Boudreau named Capitals coach on permanent basis

By Steve Ginsburg

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bruce Boudreau was rewarded for engineering the Washington Capitals' success over the last month by being named coach on a permanent basis, the team said on Wednesday.

Washington is 8-5-3 since Boudreau took over in an interim capacity when Glen Hanlon was fired on November 22. Terms of the deal were not announced.

"By no means is there any comfortability in my situation," Boudreau told reporters.

"My job is to win and then re-evaluate everything at the end of the year."

"I'm not worrying about if I have three, four, five, two, one more year after this. It doesn't make any difference. My job is the next four months and to win."

His first game as permanent coach was a success, a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday.

Despite Boudreau's winning record, the Capitals are still mired in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 14-19-4 mark.

Boudreau, 52, has coached more than 1,000 games in the minor leagues before getting called to the Capitals' bench.

Known as a disciplinarian, Boudreau compiled a 103-45-11-16 record with Washington's minor league affiliate, the Hershey Bears, including an American Hockey League-best 51-17-6-6 last season.

WINNING MENTALITY

"As a coach his record speaks for itself," Capitals defenseman Brian Pothier said. "He understands what it takes to win games and he's brought that winning mentality to us.

"If guys are struggling, he'll figure out a way to get them playing again."

Defenseman Mike Green, who played for Boudreau at Hershey before being called up, said: "Not only is he a great coach, he's a great person.

"What he's done over the last month has been fantastic.

"He demands a lot. There is no room for error or losing. He puts it in our minds that we're going to win every night."