I was messing around on the Caps website and the Image of the Day caught my attention. It showed just a black eye, so immediately I thought it must be Hunter...Berube...Tinordi...someone of the same ilk. I couldn't quite place the eye in question, though, so I clicked on it and had to laugh when I saw...
...none other than Mr. Lady Byng himself, Adam Oates! How much you want to bet that was from walking into a wall in the middle of the night or something? No way was that the result of a fight, that's for sure.
Speaking of the Image of the Day, anyone else notice they've been going a little old school lately? I don't usually look too carefully, but I happened to see this a few days ago:
If it isn't our very own Postgame Live co-host, Joe Reekie! And my heavens, could that be James Black standing behind him? (That's right, I said my heavens...I'm not proud, believe me.)
And of course, let us all bow down to the Secretary of Defense...
Ah, the memories.
By the way, this post served as nothing more than a reminder that no - I truly have nothing better to do with my time.
Like you needed confirmation of that fact.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Kickin' It Old School
Monday, November 20, 2006
Underrated Hero
- Much has been made over the last few days about the recent courageousness shown by captain Chris Clark, who got hit in the face by a puck in the loss to the Bruins Wednesday night. After taking a clearing attempt square in the mouth, losing some teeth and fracturing his palate, Clark remained on the ice until the Caps finally iced the puck.
I guess I just don't know why everyone is so surprised.
It was amazing and brave...and downright Clark-like. Honestly, any of us who have watched him over the last season and a half know the heart, the work, the energy that the captain brings to the ice each and every game. He's one of those rare players who doesn't take off a night and who rarely gives less than 110% during each shift. Even before he had the 'C' stitched on his chest, Clark was leading by example, working in the trenches and helping his two well-known linemates reach new offensive heights.
This is why we love him so much - said Clark this morning (as reported by Mike Vogel), "[t]here’s no sense in laying on the ice. My legs didn’t break; I could get up and skate."
True, he could still skate. In fact, if his mouth hadn't been filling up with blood, I'd bet that Clarkie would have finished the game. He's just that kind of player. Missing teeth and mouth pain can wait - there's a game going on. It's for this reason, among many others, that Clark is one of the most underrated players in the league today. For all his hard work and, this season, offensive production, most casual fans wouldn't be able to pick him out of a lineup.
But that's okay. We know what we have.
By the way, I love the end of Vogel's post today - after he had described the injury to Clark and repairs that poor Clarkie had to undergo, he had this to say about the Wizards:
Wait, this just in. One of the basketball dudes had a back bruise. Oh. No wonder there was such concern. Hope he is okay now. At least he didn’t get soap in his eyes. That can really hurt.
Hilarious.
- Every day it seems like I find yet another blogger who is calling for Zubrus to be on the ballot as a write-in. All of these posts, whether they came before me or after me, can only help the cause (and validate my rantings so I know I'm not completely insane...) Add Bleatings from a Caps Nut to the growing list of crazy Caps fans who know the worth of one Dainius Zubrus.
But just putting it on a blog isn't going to be enough - people, it's time to get out there and preach to the non-choir. Tell your friends, co-workers, siblings, grandparents, enemies; show them stats, screen highlight videos, or just point them in the direction of any Caps blog. Hell, if you have to, find some women (or men, I'm not judging) with puckbunny potential and show them a picture of good ol' Zubie before sitting them down at a computer to vote.
I'd say he's vote-worthy, am I right ladies?
Or men, I'm not judging...
The Soundtrack of My Life
Next to hockey, one of my favorite things has to be music. I love all kinds of music - rock, pop, classical, and yes, even a little bit country...and a little bit rock and roll.
Sorry, Donny and Marie snuck in somehow.
Anyways, I started thinking about what the soundtrack of a hockey game would be - let's face it, there's so rarely a moment of silence in a game. Every second is filled with some song or another, and these songs in turn get burned into our brains and are then forever tied to this great sport. I myself have been programmed to think of hockey whenever I hear these songs:
- Hockey Night in Canada Theme Song (well, duh...)
- Where the Streets Have No Name by U2
- We Will Rock You by Queen (although I can't remember the last time I heard the actual version and not the organ at Verizon Center)
- Crazy Train by Black Sabbath
- Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith
- Hard to Handle by Black Crowes
- Runnin' Down a Dream by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
- Jump by Van Halen
- Rock and Roll Part II by Gary Glitter (actually, now I think of a creepy guy with child porn on his computer...)
- Blitzkrieg Bop by The Ramones
- Running on Ice by Billy Joel
- I Wanna Drive the Zamboni by The Zambonis
- Zombie Nation by Kernkraft 400
- The Final Countdown by Europe
- Na, Na, Hey, Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) by Steam
And of course...
- The Good Old Hockey Game by Stompin' Tom Conners
But then I thought, well most of those songs are pretty common among all sporting events. All that's missing is "Who Let the Dogs Out" and you've got yourself a baseball game. So I started to think what the soundtrack of the Capitals would be, both past and present, and here's what I came up with so far. I may add to this as I think of more - let me know if you have suggestions!
Past:
- Inaugural season: Thriller by Michael Jackson
- Early to mid-80s: Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar or No More Mr. Nice Guy by Alice Cooper
- 2003-04 season: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot
- Aftermath of 2003-04 season: Changes by David Bowie
- 2004-05 season: The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel
Present:
- Underdog Theme Song
- With a Little Help from My Friends by the Beatles
- The Future's So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades) by Timbuk 3
- Keep the Faith by Bon Jovi
- A New Day Has Come by Celine Dion
- Hit Me with Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar (for a different reason...poor Olie and Johnny)
- Hurts So Good by John Cougar
- All Star by Smashmouth, in honor of Ovie, Olie and Zubie
- Patience by Guns N' Roses
- Getting Better by the Beatles
- I'm Sorry by Brenda Lee or I Might Be Wrong by Radiohead - aka the theme songs for the mainstream hockey media
And just in case...
Future:
- We Are the Champions by Queen
Hey, it could happen!
Saturday, November 18, 2006
OT Zone Eludes Caps
I’ll admit it – for all my optimism and rose-colored analysis, I was a little worried.
I saw the lineup. I saw the injuries. I saw the Bruins take a quick 1-0 lead. And all I could think was, this is going to be messy.
But for the first time in a very long time, the Caps came out and played a hard-fought, physical game and earned a point in the process.
Obviously I would have preferred that they get a win after such a thorough performance and they came close several times. But the combination of bad penalties in the last 25 minutes, solid goaltending by Tim Thomas, and of course the gwg by Glen Murray prevented the Caps from earning their 9th win on the season.
Still, I was very impressed with how the Caps came out tonight, particularly considering that they were playing the second of back-to-back games and were without some of their key players. Despite giving up the early lead, the Caps bounced back and continued to work for almost the entire game. Everyone was taking the body and rushing the net, putting shots on Thomas to get him scurrying around in the crease. I especially liked the feistiness and the way they stuck up for each other all night – late hits and cheap shots were quickly answered The only problem was the lack of offensive support for Johnson, who put together yet another great game in net.
I could point out various lines that worked tonight, but it’s nearly impossible to name one that sticks out…or that remained intact for the entire game. Hanlon obviously was using the openings created by injuries to give some of the younger guys more chances, rotating players onto a line with Ovechkin or putting them out on special teams. And for the most part, they performed well – the top line of Ovie, Klepis and Clymer was a really interesting line that generated some chances early, and later on a line with Zednik, Klepis connected for his first goal of the season to tie the game on a beautiful breakaway.
Overall this was the mirror image of the last game between Washington and Boston. It was an exciting, well played game by both teams - compare that with the snoozefest on Wednesday and its like night and day. Unfortunately it didn’t end up the Caps’ way again, but they do earn yet another point on the road for 12 overall. To put that into perspective, it took them until mid-January of last year to get that many points on the road.
So the rebuilding process continues and the Caps will no doubt take away more lessons from tonight’s game. Younger guys were given the chance to step up in the absence of veterans and performed very well, while the veterans still standing had good games in their own right.
No good/bad tonight – they played well all around and I don’t want to pick that apart too much even with the loss. The Caps return to DC tonight or tomorrow and will have 3 days off before returning to action on Wednesday against the Thrashers. They’ll need the rest, as Atlanta continues to be hot (although they were dropped by my Habs tonight, 3-1 – go Habs go!)
Gameday Preview: Caps vs. Bruins
Who: Your Nation's Capitals vs. Boston Bruins
Where: TD Banknorth Garden
100 Legends Way
Boston, MA 02114
When: Saturday, November 18, 2006, 7:00 pm
Broadcast Information: The CW, WTNT-570 AM; NESN, WBZ Radio
Media Notes:
WashingtonCaps.com
BostonBruins.com
Washington Post
Washington Times
Washington Times 2
Rally Helmets
Boston Globe
Boston Herald
2006-2007 Season Series: Caps 0-0-1, Bruins 1-0-0
2006-2007 Standings: Caps 8-6-5, 21 points - 4th in division, 8th in conference; Bruins 7-7-2, 16 points - 4th in division, 13th in conference
Last Game: November 15, 2006 in Washington, Caps lose 3-2 in shootout
- I don't think I have to go over this game again so soon. If you really can't remember, check out the postgame coverage from the mainstream media and the bloggers of the Caps world:
DCCheapSeats (That's Me!)
NHL.com
Off-Wing Opinion
Random Reality Thoughts
Washington Times
Bleatings from a Caps Nut
Boston Globe
The Bench Minor
Etc...
Things to Look for:
- Last night's loss to the Canes was the second straight game that the Caps have come out flat and fallen behind. One could argue that the games against the Rangers and Panthers didn't showcase the Caps best ability, either - I'd like to see our boys come out really flying and (wait, here's the tricky part) maintain the energy and the pressure through the whole 60 minutes. It's a tall order, but it could happen.
- It looks like not only will Clark be out again, but Semin has injured his shoulder and it's unclear whether he will play against the B's. This injury bug is starting to cramp my style...
- The Caps shuffled some lines and returned Beech and Laich to the lineup last night, and I think they both played fairly well. They'll need to step up with the injuries to Clark and Semin - there will be some minutes to eat up with those two out of the lineup.
- After maintaining a fairly consistent offensive pace to start the season, the Caps have managed only 3 goals in their last two games. Between that and the high number of shots they've allowed, the Caps will have to showcase some strong defense from every player on the ice to shut down the Bruins.
- Boston has won 3 straight games, all in the extra frame - maybe the Caps could try and win the game in regulation. It's just a thought...
I think Vogel's still recovering from tonight's game and is probably traveling with the boys up to Boston, so I don't have lineups yet - I'll hopefully be able to put them up sometime tomorrow. I'm guessing that Johnny will be in net tonight, and I'd assume that Laich and Beech will stay in while Muir may sit out after giving Heward a night off last night.
**Update** - Vogel rocks and was able to get the lineups on the website at the crack of dawn this morning. I, on the other hand, enjoy sleep just slightly more than hockey so I'm adding them now...
Forwards:
8-Alex "3 Shots???" Ovechkin, 9-Dainius "Battered and Bruised" Zubrus, 20-Richard "the Big Time" Zednik
38-Jakub "Fancy Hands" Klepis, 24-Kris "Life's a" Beech, 18-Matt "Shortie" Pettinger
10-Matt "Enrique" Bradley, 16-Brian "to the Net" Sutherby, 27-Ben "the Glory" Clymer
21-Brooks "What's Not to" Laich, 15-Boyd "Big Bird, Susan, and" Gordon, 87-Donald "Piano Man" Brashear
Defensemen:
2-Brian "Ready, Aim..." Pothier, 26-Shaone "Down Goes Jagr" Morrisonn
47-Bryan "the Return of" Muir, 52-Mike "It's Not Easy Being" Green
4-John "Old School" Erskine, 44-Steve "You Have to Admit, It's Getting Better" Eminger
Goaltenders:
1-Brent "Heeeere's Johnny!" Johnson, 37-Olie "Blindfold and Cigarette" Kolzig
Projected Lineup for the Bruins
Forwards:
11-PJ Axelsson, 91-Marc "Rally Cap" Savard, 27-Glen Murray
16-Marco "Strict and" Sturm, 37-Patrice "the Game-Winner" Bergeron, 26-Brad "Spasms" Boyes
13 - Stanislav Chistov, 81-Phil "I Was Gonna Be #1...Really!" Kessel, 17 - Petr Tenkrat
18-Mark "Lawn" Mowers, 20-Wayne Primeau, 22-Shean "Shaone" Donovan
Defensemen:
33-Zdeno "Tiny" Chara, 41-Andrew "Fat" Alberts
6-Brad Stuart, 23-Paul Mara
21-Nathan "Hot Dog" Dempsey, 68-Milan Jurcina
Goaltenders:
30-Tim "Crazy Legs" Thomas, 60-Brian "the Unknown" Finley
Canes Capitalize
It's a darn shame that post #100 will be spent talking about a Caps loss, but what can you do...hard to believe I've rambled on about nothing 100 times, right?
I think what is most frustrating about tonight's game is not that the Caps lost (although that's bad enough) or that they lost to Carolina (also pretty annoying). It's that once again they failed to play up to the standard that they have set for themselves and that we as fans have started to expect from them this season.
Some might say tonight was a true test of how far the Caps had really come - it's one thing to beat slumping teams like Philadelphia or Ottawa, but it's another to face the defending Stanley Cup champs who are playing at the same level they were last summer. Because while there were things they could do better, the Caps actually didn't play that badly. Don't get me wrong, they didn't play great, either, but the bigger factor was that Carolina was able to just shut them down. I think that the game tonight should serve as a reality check that, while the season has thus far been a success, there is still work to be done and the rebuilding process is an ongoing one.
It's also important to realize that tonight was just one game out of 81. There will be more losses like this one, maybe even against the Canes...but there will also be good nights. Clark will be back, Semin will start to score, and those chances and unlucky bounces will start to go the Caps way again.
But I fear I have gotten too deep and sentimental about this one loss, so on to the good/bad portion of our evening -
Good:
- Pettinger really seems to be hitting his stride, something that has obviously not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff. Towards the end of the evening Petty was getting time on the top line with Zubie and Ovie, as well as minutes on both the power play and penalty killing units.
- After missing six games to injury, Richard Zednik returned to the lineup and got a power play goal to cut the Hurricanes' lead to 2...for a while, at least. He had some good puck possession and seemed to grow more comfortable as the night went on, although his lazy defense did cost the Caps another goal.
- Despite being outshot for most of the first period, the Caps did manage to limit the total shots on goal to 29 - hey, I'm just happy when it stays in double digits these days.
Bad:
- 22 shots on goal against a goalie who has sat out eleven straight games just isn't going to cut it. Actually, 22 shots on any goalie regardless of rust just isn't going to cut it. There wasn't enough traffic in front of the net to collect rebounds and rack up the shots, so even the shots they did get were mostly not scoring chances
- Penalty killing was less than spectacular tonight, as the Caps surrendered 2 quick goals on back to back power plays. It turns out that was all the Canes would need - once again specialty teams would play a huge role in a game's outcome.
- I'm so rarely right about anything, so I was surprised that my nicknames actually came true for the Cole-Brind'Amour-Whitney line...sorry, folks!
- The whole first period was bizarre for both teams - neither seemed to really have a feel for the ice and the two teams combined for only 16 shots on goal total.
Tomorrow night the Caps get a chance for revenge as they travel to Boston for the second of home and home games with the Bruins. It's time to nip this little losing streak in the bud!
Friday, November 17, 2006
Hot Off the Presses
- NHL.com's Southeast Division report takes a look at...you guessed it, the Caps!! Get this - they're actually saying we could compete for the division title. It's quite a gushy article, and definitely a must-read for all Caps fans suffering from an inferiority complex after Wednesday's loss.
- Updated lineups per Vogel and Vogel...I guess the shuffling of lines worked before the Flyers game, so it could work tonight, too.
8-Ovechkin, 9-Zubrus, 20-Zednik
28-Semin, 24-Beech, 18-Pettinger
10-Bradley, 16-Sutherby, 27-Clymer
21-Laich, 15-Gordon, 87-Brashear
2-Pothier, 26-Morrisonn
47-Muir, 52-Green
4-Erskine, 44-Eminger
- Beech is back on a line with Semin, which hopefully will kickstart 2.0’s scoring. I seem to recall that the slump started when Beech was taken out in favor of Klepis, and part of that has to be tied to Beech’s success in the faceoff circle. He’s able to corral the puck and therefore control the play, allowing Semin to be more fluid and create more offense.
- After sitting out as a healthy scratch for the last few games, Muir is once again back in the lineup, replacing Jamie Heward. I'm not really sure of the reasoning, but Muir has been pretty decent so far.
- Brooks Laich returns to the lineup from the doghouse, er, press box. I really hope he starts to pick it up - he was one of my favorite players last year and I know he can do more than what he's shown so far. In my opinion there's no harm in giving him a nice long look this time around - Klepis and Fleischmann both have had long stints in the lineup and neither has really produced, at least on the scoreboard. They've both played pretty decently, though. Am I the only one who thinks they need to be on a line together? They seemed to have chemistry last year...
- And finally - the return of the Z-man! Clark is out so Zednik will take his place on the wing of our top line with two of our all-star candidates (see how I snuck that in? Persistence, baby!) This didn't really work opening night, but I'm hoping that was more a product of the entire team coming out flat and not a result of bad chemistry.
Grass Keeps Growing
Our little grassroots campaign to get Zubrus on the All-Star ballot keeps gathering steam!
I'll keep mentioning anyone who adds to this movement by talking about and/or supporting it in the hopes that by visiting any Caps blog you will be bombarded by our message...brainwashing is fun!
Today's contributors:
DC Sports Bog
The Sin Bin
And don't forget, you can vote as many times as you want - voting goes until January 2. That means we have just a little over 6 weeks left to jam those ballot boxes!
Gameday Preview: Caps vs. Canes
Who: Your Nation's Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Where: Verizon Center
601 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
When: Friday, November 17, 2006, 7:00 pm
Broadcast Info: Comcast Sportsnet, WTNT-570 AM; FSN, Hurricanes Radio Network
Media Notes:
WashingtonCaps.com
Game Notes in PDF
CarolinaHurricanes.com
Raleigh News & Observer
Washington Post
Washington Times
NHL.com
I found this on the News & Observer site and found it...bizarre. See for yourself (warning - this is a cartoon with sound): Peter Karmanos & Ric Flair
2006-2007 Season Series - Caps 1-1-0, Canes 1-1-0
2006-2007 Standings - Caps 8-5-5, 21 points - 3rd in division, 7th in conference; Canes 10-7-3, 23 points - 2nd in division, 6th in conference
Last Game: Nov. 9, 2006 in Carolina, Caps lost 5-0
- The Caps were actually in this one until the third period thanks to continued strong goaltending from Brent Johnson. Johnny faced 39 shots on the night, including 17 in the third period when the wheels basically came off. No fault of Johnny's, though - the Caps really hung him out to dry at the end.
- Once again a slow start made the hole a little deeper for the Caps to crawl out of - they mustered only 3 shots in the first period and fell behind just over 5 minutes into the game, giving the Canes all they would need to even the season series.
- Erik Cole taught the Caps a lesson in going to the net, as he scored 3 times (3 different ways, might I add) including the game winner early in the first.
- Truer words were never spoken: after the game, Hanlon commented that "[it] is a lot better for us to lose this game 5-0 than for (Johnson) to make four more incredible saves and walk out of here kidding ourselves that it was a 1-0 hockey game..." I'd say it was better too - their next game they came out flying against a very talented Ranger team and put together a convincing 3-1 win.
Things to Look for:
- After a preseason that saw the Caps taking penalty after penalty, Glen Hanlon stated that the goal was to average no more than 6 penalties a game. Just more proof that Hanlon is a little bit psychic - the Caps have been whistled 7+ times during 6 different games. Their record for those 6 games? 1 win, 5 losses. The Caps must must must stay out of the penalty box. I'm running out of ways to say it.
- Carolina has a very potent offense - they have several lines that can score on you and the Caps have seen it firsthand over the last two seasons. Defense has to be solid from every single player. No lazy passes, no giving up on a fight along the boards, no letting Carolina set up in front of the net. When they take the body they also have to then control the puck, something they still seem to have a problem with. This of course would apply to any game, but apparently it needs to be said.
- Zednik and Zubrus are probable for tonight's game, but apparently Chris Clark is indefinite after getting a high stick in the mouth Wednesday night. It'll be good to have Zednik back, but I'm nervous about the outcome if Clark and/or Zubie sit it out - we all saw what happened when our top line was broken up opening night.
- Tonight's game needs to be about revenge - I know that sounds awful, but the Caps need to learn how to take their embarassment from one game and turn it around the next game. They were spanked in their second meeting with the Canes and last night they lost again in a shootout to a Bruins team that is bringing up the rear in the Northeast Division. Plus, let's not forget Tim Gleason's knee on knee against Ovie at the home opener.
Forwards:
8-Alex "Mama's Boy" Ovechkin, 9-Dainius "All-Star" Zubrus, 17-Chris "Jekyll and Hyde" Clark
Defensemen:
Goaltenders:
Projected Lineup for the Hurricanes
24-Scott “Southern Hockey Rocks!” Walker, 12-Eric “the First” Staal, 11-Justin Williams
Defensemen:
Goaltenders:
30-Cam “the Overworked” Ward, 47-John “the Benchwarmer” Grahame
We got ourselves the makings, folks - stay tuned for another thrilling Southeast Showdown in the Phone Booth!
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Boys Being Boys
To continue my rapid-fire posting (who can tell I don't want to do any work today?)...
- Just a little update on my push for Zubie to go to Dallas - it appears that Southeast Shootout beat me to it, but I don't care...whatever get's him on that ballot!
- Dan Steinberg has to be one of my favorite people - his DC Sports Bog is so much fun. He just has a way of reporting on the activities in the Caps dressing room that make you feel like you're really there.
Ah, if only.
Anyways, here are a few more gems from the past two days to make those last few hours of the workday go by that much quicker:
Rock On, Caps
Papa's Got a Brand New...Helmet
- And last but not least on this rainy Thursday afternoon - little Greenie (finally) gets his props, as does the entire Caps team:
* Defenseman Mike Green has been a pleasant surprise for Washington as a rookie this year. A first-round pick two years ago, Green has seven points and a plus-5 rating in 16 outings [Edit - reverse those numbers, kids... 5 points and a plus-7.]I know it's just a little blurb, but that's my job...to bring those obscure, tiny little mentions of the Caps to the forefront for your reading pleasure.
* By the way, the Capitals are off to their best start since 1991-92 and, one could argue that their star, Alex Ovechkin, has yet to play his best hockey.
Dainius Zubrus, You're My Hero
I've mentioned it in passing and I've ranted about it before, but I am now kicking off my official campaign to:
My goal is to get all Caps bloggers (and maybe just some good hockey fans) on board with me and mention this on their blogs - we're going to canvas the Caps-fan population with our message!
Great minds think alike: Random Reality Thoughts
I know there have been many people over the past year who have questioned whether Zubie belongs on the top line with Ovechkin, but I think after the way this season has started everyone can put those questions out of their minds.
If you still have any doubts, then let's just look at the facts:
- He is tied for the team lead with 12 goals, only 3 behind the league leader Marian Hossa. That equals his production for the entire 2003-04 season and is already more than half of his career mark of 23 set last year. Don't forget that those 12 goals have come on only 39 shots, which gives him an absolutely ridiculous shooting % - basically, he may not shoot a lot but who cares when the shots he takes go in?
- He has been a key reason that both Ovechkin and Semin (who hopefully will snap out of his current goal drought soon) have adjusted so well to playing in the NHL over the last season.
- He is defensively responsible, taking the body more times than I can count and insuring that Ovechkin can gain the zone relatively unobstructed.
- He has become a fantastic quarterback for plays, setting up behind or to the side of the opposition's net and either making a beautiful pass or providing an outlet for a beautiful pass.
- As a converted winger, he has done surprisingly well in the faceoff circle, winning exactly 50% of his draws so far.
- 5 of his goals have come on the power play - that's 1/3 of the total for the entire team, which shows how important he is to the Capitals' special team production.
For those of you new to the online voting, you can vote as many times as you want - write-ins are at the bottom of the ballot, and you can't miss Zubrus...he's the last name on the Eastern write-in list. (While you're at it, don't forget about Ovie and Olie!!)
Hit the Links
Just a few things of interest to make the morning that much more fun:
- Check out the high praise from CBS Sportsline - one of the more positive articles I've seen about the Caps (keep in mind this was probably written before last night's game, but still...) Now how long until the rest of the mainstream media jumps on the bandwagon and names the Capitals the sleeper hit of the season?
- Exercise your right as a rabid hockey fan and vote over and over and over for our All-Stars at NHL.com. I highly recommend adding Zubrus as a write-in - who knows, he could get in!
Bruins Bruise Caps in Shootout
Last night’s game was interesting to say the least. There was a pretty good crowd (eventually, because no one ever gets to games on time in DC), although there were a few too many Bruins fans there. Luckily Bruins fans aren’t that obnoxious as a group, and it helped push the attendance over the 10K mark...
Anyways, I don’t think anyone looked at the schedule this year and thought Caps-Bruins would be a clash of the titans, and they were right, although the Caps did pretty much outplay the B’s through the first two periods...I think. It was hard to tell at times with all the whistles and penalties – it got to the point where a penalty was being called every two or three minutes like clockwork, and there was never really much of a flow to the game.
The Bruins came out flying in the third and after being outshot through two periods they managed to even up the shots by the end of the game. Olie made some nice saves to keep it tied and the defense had some good moments as well, but the majority of the third period felt like it was played in the Caps end.
And then came the shootout...
Here’s what I don’t get. Why does this team that has scored the 10th most goals in the league, that has Ovechkin, that has Semin, Zubrus, Pettinger, find it impossible to score during the shootout? It’s absolutely unreal, and it’s something that needs some work if the Caps don’t want to be playing golf in April. How many teams missed the playoffs last year because of blown points due to shootout/overtime losses?
*Sigh*...
At least they got a point. That’s good, right?
Right?
Good:
- Olie Kolzig – I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but Olie was really great last night. Boston got on the board early in the game with two goals that I really don’t think Olie could have stopped, but he then made 33 saves to keep the Caps in it and give them a chance to claw their way back.
- Matt Pettinger – He’s back and better than ever. He scored his first shorthanded goal of the season on a beautiful breakaway and now has 4 goals in his last 6 games.
- Special Teams – Penalty killing was good overall, although the Bruins power play hardly looked scary until the last period, and Pettinger’s shortie was enough to take the wind out of Boston’s sails for a little while at least. After a rough start to the evening’s power plays, the Caps actually got a bit of a rhythm going and managed to get a lot of shots on goal, eventually connecting for the tying marker in the second period.
Bad:
- Penalties – Both teams were consistently being whistled for various infractions, including the ever popular too many men on the ice and my personal favorite, delay of game.
- Turnovers – There were too many times that the Caps just coughed up the puck, whether it was along the boards or an errant cross-ice pass. I think we counted 4 or 5 turnovers by Semin alone in the first period...
- Shootout – Ugh.
Odd:
- Chara – Every time the Caps played the Senators last year Chara was practically glued to Ovie’s hip, so there was no reason for me to think the same wouldn’t happen with Chara’s new team. Maybe it was just me, but Ovie seemed to have plenty of room out there and I actually had to look for Chara during the first 40 minutes. Strange.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Who Knew?
I found this great article on ESPN.com - yes, that's right, the same ESPN.com that considers hockey to be on the same level as paintball championships.
Actually lower than paintball...that's still on ESPN last time I checked. What a great sport.
But I digress.
So this article talks about how everyone is complaining about the NHL schedule and why - basically there's nothing really wrong with the sport, so fans (and by fans he means the puckheads like me and probably you) have to find something to whine about. I couldn't agree more. Yes, I understand the reasons some people are upset about the "unbalanced" schedule, but I don't think it's killing the sport. So Edmonton and Pittsburgh only get to play twice every three years. What a shame that bitter rivalry can't be extended, right?
Would I like to see the Penguins or Rangers more? Sure. But am I starting to hate our division rivals? Absolutely.
I have teams to hate and a Caps game on the schedule for tonight's activities. Basically I'm a pretty happy hockey fan right now and that, my friends, is rare.
Quick, someone give me something to bitch about.
Sin of Omission, Pie in the Face
Voting for the All-Star game is now officially open, apparently, but I can’t find it yet. If anyone knows where it is, give me a shout out and I’ll put the link up.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
All-Stars, Get Your All-Stars!
Too often in the NHL, and in most professional sports for that matter, the all-star game is comprised of players that don't necessarily deserve to be on the ballot, let alone in the game. Sure, it's an exhibition game and it's all for the fans, blah blah blah...but you can't tell me that players aren't honored to be selected and they certainly play hard when they get there. This is a chance to play with the greatest players of the day, a chance to get some bragging rights, and yes, a chance for a little extra cash. So why shouldn't it actually be a game for those who have earned the playing time?
This year 100 players were selected and will be submitted to hockey fans everywhere tomorrow, who will then vote online for the starting lineup of this year's all-star game. After finally finding the list, I've had a chance to look it over and I have to say, this year it looks like the NHL got it right.
Almost.
I've crunched the numbers, checked the stats, watched the tapes...okay, not really, but I did run those stat report thingys on NHL.com...there were some new faces, some old favorites, and a few surprises good and bad, mostly good. I've picked out a select few who make my list in each category - I've even set aside my biases, of which there are many. So - agree or disagree? Let me hear it!
Deserving Nominees (New):
- Alex Ovechkin - obviously deserving. Please. Moving on...
- Scott Hannan - a very solid defenseman who has done a great job on a young team (incidentally headed by our old skipper, Ron Wilson). It's good to see this kind of player get recognized.
- Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin - okay, this one is a bit painful. Actually it's really painful. But I have to admit it - as a hockey fan, I have to say they're truly among the elite right now.
- Maxim Afinogenov - one of the most exciting players when he has the puck. He has amazing hands and tremendous patience - you just never know what he's going to do.
Deserving Nominees (Old):
- Nicklas Lidstrom - still one of the best defensemen in the league at 36 years old, the current Norris Trophy winner is a shoo-in almost every year.
- Martin Brodeur - another 'duh' entry, just an absolutely incredible goaltender who continues to break records...and all with the same team. I'm just amazed he doesn't get lulled to sleep watching the Devils play every night.
- Jarome Iginla - probably one of my favorite players in the entire league not wearing a Caps jersey and one of the great power forwards around today.
- Joe Sakic - my other favorite non-Cap, Sakic is an almost assured hall of famer and has written his name in the history books over and over again, all while being one of the classiest players in the NHL.
Surprises (Good):
- Olie Kolzig - we here in DC know how good Olie is and what he brings to the table each night, but I love that the league is taking notice as well. Zilla rules!
- Sheldon Souray - I think his offensive output to start the season has surprised him more than anyone else, but his defense hasn't suffered and it's nice to see him get his first nomination for the All-Star game.
- Michael Nylander - I still love him from when he played in DC, so even if he has to play for the Evil Empire it makes me happy that he's doing so well.
- Manny Fernandez - one of the more underrated goaltenders in the NHL and a big reason for the sudden emergence of the Wild as a team to be reckoned with
- Brendan Morrow - the new captain of the Dallas Stars deserves all the accolades he can get, as Dallas has kicked off the season with their best start in franchise history. Very impressive.
Surprises (What were they smoking?):
- Henrik Lundqvist - I'm sorry, I love Lundqvist but his play this year has not really merited a place on this list. On a team as good as the Rangers have been, a 3.35 GAA, .888 save % and one game over .500 just isn't enough to convince me.
- Chris Phillips/Wade Redden - this pair played for one of the stingiest defenses with the highest +/- last year, but a combined +5 and 6 points between them is just not what they're capable of.
- Peter Forsberg/Simon Gagne - I get that Philly is having problems and every team needs representation on the ballot, but these goal-scorers have 5 and 8 goals respectively and are a combined -17. Ouch.
- Nikolai Khabibulin - the "Bulin Wall" just hasn't been the same since winning the cup. He's only played 6 games and his GAA is a scary 3.36; how Vesa Toskala (9 wins, 2.16GAA, .927 save %) was overlooked for this guy is beyond me.
- Henrik Zetterberg - he's supposed to be a sniper and has proven he can be in the past, but his numbers just don't show it this year - 5 goals and 2 assists through 16 games isn't exactly sparkling.
- Doug Weight - just because he's an old favorite and a recent Stanley Cup Champ doesn't mean he gets an automatic spot on the All-Star roster. Doug has 9 assists but has yet to score a goal...
And there you have it - remember, vote early, vote often, and for the love of god don't vote for Jagr.
Well, maybe I still have some bias.
Star Light, Star Bright...
It’s the eve of the voting period for the All-Star game, so it seems as good a time as any to take a look at our own all-star candidates, Alex Ovechkin and Olie Kolzig...
Together Olie and Ovie have led the way for the Caps to put together their best start to a season in years, providing pure skill as well as leadership on and off the ice despite the 15 year difference in their ages. Both players exemplify the typical Caps player we have come to expect – hard-working, modest, generous, and character-driven. But for All-Star voters, it is what is produced on the ice that counts (obviously, or else Jagr would never make the cut...) So here's a look at the numbers game:
Alex the Gr8
Alex Ovechkin’s entrance to the NHL was anything but slow and subtle. In his very first regular season game he scored 2 goals in front of a joyous home crowd and went on to pick up 52 goals and 54 assists over the season, a mark good enough for third all-time among NHL rookies. He was awarded the Calder Trophy during the offseason, receiving first place votes from 125 of 129 of the voters.
Many so-called “experts” around the league predicted that Ovie might experience a bit of a sophomore slump going into this season. Even some Caps fans questioned whether Ovie would be able to replicate his phenomenal numbers from last year when he finished the preseason with just one point, an assist. Maybe it was the summer spent off the ice. Maybe it was a lingering injury that hadn’t quite healed. Maybe it was too many steaks. Whatever "it" was, “it” was fixed by the home opener, as Alex scored 2 goals on the way to a 5-2 Caps win over the defending Stanley Cup Champs.
To this point Ovechkin has racked up 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points through his first 17 games, and has scored 6 goals in his last 5 games alone. He brings so much to the ice every night, both in offensive production and in physical presence. Ovie has a tendency to just run defenders over who try and get in his way and has already broken two rinks in his young career. He’s not afraid to barrel to the net, and with up to 15-20 shots a night he always gives the team a chance to win.
Olie the Goalie
Olie Kolzig has become synonymous with the Washington Capitals and has evolved into the prototypical franchise player. He is a consistent fan favorite, inspiring chants of “O-LIE, O-LIE” whenever he makes a big save. To outsiders, his nomination to the all-star ballot may seem strange, but to those of us who watch him day in and day out it is well-deserved.
His numbers only tell half the tale – his GAA is just over 3.00, which seems relatively high by most standards and ranks him 17th overall. However, he has faced 421 shots, 5th most in the league. After facing that many shots, his save percentage is .919 – that’s 6th best in the league, which is impressive on its own with a young defensive corps in front of him. But consider the fact that the five goalies ahead of him (including our very own Johnny) have faced half as many shots and four of the five have played half as many games to get those percentages and it becomes even more amazing.
Olie’s path is rare for a player in any position; to stay with the same team for your entire career, through the ups and downs, is unheard of in this age of free agency and salary caps. And Olie just seems to get better with age. Although he played well last season, keeping the Caps in games they probably should have been out of, he has stepped it up to another level this season and has really become the backbone of a young and emerging Caps team. He is the acknowledged captain of this team and continues to put up big numbers for the Caps.
Unfortunately Olie will probably have the toughest time getting into the All-Star game. Regardless of performance, he is up against 7 other goaltenders whose names may be more recognizable to the average voter – Brodeur, Ward, and the underachieving Lundqvist to name a few.
It’s time to kick up that grassroots swell here inside the beltway...let’s send Zilla and Ovie to Dallas!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Home Cooking Not Enough
Now that that's out of my system, let's talk about the Caps and their glorious win over the Swamp Cats earlier tonight...
Once again the Caps managed to grab two points on the road - I wouldn't say they stole them only because I thought they played a halfway decent game tonight. But let's be honest - this was, for the second straight game, the Olie Kolzig show.
44 saves on 45 shots? Are you kidding me?
He's just a beast, plain and simple.
It's something that has been lacking in this organization over the past few years - a very strong goaltending duo supported by some offense to finally put some games in the win column. That's not to say that both goalies didn't play well last year, especially at the end of the season. The Caps were just never able to find the offense to back it up.
Both Olie and Johnny have kicked off this season with above-average play, and when one may be a little off the other is able to step up. Case in point - last week's game against the Senators. Olie has a rare rough start and in comes Johnny to save the day, backstopping the Caps to a come from behind overtime win. Johnson got beat up a little last Thursday, and the very next game Olie puts together a spectacular 40+ save performance that comes so close to a shutout that it physically hurt me when the Rangers finally beat him.
Anyways, tonight may not have been one of the best Caps games played, but it was a fairly solid road game for our boys. There were some great passes, some good hits and just the one goal allowed on the power play, which I guess is bound to happen against such a highly ranked Panther power play unit. I was very impressed with the transition game, something the Caps have clearly been working on over the past few weeks. When it was clicking, the defensemen were able to quickly get the puck out of the zone and up to the forwards, who were able to move in on goal and get a scoring chance or at least a shot. 2 of the 3 goals (3 of 4 if you count the empty-netter) were created out of solid defense to offense transitions.
This game seemed like a string of rather dull moments punctuated by little bursts of exciting play, which I guess is what you want as the visiting team. I seem to remember a similarly lull-inducing game in Edmonton, albeit with a different result. Of course, tonight's game might have been boring because BankAtlantic Center was so empty. As my dad would say, lots of people disguised as empty seats tonight. How's that division rivalry strategy working out in the Southeast so far, NHL? Let's compare, shall we? Saturday's game against the Rangers, 16,000+ fans in the seats; tonight's game...well, I don't know the attendance numbers, but it was empty even for a Monday night game. I swear I could hear the equipment guys asking players if they wanted a water bottle on the bench.
Good:
- Olie...I don't think I really need to elaborate there.
- Team Defense - Joe B. and Locker touched on this in between periods; the defensive coverage was much better than usual. Sure there were a lot of shots by Florida, but the majority of them were on the outside and screens were cleared out so Olie could see the shots. I only counted one real odd-man rush, which was quickly put down, and the turnovers weren't too out of control.
- Pettinger - he seems to be hitting his stride again, getting his 3rd goal of the season and powering to the net for a handful of scoring chances.
Bad:
- I didn't really think there was anything overtly bad about tonight - maybe a few too many penalties, but it was really just some little mistakes that can be cleaned up as the season goes on. Florida really came out flying and didn't let up all night, but the Caps were able to hang on to a one-goal lead for most of the night and eventually put together some offense to come out with the win.
With tonight's win, the Caps leapfrog over third place Tampa Bay and pull within one point of Carolina, who incidentally were creamed by Buffalo tonight 7-4. They now sit 7 points behind division leader Atlanta with 3 games in hand, and they'll have a chance to close that gap a little more when they visit the Thrashers next Saturday.
Hail to the Dead Skins
"Foos-ball? Buncha overgrown monsters man-handlin' each other..."
- Mama Boucher, The Waterboy
It's been a while since I had a nice anti-football rant, but I thought today would be appropriate because a) the Redskins announced a new starting quarterback for next week and b) their loss yesterday proves that they still stink.
Sure, it's a big deal - Jason what's his name will start next Sunday instead of Mark "Get Me My Walker and Dentures" Brunell. I'm not saying it's not worthy of regional sports coverage. But the Redskins played yesterday, which means by my calculations they won't play again until next Sunday. That's 1...2...um...6 days away.
Am I getting the subtle nuances of the football season so far?
Anyways, that's 6 days during which the Caps will play 4 games, 2 against division rivals. Not to mention the fact that one of those games was being played tonight in a building that recently has been tough to win in, and the Caps picked up yet another 2 points.
I guess I just don't understand why both intermission reports and the 10 minutes immediately following the game tonight were devoted to this one story. Post game live wasn't actually post game anymore - it was post Redskinfest, regardless of the fact that the Caps actually played tonight. And how much do you want to bet that Skins news continues to dominate the nightly sportscast every night until they add another game to the loss column next weekend?
Let's look at the facts - the Caps are off to their best start since 1991-92, have picked up points in 11 of their first 16 games and have won 4 of their last 5, including 2 straight...
The Redskins are 3-6 and sit at the bottom of the division standings, which prompted the personnel change for next week's trip to Tampa...
You're right, football sounds much more interesting right now.
It's a two point night, Skins fans!
