The Weekend in “Other” Sports: September 30 - October 2

Last one! Let’s wrap this weekend up. Sorry if anyone’s offended that I am grouping soccer and hockey in as “other” sports, but I didn’t feel like they deserved their own posts ... and, on second thought, I don’t really give a crap if you’re offended by that. Toughen up.

Alex Ovechkin had a breakout (if you can call something occurring in the preseason “breakout”) weekend, scoring four goals and adding three helpers, including a hat trick on Friday night in a win over the Penguins. Go out and buy your No. 8 Ovechkin jersey now.

MLS: D.C. United 4, MetroStars 1

With a win over the MetroStars, D.C. United bumped their winning streak to three games and clinched a spot in the playoffs with three games remaining. Chicago is only two points behind second-place United, but it is also still possible for D.C. to jump to first place in the East.

On Saturday, United fell behind the MetroStars, who play in New Jersey and were once the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, 1-0, in the nineteenth minute before showing their offensive power and scoring four times in the second half to win, 4-1.

Ben Olsen had two goals, and Jeff Agoos and Jaime Moreno added the others.

It was just a 2-1 game until the 86th minute. Then, Olsen and Moreno each scored in under 90 seconds to make it a three-goal lead.

D.C.’s next game is on Wednesday at Real (that’s pronounced re-AL) Salt Lake at 9:30 p.m. Salt Lake is a dismal 5-20-4 on the season.


NHL: Capitals win one, lose two over the weekend.

The Capitals beat the Penguins, 4-3, on Friday, lost to Flyers, 7-6, on Saturday, and then lost to Penguins, 7-1, on Sunday.

In the Friday game, 2004 No. 1 draft pick Alex Ovechkin went buck wild, scoring a hat trick and adding an assist on a Jeff Halpern goal. He simultaneously gave hope to the Capitals that maybe this season won’t be so bad, after all.

On Saturday, the Caps held leads of 4-0 and 5-1 before collapsing in the third period and losing in overtime to the Flyers. Ovechkin added another goal and two more assists, but the defense got lax in the third period and the Caps lost. Lesson learned, I hope.

Then, on Sunday, with the Penguins playing all their stars (Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, Ziggy Palffy, etc.) and the Caps playing just about nobody, Pittsburgh rolled, 7-1. A blowout, yes, but not really one to be worried about.

That wraps up the preseason, and now there are just two more days until the Caps open their season on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the MCI Center. They will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.