For the first time since the 80's (except for that little holdout thing when he played with the IHL Detroit Vipers), Peter Bondra was not playing hockey in a Capitals uniform. He was in Ottawa, wearing number 10, for the Ottawa Senators, following a trade the previous night. The fans missed Bondra, and let owner Ted Leonsis know it.

The Caps started slow (in fact, there was some booing), but held the Devils scoreless in the first period, despite being outshot 15-10. Olie came up with some tremendous saves--it's good to see he's back in his groove.

In the second period, radio announcer Steve Kolbe had just announced to anyone listening (or who was out on the concourse looking for a cup of coffee, or in the bathroom) the Caps had gone seven minutes without a shot, when Sergei Gonchar finally took their first shot of the period. It was a weak wrister from the top of the slot that looked more like it had been thrown at the net rather than shot, but Mike Grier got a piece of it and the puck deflected into the net past backup NJ goalie Scott Clemmensen. Caps up by one.

NJ got their only goal of the game with Olie sprawled on his stomach, pinned beneath another player--the Allmighty wouldn't have been able to stop a shot in that position. Later in the period, Matt Pettinger took a headmanning pass from Josef Boumedienne on a power play, got a clean breakaway and put the Caps up for good. Robert Lang scored an insurance goal in the third, and the Caps held off a late, 90+ second 4-on-6 New Jersey power play to end the game and seal the win.

Less inspiring was the fan reaction. Several signs were evident around the building; the only one I could read said, "Trade McPhee!" According to the official Capitals message boards and at least one post-game phone call to AM-980 WTEM, signs critical of Leonsis and General Manager George McPhee were confiscated by MCI Security.

In fact, even the Capitals Fan Club showed their displeasure: Instead of the usual signs at each end of the rink, they hung a broken heart, the number "1" on the left piece of the heart, and the number "2" on the right piece. Put the pieces together, and you have the number "12," Bondra's old number.

Meanwhile, in Kanata, Peter Bondra, wearing the number "10" scored the first goal of the game, unassisted, as the Ottawa fell to the Thrashers, 3-2 in OT.

Bondra and the Senators play Washington at MCI on Monday, March 8.

Official Scoresheet, NJ vs Washington