We've got a bit of time on our hands thanks to the fact that we'll have to wait until Friday for our series to start. I guess it's been four long years...we can wait another day or two, right?
So to kill a bit of time and sort out this matchup we'll be breaking down the various pieces that go into building a championship team and comparing the Caps to the Flyers, a different piece every day. It all leads up to the big event on Friday when the Flyers travel to DC for Game 1 - which will oddly coincide with the first ever Cheap Seats Playoff Gameday Preview Extravaganza!
Up first...Offensive Firepower.
Caps' Leading Scorers:
The Big Guns - Ovechkin, Semin, Green
The Hidden Treasures - Laich, Kozlov
The Dishers - Backstrom, Poti, Fedorov
Flyers' Leading Scorers:
The Big Guns - Briere, Prospal, Knuble
The Hidden Treasures - Upshall, Umberger
The Dishers - Richards, Timonen, Jones
Biscuits in the Basket: When it comes to a balanced attack, the Flyers seem to have found a magic formula. They have seven players with 20+ goals and no one player with more than 33; assists are equally close and even more widespread. For the Caps, the addition of secondary scoring beyond just the top line has been a slow one but in recent weeks it's picked up and it's been a big reason for their winning ways of late. Still, the bulk of the goal-scoring is carried out by Ovechkin, the bulk of the assists coming from Backstrom. Advantage: Flyers
Facing Off: The Caps continue to assert their dominance in the faceoff circle under the capable hands of centers Boyd Gordon and Dave Steckel, and have gotten even better with the shrewd addition of veteran center Sergei Fedorov. During the regular season they cracked the top 10, sitting 8th overall with a 51.2% success rate; of the teams bound for the playoffs they're 4th, trailing only Detroit, the Rangers and Ottawa. Meanwhile the Flyers were just under 50% effective in the regular season, good enough for 20th in the league and 11th of the 16 playoff teams. Advantage: Capitals
Shooting Gallery: Washington's tendency to pelt opposition goaltenders with a high volume of shots was aided immensely by Ovechkin's league-leading 446 shots on goal, but the team in general still ranked 6th in the league. Their average of 31 shots per game edges out the Flyers' average shot output of 28.8 shots per game, ranked 16th in the league during the regular season. Advantage: Capitals
Score First, Score Often: Both teams are clicking right along, scoring just under 3 goals per game with the Flyers holding the slightest of margins at 2.99 G/G versus the Caps at 2.90. However, the Caps have a better record when scoring first, managing to hold the lead in 70% of those games as compared to the Flyers, who blow it a little more to win only 67%. Advantage: Even
Winning a Period at a Time: It's always easier to play with a lead, and the Caps have become notorious for jumping out early - they were the fifth best first period team this season with 75 early markers, ten more than 15th place Philadelphia. It's in the second period, however, where the Flyers were not only prolific but dominant. Their 93 goals in the middle frame tied the Avalanche as best in the league, while the Caps sat at 15th with 78. And in the tiebreaker period, the third? Philly picked up 84 goals (good enough for 7th), the Caps, 78. Advantage: Flyers (slightly)
O from the D: The big offensive weapon on the Flyers blueline is All-Star Kimmo Timonen; for the Caps, it's Should-Have-Been-All-Star Mike Green. Greenie is certainly the bigger offensive threat than any one of the Flyers defensemen, though, with his mobility and slickness that lets him literally skate circles around the other team's D. His 18 goals are twice as many as any of the Flyers; after him, though, there's a significant dropoff and the stats get a little closer.
Both the Caps and Flyers have gotten at least a goal from every blueliner logging significant ice time this season (read: more than 30 games); both get significant assist totals out of their defensive corps, as well, with the Flyers edging the Caps at 115 assists from the blue line compared to 114 for DC. Advantage: Capitals by a Green hair
Bottom Line
When it comes down to it, these are two tremendously explosive offensive teams - which should make for quite a workout for the boys in net and along the blueline on both sides of the ice. Over the course of the regular season the Flyers scored 245 goals, besting the Caps by just 7. While Philly scored by committee, the Caps depended on a steady diet of Ovechkin with a side order of secondary scoring to help him out.
For the Flyers, this even scoring touch is both good and bad. On the one hand, they can roll a number of offensive threats out at any given time, and you always have to be watching for the late guy in. Their forwards are fast and opportunistic, pouncing on turnovers to create a quick odd-man rush before the defense can recover. On the other hand, however, they have no one legitimate superstar scoring threat. They have a lot of 20-30 goal scorers but no one consistent offensive threat to explode when it's most needed.
The way the Caps score, it's the complete opposite. Ovechkin's 65 goals and 47 assists accounted for almost half of the total offense this year - which again, has good and bad aspects. Bad news first. Shut down Ovechkin, Kozlov and Backstrom and you seriously cripple the Caps' offense. Good news? Many have tried to shut down that line...and many have failed, hence the 65 goals and 47 assists from Ovechkin alone. Plus you do have guys like Green, Laich, Semin and Fedorov to pick up the slack.
Overall advantage: None. These teams can both shoot the puck, and this one will come down to defense and goaltending.
More on that tomorrow.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Breaking Down the First Round: Offense
Beaming Live Coast to Coast
Okay, Caps fans, no whining allowed.
Why? Because the NHL has released the first round broadcast schedule - and while we love moaning and complaining that Crosby gets more attention, it seems that for the moment Ovechkin's playoff debut has become a bigger draw.
The Caps-Flyers series has apparently been tabbed as the must-see Eastern Conference matchup (Detroit-Nashville will get the love for the Western Conference), and our scrappy Caps will be featured in the national broadcasts for every game but Game 7:
Fri., April 11 7:00 PM Philadelphia at Washington VERSUS, TSN
Sun., April 13 2:00 PM Philadelphia at Washington NBC, TSN
Tues., April 15 7:00 PM Washington at Philadelphia VERSUS, TSN
Thurs., April 17 7:00 PM Washington at Philadelphia VERSUS, TSN
Sat., April 19 1:00 PM Philadelphia at Washington* NBC, TSN
Mon., April 21 TBD Washington at Philadelphia* VERSUS, TSN
Tues., April 22 TBD Philadelphia at Washington* TSN
*if necessary
The Caps and Flyers will be the weekend matchup on NBC, the only Eastern Conference team selected for those Saturday time slots. Devils-Rangers will appear on Versus three times, Pens-Sens twice, and Habs-Bruins just once.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Bring It On
It's been a long stretch of emotional ups and downs over the past few months - for the team and the fans.
But there was no greater emotional high than the moment the clock ticked down to zero last night, signalling the end of the 2007-08 regular season - and the beginning of the Caps' first playoff run since 2003.
Phrases like "Cinderella story", "team of destiny", "dream" and "fantasy" have been tossed around all over the place in the last 24 hours, and in many ways each of them rings true. What shouldn't be overlooked, however, is how much of this fate and destiny and fantasy stuff is aided by pure skill and talent and drive.
Left for dead early in the season, the Caps changed coaches, changed mentalities, and changed the minds of an entire league...and all in just four months. What they've accomplished is amazing, but it's what lies ahead that could be even more so. And it begins, just like this playoff push, with a single step. We celebrate for a day and then it's time to move on to the Philadelphia Flyers.
But for this one day of celebration, let's look back on what was accomplished this year:
- Ten players with double-digit goal totals, seventeen with double-digit points, and our backup goalie ending up as the only player without a point on the season...heck, even our top two goalies picked up a pair of assists apiece.
- A season for the ages from Alex Ovechkin - 65 goals and 47 assists, a plus/minus of +28, 22 power play goals, 11 game-winning goals, 446 shots on goal, and the best damn goal celebrations in the league.
- A breakout season for Nicklas Backstrom, who passed Alex Ovechkin's franchise record for rookie assists with 55, picked up 14 goals including 3 game-winners, and generated serious buzz for his responsible play on both ends of the ice. If he's not at least considered for the Calder Trophy, I quit.
- First NHL goals: Nicklas Backstrom, Dave Steckel, Quintin Laing, Jeff Schultz
- Mike Green becoming the league leader among defenseman with 18 goals - and earning a new nickname, "Game Over", for his franchise record three OT goals.
- Brooks Laich earning career highs in goals (21) and assists (16), not to mention a faceoff percentage over 50% in half of the games this season.
- 300 career wins for Olie Kolzig, all with the Capitals, earned in a 3-2 victory against the Flames that helped the team bounce back from a weekend that could have derailed their playoff hopes. (Happy 38th Birthday, Godzilla!!)
- All but 7 of the 27 players on the roster finishing the season at even or with a plus rating.
- Wins in ten of the last eleven, fourteen of the last eighteen games - including a seven game winning streak to finish out the regular season. That's the longest streak since 1993.
- A 24 point improvement over last year's total and jumping from last place in the division a year ago to their first Southeast Division title in seven years.
- A record of 37-14-7 since changing coaches on Thanksgiving Day.
- Contributions, both tangible and intangible, from the new additions brought in since July 1:
And so the next chapter of the 2007-08 campaign begins against a familiar foe with a new look - one that we haven't faced in postseason play in almost 20 years but that remains a hated rival.
Bring on Philly...it's playoff time!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Destiny In Our Hands
Last game. Last chance. Everything boils down to this one night. Win or get a point, and we're in; lose in regulation and we're out.
After one of the most improbable runs...after a stunning season from the franchise's face, future and cornerpiece...after a year filled with more ups and downs then we can count...control now rests in DC.
Wear your red. Bring your voices. Let them hear you.
Let's get this done.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Another One Bites the Dust
What more is there to say?
The important thing here is that the Caps not only got two points but as soon as they took the lead (2165 hours after the game started) they seemed to smell blood and went in for the kill. It was mercifully devoid of any extra-frame excitement, although thanks to Karri Ramo the Lightning hung in there a lot longer than they should have - don't kid yourselves, if they hang on to that youngster their goaltending woes will be a thing of the past.
While there were moments of stifled yawns and unfocused eyes (it was, after all, a Tampa game), this one was not without it's little quirks and special moments. A no-goal call put the kibosh on the Caps' quick bounceback after falling behind just 39 seconds in...and I'm no rules expert so I'll just assume the right call was made and secretly indulge in a little silent consternation that Brooks Laich was denied his 22nd. After all, we won, so who cares, right? Right. Sure.
And let's not forget the one thing that is always guaranteed entertainment when these two teams tangle: John Tortorella. Quite the mouth on that one. Only Torts causes the Caps' website to add an explicit content warning to a postgame interview. Classy, classy guy.
Classiest horse's rear I know of, that's for sure.
It should be said that Matt Cooke certainly doesn't mind those gray-area hits but his bizarro check on Lecavalier was neither cheap (Torts, that black thing there next to Vinny? That was the puck) nor carried out with intent to injure. Let's save the consternation, he who sends out goons to chase tiny Flash around the ice in the dying seconds of his season.
Of course the highlight of the night, aside from Ovechkin's history-making marker in the third, had to be Boyd Gordon's lovely backhander to put the home team up by two - and the ensuing celebration on the bench that included Ovechkin grabbing Laich in a headlock and bouncing up and down. I don't think they're having fun, do you?
One down, one more to go, kids; all eyes on the scoreboard tonight. Go Panthers, go Devils, go...regulation win.
This is about to get interesting.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Red Out Extended
Alright, kids - straight from the owner, the Caps have extended the highly successful "Red Out" for the final two games:
Get out that red again, time to make the Phone Booth bleed Caps' colors!!Capitals Extend Red Out to Remaining Two Regular-Season Games at Verizon Center
Fans are encouraged to show their support and wear red to Thursday’s game vs. Tampa and Saturday’s regular-season finale against Florida
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have extended Tuesday’s highly successful Red Out to the team’s two remaining regular-season games, both at Verizon Center. Fans are encouraged to show their support for the Capitals, deep in the midst of a battle for the postseason, and wear red to the team’s games on Thursday, April 3, against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Saturday, April 5, against the Florida Panthers. Fans are being asked to don red jerseys, hats and T-shirts to fill the arena with red.
Cox on Board
Lately it seems like someone new jumps on the Caps bandwagon every day. Our newest traveling companion, though, is the most unlikely of supporters - Damien Cox. Yes, the man who has consistently berated and mocked and belittled this Caps team is finally on board with a staggering statement: the Caps are so much more than just Ovechkin.
Read on:
A team that was the NHL's worst in November and not much better as the calendar flipped over from 2007 to 2008, the Capitals are now demonstrating that they are about more than just trying to sneak into the No. 8 seed. They certainly are not just a team being carried on the back of a single man toward the franchise's first playoff berth in five years.
Ovechkin, with the Art Ross (leading scorer) and Rocket Richard (most goals) Trophies both sewn up, is surely making a compelling case for his candidacy for the Hart (league MVP), regardless of whether the Caps qualify for the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs. But to suggest Washington is a one-man team would be wrong. For starters, you don't win nine of 10, as the Caps have done at the most important time of the season, if you don't have more than one weapon.
Second, Ovechkin was there for the first 21 games under then-coach Glen Hanlon, and the club started 6-14-1 and looked headed for a lottery draft pick. Clearly, the tactics and decisions of Hanlon's replacement, Bruce Boudreau, over the past 59 games has had an awful lot to do with the resurgence of the Caps.
Finally, GM George McPhee might as well take a bow now, for it appears that while other teams were busy landing bigger-name players, he made the best moves at the February trade deadline. In Tuesday's crucial game against Carolina, the players McPhee acquired -- goalie Cristobal Huet, winger Matt Cooke and center Sergei Fedorov -- all played significant roles.
Check out the rest here.
Caps Fans in the Spotlight
Last night's crowd drew more than a few raised eyebrows and it seems to be all anyone can talk about - every newspaper article, blog post and column will be talking about what transpired at the Phone Booth last night, and for good reason. A sellout crowd swathed in red and cheering on the home team as though it was Game 7 of the finals? Unheard of in most hockey cities, let alone in DC.
Two of these pieces in particular stand out for the way they truly captured the moment as it was for those of us who experienced it, either in person or watching at home. Must reads for any Caps fan immersing themselves in post-victory media for sure.
One comes courtesy of NHL.com, a recap and yet more than that - it's a narrative of the game, a description of the passion that is here in DC yet unknown to most of the hockey world.
The other is local, a piece by Post sports' columnist Mike Wise that not only paints a loving picture of Ovechkin as the genuine superstar he is but also gives credit for the rebirth of the team and hockey fandom where credit is due. It's Ovechkin but it's so much more, from the coach to the guys who don't get the spotlight nearly as much. It's maybe something that doesn't get said enough but seeing it show up in the Post, just one of the many media outlets turning away from the Caps in recent years, makes it that much better.
Both seem to agree on one thing - last night's group of Verizon Center faithful was unlike anything we've seen around here in years. Let's repeat it on Thursday, shall we?
Rockin' the Phone Booth
Last night's game certainly wasn't for the faint of heart...nor should it have been.
The Caps and Canes exchanged bone-crushing checks, glamorous saves, end to end rushes, odd-man breaks, even injuries to key players. It had the look, feel and sound of a playoff game. It was what every great division rivalry should be - it was what the league intended when it force-fed the nauseating parade of lukewarm foes down our throats.
In short this game was exactly what it needed to be when a division title is on the line, and the Caps played exactly the way they needed to play with their season on the line.
Every player to a man felt the energy and the desperation and acted on it, resulting in role reversals all over the place. Green had 8 shots on goal and two assists. Ovechkin blocked two shots, took a roughing call and won a faceoff. Semin laid out three huge body checks in the first period. Bradley had one of the best chances of the night only to be stonewalled by Cam Ward.
It was a standout performance for many Caps. Semin had one of his best games of the year despite making his usual turnovers and taking his nightly (albeit very weak) hooking penalty. Fleischmann continued his stretch of solid work with a stellar centering feed to a rushing Brooks Laich to put the Caps up 2-0. Schultz's usual quiet nature produced an assist and two attempted shots. Matt Cooke was all over the place, getting into the faces of his opponent and creating some good offensive chances as well. The line of Bradley, Gordon and Brashear put on a puck possession clinic for a good part of the second period.
But the standouts only emphasized the complete team game this really was. Consider the fact that with only five defensemen this team still limited the Canes to just one goal and 22 shots. It speaks volumes about how well they played defense, from the goalie out to the top forward line. Despite the somewhat lopsided score, this was not a Carolina team that simply rolled over and died - in fact if not for a bit of luck and a few bizarre calls this game gets a lot closer and fast. But the Caps smothered the high-powered Carolina offense and what they didn't stop, Huet did.
And then there was the crowd. The mythological 7th man, if you will, loud and boisterous and primed for battle before the puck even dropped. It was something special to be sure - just ask the players, watch their war-weary faces light up into bright, childlike smiles at the mere mention of last night's crowd. It was the best ever, they say. Unbelievable. Loud. Fantastic. It's never been this good.
It wasn't just the sheer volume of the crowd or the fact that everyone seemed to buy into the "Red Out", although the impact of those things in combination should not be overlooked.
No, it was the spontaneity. We certainly heeded the clarian calls of Horn Guy and Goat, their distinctive voices piercing the air and leading us in unison, and we responded when implored by the PA announcer to make some noise. But it was the dull roar during the offensive rush, the applause for the simple act of clearing a puck, the oohs and aahs and groans when a brilliant play connected or went awry.
It was the hearty boos for the Hurricanes when they stepped onto the ice, and the resounding cheers when a Cap planted the opposition into the boards. It was the standing ovation at the end of the first. And the second. And the third.
It's that spontaneity and that electric, contagious buzz that sets apart the holy hockey houses from the mundane barns of the NHL - and last night DC had its Forum, its Maple Leaf Gardens, its Boston Garden.
Yet there was still something distinctly "Capitals" about it, something that sets the Phone Booth apart from these shrines of hockey - it was a celebration filled with character and humor and passion you only find here in DC. At one point last night Ovechkin urged the crowd to make more noise and was greeted with an eruption of cheers. A few minutes later the humble coach was shown on the screen to be met with more cheers and chants of "Bruuuuce" filling the air, a faint pink hue on his cheeks the only sign that he heard us. In front of him it was Matt Cooke's turn to urge the crowd on and again we responded. It was exciting and fantastic and a rush.
And it's something that has been missing for far too long.
So this morning we soak our weary feet in warm water to ease the throbbing from jumping up and down. We sip soothing cups of tea to heal the soreness in our throats from screaming and cheering all night. And we check off item number one on the to-do list: Beat the Canes in regulation. Done.
Now the next step is Tampa, a team that is not exactly going down quietly and that a week ago gave the Caps quite a scare before finally succumbing in overtime. Consistency is obviously an issue (and has been all year long), as they rebounded from a surprise upset over the Canes with a 2-0 loss at the hands of slumping Atlanta.
In the meantime there's lots of scoreboard watching to be done, as there always seems to be. Carolina, Philadelphia and Boston are all in action tonight and should any one of them falter, you can bet the Caps will be watching.
And waiting to jump in.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
That'll Do
A raucous sellout crowd, a dominant performance and a tie for first in the division. Yup, that's a good night! A Little Pre-Game Journey
Okay, so you've checked out what the Canes are doing to prepare and it's time to get yourself ready to go.
What better way to get the blood pumping than with the (un)official theme song of the 2007-08 Washington Capitals? Illustrated with a few select images, of course, and compiled lovingly and painstakingly by yours truly.
...no, no. Hold your applause.
Time to get pumped up, Caps fans - and remember, don't stop believing!
Gameday Preview: Caps vs Hurricanes
Who: Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Where: Verizon Center
When: Tuesday, April 1, 7:00 pm
Broadcast Info: CSN, FSN-South
Media Notes:
Caps' Site
Canes' Site
NHL.com
Washington Times
Washington Post
Raleigh News-Observer
And so it all comes down to this.
In a week, a month, a season full of "biggest games", this one really is the biggest of them all. Win and the Caps are still alive for both eighth and the division; win and it puts pressure on all the teams they're chasing to also win; win and it brings the Caps into a tie for first in the division, an automatic third place entry into the big show.
But lose...and we might as well call it a night. No pressure, right?
The last time these two teams met, a week ago tonight, the result was an all-out, physical grudge match with the Caps holding the upper hand offensively. It was for most of the game a Caps win - everywhere but on the scoreboard, where two fluky Carolina goals balanced out the two nicer ones by our Russian duo.
Skip forward a week and the Caps have pulled to within two points, the Canes are on the run, and the intensity just got ramped up to danger level. Washington is playing desperate hockey right now and will continue to do so - but they'll be facing a healthier Carolina team who should see Justin Williams and Ray Whitney back in the lineup.
So the Caps are certainly feeling the pressure to finish out the season with three straight wins, including one tonight. But what about the Canes? They're not giving away much. Their quotes are fairly mundane and veiled, revealing little of what's going on underneath the polished surface.
...until our Cheap Seats hidden camera uncovered the ugly truth:
[Erik Cole walks into the players' lounge staring at a newspaper.]
EC: Tsk, this quandary in the Mesopotamian region is really becoming cataclysmic. [flips to the sports page] Oh my goodness!
[Eric Staal enters, chuckling to himself.]
EC: Hey, Staalsy, did you...what's so funny?
ES: [looks confused] Uh...
EC: [sighs] Did you hear a joke?
ES: Muh...
EC: See something funny? Maybe a picture of a monkey?
ES: Guh...
EC: ...did someone say "butt" in front of you?
ES: Heh! Hahahahahahaha! Butt! Erik say butt, hahahaha...
EC: Right. Okay. Bananas are on the counter, buddy. [Ray Whitney walks in.] Hey, Whit, did you see this? The standings?
RW: Yeah, I did. The Caps, eh? They're starting to get hot.
EC: Indeed. Their éclat is quite disturbing.
RW: Yeah, and the fact that they keep winning ain't good, either.
EC: [under his breath] Imbeciles...
RW: What?
EC: Er, I said, um...unbelievable. That the Caps...keep winning.
[Rod Brind'amour strolls past, lifting dumbbells as he walks]
RW: Hey Brindy, did you see this? We're only two points up now.
RB: Keep working hard. Push it. Push it.
RW: Uh, Rod?
RB: Come on, feel the burn. That's how you beat them. Feeeeel the burn. Yeah, baby.
RW: Okay. Clearly he's...busy. Well, don't worry too much. We'll get 'em on Tuesday, Colesy.
EC: I suppose.
[They both glance up as Patrick Eaves wanders over nervously.]
PE: So...the standings, eh? Pretty intense.
EC: Sure, Patrick.
RW: I guess, Patrick.
PE: Uh, you can call me Eavesy, guys, it's okay.
EC: That wouldn't be fitting, Patrick.
PE: Sorry?
EC: Due to your recent accession we aren't ready to use anything but formalities.
PE: ...what?
RW: You're still new, kid. We don't use nicknames for new guys.
[Joe Corvo walks by and waves.]
EC: Oh, hey, Joey!!
RW: Corvs, what's happening, man?
PE: Hey, hang on - Joe is new, too! He came at the same time I did, remember?
[Ray and Erik exchange a look.]
RW: Right, well...um...
EC: Whits, did you see there's a DVD sale at Sam Goody this weekend?
RW: Get out! I've been jonesing for some new flicks, we should go.
[Patrick wanders off, muttering angrily to himself.]
RW: Whew, that was close.
EC: I know, right? Hey, who is that in the state of repose over there?
RW: Sleeping? That's Wes. Hey, Wes! Wake up, man.
[Glen Wesley sits up and looks around, confused.]
GW: Wha-...what? What do you want?
RW: You were sleeping. Hey, have you seen th-
GW: [interrupting] How could I have been sleeping? Damn whippersnappers running around making all this racket, how the hell can anyone get a minute to think around here?
EC: [glancing around at the almost empty room] Glen, everyone's gone. It's quiet.
GW: And turn that music down! Crazy rock and roll you kids play is driving me nuts.
RW: [whispering] Erik, there's no music playing.
EC: Shhh, just leave it alone. [loudly to Glen] Okay, Wes, we'll have them extinguish the cacophany.
GW: Exting the what-any? Speak English, youngster! None of this phony baloney German or French or what have you. I tell you, in my day there was only one language and we were proud to-zzzzzzzzzzz...[he falls back asleep]
[Rod walks back the other way, still lifting his dumbbells.]
RB: Yeah, push it. Push it good. Ahh, push it. Push it real good.
EC: Let's...go into the other room, Whit.
RW: [eying Brind'Amour warily] Yeah. Yeah, good idea.
[The two wander out of the room and push open the door of the changing area.]
EC: So in order to hold off the Caps we'll have to OH MY GOD!
Bret Hedican: Shut the door! SHUT THE DOOR!!
RW: W-what the hell are you wearing?
BH: I said, shut the door!
EC: It's...you're in...oh my god.
RW: Bret, is that one of Kristi's skating costumes?!
BH: [sinking onto a bench with a sigh] Maybe. I just...I wanted to see what it felt like. But I'm taking it off now, I swear!
EC: Thank GOD! We'll wait out here. Come on, Whit.
[Ray starts to follow but stops as Erik exits and looks back at Bret.]
RW: So...how did it feel?
BH: [shrugging] Eh, not bad actually. Supportive. Breezy. Moves with you.
RW: [nods] Cool.
BH: Yeah.
[There is an awkward silence before Ray turns and quickly walks out again, meeting up with Erik in the hallway.]
EC: I'm feeling quite anxious at the moment. My nerves are fraying. Did you see that roseate spangled ensemble he was attired in??
RW: It was quite sparkly and pink. Sit down on the couch for a minute, relax. Try not to think about it.
EC: Oh, the sparkles...the sparkles!
RW: I said try not to think about it! Here, read the paper for a bit.
EC: Oh, the Caps...the Caps!
[Rod makes another pass through the room, still working out. Staal wanders in after him looking perplexed as usual.]
RB: You can do side bends or sit-ups...but please don't lose that butt.
EC: [jumping to his feet again] That's it. I need to vacate the premises, get some air. Let's go out for lunch.
RW: Good idea. Staalsy, want to come get something to eat with us?
ES: Duh?
RW: How 'bout barbecue?
ES: Buh!
[The three exit, Ray guiding Staal through the doorway before he runs into the wall.]
Special thanks to Margee over at SportSquee, whose brilliance in pioneering this type of insanity far surpasses whatever I have concocted here...
Monday, March 31, 2008
Don't Turn Around
With the Caps breathing down the necks of not one, not two, not three, but four teams right now it's safe to say that every single player in Philly, Carolina, Boston and yes, New York, are looking in the rearview mirror. Ouch. Rarely a mention of the Caps, but there is a hint of concern there. A sense that the Flyers are pretending they are better than they are - and forcing a shootout against an Islanders team that has been out of the race for weeks and is without their superstar goalie would seem like an area of concern for sure. And finally, how 'bout them Rangers? For a long time now Jagr's squad has seemed well out of reach and well on their way to a postseason berth. Too far ahead for the Caps to catch...or are they? They join the clusterfu-, er, the cluster of teams around 8th place with 91 points and a game in hand - against a surging Penguins team that beat them yesterday:
All you have to do is scan the sports pages from these cities to see exactly how much pressure the Caps are putting on everyone.
Boston, a team that has flip-flopped with the Flyers more times than Alexander Semin has fallen down this season, continues to rack up points - but the pace has slowed. They came out of yesterday's snoozefest with a point but still fell to a Buffalo squad clinging to visions of an all-encompassing Eastern Conference crash.
Of course, Caps fans everywhere were wondering why the Sabres needed that extra 39 seconds to score the damn goal...but that's another issue.
In the aftermath of an overtime loss that the Bruins really needed to win and win in regulation, the Boston Globe was particularly pointed when mentioning a certain scrappy bunch from the nation's capital:The Capitals, let the record show, have gone 12-4-0 (.750) since their tradin'-day acquisitions of No. 1 goalie Cristobal Huet and aged Russian magician Sergei Fedorov. They have traction, and they're just waiting for the Rangers, Flyers, or Bruins to look in the mirror, the one with the fine print warning, "Objects Are Closer Than They Appear." Got that right.
Then there's the Hurricanes, a team that is certainly starting to feel the pressure (if they weren't before) after falling to the Lightning on Saturday - the same night the Caps were rolling over the Panthers. So sayeth the Raleigh News-Observer:
Oh, hey, and let's not forget the Hurricanes, who wrap up their regular season Friday vs. the Panthers in Raleigh. The Canes, in third place overall with 90 points, actually have 1 point fewer than the Rangers, Flyers, and Bruins in sixth. Why? Because they lead the Southeast Division, which is home to . . . you got it, the Capitals.
Readjust that slide rule, because the Caps could slip ahead of the Canes for the divisional crown and thus land the third seed overall. The Canes, no doubt all fitted for oxygen masks to survive the sudden drop, then would slide back into that NYR-Flyer-Bruin scrum for seeds 6-7-8. Misery just loves company.The Canes went into the evening with a chance to clinch the Southeast Division title. Instead, they now face what may be a winner-take-all showdown with the Capitals in Washington on Tuesday.
In Philly it seems more and more like people are losing faith that the Flyers can pull it off, despite their annoying insistence on scoring late and forcing shootouts. But that's Philly for you:
"We wanted this one but it didn't happen, and we've got to leave this one here and look forward to Tuesday in Washington," Hurricanes center Eric Staal said. "We have to play a complete game and get a win."
"That's a big game," Laviolette said. "We've got to come up with four points. It doesn't matter how we do it."John Stevens called [Saturday's shootout win over the Islanders] "the gutsiest effort of the year," and said it showed the team's "resilience."
That's only true if the precursor to both characteristics are "listless" and "stupid" - the two words that recur when talking about how this team starts, and too often how it finishes.The Rangers have found themselves perched so precariously in the Eastern Conference playoff race that they entered Sunday afternoon’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins eyeing the top of the standings and left it — after a 3-1 loss at Mellon Arena — warily eyeing the bottom.
I know for many of us watching tonight's Rangers-Penguins game would be something akin to shoving red-hot pokers under our fingernails and diving face first into a pit of boiling lava. If you can get past that feeling, it's one to keep an eye on for sure. This race is no longer just a three-team race...but adding another team to the mix just improves the Caps' chances.
Of course, none of this compares to the truly sick part of this entire mess. If the Caps remain in the fight for 8th place, they will likely have to root for the Penguins to win out. Pittsburgh has three games remaining, one against the Rangers tonight and two against the Flyers.
If the Penguins win out they clinch the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference crown.
If the Penguins win out and the Caps do the same the Caps are in.
...and who could they face in the first round? Yup. Sick sick sick.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
No Road Weariness Here
Now that the Caps have returned to the "safety" of DC, let's look at what they accomplished:
- A potentially monstrous, heartbreaking end of the season road trip ends up going the Caps' way, with only one loss in six games away from Verizon Center. That's 10 - count 'em, 10 - points out of a possible 12.
- Last night's win gives the Caps 40 on the year. The last time that happened was the 2000-2001 season.
- The Caps finish with 20 road wins. The last time that happened was the 1992-93 season, when they had 21.
- Alex Ovechkin gets 60th goal of the season...and 61st...and 62nd. And oh yeah, with every goal and assist he scores from here on out he's setting new career and franchise records. Not bad for a 22 year old kid with a missing front tooth.
- Brooks Laich hits the 20-goal mark for the first time, up from a previous career high of 7.
- Nicklas Backstrom earns his first two-goal game of his career; his point total now stands at 66, first among all NHL rookies.
- Huet runs his winning streak to six games and now has two shutouts since coming to the Caps - half of his total for the season.
- All five wins resulted in the opposition scoring three or fewer goals, including one shutout.
- 7 different players had at least one multi-point game; Backstrom and Ovechkin each had more than one.
- The Caps outshot their opponents 179-135 in their five wins and twice cracked the 40-shot mark.
Other meaningless stats:
Ovechkin - 5G, 5A, +9, 33 SOG
Backstrom - 3G, 3A, +6, 53% FO
Kozlov - 1G, 4A, +8, shootout winner
Semin - 3G
Fedorov - 3A, 41% FO
Poti - 4A, +6, 5 hits, 7 blocked shots
Green - 1G, 4A, +5, 5 hits, 8 blocked shots
Laich - 1G, 4A, 8 hits, 46% FO
Bradley - 2G, +2, 10 hits
Gordon - 1G, +3, 6 blocked shots, 62% FO
Morrisonn - +5, 7 hits
Jurcina - 12 hits, even +/-
Plus there's this little nugget of trivia - in the last ten games only one team has been hotter than the Caps, who are 8-2-0 in that stretch. That team? The San Jose Sharks, who are 8-0-2. That's right, folks, the Caps are officially THE hottest team in the Eastern Conference.
But more important than bragging rights is the fact that the Caps are still sitting just two points out of eighth, three points out of seventh, and two points out of the Southeast division lead heading into their final three games - with only Boston holding a game in hand.
Welcome home, boys!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Panthers Fade Away
Huet was once again the strong presence he has become between the pipes, and that save he made in the second period was the impetus for the Caps to wake up a bit and take control of the game once and for all. He faced thirty-two shots but thanks to an inspiring defensive performance by the six blueliners in front of him he saw almost every one. This was truly a team shutout, earned from the net on out.
And then there was the offense. Look no further than big #25 - Viktor Kozlov loves playing the Panthers, doesn't he? His three point performance actually outshines the two points picked up by his Russian linemate for once and he had a great game all around.
Filling in the rest, Mike Green's consistently good play over the last few games finally pays off as he is rewarded with an absolute layup of a goal to bring his total for the season up to 18. Ovechkin adds his 62nd of the season (and his 108th and 109th points of the year...let that sink in a bit) and that would be more than enough for the Caps to finish off a sluggish Panthers team.
Looking around the league...surprise, surprise, we get very little help. Boston took care of the Sens earlier today and the Islanders proved once again why they're on the outside looking in as they blew not one but two leads and eventually fell in the shootout to the Flyers.
From the good news department, however, the Lightning took care of business with the Canes, the game-winner coming off the stick of none other than Jeff Halpern. Looks like he'll stay a fan favorite here in DC for just a little bit longer.
So here's how the Eastern Conference shapes up right now:
3 Carolina 90
4 New Jersey 93
5 Ottawa 92
6 NY Rangers 91
7 Philadelphia 91
8 Boston 90
----------------
9 Washington 88
10 Buffalo 84
Amazing. Simply amazing
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Cardiac Caps, Team of Destiny
With less than four minutes to go in regulation last night, the Caps trailed the bottom-feeding Lightning 3-2. It was a game that included stretches of the Caps outplaying their opponent intertwined with stretches where they looked either disinterested or hemmed in. And for Caps fans, it didn't look like two points were going to happen.
With less than four minutes to go in regulation last night, Alexander Semin tied up the game.
With less than three minutes left in overtime last night...Tomas Fleischmann won it.
And so this game goes down as a microcosm of the Caps season. It's a metaphor whose bounds are as yet unknown - with everyone counting them out the Caps pulled even and then came out ahead thanks to the unlikeliest of heroes. But will that describe the season only up to the final games? Or will they be the first team in NHL history to go from being dead last in the league to earning a postseason berth?
The road to finding out is long and hard...or should we say short and hard. Four games left and the Caps sit two points out of third, two points out of seventh, and two points out of eighth. Each of the teams in those spots right now has a treasured game in hand on the Caps.
So to a certain extent they hold only part of their destiny in their own hands - win and you put pressure on the other teams to win. Win and you give yourself the best possible chance to make it. But should the others win, too...game over.
And for now that might have to be okay.
If the Caps give themselves every chance to make it, if they win as many games as they can and play the way we know they can play, the rest matters very little. A playoff berth would be fantastic - to see this team in the postseason led by their young superstar, it's beyond compare as fantasies go - but it's up to fate. It's up to other teams helping us out. It's up to some sort of cosmic force deciding that five years without a postseason is too long.
But it is the stuff of fairy tales that this team is even in this position right now...and you can bet everyone in that locker room is feeling the magic.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Over in a Flash
(...had to be done. Sorry.)
My sentiments exactly, Brooks. Shall we go for another heart-stopping win on Saturday or can we just win decisively for once?
Bruised Bruins
Reports out of Beantown have winger Chuck Kobasew out of the lineup for 4-8 weeks with a broken leg, an injury which continues to ratchet up the number of bruised and battered for the Bruins. He'll join Marc Savard, out with a cracked bone in his back, and probably defenseman Andrew Ference, out with a leg injury, on the sidelines for tonight's game against the Leafs.
Remember two things.
One, the Hurricanes have no less than 378 guys out of their lineup with injuries and have still all but clinched the Southeast Division, so injuries can mean nothing.
And two...karmic retribution can be harsh, so watch the giggling.
Striking Lightning
Look at Richards - former member of "the Big Three", he put up huge numbers in his first game and put visions of Lord Stanley's glory in the minds of all Stars fans. Five assists in one game...quite the debut indeed. In the eight games since, however, he has just two goals and two assists and is a -2. It's hard to tell whether his slump is as a result of Dallas's recent woes - or one of the causes.
Tampa, combining with Marc Denis to have one of the worst goalie tandem save percentages in the league over the last few years. Upon arriving in Dallas he was obviously slated to backup Marty Turco, not an easy task, but he finally got his shot against the Canucks on March 15.
We'll start in net, an area in which the Bolts have struggled mightily since Khabibulin hightailed it out of town. Mike Smith came in as one of the better backup goaltenders in the league and while his win-loss record isn't so hot (just three wins in his first ten starts) he does have a shutout and a two near shutouts, including a game against the Pens that was 0-0 until the last two minutes of regulation.
Jussi Jokinen, the 24 year old Finn and shootout specialist, came to Tampa as more of a playmaker than a goal-scorer, and that's the role he has filled with the Lightning. He has just one goal but has picked up nine assists in his first fourteen games and recently had a season high five game point scoring streak snapped - only to pick it right up again in the last game versus the Panthers.
...okay, not exactly, but his numbers are very pretty since making the move from the southwest to the Southeast. Halpern scored a goal in his first game as a member of the Lightning and has added six more - plus eight assists - during his run. He has four multi-point games already after registering two all season with the Stars. One game after straining an abdominal muscle he put up the game-winning goal against the Panthers and added two assists, factoring into every goal for Tampa en route to a 3-1 win.
