Braden Holtby didn't let a shaky start to the 2013 campaign derail his confidence and at the end of the year he emerged as a solid option between the pipes and the team's undisputed starter.
He posted a 23-12-1 record, a 2.58 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage and four shutouts in 36 games. "If you're not improving every year, you're doing something wrong," said Holtby. "It was nice to get sort of a full season in, and every little experience can help if you use it the right way." He brought some stability to Washington's crease for the first time in a while and will likely be given the number one job again heading into next season.

Braden Holtby allowed five goals Monday night, but the Capitals aren't blaming him for not reaching the second round.
Holtby was a major reason the Capitals made a late-season surge and even advanced into the playoffs. He finished with a 2.22 goals-against average and .922 save percentage. "I think he's been playing great all series, all season," Nicklas Backstrom said. "He's a young, talented goalie and without him we wouldn't be here today in the playoffs. His performance this series and the whole year has been amazing, I think, and it's been fun to watch. He's not the reason we lost. That's me, myself, and on the players."

Braden Holtby allowed five goals on 27 shots in the Washington Capitals' 5-0 Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday night.
Holtby was excellent for the entire series, matching New York netminder Henrik Lundqvist seemingly save for save. Despite the five goals, it's tough to blame the young Washington goalie for Monday's loss. Holtby was screened on the Rangers' first and third goals and was completely left alone in goals No. 4 and 5 after brutal turnovers by the Caps. Holtby is pretty much the reason the Capitals were even in the playoffs to begin with and fans should take solace in the fact they might finally have a long-term solution in goal.

Braden Holtby allowed just one goal on 29 shots Sunday, but suffered a loss as the Capitals were beaten by the Rangers by a score of 1-0.
Despite the fact the team has been unable to put away the Rangers in the series, Holtby has been excellent and really doesn't deserve to shoulder any blame for their losses in Games 3, 4 and 6.

Braden Holtby kicked out 24 of 25 shots in a 2-1 overtime win.
Holtby allowed eight combined goals in his previous two games. This ended the Capitals' two game losing streak. Each team has won all of their home games thus far, which bodes well for the Capitals. Washington now has a 3-2 series lead.

Braden Holtby gave up four goals on 34 shots in Washington's 4-3 setback versus the Rangers on Wednesday night.
The Capitals and Rangers have each won both of their games at home. Holtby was solid and made some big saves, but he definitely wasn't his best in this one. The first goal of the game came when the Rangers intercepted a pass after he went out to play the puck against the left boards. Holtby carries a 2.20 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in the playoffs into Game 5.

The New York Rangers finally figured out Braden Holtby, who gave up four goals on 30 shots in a 4-3 loss Monday night.
Holtby had given up just one goal combined in Games 1 and 2 but his night got off to bad start when Brian Boyle found room on the short side from a sharp angle. Holtby played pretty well overall but faced a fair amount of shots thanks to the Rangers' six power plays and new philosophy of "shoot, shoot and shoot some more." Holtby will look to bounce back in Game 4 on Wednesday night.

Braden Holtby saved all 24 Rangers shots in a 1-0 overtime win on Saturday.
Holtby was probably the second best goaltender in this game, but that says more about how good the Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist was than anything. Either way, Holtby has been everything the Capitals have needed in this series. He's been giving them every opportunity to pick up wins in the 2013 playoffs and so far it's worked.

Braden Holtby will attempt to build on the momentum he created with his fine performance in Game 1 for Saturday afternoon's Game 2 against the Rangers.
Holtby was the difference Thursday night stopping 35 of 36 shots. He will have his work cut out for him Saturday afternoon as the Rangers are sure to be desperate for a win.

Braden Holtby made 32 saves in Washington's 3-2 overtime triumph over the Bruins on Saturday night.
Holtby has really found his game in April, sporting a season-best 2.16 goals-against average and .939 save percentage. Now he'll get read as he and the Capitals face the Rangers for the fourth time in five years in the postseason.

Braden Holtby will start on Saturday.
Holtby will be aiming for his ninth win in 11 games. He has a 2.61 GAA and .919 save percentage in 35 contests this season.

Braden Holtby blocked 24 of 27 shots in a 5-3 win over Winnipeg on Tuesday.
The victory clinched the Southeast Division championship for the Capitals, which is impressive considering the team's abysmal start to the lockout-shortened season. Holtby has racked up eight wins in his last nine starts and has been fairly dependable after a bit of a rocky start.

Braden Holtby should get the start in between the pipes against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.
Holtby is scorching hot with just one loss in his last eight games, but Tuesday's game is a huge one for the Caps' playoff positioning. The Jets are just a point behind the Capitals entering play tonight, but Washington could potentially ice Winnipeg's chances with a win in regulation.

Braden Holtby blocked 35 shots in Washington's easy 5-1 win over Montreal on Saturday night.
Holtby now has just one loss over his last eight games. The Capitals looked dead in the water a month ago, but now they're in the driver's seat for the playoffs, leading the division by three points. Holtby has a 2.64 goals-against average and .918 save percentage.

Braden Holtby will get the start in goal Saturday night against Montreal.
Not really much of a surprise as it will be Holtby's 29th start in the Caps' last 34 games.

Braden Holtby turned aside 35 of 37 shots Thursday, but the Capitals fell to Ottawa by a score of 3-1.
Holtby was quite effective in this contest despite suffering a loss after his teammates failed to offer much support. Given how well the netminder has played of late it would be unfair for his fantasy owners to gripe.

Braden Holtby got his 20th win of the year in a 29-save effort against Toronto Tuesday night.
The Capitals cruised to a 5-1 win on Tuesday. Holtby has won six straight outings and Capitals have been red hot with eight consecutive victories. Holtby and his teammates have shaken away from their early-season funks and they should be started confidently down the stretch.

Braden Holtby should be in net Tuesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Holtby has won five straight, although he did allow five goals in a 6-5 win Saturday night. As long as the Capitals remain hot, Hotlby is a solid start for most fantasy owners.

Goaltender Braden Holtby stopped 35 of 40 shots to contribute to the Washington Capitals' 6-5 overtime victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday night.
It was Holtby's fifth consecutive victory for the red-hot Capitals.

Braden Holtby will be in goal against the Lightning Saturday night.
He's on quite the winning streak right now with four consecutive victories. Start Holtby while he and the Caps are hot.

Braden Holtby turned aside 43 of 44 shots in a 2-1 win Thursday.
Holtby has now won four straight games. He had a disastrous start to the season, but has only gotten better as the season has gone on. It wouldn't be surprising to see him have a great showing in the postseason like he did last year.

Braden Holtby will get the nod for Washington Thursday night against Carolina.
Michal Neuvirth had started the Capitals' previous two games and he won them both, but coach Adam Oates just wanted to get him some playing time. Holtby will probably see the majority of the team's games down the stretch, but Neuvirth has showed recently that he is capable of stepping in to provide the team with some solid depth goaltending.

Braden Holtby made 27 saves in the Capitals' 4-3 win over the Panthers on Saturday night.
Holtby looked like he had an easy win in the books entering the third period with a 4-0 lead, then things slowly unraveled, with the Panthers getting 16 shots in the final frame. The netminder has a 16-11-1 record, 2.69 goals-against average and .915 save percentage on the year.

Braden Holtby blocked 35 of 36 shots Thursday to help the Capitals earn a 2-1 shootout victory over the Islanders.
The Washington win combined with Winnipeg's loss vaults the Capitals from 10th place all the way into third in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand on the Jets. Holtby has been a major reason for Washington's second half resurgence and will be leaned on heavily down the stretch.

Braden Holtby turned aside 31 shots in a 5-3 win over Carolina Tuesday.
He has 15 wins in 27 appearances in Washington's crease this campaign. The Capitals are just just two points behind Winnipeg for the Southeast Division lead.

It looks like Braden Holtby will get the start in net again Tuesday.
Holtby is the Devils' unquestioned starter in goal despite a recent loss to the Flyers in which he allowed five goals on 34 shots. He has struggled of late, but overall Holtby has been one of the few bright spots for the Caps all season.

Braden Holtby allowed five goals on 34 shots Sunday as the Capitals dropped a 5-4 overtime decision to Philadelphia.
If the Caps go on to miss postseason play this game will likely be the first they recall, as the team squandered a 4-2 third period advantage before losing in overtime. Holtby's role as the team's starter seems safe despite this poor outing.

Braden Holtby will be between the pipes Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers
Holtby blocked 20 shots in Washington's 4-3 triumph over the Sabres on Saturday night but will get the start Sunday. Backup goaltender Michal Neuvirth took a shot up high during Saturday's morning skate and isn't feeling well enough to start tonight in Philly.

Braden Holtby blocked 20 shots in Washington's 4-3 triumph over the Sabres on Saturday night.
Holtby's lucky his team saved him in the third period in order to prevent the loss. He gave up three goals on 15 shots through two periods. The netminder has a 2.67 goals-against average and .915 save percentage this season.

Braden Holtby will start in goal against the Sabres Saturday night.
Pretty soon there will be an APB for the whereabouts of Michal Neuvirth.

Braden Holtby made 28 saves in a 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
The defeat snapped Holtby's three-game winning streak and dropped his record to 13-11-0 on the year. He has had a bit of a roller coaster season, but he has been playing well on an improve Capitals team. Holtby also sits second in the league with four shutouts.

Braden Holtby will likely get the start Tuesday night.
Holtby will make his sixth straight start as the Capitals continue to rise up the Eastern Conference standings. Holtby is 13-10-0 on the season and should be started with confidence.

Braden Holtby allowed two goals on 32 shots on his way to a shootout win over the New York Rangers Sunday night.
With three straight wins to his credit Holtby's record now stands at 13-10-0 and the starter's job in Washington belongs solely to him. Continue starting him with confidence.

Braden Holtby will be between the pipes Sunday on the road at MSG against the New York Rangers.
Holtby entered the season in a competition with Michal Neuvirth for top dog in Washington but the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan native has taken control of the Caps' starting goalie gig. Holtby got off to a disappointing start in this 48-game shortened season, but is now a must start every time he's between the pipes.

The Capitals now are three points back of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
With two straight wins over Winnipeg, the Caps are also five out of the division lead. "We're getting in a groove, you can feel it in the dressing room," said goaltender Braden Holtby. "The guys are confident and guys are ready to make a push here. It's a good feeling and that's what we've been waiting for all year."

Capitals netminder Braden Holtby stopped 30 of 31 shots in a 6-1 victory over Winnipeg Friday night.
If only Holtby could play the Jets every night, as he has beaten them in three of his four matchups, including a pair of shutouts. Most recently, he turned away 50 of 51 shots over a two-game stretch, both victories.

Braden Holtby will be between the pipes for Washington again versus Winnipeg on Friday night.
Holtby has shut out the Jets twice this season, including Thursday's 20-save performance. It will also mark his fourth straight start.

Braden Holtby turned aside all 20 shots he faced in a 4-0 shutout win over Winnipeg Thursday night.
Shutouts aren't scored by degree of difficulty, but if they were this one wouldn't be rated too highly. No discredit to Holtby, who did everything he had to on the evening, but the Jets didn't muster too strong an attack for much of this contest.

Braden Holtby picked up another loss Tuesday, but he performed admirably in a 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh.
He has dropped three of his past four games, but he hasn't been particularly bad in any of them. Holtby made 34 saves in Tuesday's defeat to drop his record to 10-10-0 on the year.

It looks like Braden Holtby will get the call in net Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Holtby has had a seriously rough run of late, losing four of his last five starts and allowing six goals in two of those four losses. He remains the Caps' starting goalie but tonight's game against the Pens isn't exactly an easy matchup.

Braden Holtby allowed three goals on 30 shots Sunday en route to a 5-3 victory over the Sabres.
This gets Holtby back into the win column, after suffering back-to-back losses on the heels of a three-game win streak. He has established himself as the Capitals' go-to starter this season, pushing Michael Neuvirth aside in the process.

Braden Holtby blocked 32 of 35 shots in 4-0 loss versus Carolina Tuesday night.
He was much better in this defeat than he was in Sunday's loss to the New York Rangers, but he still came up short as his teammates couldn't find a way to beat Hurricanes netminder Justin Peters.

Braden Holtby is expected to get the start in goal Tuesday night.
Holtby was pulled during the second period of Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Rangers, but prior to that was in the midst of a three-game winning streak. We had been concerned that Sunday's effort could've led to more starts for Michael Neuvirth, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Braden Holtby made it through a little more than half of the Washington Capitals' 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Sunday.
Holtby was on a three-game winning streak going into this defeat. It's difficult to blame him for the loss, although this could open the door for Michal Neuvirth to begin getting more starts.

Braden Holtby will be between the pipes Sunday afternoon against the New York Rangers.
Holtby entered the season in a competition with Michal Neuvirth for top dog in Washington but the Lloydminster, Saskatchewan native has taken control of the Caps' starting goalie gig. Holtby now sports a 9-7-0 record with a 2.87 GAA and a .911 save percentage on the season. Neuvirth will be the backup this afternoon.

Braden Holtby will sit out Saturday afternoon's game against the Islanders but will play Sunday against the Rangers.
Rookie Phillipp Grubauer will get the call in the first of back-to-back games Saturday. Adjust your goaltending rotation accordingly.

Braden Holtby stopped 29 of 30 shots for the Capitals in a 7-1 blowout win over Florida Thursday.
Holtby has overcome a rocky start to the year and has become the reliable netminder many expected at the start of the year. He has made 11 consecutive starts for the Caps and now sports a 9-7-0 record on the season.

Braden Holtby will get his 11th consecutive start Thursday against Florida.
He has posted a 7-3 record, with two shutouts, a 2.20 GAA and a .932 save percentage in his last 10 games.

Braden Holtby turned aside 30 of 33 shots in Washington's 4-3 overtime win over Boston Tuesday.
Holtby made his 10th straight start Tuesday and he has been great during that stretch with seven wins. He allowed three goals on nine shots in the first period, but he shut the door the rest of the game to pave the way for the Capitals' comeback. Start him with confidence while he's hot.

Braden Holtby is expected to make his 10th straight start Tuesday night.
Holtby has pitched a shutout in two of his last three starts and finally appears to be rounding into form. Holtby entered the season in a platoon with Michal Neuvirth but has taken control of the Caps' starting goalie job with Neuvirth sidelined. At this point, it's clearly Holtby's net to lose.

Braden Holtby now has six shutouts in 35 career NHL games with the Washington Capitals.
Holtby stopped all 35 Jets shots in a 3-0 victory Saturday in Winnipeg."I just tried to relax," said Holtby, "and I've always seen the puck well in this rink. I don't know why, going back to the AHL. I was confident coming in that this was going to be a better game and I was going to be able to battle for some shots. Our team played a great game in front of me, and luckily we got the win." Holtby got off to a disappointing start in this 48-game shortened season, but has maybe finally turned a corner.

Braden Holtby saved all 35 Jets shots in a 3-0 victory Saturday.
Holtby has now earned three shutouts this season, but unfortunately he's also frustrated fantasy owners with several rough starts. Still, he has allowed just five goals in his last four starts, with four of those goals coming on Wednesday, so maybe he's finally turned a corner.

Braden Holtby will play between the pipes on Friday.
Holtby has a 3.26 GAA and .899 save percentage in 13 games this season. He allowed four goals on 18 shots in his 4-1 loss on Wednesday.

Braden Holtby didn't get out of the second period in Washington's 4-1 loss to the Flyers on Wednesday night.
Holtby gave up four goals on 18 shots and lasted 34:55 before being pulled for rookie Philip Grubauer. In his first action in the NHL, the 21-year-old Grubauer was a perfect 14-for-14. Even with a young goaltending core, Grubauer is considered the future between the pipes for the Capitals.

Braden Holtby defended all 33 Carolina shots in a 3-0 win Tuesday night.
The Washington netminder has been much better recently and has won five of his past seven outings. The goose egg was his second of the season and it helped raise his save percentage to .905 on the year.

Braden Holtby is expected to start on Tuesday for the Washington Capitals.
It will be Holtby's first start since inking a two-year/$3.7 million contract with Washington. He's gotten off to a disappointing start, but turned aside 21 of 22 shots against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

The Washington Capitals have signed Braden Holtby to a two-year/$3.7 million contract extension.
Holtby would have become a restricted free agent this summer. He was phenomenal during the 2012 playoffs, but he's struggled this season with a 3.37 GAA and .896 save percentage in 11 games. This deal gives him plenty a healthy amount of time to find out what kind of goaltender Holtby will grow into before they potentially make a long-term commitment.

Braden Holtby saved 21 of 22 shots in a 5-1 win Saturday afternoon.
Holtby has won four of his last six games, giving him a 5-6-0 record this season. He now has a 3.37 GAA and .896 save percentage in 11 contests in 2013.

Braden Holtby will play between the pipes on Saturday.
Holtby has already made five straight starts, but his numbers have been less than appealing from a fantasy perspective. He has an ugly 3.62 GAA and .891 save percentage in 10 games this season.

Braden Holtby allowed three goals on 37 shots in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of New Jersey Thursday night.
The Capitals clung to a 2-1 lead midway through the third period until a parade of penalties gave the Devils five consecutive power plays, a barrage Holtby couldn't withstand. Michal Neuvirth isn't far off, but Holtby has still played well enough to hang on to the starting gig.

Braden Holtby drew praise for how well he played Sunday night, but he didn't get enough help.
Holtby made 38 saves, 29 in a row. "You know he's not going to make every single one of them. He made more than enough to try and win us the game tonight," winger Troy Brouwer said. "It's as well as I've seen him play. He gave us lots of opportunities to win it, unfortunately we couldn't help him out." While it seems he's the team's goalie for now, Holtby needs to string together a few more outings like this before fantasy owners can feel confident using him.

Braden Holtby stopped 38 of 40 shots Sunday, but was saddled with a loss in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the New York Rangers.
Holtby certainly played well enough in this game to earn his fourth straight win, but simply didn't receive enough support to do so. Despite having his winning streak snapped, Holtby should be between the pipes again for Washington's next game.

Braden Holtby will be between the pipes on Sunday on the road against the New York Rangers.
Holtby will get a fourth consecutive start Sunday and will face a tough Rangers squad in the process. Holtby and the Caps have now won three straight games and seem to be righting the ship after a scuffling start to the year. The 23-year-old netminder has solidified his role as the team's starting netminder.

Braden Holtby, who has won three straight starts, will likely be in goal Sunday evening against the Rangers.
His strong play of late has led the Caps to a mini-winning streak and has relegated Michal Neuvirth to backup duty for the time being. Ride Holtby while he is hot.

Braden Holtby allowed three goals on 30 shots in Washington's 4-3 win over the Lightning on Thursday.
Holtby and the Caps have now won three straight games and seem to be righting the ship after a scuffling start to the year. If nothing else, Holtby has solidified his role as the team's starting netminder.

Braden Holtby will get the nod for Washington Thursday against Tampa Bay.
He has won his past two starts for the Capitals, so it was expected that he would get the call again for a third straight game. Holtby has struggled this year, while posting a 3-4-0 record with an .874 save percentage and a 4.03 GAA. It's probably a good idea to only start him against favorable matchups until he can show signs of returning to the form he displayed during the 2011 playoffs.

Braden Holtby didn't paint a Picasso Tuesday night, but he did pick up his second straight win in the Washington cage.
Holtby allowed five goals on 32 shots in a 6-5 overtime win over Florida Tuesday after he recorded a 23-save shutout against the Panthers on Saturday. The 23-year-old netminder will probably be happy to take the win at this point though, as it likely means he'll continue to stay a leg up on Michal Neuvirth for the Capitals' top goalie job for now.

Braden Holtby is projected to start in net again Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.
Holtby pitched a 27-save shutout over the Panthers on Saturday and another good effort could help him create some separation from Michal Neuvirth. For the season, Holtby is 2-4-0 a 3.86 GAA and an .879 save percentage.

Braden Holtby is projected to start on Monday.
Holtby will try to build off of his 27-save shutout on Saturday. He struggled early on this season and consequently has a 3.86 GAA and .879 save percentage in six games.

One day after being called out by GM George McPhee, Braden Holtby stopped all 27 Florida Panthers shots en route to his first shutout of the season.
It's the fourth shutout of Holtby's career and easily his best start of the season. Fellow goalie Michal Neuvirth hasn't impressed at all, so it's entirely possible this start will earn Holtby another start Tuesday against the Panthers.

As reported Friday, Braden Holtby will get the start against the Panthers Saturday night.
Both Caps goalies have been terrible this season, and until one gets on a positive roll, we can expect Caps coach Adam Oates to keep flip flopping.

It appears Braden Holtby will get the start in net Saturday against the Panthers.
Neither Holtby nor Michal Neuvirth have been anything worth starting in most fantasy formats this season, but this news could help those of you desperate for goalie starts.

Braden Holtby became the goalie of record when he entered Thursday's game in relief of starter Michal Neuvirth.
Holtby allowed three goals on 17 shots, while Neuvirth permitted two goals on 11 shots before getting the hook in the second period. Holtby has a 1-4-0 record on the year, but Neuvirth has struggled as well while posting a mark of 1-4-1.

It was a rough Super Bowl Sunday for Braden Holtby, who allowed six goals in a 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Some were surprised that Holtby wasn't pulled for Michal Neuvirth sometime in the second period. The two young goalies have been in a tug-o-war for the top spot; it wouldn't be surprising to see Neuvirth play in Washington's next game after the tough outing for Holtby.

Braden Holtby will get the nod against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
Holtby kicked out 29 of 31 shots in Washington's 3-2 win on Friday. The Capitals are likely to ride the hot hand for most of the season, so Holtby could put together a string of starts.

Braden Holtby sticked aside 29 shots in Washington's 3-2 win versus the Flyers on Friday night.
The preseason favorite to be the team's number one in net hadn't started since Jan. 22. Prior to this game, Holtby had given up 10 goals in his two starts, so this was certainly a confidence-building effort. That being said, it still seems like Michal Neuvirth is Adam Oates' starter at this point and this goaltending situation is one to stay away from right now in fantasy leagues.

It appears Braden Holtby will get the start in goal Friday night.
Holtby hasn't played a game in 10 days after giving up 10 goals combined in his first two starts of the season, both of which he lost. Michal Neuvirth fared a bit better, but the Capitals still have won just one game on the season, which also happened to be the only game they allowed less than three goals in a game. We'll have to see if the time off has done Holtby any good, but right now, the Caps' goalie picture looks pretty toxic from a fantasy perspective.

Capitals netminder Braden Holtby was beaten four times on 39 shots in a 4-2 loss to Winnipeg Tuesday night,
Holtby certainly wasn't terrible in this contest, but he now stands winless in two opportunities this season and will probably find himself looking on from the bench as Michal Neuvirth gets his first start of the year.

Braden Holtby is the probable starter for Washington on Tuesday night versus Winnipeg after he left the ice first following the team's morning skate.
The Capitals will host the Jets in their home opener, so Holtby will get the chance to redeem himself in front of a crowd that witnessed his heroics during the 2012 playoffs. Holtby was burned for six goals against on 34 shots versus the Lightning on Saturday, but he still has plenty of upside in Washington's crease this season and beyond.

Braden Holtby kicked out 28 of 34 shots in Washington's 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Holtby entered this season surrounded by a lot of hype and that will likely to dissipate after this performance. All the same, it's too early to worry about him. He won't match his 2012 playoff numbers, but he should still be a solid goaltender while battling for playing time with Michal Neuvirth.

Braden Holtby will start for the Washington Capitals in the season opener on Saturday.
In the long run, Michal Neuvirth will get plenty of chances to prove his worth and both goaltenders will compete for the starting job. Although Holtby seems to have the inside track, you're better off grabbing both goaltenders if you plan to take either.

Washington coach Adam Oates expects to play both Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth in the shortened season.
"Forty-eight games, I think both guys are going to play a lot, and I would say when a guy is playing well, he should play," Oates said. The new bench boss said he will lean on goalie coaches Dave Prior and Olaf Kolzig for guidance, while speaking regularly with his netminders himself as well.

Capitals goaltenders should be able to hit the ground running once the season starts, if a deal can be reached within the week.
Braden Holtby (AHL) and Michal Neuvirth (Czech League) have both been playing during the lockout. "Obviously, they're going to be in game shape, so that has to be a good thing," Capitals coach Adam Oates said. "I don't think there's any perfect formula, but the fact both of those guys have been playing is good." Holtby was just named the AHL's Goaltender of the Month for December, and he has a 2.15 goals-against average and .932 save percentage on the year. Neuvrith has posted a 2.46 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in 23 games for Sparta Praha.

Braden Holtby received the nod for the AHL Goaltender of the Month for December on Tuesday.
He was remarkable between the pipes for Hershey in 10 appearances, while posting three shutouts with a 1.69 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage. He allowed just one goal or fewer in six of his 10 starts in December. His 5-4-1 record is disappointing considering how well he played though.