterday and traded him, then increased their depth for the season-ending playoff run by working a deal with the Winnipeg Jets.Tabaracci, 26, who wound up the odd man out in the Washington goaltending race, was traded to the Calgary Flames for a conditional fifth-round draft pick in 1995 or 1996.Washington also sent 1995 third- and fifth-round picks to Winnipeg for center Mike Eagles (27 games, two goals, one assist) and defenseman Igor Ulanov.

QUEBEC -- The hard work was supposedly over. The Washington Capitals had finished an up-tempo 45-minute workout and could leave the ice if they wanted to.But it was at that point that Rick Tabaracci laid his goaltending stick across the top of the net, turned around and got into his goaltending stance.His teammates lined up at the blue line, barely restraining their glee.Fun was about to happen. It was like lining up at a carnival shooting gallery. Three shots for a dollar. Only this time the only one who was going to pay was Tabaracci.

LANDOVER -- The Washington Capitals missed an opportunity to prove themselves a force in the Atlantic Division last night at USAir Arena. And when the New Jersey Devils won, 5-2, they did more than defeat the Capitals. They exposed at least a momentary rift between Capitals goalie Rick Tabaracci and his coach, Terry Murray."You have to get stops from your goaltender," said Murray, who pulled Tabaracci after he gave up New Jersey's fourth goal in 18 shots with 6:59 to go in the second period.

When Washington Capitals goalie Rick Tabaracci stretched out his left leg to block a shot during an afternoon scrimmage yesterday, his right leg folded under him and he felt something in his knee "pop."The Capitals' lineup for tonight's first preseason game:GOALTENDERSOlaf Kolzig, Byron DafoeDEFENSEMEN* Brendan Witt-Kevin HatcherJason Woolley-Sylvain CoteEnrico Ciccone-Shawn AndersonFORWARDS-! (Left wing-center-right wing)Craig Berube-Keith Acton-Randy Pearce;Steve Konowalchuck-Mike Ridley-Jason Allison;Randy Burridge-Michael Boback-Keith Jones;Todd Krygier-Martin Jiranek-Kerry Clark**-Clark strained his knee yesterday during practice.

Rick Tabaracci had a rag and was shining his new helmet, the one he'll get to wear tonight when he starts in goal for the Washington Capitals."I've waited so long," said Tabaracci, who is getting his first start of the season. "Training camp, the lockout, then I came so close to playing in Quebec and broke my finger. But now everything is good. My finger is healed. The last couple of days I've been able to handle the stick and make the rebounds."Capitals coach Jim Schoenfeld gave his standard response when asked why he has decided to start Tabaracci tonight over Olie Kolzig, who has played well in each game so far this season despite the team's 1-3-1 record.

Only one goaltender at a time can play for the Washington Capitals, and right now that goalie seems to be Rick Tabaracci.Tabaracci is leading the NHL with a 2.00 goals-against average, which might seem to make him the obvious choice. But since the Capitals have overcome their 0-6 start this season, goalie Don Beaupre also has been playing well. He has a five-game winning streak and a 2.22 GAA in those games.But Tabaracci, 4-3 since returning from a preseason knee injury, has played in five of the past six games.

LANDOVER -- The Washington Capitals spent the past four days working on their shooting.Every morning they arrived at Piney Orchard Ice Rink in Odenton and spent an hour on slap shots and one-timers, working to hone in on the goal mouth.But last night, the Caps again could not solve the mystery of goal scoring.Buffalo goalie Dominik Hasek was his usual brilliant self in goal. Last year's Vezina Trophy winner stopped the Caps cold, 1-0, for his first shutout of the season.Washington is now 1-4-1, with the Florida Panthers due here tomorrow.

Rick Tabaracci had a rag and was shining his new helmet, the one he'll get to wear tonight when he starts in goal for the Washington Capitals."I've waited so long," said Tabaracci, who is getting his first start of the season. "Training camp, the lockout, then I came so close to playing in Quebec and broke my finger. But now everything is good. My finger is healed. The last couple of days I've been able to handle the stick and make the rebounds."Capitals coach Jim Schoenfeld gave his standard response when asked why he has decided to start Tabaracci tonight over Olie Kolzig, who has played well in each game so far this season despite the team's 1-3-1 record.

QUEBEC -- The hard work was supposedly over. The Washington Capitals had finished an up-tempo 45-minute workout and could leave the ice if they wanted to.But it was at that point that Rick Tabaracci laid his goaltending stick across the top of the net, turned around and got into his goaltending stance.His teammates lined up at the blue line, barely restraining their glee.Fun was about to happen. It was like lining up at a carnival shooting gallery. Three shots for a dollar. Only this time the only one who was going to pay was Tabaracci.

At the moment, the Washington Capitals are in the familiar position of having three goaltenders, which may be one too many."But we're not going to eliminate one of our guys for convenience," said Capitals coach Jim Schoenfeld. "If someone calls and wants to make a deal, that's different. But, other than that, we're going to have to let it work itself out."If the regular season had started when it was originally scheduled, on Oct. 1 in Toronto, the Capitals would have gone into the season with veteran Don Beaupre the No. 1 goalie and Olie Kolzig, who has played 10 NHL games, No. 2.At that point, Rick Tabaracci would have been No. 3.Now, with the season opener in Hartford six days away, they are all back on equal footing, rotating in and out of scrimmages at the Piney Orchard Ice Rink, trying to make an early impression.

For the four goalies fighting for two spots on the Washington Capitals' roster, the battle is down to the last 60 minutes.The Caps play their final preseason game tonight, and coach Jim Schoenfeld could announce his decision as early as tomorrow.Schoenfeld will choose among seasoned Don Beaupre, youthful veteran Rick Tabaracci and developing Olie Kolzig and Byron Dafoe.Against the Quebec Nordiques tonight, Tabaracci is likely to get most of the work because, having been injured, he has had the least chance to demonstrate what he can do."

NEW YORK -- Before the Washington Capitals can think about overcoming the New York Rangers in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series, they must prove themselves survivors in Game 2 tonight.If that task seemed hard after Washington's 6-3 Game 1 loss at Madison Square Garden Sunday, it appeared more daunting yesterday.Washington learned it will be without center Michal Pivonka for at least seven to 10 days with a pulled groin and goalie Don Beaupre, who also suffered a groin pull in Game 1, for at least tonight's game.

NEW YORK -- The Capitals received another solid performance from goalie Rick Tabaracci, who shut out the New York Rangers, 2-0, last night at Madison Square Garden and helped Washington clinch second place in the Patrick Division.The victory also assured Washington of home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, which begin Sunday.It was Tabaracci's second shutout in five starts since joining the club last month. The Washington goalie made strong, acrobatic stops on shot after shot for 46 minutes and 54 seconds, while waiting for his teammates to score.

Washington Capitals goaltender Rick Tabaracci, who injured his right knee during a scrimmage Thursday at Piney Orchard, has a partially torn medial collateral ligament and will be out from three to six weeks.Tabaracci, who had hoped to challenge veteran Don Beaupre for the No. 1 goaltending job during preseason camp, did not let the news get him down. By midafternoon yesterday, he was back at the training facility getting ice treatments and making plans to ride the stationary bike by Monday or Tuesday.

ST. LOUIS -- Washington defenseman Al Iafrate scored two goals last night to help the Capitals defeat the St. Louis Blues, 4-3, at The Arena.The victory was the third straight for the Capitals, who are 6-1 in their past seven games.Iafrate's second goal of the game gave the Capitals a 4-2 lead at 13:56 of the third period. With Blues defenseman Rick Zombo screening the goalie, Iafrate hit a slap shot through goalie Jim Hrivnak's legs.Brendan Shanahan scored at 19:40 to cut the lead to 4-3."

LANDOVER -- This is not the post-All-Star break beginning the Washington Capitals had in mind. This is the time when this team is supposed to take off and blast its way into the NHL's postseason party.But last night, against the Boston Bruins it was an all too familiar story, as Boston produced a 3-1 victory in front of an inspiring goaltending performance by newly acquired Vincent Riendeau.Riendeau, 27, had not played in an NHL game in three months until last night, but the Capitals couldn't beat him.Riendeau had Washington sweating a shutout until rookie Pat Peake taped one in with 9:02 to play in the third period.