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Hunter has history of coaching against Crosby

By WTOP Staff

Ben Raby, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – One day after dropping his NHL coaching debut, Dale Hunter turned his attention to Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The rival Penguins lead the Eastern Conference with a 14-7-4 record and are seven points clear of the tenth-place Capitals, though Washington has played two fewer games.

Thursday’s game will be the Penguin’s first visit to Verizon Center since February, and it will also mark Sidney Crosby’s first game against the Caps since last season’s Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The 2007 NHL MVP returned to the Penguins lineup last Tuesday after being sidelined for ten months with a concussion.

Crosby hasn’t missed a beat since returning, recording two goals and 11 points in his first five games. The Penguins are 3-1-1 over that span, and Crosby was recognized by the NHL Monday as its First Star of the Week.

The Capitals are plenty familiar with Crosby, having faced the Penguins captain 29 times since 2005, and know what to expect come Thursday.

Hunter also knows a thing or two about coaching against Crosby, having done so in Canadian junior hockey at the 2005 Memorial Cup.

Hunter’s 2004-05 London Knights went 59-7-2 during the regular season before winning their first Ontario Hockey League championship in 40 years.

The Knights were laden with talent with future NHLers Corey Perry, Rob Schremp, Dave Bolland, Dan Girardi and Marc Methot.

After sweeping the round-robin portion of the Memorial Cup, including a 4-3 win over Crosby’s Rimouski Oceanic, the only thing that stood in the Knights’ way of a national championship was a rematch with the Quebec champions and their 17-year-old phenom “Sid the Kid.”

It was billed as a championship game, pitting one of the best teams in Canadian junior hockey history against one of greatest players.

Crosby was dominant in his final year of junior hockey, recording 66 goals and 168 points in 62 games.

“He was special,” Hunter recalled Wednesday. “We had to put a checking line against him and [give him] special attention. He still scored points and goals but we limited them anyways. He was so strong on his skates at that age, too. He was 17 and to dominate junior like he did, and to play against an older team – we had a lot of 19 year old kids – right away you knew he was a special player.”

After Crosby collected a goal and an assist in their round-robin meeting, the Knights were able to shut him and the entire Oceanic roster down in a 4-0 London victory in the final.

Two months later, Crosby was selected first overall by the Penguins in the 2005 NHL entry draft.

“He’s a special player, just like Alex [Ovechkin] is,” Hunter said in response to what he expects from Crosby Thursday. “He’s the type of guy that you have to give special attention to just like Ovi gets too. So we have to be aware of him at all times on the ice.”

“He’s got a strong core and lower body so if you go too hard on him, he’ll spin on you and be gone. So you have to be smart, contain him and get help.”

Catch the Capitals and Penguins Thursday at 7:05. Coverage begins with Caps Pregame on Federal News Radio- WFED 1500AM and online.

(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All rights reserved.)

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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