WASHINGTON -- Rene Bourque committed a holding penalty in the games first minute, giving Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals enough momentum to last the entire game. cheap nfl jerseys . In the third period of the losing cause, Bourque lifted his right elbow into the head of Nicklas Backstrom, who had earned assists on all three Capitals goals. "The puck isnt even close," Capitals centre Marcus Johansson said. "And its very, very unnecessary." Bourque went to the penalty box for elbowing, while Backstrom stayed in the game for two more shifts but didnt finish Washingtons 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. "It was precautionary, and hes getting evaluated," Washington coach Dale Hunter said of Backstrom, the teams points leader with 42 points. "Well know more (Wednesday)." Bourque mischievous deeds put a bookend on the Capitals fourth straight win and the Flames fourth straight loss. Ovechkin and Troy Brouwer scored power-play goals, Dennis Wideman added a goal, and Tomas Vokoun made 18 saves for the Capitals, who improved to 9-6-1 under coach Dale Hunter. Other stats told a more complete story of how the Capitals are evolving under Hunter after the middling start that got Bruce Boudreau fired. Washington blocked a season-high 24 shots, won 63 per cent of its faceoffs and didnt allow a power-play goal for the ninth straight home game. Vokoun has stopped 125 of the last 131 shots he has faced, and the team is allowing only 2.25 goals per game since Hunter replaced Boudreau in late November. "This is too good (of a) group to be in the middle, middle of nowhere," said Ovechkin, who has seven goals in seven games. "We just want to be in the playoffs." Bourques reviews werent as good. Calgary coach Brent Sutter said a team cant "take a penalty 200 feet from the net" on the first shift of the game against a team like the Capitals. Ovechkins one-timer soon made the score 1-0, his 17th goal of the season. "I just felt like I was stuck in the boards, and even though it looked like I was holding him, I couldnt really move because my arm was on the other side of him," Bourque said. "But, yeah, its a back-breaker. They scored right away in the first minute, and ... I take a stupid penalty." Bourque was more nebulous about his hit on Backstrom. Bourque was suspended two games last month for a hit on Brent Seabrook of the Chicago Blackhawks, and this one could lead to more time off the ice. "Did it look really bad? Was he hurt? I didnt even know if I clipped him," Bourque said. "I didnt even know if I hit him in the head." Curtis Glencross had the lone goal for the Flames, who have one game left on a seven-game trip. Miikka Kiprusoff made 18 saves, and Jarome Iginla remained one goal shy of becoming the 42nd NHL player to score 500. The Capitals got another boost with the return of defenceman Mike Green, who had missed 23 straight games and 29 of 30 with a sprained right ankle and then a groin injury. Yet while Green was back, forward Alexander Semin was out -- listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed upper body injury. NOTES: Ovechkin also had the primary assist on Brouwers goal, giving him 11 points over the seven-game span. ... Calgary will finish its road trip Thursday at Boston. ... This was the only meeting between the teams this season. cheap nfl jerseys . Oswalt gets a US$2 million buyout instead of $16 million next season. Lidge receives a $1.5 million buyout instead of $12. cheap jerseys from china . The Crimson Tide edged out Oklahoma State in the final round of voting Sunday and will play the top-ranked Tigers in the BCS national championship game on Jan. http://www.chinajerseyscheap.us.com/[/... . The bounce in his step after every birdie. His name at the top of the leaderboard. [url=http://www.bootiedock.com/]wholesale jerseys . Before anyone asked a question, the Brewers slugger repeated the restrictions hed placed on his first spring meeting with the media. "I understand why a lot of you guys are probably here but I made a statement last week," Braun said. cheap jerseys from china . The New York point guard who in the span of five games has gone from a seldom-used player to NBA phenomenon arrived at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday as his Knicks set to battle the Raptors -- and Linsanity prevailed.INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning still tugs on the heartstrings of Indianapolis football fans. Friends and former teammates are happy hes made it back to the NFLs biggest stage, and the general public is excited to see if No. 18 can win a second Super Bowl ring this weekend, too. Many in this town just wished this incredible season had come in Colts blue rather than Broncos orange. "I think as fans of Peyton, people hoped he would stay with the same team and finish it out," said Jeff Saturday, Mannings longtime centre. "But that wasnt possible. Peyton wanted to still play. The Colts released him and that happens in our business. As a player, you have to move on to the next team and hes done what hes supposed to do." Hes continued to win at a record-breaking rate. Many in Indy never doubted Manning would continue to play at this high level — if he could get healthy. But after missing the entire 2011 season to recover from a damaged nerve in his neck and facing a salary cap dilemma, Colts owner Jim Irsay made the toughest decision of his career — cutting ties with Manning and using the No. 1 draft pick to begin anew. Immediate reactions in Indy were mixed when Irsay tearfully tried to explain he wanted Manning to have another shot at the Super Bowl before his career ended, while the Colts were attempting to remain a Super Bowl contender for the next decade with a completely new cast. So far, so good. Since drafting Andrew Luck, the Colts have posted back-to-back 11-win seasons and reached the playoffs twice. Manning, meanwhile, has posted two straight 13-win seasons, just completed perhaps the greatest regular season by any quarterback in league history and will make his third Super Bowl start Sunday in New York. Indy fans arent surprised by Mannings success, especially after watching him turn this basketball bastion into a football-friendly town. "I think everyone is pulling for him," said Joe Gray, a 59-year-old Colts season ticket holder who was impresssed by the standing ovation Manning got when he returned to Lucas Oil Stadium in October. Cheap NFL Jerseys China. "Im not saying I dont like Luck, I just wish Peyton was still here." Grey finds himself in a crowded group. Even longtime friends, such as Saturday and former linebacker Gary Brackett, acknowledge it was tough to see Manning leave, though theyre happy to see him playing well. Some Indy football fans say they cheer for Manning first and the Colts second, which may explain why so many orange No. 18 jerseys — or some variation of them — have been seen around town the last two years. Manning has remained close to the community, too, returning each of the last two springs to host fundraisers for the childrens hospital that bears his name. On Sunday, the Peyton Manning Childrens Hospital at St.Vincent is even planning a Super Bowl viewing party for patients and their families. "We are fortunate to partner with a selfless individual who has given his time and resources off the field for the betterment of children and our overall community," said Vince Caponi, executive chairman of the hospitals board. "Peyton has the highest respect for our health ministry, and values his time spent with its pediatric patients." But to those who know Manning best, this goes far deeper than rooting for an ex-teammate. "My career is over, so now I can sit back and cheer for the guys I respect and hes definitely on top of that list," said Brackett, who served as Indys defensive captain while Manning was the offensive captain. Saturday concurs. "Hes a friend, so Im always pulling for him that way. But to see a guy coming back from all the neck surgeries hes had, at 37, going to another team, going to a Super Bowl, its fun to watch," Saturday said. "Peyton Manning was everything youd want our of a franchise quarterback while he was in Indy. He won the way you wanted to win. It was exactly what you wanted out of a franchise quarterback." ' ' '