Who: Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens
Where: Verizon Center
When: Thursday, December 20, 7 pm
Broadcast Info: CSN, 3WT Radio; RDS, CJAD
Media Notes:
Caps Site
Habs Site
NHL.com
Washington Post
Washington Times
TSN.ca
Montreal Gazette
The NHL's idea of a funny, funny joke is to schedule all four Caps-Habs games over the course of about a month. Thanks, guys. So the next thirty-odd days shall be known as "the time when CC went crazy", although my loyalty will always lie first and foremost with the Caps.
After kicking off the season red-hot, the Habs have cooled off significantly and have fallen to 6th in the conference. Meanwhile the Caps have turned things around and are 7-4-1 in the last 12 games since replacing Hanlon and will look to continue their resurgence on home ice.
Special teams always seem to be a factor in the new NHL, and tonight will be no different. The Habs come in with the number one power play in the league - the Caps, fueled by the efforts of Dave Steckel, Brooks Laich, Quintin Laing and others, have kicked their penalty kill up to 16th best. Still, the Habs' ranking is not just a fluke and they are extremely potent with the extra man. The Caps will need to be very disciplined and take advantage of 5 on 5 play as much as possible.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go hide under the covers until it's over.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Gameday Preview: Caps vs Canadiens
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Gabby Gets Noticed
Here in DC we're used to everyone being ignored by the general media - local and otherwise. The number of times the Caps have shown up on NHL.com anyplace other than the Southeast Notebook could probably be counted on one hand. The amount of articles written about this team in the Canadian Press or the Associated Press that aren't related to the outcome of a game, just as infrequent.
Enter Bruce Boudreau.
He's the NHL's latest media darling, a good guy done good who has arguably become the biggest interview in Washington hockey. The focus has suddenly shifted from a superstar Russian phenom to a slightly chubby, talkative, middle-aged man with horrible taste in clothing and a refreshing outlook. He even got DC Sports Bog to write about hockey for a day...
It's not hard to see why exactly Boudreau is now the subject of so much interest. Besides having a quick wit and a conversational style that screams sound byte, the results on the ice simply can't be denied. The Caps have rebounded from a horrific start to the season, a stretch that saw losing streak after losing streak, crippling one goal losses and sub-par effort on a nightly basis, and are now chugging their way back into the thick of the race. Although still in last place, the gap between the Capitals and the coveted eighth spot has shrunk and teams ahead of them are starting to look over their shoulder.
The wins have been hard-fought; the losses often have been as well. Overtime wins against the Flyers and the Rangers, a one-goal thriller over the Devils, a blowout against the Thrashers - and most recently, an effort that saw the Caps go punch for punch with the league's best team, the Red Wings.
When asked about his success Boudreau's first response always seems to be that he just does what he's always done - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But it's clear that his dedication to three key concepts has gotten the team this far.
He preaches discipline. He preaches confidence. He preaches winning.
And after a less than stellar effort, Boudreau is the first one to name names, to single out players who should be playing better. And that means any player. Everyone from Kolzig to Pothier to Fleischmann to Semin has been called on the mat, but it's not in a Tortorella-esque way, where you picture the player in question cowering in a corner being admonished like a child. Instead he's matter-of-fact, respectful in his criticism and always grounding it in the belief that the singled out player can do better.
Therein lies the difference between a good coach and a blowhard...but that's an issue for another day.
Since taking over, Boudreau has managed to get good performances out of most of the team on a consistent basis. More notably, though, he's gotten great performances out of his young players who spent time with him in Hershey. Mike Green obviously stands out as someone who has blossomed this year, his confidence and his ice time increasing with every game.
But what about Jeff Schultz, who suddenly has five goals of his own? Or Brooks Laich, who has stepped up his game despite occasionally being on the fourth line and has developed into a consistently smart player? And let's not forget Quintin Laing, who has stepped in and put together an impressive stretch since being called up, doing all the little things that don't show up on the scoreboard and adding a few points as well.
This team is clicking on almost all cylinders right now. It's important not to get ahead of ourselves, and consistency will be the big test down the line. At the moment, though, this team is doing what they should have been doing all year long - proving people wrong.
Monday, December 17, 2007
So Close...
This game was supposed to be a layup for the Wings. A slam dunk. An easy two points. Well, no one told the Caps that.
There was a general sense among Caps fans that if the boys could just avoid being completely embarrassed, it would be okay. Not only did they not get embarrassed, they were right in there all night - trading goals and matching saves until all that remained was the shootout, the Caps' nemesis.
The Caps had plenty of opportunities to pack it in, and the team we watched during the dark days earlier this season would definitely have done just that. They didn't. The Wings took an early lead...the Caps tied it up with a huge Ovechkin tally. They then jumped into the lead themselves off a fluky Schultz goal...and then saw Detroit tie it up.
The one that could have been the backbreaker, though, came in the third period. Holmstrom tipped a Datsyuk shot into the net with just over five minutes left in the game to take a 3-2 lead, and it looked like the Caps were done.
Enter Alexander Semin, who took advantage of a delay of game penalty to rifle one past Hasek and bring the game even at three. Overtime reared its ugly head and the Caps got a few lucky bounces (Olie has got to close those legs faster) and a few unlucky ones (Ovechkin in close on Hasek...oy).
And then we get my very favorite way to decide a game: the shootout. You know, it's almost not fair to have to face Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Hudler one-on-one; Detroit has an embarrassment of young talent on their team and that was that, game over, despite Semin's goal which was gorgeous and Kozlov's shot off the crossbar which was...painful.
Olie really had a good night, especially in regulation, and faced down 27 of 30 shots including 9 from Zetterberg. Alexander Semin continues to look like he's almost 100% and showed it with not only a game-tying goal to force overtime but a simply beautiful shootout goal - he also had no turnovers, no penalties, and 5 shots (7 attempted). And the whole team really hung together in another solid effort on the road.
Favorite stat of the night: Four turnovers for the Caps. In the entire game.
Weird stat of the night: Only one non-goalie Cap failed to register at least a shot on goal - Viktor Kozlov.
Major credit goes to the Caps for not listening to the naysayers and really making it a contest worth watching. I think we all know that while they are better than their record shows, they're also not quite at Detroit's level - and that's okay.
For now a point feels like two.
The Cheap Seats Award for Dumbest Idea Goes to...
And his argument that Ovechkin being a Cap is no guarantee of success also holds little water because...well, what is the guarantee? Signing Scott Gomez to an obscene amount of money? Hiring Wayne Gretzky to coach your team? There's no such thing as a guarantee in sports and I'm betting our chances are slightly better with a talent that only comes along so often among our ranks. But more importantly, trading Ovie would be disastrous to this team right now because the team has been built around him. Players have been drafted to complement his skills, players have been signed to create plays just for him. Trade Ovechkin now and you've got a shell of a team but no core - and in a town that has merely a passing interest in hockey as it is, trading the flamboyant superstar player would be far more catastrophic for DC hockey than even I can imagine.
In the latest chapter of insane analysts we get today's entry by THN columnist Mike Brophy. His premise? The Caps should trade Ovechkin.
Before I get into this - show of hands, how many people would cancel their season tickets right then and there should GMGM pull off such a trade?
Brophy is saying that basically the Caps are floundering. They aren't drawing crowds. They're not a contender nor is there any proof they will be in the near future. So clearly the thing to do is trade the superstar Russian for some obscene package of players, the way Quebec did back in the days of Eric Lindros.
That's his theory, based on one phenomenally lopsided trade in the annals of NHL history.
But actually it's not.
Pay close attention to the following line: "What if the young superstar tells the Caps he’d prefer to play someplace a little more cosmopolitan than Washington?"
This isn't an op-ed piece on making the Caps a better team, although it is certainly doing a great job masquerading as such. It's a deeply veiled attempt to say that Ovechkin would be better served playing in a more cosmopolitan city, a city that clearly will treat him better than DC ever could.
First of all, I've lived in and around DC all my life - it's a pretty cosmopolitan city in it's own right. So is Brophy suggesting a move to Toronto or Montreal on the basis that hockey love makes a city cosmopolitan?
No, I'm thinking he's referring to a different city, a city that they say never sleeps - a city like New York. Shocking that someone would again suggest that one of the best players in the league should go to what everyone has decided is hockey heaven. Never mind that New York is notorious for being unable to grow their own young talent, or that they are captained by someone who despite being among the greatest hockey players in the league has managed to do little more than lead them to stunning mediocrity.
But okay, we'll pretend for a minute that Brophy actually does care about the state of the Caps (and ignore the fact that in the last month the Caps have played like more of a playoff contender than a number of teams already in the top 8). We'll grant him the notion that this is actually a piece about the future of the Caps, the darlings of the NHL and all media types as we well know.
"Because it worked for Quebec/Colorado" means nothing to me. Eric Lindros in his prime was no Alex Ovechkin - character-wise, talent-wise and personality-wise. Their impact on their respective teams could not be more different. And I'm thinking the knowledge that Lindros did little to increase the number of Cups in Philadelphia probably would give some GMs pause about pulling the trigger on a lopsided trade like that anyways.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Gameday Preview: Caps vs Wings
Who: Washington Capitals vs. Detroit Red Wings
Where: Joe Louis Arena
When: Monday, December 17, 7 pm
Broadcast Info: Versus, RDS, NHL Network (Canada); 3WT Radio; AM 1270
Media Notes:
Caps' Site
NHL.com
Washington Times
Detroit Free Press
Taking on the top team in the league is a daunting task for any club - when you're still struggling to climb into the pack and you still suffer from occasional lapses, it's even moreso.
One thing the Caps have proven this year, though, is that they have the ability to hang in there with the league's elite teams despite being so-called "lowly". When you're in last place in the conference obviously you are considered the underdog in every game, but so many times this season the Caps have come out and dispelled the myth that the record defines the team.
Their work is cut out for them this time - sure, they've gone into Scotiabank Place and shocked the previously white hot Senators. They've traveled to Philly and taken one away from the Flyers in overtime. But there are few arenas tougher than the Joe to play in and the Caps need to come out with the work ethic and solid play they've suddenly adopted.
The Wings aren't an invincible team...they just play one on TV.
ChCh: Such a late hour, though?
CC: Er...it's 3:30.
ChCh: It's already 3:30?? Hurry up, young lady, we're late for dinner! Right, Dom?
DH: Eh?
ChCh: [shouting] I said we're late for dinner!
DH: ...eh?
ChCh: Never mind.
CC: Right...right, um, so Chris, how has the NHL changed since you first started?
ChCh: These kids nowadays, they don't know what hockey is anymore.
CC: I'm sorry?
ChCh: Damn spoiled kids. Back when I was a kid we had to use stale pieces of bread for padding and we had to run from city to city with our equipment on our back. Through the snow, too, with only used tissues on our feet to protect against the cold.
CC: That doesn't sound quite...
ChCh: Back then we were paid in pieces of string - and we were thankful, too.
CC: Um...okay. Dominik?
DH: Eh?
CC: Well put, sir. Chris, what do you think is the biggest challenge facing-
DH: BANANAS!
CC: What??
DH: ...eh?
ChCh: I remember one game where I scored 363 goals in one period. 'Course, the number three had been outlawed in an attempt to ration electricity, but the president gave me a pardon because -
DH: MONKEY SPIT!
CC: Wow. Uh, hey, do I hear a bingo game going on next door?
ChCh: Bingo?? WHERE? Come on, Dom!
[Chelios leaps to his feet, grabs Hasek's wheelchair and rushes out of the room...a process that takes him about an hour.]
Pothier Pots Winner
Another day, another one goal win - and boy, does it feel good to say that.
So what have we learned?
We learned that the Caps continue to prefer allowing the first goal of the game - although we don't know why. We learned that Vinny Lecavalier really, really likes to score on the Caps. We learned that Dave Steckel really, really likes to score on the Lightning. And we learned that our goalies are trying to give us a collective ulcer.
You never go into a road game expecting it to be pretty - in fact, being a fan of the road team means you don't want it to be pretty. An ugly game means our team is shutting down the home team, mucking up the neutral zone and basically taking the home team out of it. This was not a pretty game. And so we get another two points in a hard-fought battle.
Some thoughts:
- Eight turnovers by the Caps tonight - that's a dramatic improvement over the last few games and back down to where it should be. However...Mike Green had two of them. Growing pains associated with learning the ropes as a full-fledged NHL defenseman, sure, but it will be better for all of us if he can hold on to the puck a bit more.
- Michael Nylander was a +1. When was the last time you saw Nylander not in the minus column, regardless of the outcome?
- Brian Pothier had the game-winning goal, an assist and three shots in just over sixteen minutes of ice time. Now that's what I call bouncing back. He also played a pretty decent game in his own end, which is just as important and yet so often overlooked.
- The first goal of the game was a very soft goal for Johnny to let in. Please oh please do not start up this racket that the Caps need new goalies to win games, though. Are they playing like Vezina candidates right now? Maybe not. But if the Caps can put up enough goals and Olie and Johnny make enough big saves the trophies matter very little. And let's not forget that the Vezina candidates from last season aren't exactly playing that way right now, either.
- If Alex Ovechkin takes one more stick to the face he will no longer resemble his roster picture.
- Tomas Fleischmann's goal was a gritty, picking up the trash kind of goal - the second time in the last handful of games that he has parked himself in front of the net and refused to be moved until the puck crossed the line. I think we all can agree that's progress for Flash.
- Pettinger's pass from behind the net was a thing of beauty, as was Pothier's finish. It's so nice to see that play working for us and not against us lately...
- I never get tired of watching Ovechkin, Semin, Nylander, Kozlov, or Green stickhandle around the opposition. I do get tired of seeing them stickhandle around the opposition only to turn over the puck immediately after.
- Ovechkin had kind of a rough night - and by rough night I mean he was a -2 and took a stick across the face. And yet he fired 13 shots towards Holmqvist, 7 of which got through. If he can have that kind of night and the team can still win? I like where we're going.
- Every game Semin looks a little closer to 100%...and we can tell because he not only registered four shots on goal and picked up an assist, but he also took a hooking minor. That's our little Alex 2.0.
- Minnesota held on to defeat the LA Kings last night. Why should we care? Because for the first time since November 9, the Caps are not dead last in the NHL. They're still 29th, let's not get ahead of ourselves, but...baby steps.
All photos courtesy of AP
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Magic Number Is...
25.
That's how many turnovers the Caps had tonight. That makes 50 in the last two games...and that's too many.
Slimy Loss
Well...that was just ugly.
There may have been a bit of sitting back in the last 10 minutes, though - it was like the Caps got a little too confident in their ability to win in overtime that they forgot they had to at least maintain a tie in order to get there. The game-winning goal was simply a product of puck possession and hard work by the Sabres, enabled by a Caps team that was running around. You can't blame Olie on that one...he takes enough of the blame on one or two of the other goals.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Where We've Been, Where We're Going
- First and most importantly, the Caps are 6-3-1 since Gabby took over - that's 13 out of a possible 20 points, a .650 percentage. If the Caps continue at their current pace over the remaining games they'll have about 92 points...which if you recall was the exact number the Islanders had when they squeaked into the playoffs last year. (By the way, if you stretch that out over a whole 82 game season it would give the Caps 106.6 points.) Thanks to Biff for doing the legwork, aka the math, and for the heads up.
- Before Boudreau the Caps had only managed 3 or more goals seven times; only three of those times did the Caps score at least 4. Since then the Caps have scored 3 or more goals in six of their ten games; four of those games have seen the Caps score at least 4.- Two key guys over the last ten games have been Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green. Ovechkin
has contributed 25% of the team's offense since Boudreau came on - that's actually down from the close to 30% he has over the entire season...and it's down further in the last five games, to about 10%. Meanwhile Mike Green has gone on a tear, scoring 3 goals including the game-winner in overtime last night, and now leads the league in goals by a defenseman. He's also even in +/-...
Gabby says no.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Fear the Mullet
A Caps overtime win...isn't it a lovely thing? Almost as lovely as Donald's new 'do.
Happy '80s night!
Extinguishing the Firepower
One of the so-called hot button topics we're supposed to care about this season is the lack of scoring going on in the NHL. The average goals per game is down, we're told. Goals equal exciting games, they say. It needs to be fixed - so sayeth the league.
All due respect to the NHL, who always seem to make the right decisions based on what they think the fans want...but that's crap.
Yes, the odd 7-0 game is fun. The occasional 6-5 game can be thrilling.
It can also be boring and miserable and predictable, whereas a good old-fashioned 0-0 or 1-1 game can be an edge of your seat, nailbiting thriller. (Even moreso back in the days before the gimmicky shootout came along...but that's an argument for another day.)
It's also not as though goal scoring has disappeared completely, evidenced by the scores we've seen just in the last week. The Sabres have had three games in the last two weeks where the winning team has scored at least 7 goals. The Caps beat up on the Thrashers just a few days ago to the tune of 6-3. Colorado rolled over the Blues by plastering them for 9 goals - and by "rolled over" I mean still allowed 5 goals against. The Flyers demolished the Pens just last night, putting up eight goals in a game that included back to back hat tricks.
So it's not that goal scoring is down, per se. The difference is actually found not in the league but in teams - in other words, teams that scored a lot of goals last year are, well, not so much. Tonight's game is the perfect model for this.
At this time last year the New York Rangers had 99 goals, tied for sixth in the league. This year they have a total of 64 goals - that's a 35 goal differential over the course of a year. But those big buck contracts handed out to Gomez and Drury were totally worth it, right?
Then there's the Caps. A year ago they had begun their descent but were still 10th in the conference and had racked up 95 goals. That's 21 more than their total this year. A lot of that is coaching, chemistry and injuries - but it's enough to send the Caps to the basement.
And it's not just the Caps and Rangers, either. Last year the Islanders had 88 goals. This year they've scored 62. Buffalo went from 124 to 86; Nashville went from 99 to 70. Anaheim was the most dramatic dip, going from 121 goals a year ago to just 77.
On the other end of the spectrum, Carolina is just one goal off their pace from last season. Toronto, Montreal, and a few other teams are also hovering around the same mark. Ottawa continues to rack up points. Detroit has actually scored more goals than this time last year, and by a large margin.
So maybe it's not that goal scoring is down leaguewide but rather that some previously offensively powerful teams are simply not anymore. Maybe the issue is that with true parity comes the decline in offensively-loaded teams. Maybe it's because some teams are underachieving (i.e., the Caps). Maybe goal scoring isn't a trend that can be measured year to year but rather over a decade or a generation.
In the end does it really matter? Would you really stop going to games just because the final score was 2-1 rather than 3-2? Statistically speaking, goals are down. But on any given night any team can explode for 7+ goals and on any given night a goalie can shut down everything. It has nothing to do with how strictly the refs interpret the rules or how big the net is - all any fan wants to do is be entertained and, hopefully, see their team come out on top.
The rest is just numbers.
Gameday Preview: Caps vs Rangers
Who: Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers
Where: Verizon Center
When: Wednesday, December 12, 7 pm
Broadcast Info: CSN+, 3WT; FSN-NY, WABC 770 AM
Media Notes:
NHL.com
Washington Post
Washington Times
New York Times
For some reason games between the Caps and the Rangers always seem to catch these two teams going in opposite directions, and tonight's game is no exception. The Caps have won three of their last four; the Rangers have dropped three of four. The Rangers are flirting with first in the division; the Caps have long been mired in last place in the league. It always makes for an interesting matchup, one that the Caps appear more than ready for despite a few key injuries that continue to shorten the bench.
Recent changes by Boudreau seem to have reinvigorated the Caps, not the least of which is the newly minted top line of Ovechkin, Backstrom and Pettinger. The line has created some of the best chances in the last two games and Backstrom has suddenly found his scoring touch, potting goals in two straight and simply appearing more comfortable in every situation.
And then there's the play of Quintin Laing, Hershey Bear and journeyman AHLer, whose scrappy, hardworking play has been perfectly suited to the ailing Caps. His performances in every game have been commendable, and it was capped off with a well-deserved goal in Monday's win. Look for him to continue to make his mark in the lineup, blocking shots and providing the shot in the arm for this Caps team.
Meanwhile New York continues to struggle with consistency on so many levels. Before the season began, the Rangers were annointed as the new kings of the East and in some respects they have held true to that prediction. But they've done it in spite of an anemic offense, one that is in fact the worst in the league - "led", of course, by their mighty captain Jagr, whose 7 goals put him on pace for a measly 20 on the year. In that respect they are very much like the last-place Caps, and there but for the grace of Henrik Lundqvist go the Rags...
Hank is only one of the obstacles facing the Caps tonight, but he's also the biggest. It was not the Rangers who beat the Caps a month and a half ago...it was Lundqvist. He was the difference, keeping the Rangers in it and more importantly keeping the Caps out of it en route to a 2-0 victory and his third shutout of the year. He's added two more since, including one just a few days ago against the white hot Devils.
The Caps need to find a way to continue their recent scoring touch, hot goalie or not, if they want to make it three in a row.
Tonight's big promotion is "80s night", which I guess means '80s music will be played and...you can dress up...and stuff. I don't know. What I do know is that the first 5,000 people in attendance will receive a lovely red mullet wig (as modeled by Craig Laughlin on Monday night's broadcast and by poor unfortunate random Caps employee in the picture above).
But these wigs are merely impostors, pretenders to the throne of the ultimate mullet. The king of mullets, if you will. Coincidence that the former owner of this shaggy delight makes his season debut in DC tonight?
You be the judge.
Short on top, nothin' but a party in the back! Evil returns...tonight.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Caps Get the Bounces...Finally
After Friday's loss to the Devils, Boudreau called out the entire team for playing uninspired, lazy hockey. They responded with a dominant win against Atlanta the following night - and the momentum continued tonight, as the Caps came out absolutely flying and proceeded to simply command the pace of most of the game.
fact only three players failed to register at least one hit - and I think we're all better off if Fleischmann, Motzko and Semin don't try to hit so much anyways.All photos courtesy of AP
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Smackdown in Hershey
Apologies for the lack of recaps and previews this weekend - I've fled the confines of DC for the chocolatey hills of Hershey, Pennsylvania, where I'm immersing myself in all things Bears for a few days. Hopefully the Caps can pull out a win tonight to restore my faith but I'd be lying if I said I didn't need a little mental break.
So I headed off to Hershey yesterday where I met up with fellow hockey lunatics Teka (a Bears/Penguins fan) and Nadine (a Flyers fan). Needless to say, much hilarity ensued as we tried to convince one another that our respective teams were not, in fact, evil. You can guess how successful that was...
This morning we trekked over to Giant Center and caught the Bears' morning skate, which although optional was fairly well attended. The boys were in high spirits, having dispensed with the Baby Pens last night, and it was nice as always to see the familiar face of Ben Clymer among the smiles.
The Hersheyness continued with a sightseeing tour of the town. Local landmarks visited: the one Starbucks in town, Chocolate World (where we were accosted by a Hummer driver from New York...a rude New Yorker, go figure), and the local strip mall (including a happenstance sighting of the Bourquemobile).
And then tonight. The main event. Bears. Phantoms. A Caps fan, a Bears/Pens fan, and TWO Flyers fans. Who will win? Who will lose? Who will come out alive? Tune in tomorrow...hopefully...
Friday, December 07, 2007
Eight is Enough
Tonight's first game of the season between the Caps and Devils seems to be an appropriate time for a much-needed shot of optimism.
Exactly a month ago the Devils found themselves off to a rather unimpressive start - in fact, they sat merely one point ahead of the Caps, with only five wins on their record.
Then a funny thing happened. They started winning.
First a 6-2 victory against the Flyers; then a 2-1 win over the Penguins. A 3-0 victory (Brodeur's first shutout of the season) and suddenly the Devils have their first three-game winning streak of the year. That streak has since turned to eight straight, and while Caps fans hope that streak ends in Newark tonight, it has propelled the Devils into a first place tie with the Flyers in the Atlantic.
Think it can't happen here? Atlanta dropped it's first six games of the year...they then fired Hartley and went on to lose only three of their next fifteen. On the reverse side, the Senators started the season with only two losses in their first seventeen games (including one to the mighty Capitals). They've just recently snapped a seven game skid, squeaking out a win over the equally mighty Panthers.
The Devils may seem intimidating right now. Eight straight wins is good - obviously something is going right for them. The Caps will need to be on their game for sure.
But eight straight is also the streak the Senators were on before the Caps came into their building, an underdog of the highest degree, and pulled out a stunning 4-1 victory.
My point is this - things change. The season is long. On any given night any team can beat any other team. And a streak can start when you least expect it. Just something to think about...
The World's Longest Gameday Preview
Who: Your Nation's Capitals vs. New Jersey Devils Favorite Cap: The player I'd most like to punch is...: Prettiest Devil: Special thanks to the IPB ladies for their insights, witty and intelligent as always (if not occasionally a little misguided). Now, Caps fans - feel free to fire back at some of those little digs hidden throughout...anyone think after eight straight wins the Devils and their fans may be getting a little cocky? Hmm?
Where: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
When: Friday, December 7, 7:00 pm
Broadcast Info: CSN, 3WT Radio; FSN New York,
Media Notes:
Caps' Website
Devil Website
NHL.com
Washington Post
Washington Times
Newark Star-Ledger
We're trying something new today, kids.
In gameday previews past you've met some of your favorite (and least favorite) players and learned the deepest, darkest secrets of the teams you love to hate - but if you truly want to know your enemy, you need look no further than the fans. To get a better understanding of those strange creatures known as Devils fans, I asked some of my good friends to help me out by answering a few burning questions. By sheer coincidence, their answers make my workload considerably lighter this week...
Meet Schnookie and Pookie, sisters who share a brain, a love of all things Paulie Martin, and the most wonderfully insane sense of humor I've ever seen. Together they make up the dynamic duo between the hilarious Devils-centric blog, Interchangeable Parts. I know what you're thinking - dynamic and Devils are two words never before used in the same sentence. Shocked the hell out of me, too.
This is probably the longest post I'll ever do, but believe me - you won't want to skip over a single word, comma, or apostrophe.
Favorite Devil:
Schnookie - Jay Pandolfo
Pookie - This is a matter of much, much consternation for me, but Zach Parise has stolen my heart in a way no other Devil player has. My problem with this is that he's the classic "Trapper Keeper Cutie" player, in that he's 
totally the guy the teeny-bops would have plastered all over their lockers. The teeny-bops know it, the fans know it, the media knows it, and worst of all, he knows it. But he's also so much more talented than Devils skaters are supposed to be. (Also, whenever I'm feeling too ashamed of the fact that the best-looking best player on the team has -- though I've resisted for over a season -- become my favorite, I can fall back on my second favorite, Paulie Martin.) [Golden Gopher love is the best.]
Least favorite Devil:
Schnookie - Johnny Oduya.
Pookie - Cam Janssen. No question. He might go down in history as my least favorite Devil of all time.
Schnookie - I'm cheap and easy -- Ovechkin.
Pookie - Alex Ovechkin, of course! He has 3 beers before every game!
Least favorite Cap: 
Schnookie - Out of loyalty to Marty, I gotta say Kolzig. (But despite my merciless taunting about him, I don't hate him or anything. Really. Entirely.)
Pookie - Olie. Sorry. I just find it so unseemly how easily he loses it during games. (Oh, and that whole Caps-goalies-winning-Marty's-awards thing is also a problem.) [I personally love how Olie loses it - it's totally part of his charm! Calm, cool, collected goalies are boring *cough*Marty*cough*]
Dainius Zubrus is...:
Schnookie - ...a 6'4" Sergei Brylin, and therefore, a perfect fit for the Devils. He's like the biggest "eff you, Gomez" signing Lou could possibly have found in this past summer's UFA crop. He could never score another goal and I would still love, love, love that we picked him up. [That's probably a good mindset to have...]
Pookie - ...a very good hockey player.
(psst Is anyone buying that? No? Okay then.) HOT! Dainius Zubrus is hot! Seriously though, he's a big-name free agent who signed for less money to play long-term with the Devils. How can I not love that? I had zero expectations for him to do anything but open up some space on the ice, so I'm thrilled with his play so far. Is he maddeningly more likely to miss an open net than score? Sure! But since we've had a player like that for years (Patty Elias, I'm looking at you) it's not a problem to have Zubie doing it too. (At least he doesn't do the epic whole-head eye roll that Patty's perfected.)
More tragic figure - Sid or Zach?
Schnookie - Sid is like the loneliest little wooden robot boy in the world, but at least he's every bit as talented as he thinks he is. So I have to give this one to Zach, but it's very nearly a dead heat.
Pookie - On the surface Sid seems much more tragic. Friendless, alone, nothing but a piece of meat. But if you look a little deeper, you'll find that Zach is actually far worse off. You see, Sid knows there is more to life than hockey; sure that "other than hockey" stuff is all based on being a good little piece of meat and making the most out of endorsement deals and shilling for the League powers that be. 
But Zach has never in his life been given any reason to believe that there is anything in life outside hockey. Rather, that there is anything in life outside of winning in hockey. When you see Sid give an interview after a bad loss he looks like he's sad that he let his teammates, coaches, management and fans down. When you see Zach give an interview after a loss -- any kind of loss -- he looks pissed that the world let him down for allowing his team to lose and a little bit shocked that such a thing could happen in the first place. (Also, in a goofy interview about gaming, the only thing Zach could think to do was brag that his older, barely-good-enough-to-be-a-minor-leaguer loser brother whom he idolizes is capable of getting 5 stars on Level Hard in Guitar Hero. That's just sad. Even Sid wouldn't stoop so low.)
The Devil we don't know but should:
Schnookie - I have to pick only one? Well, there's Rod Pelley, who is going to be the new John Madden when the old John Madden can no longer serve in his role as John Madden, but he's not much of a threat to score or anything (right now he's just a preternaturally calm presence on the PK). The guy Caps fans should look out for is whichever interchangeable D-man has just been reinserted to the lineup. We're carrying 8 defensemen right now, and Sutter's dressing 7 a night; he's rotating healthy-scratching the non-top-two guys, and lately whichever one has been sitting has been awesome as soon as he's given the chance to play again. Rachunek did it first, demonstrating in his return to the lineup an offensive dynamism that we'd never seen from him before, and Brookbank did it most recently, getting his first two career points on key assists in our 4-3 comeback against Boston.
Pookie - David Clarkson. He has the potential to be the new Randy McKay. He's a scrapper, a pest, a fighter and a yapper, but he's also shown he's got good hands and a huge heart.
The Devil we know but shouldn't:
Schnookie - If you'd asked this a few weeks ago I'd have had a long list that would have started in bold-face all-caps with Patty Elias and Brian Gionta. But they've both been scoring lately (since Patty got shifted to center), and in our last game the Patty/Gio/Zach line was an indomitable force. Right now, there isn't anyone on the team who's overrated.
Pookie - Thanks to Lou's strict policy of not promoting players over the team, we've ended up not having many overrated players (nor many players people have heard of at all!), but I guess in this case I'll answer Gionta. This seems to be a bit of an unfair answer, since he's had a few great games recently. Sutter put together a line of Parise-Elias-Gionta, and as of the last game they're officially on fire. However, I'm sticking by this answer solely on the strength of the fact that he's on the All-Star ballot but shouldn't be.
Ovechkin is breaking in one-on-one. The NJ defenseman I would HATE to see between him and Marty is...: 
Schnookie - Johnny Oduya. He's a perfectly adequate fifth defenseman, but if he got stuck between Ovie and the net, he'd probably find a way to drop his stick in the farthest corner, and then opt to skate out to pick it up.
Pookie - Johnny Oduya. He is on a mission to set a new world record for Most Dropped Sticks in an NHL Season. He'd just drop his stick, Ovie would kick it into the corner and then, just as he's done in at least two games this season, Oduya would leave his position to retrieve the stick, leaving Marty all alone to...stop the puck without breaking a sweat. [We'll see about that last part, missy.]
Chico or Doc?
Schnookie - Doc! Doc's the best play-by-play man in sports, and he's the straw that stirs the drink with regards to the experience of watching the Devils on television.
Pookie - DOC! Doc is hands-down the best broadcaster in all of sports (and I've heard a lot of 'em, in a lot of sports). Chico... is Chico. I'll be very sad when he's gone, but I'll be devastated the day I have to watch a full Devils season without Doc.
Chico or Locker?
Schnookie - Dude, there is no question -- Chico.
Pookie - You know I love Locker, but I gotta go Chico. Chico is, after all, the one who said, "Marty looks like a mermaid out there! Except he's a man...wait, I know! He's like a male mermaid out there!"
Butter or margarine?
Schnookie - Butter. And lots of it. (Do people even eat margarine anymore?)
Pookie - Butter. I just recently found myself asking, upon seeing margarine as a Safeway Score and Win prize the other day, "Margarine still exists?"
Schnookie - Cam Janssen. His dirty hit on Kaberle was the turning point of the Devils season last year, and now he's threatening to get healthy enough to want back into the lineup one of these days. I am horrified at the thought of one of the actual competent hockey players we currently have on the roster losing his job to make room for him. (You thought I was going to say Sean Avery, didn't you? Well, I refuse to give him the satisfaction.) [Plus you'd have to wait in a very, very, VERY long line.]
Pookie - Daniel Alfredsson. He's slowly and very quietly turning out to be a gutless puke but no one seems to notice. Plus his face looks soft, so it won't hurt my hand.
If I ran the NHL I would...:
Schnookie - Abolish the shootout and go back to having ties.
Pookie - 1. Make sure every television broadcast on every channel on satellite and cable was broadcast in HD. 2. Ensure suspensions were meted out consistently and fairly. 3. Create a Competition Committee constructed entirely of fans who would veto changes made before they're instituted.
Schnookie - I have to pick just one? This is a staggeringly pretty lineup, and this is a tough call. It comes down to Zach Parise, David Clarkson or Travis Zajac. You can't go wrong with any of them.
Pookie - David Clarkson (with Zach Parise a very, very close second).
Ugliest Devil: 
Schnookie - Pickin's are slim when you're looking for ugly Devils these days. It's really pretty indisputably Colin White.
Pookie - We're actually a pretty darn good looking team for the first time in years. The Hockey Gods clearly are taking pity on us for having Bobby Holik on the team for so many years. But if forced to choose, I'd go with Colin White. Boyfriend's got the second ugliest tattoo I've ever seen. [Which begs the question...what's the ugliest one??]
Worse uniforms - Islanders or Panthers?
Schnookie - Islanders. By a mile. They're just a hodgepodge of all these different uniform-design elements, like the design team had a last-minute brainstorming session before pitching the concept to the team, and just went with every idea they could come up with.
Pookie - Gosh, that's a really, really tough one. While the piping on the Panthers jerseys (I won't call those monstrosities "sweaters") is awful, I'm going to go with the Isles just on the strength of those obnoxious orange color blocks on the sleeves.
The "forbidden trapezoid" rule is...:
Schnookie - Asinine. What kind of sports league decides to limit the creativity and evolution of a dynamic element of the flow of its game? I understand the idea that reducing how much a goalie can handle puck means he can't function as the "third defenseman" in stymieing attacking offenses. But what about the fact that allowing goaltenders to handle the puck as much as they want to also means they function as a "third puck-moving defenseman" who can hasten his team's defense-to-offense turnaround? And how about the way that, as it became essential for goalies to participate in playing the puck beyond just the area surrounding the net, more and more guys who were really bad at puck-handling were creating scoring chances against themselves? It was a stupid, short-sighted rule change, and I still don't see what value it's added to the game. (Furthermore, Devils fans can't help but feel like their team has been persecuted with this rule. Really, if Marty had -- heaven forbid -- ended up playing his career in Toronto or New York, would the NHL have ever considered that goalies handling pucks in the corners could be anything but a good thing?)
Pookie - A travesty. The only reason it was put into place was to stifle Marty Brodeur. What League goes out of its way to hinder the game of one of the most creative players to ever play his position? Marty's ability to control games by stick-handling was revolutionizing goaltending, forcing other goalies to adopt it as part of their game. This trend was only creating more offense, either by providing a competent stick-handling goalie the opportunity to quickly pass the puck up to his skaters, or by providing less competent stick-handling goalies the opportunity to bungle the puck terribly which 99% of the team lead directly to the other team getting a good scoring chance. The only explanation for why the NHL put this rule into place was to put a lid on Brodeur's talent. This is a travesty.
[As you can tell, this is a hot-button topic. I hate it, too, but I'm not going to lie - I wish the rule had been around in Hextall's day.]
Favorite chant/taunt:
Schnookie - I'm a purist, so I'm always happy with the "Rangers suck!" chants. I like it best when inserted (all rhythmically, "The Rangers Suck!") into the Chicken Dance.
Pookie - "Rangers suck", of course! Nothing warms the cockles of my heart more than hearing the whistle that signals the beginning of the "duh duh duh da-duh -- Rangers suck!" group sing-along, but I'm also fond of "If you know the Rangers suck, clap you hands" and inserting "the Rangers suck" into the Chicken Dance. While I personally feel "Rangers suck" is a universal thing, if I happen to be at a Rangers-free event, I'll settle for being the classless goon that I am by adding a hearty "sucks" to the announcement of every name on the opposing team's starting line-up.
Liquid detergent or powder?
Schnookie - HA! Like I do my own laundry! (Pookie does it for me.) (And I cook for her, so it's not like I'm a total freeloader!)
Pookie - Liquid Tide HE, no bleach. With a nice addition of some April Fresh Downy. Safeway Score and Win can send me a lifetime supply of both.
Flyers or Rangers?
Schnookie - What kind of question is this? Whom do I hate more? Rangers. With the passion of a thousand white-hot suns. Don't get me wrong, now -- I definitely hate the Flyers, but just not the same way I hate the Rangers. 
Pookie - Excuse me? Is this some kind of Capitals humor? Well it's not funny! [Actually, Capitals humor is saying "of COURSE we'll make the playoffs this year!" - don't worry, you're new. You'll learn to recognize it.] Seriously though, Flyers. I hate the organization through and through, but I'm capable of looking beyond that to not intrinsically hate every player in the line-up. The Rangers, however? I hate every single, eensy-weensy, itty-bitty thing about them. The fact is, the Devils hate the Rangers so much it goes beyond the fans and the players -- both Marty and Lou admitted to the media that beating the Rangers in 2006 was more satisfying than winning the Cup would have been.
Three things I can't live without:
Schnookie - TiVo, Center Ice and wireless internet access.
Pookie - Center Ice, TiVo, the Interwebs [Seriously, we really can't tell you're sisters.]
Hockey was better before...:
Schnookie - The unbalanced schedule.
Pookie - The shoot-out. I don't know who decided we can't handle ties. The NFL has ties and no one seems to care, and yet we're stuck with hard-fought battles of intensity being settled with a super-skills competition. It's insulting.
Hockey is better now because...:
Schnookie - We have a long stretch of normal scheduling before having to go back to "all division, all the time".
Pookie - There are so many good, young players making the NHL an exciting league to watch. We don't have to sit and listen to the media whine and moan about how things were better when Gretzky and Lemiuex were still playing because we've got Sid, Ovie, Heatley, Nash, Getzlaf, Parise, et al.
When the Devils winning streak finally ends I will:
a) stand and applaud a fine run
b) throw something at the TV
c) drink myself into a stupor
d) call CapsChick and curse out her team
Schnookie - Probably D. I mean, really, can this go on forever? And our next game is against the Rangers, so if we're going to have that inevitable "all the bad habits that haven't been biting you in the ass finally do" let-down game, I'd rather it be against a sad-sack team like Washington than the Rangers. Oh, did I say "sad-sack" out loud? My bad. :P [Yeah, we're in a fight.] (But seriously, I'm the world's most pessimistic fan. I assume my team is losing every game.)
Pookie - e) Declare the team dead to me, announce that the entire line-up can't play hockey to save their lives, wonder aloud why I waste my time on them... and then immediately and eagerly check the schedule to see when they play next. [Cheater.]
CapsChick is...:
Schnookie - The greatest woman to ever breathe. [Check is in the mail, my dear...]
Pookie - Brilliant, witty, and wonderful except that whole Caps thing. But we can work on that. [Yes. I will work on not being so brilliant, witty and wonderful. Good suggestion!!]
All photos courtesy of Getty/AP
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Nylander Injured
And the curse of the Capitals 2007-08 season continues.
Nylander is out with my very favorite type of injury, the undisclosed kind - no word on the severity or the type or the length of time he'll be out for, but he definitely won't be in the lineup for the Caps' first visit to Prudential Center tomorrow night.
So now the question becomes, as it always does, who steps up? In the past the answer eternally seemed to be: nobody.
But this is supposedly a new season, with a new bench boss in charge, and he doesn't seem like the type of guy to let this team get away with anything. Hopefully one more injury won't derail this team from what has been greatly improved play.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
New Media, Old Media and Everything In Between
The continuing debate over the place of bloggers in the hockey world is one that is filled with conflicting arguments and different perspectives. Newspapers have covered it, bloggers have discussed it, and it was most recently given a spotlight by the crew over at CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.
Adding their voice to the debate, my two favorite Devils fans over at Interchangeable Parts have put together a questionnaire for bloggers to get a better feel for where we are and where we're going.
Now I think...I think...there are a few other Caps blogs around somewhere. Guys, this issue is one that hits us closest to home - I invite you all to take this questionnaire and run with it.
1. What was your motivation for starting blogging? Has that changed at all in the time you’ve been blogging?
The simplest answer is I just wanted a place where I could talk about my team. There is nothing I am more passionate about than my love of the Caps and hockey in general; blogging just seemed like the perfect outlet for me to talk hockey without bugging my family and friends any more than I had to. And frankly when I started I was frustrated by the distinct lack of coverage given to the upcoming season, a season I was actually very excited about (one of those ignorance is bliss moments, I admit). I figured if I couldn't read about the Caps, I could write about them.
In the fifteen months since I started, my blog has become much more than just a place for me to babble on about my team. It is now a way for me to interact with other passionate fans, to become part of a community of people who share a love of hockey. I've developed friendships and broadened the way I look at a season, a game, a single play. It may sound cheesy but I really feel like I've learned something from every single person I've come into contact with, be it a commenter or a fellow blogger.
2. What do you think your blog contributes to the hockey conversation?
I hope that first and foremost I'm able to bring a little bit of humor to the table. There is so much about being a hockey fan and specifically about being a Caps fan that is just downright hilarious. If you take it too seriously you're liable to go crazy - it's a game, it should be fun!
There is also something to be said for providing a female perspective in a male-dominated medium. I didn't start out with that specific goal in mind and I don't like to specifically refer to myself as a "female fan". I'm a fan who happens to be a female and I think putting a label to it just invites further division. However I refuse to allow the "puckbunny" image to be the predominant face of the female fan and I'm happy to be a representative of the true female fans, to show that the majority of us know the game, know our team, and can handle any debate you throw at us.
Plus we're likely to engage in that debate without it dissolving into a "whose is bigger" contest...but that's a different issue.
3. What do you want to get out of the blogs you read?
A different voice. Something that isn't just a rehashing of an article or a press release, something that shows the personality of the author or authors. I read blogs because of the different opinions they provide or the way they make me laugh. I read blogs that generate debate in the comments or voice an opinion that may be unpopular. I want to be entertained, stimulated, provoked or moved.
4. What determines which blogs you read and which you don’t?
I look for blogs that show a sense of humor, blogs that show a knowledge of the subject matter, blogs that are well written and blogs that present combinations of all three. Analyzing stats is one thing; doing it with a well-defined voice and a quick wit is quite another, and those blogs that achieve that go on my reading list as well.
I won't read blogs that show a distinct lack of effort - that can mean anything from having multiple typos and errors (my pet peeve) to using dry and nondescript writing to being completely devoid of enthusiasm. I also won't read blogs that disregard all rules of basic civility. There's trash-talking and then there's being downright mean, and I can't stomach the latter, no matter what team they may represent.
5. How important is the issue of gaining press access to you as a blogger?
I have had press access on several occasions, whether it is in the press box on game night or at an event like the uniform unveiling. Every experience I've had as a credentialed blogger has brought something new and different to my posts - a quote here, a picture there, anything that gives texture and depth to what I'm already writing. It's fact-gathering with a twist, seeing the behind-the-scenes elements of the game without the restrictions of deadlines or a specific story.
It's Milan Jurcina's pink socks at opening day of training camp; it's Ben Clymer's story at the draft day party about his own draft experience; it's talking baseball with Brooks Laich.
I am definitely for press access being extended to bloggers, if they so choose to apply for it, because it does broaden the fan experience. Bloggers bring a different perspective and can pass on the benefit of that perspective to the fans. There of course should be rules and guidelines defining who is eligible and who is not, but the option should be there for those who meet the criteria. The definition of "media" is expanding beyond just a journalism degree and a byline, and nothing is gained by pretending that's not true.
That being said - I don't think that gaining credentials is something required of every blogger in order to be taken seriously. There tends to be a "holier than thou" attitude among some bloggers who do choose to get credentialed, and this drives me crazy. Gaining press access is great, I'm all for it, but it's not the determining factor on what makes a great blog.
Some of the best blogs I've ever read were written by people who have never set foot in and have no desire to be in the press box. They don't put any less work into their blogs just because they don't seek out a press pass; their opinions don't matter any less. It's in their ability to carve out a corner of the blogosphere, a readership, that they become credible - not whether someone deems them worthy of holding a tape recorder in front of a goalie's mouth.
I think that the debate about credentialing bloggers has become far too narrow, lumping all blogs in with the ones who want press access. Humor columnists and food critics are, technically, members of the press; would you want them in the press box for a Caps game? No. Does that make them any less skilled at what they do? Definitely not. And it's the same for bloggers. Each blog has a different role to play, each blogger a different goal for his or her site, and that doesn't always include press access.
I have had a great time covering the Caps for this blog and I hope to continue to do so. But I also have no plans to trade in my experience as a fan to be press full time, at least not in this capacity. I love being a part of the crowd and being allowed to cheer or boo when necessary. I like wearing my jersey; I like jumping around when the Caps score. I even like sitting among the enemy fans. It's part of being a fan, which is why I started a blog in the first place. My time spent as credentialed media enhances my blog, but it's my experiences as a fan that make it what it is - for better or for worse.
6. To what extent do you feel accountable for the content of your blog? How concerned do you think readers should be about the authority and accountability of your blog?
Every word I write on my blog counts towards my credibility as a writer. Stats and numbers need to be checked; quotes need to be confirmed and then credited. If I get something wrong I fully expect to be called on it, because my readers and hockey fans in general are smart. They won't stand for half-assed, nor should they. So when I make a mistake I own up to it and fix it; when my opinion is challenged it is my responsibility to back it up.
I know that my readers are aware when I am being opinionated, when I am being analytical, and when I am being downright silly. Things I say for the purposes of satire or humor in general are clearly identified as such, as are my personal opinions. I don't pretend that my site is a source for breaking news or deep analysis, although each will from time to time trickle into the content (usually by accident...). My blog is not here to inform but to entertain and provoke thought and debate.
7. How concerned are you about the authority and accountability of the blogs you read? Do you find it difficult to judge the authority and accountability of the blogs you read?
Every blogger regardless of the purpose behind their blog should be held accountable for things they say in the public arena. However, how much I'm concerned with it comes down to the type of blog it is. If it's a site claiming to have the inside track on a trade rumor or the latest news on a disciplinary action, I absolutely am concerned about the authority and accountability - and some are harder to judge than others, to be sure. If I'm taking something as fact, I want to know that it's real...hence the reason I avoid certain blogs at all costs.
Other blogs, though, are simply there to entertain and I approach them as just that, entertainment. I'm not concerned with their authority because they're not trying to pass themselves off as a news-gathering site or anything close to that. Accountability comes in to play only if they express opinions but don't back them up, highlight a fact but refuse to confirm it.
8. What value, if any, do you think blogging brings to the NHL?
Blogging provides a tremendous value to the NHL. Hockey fans may often be in the minority but they are also the most passionate, loyal and knowledgeable fans of any sport - and bloggers are among the most insane dedicated fans of all. First and foremost, you need maniacs like me and others to be on board, to sell the sport and pass the love down to our kids.
But more importantly it's what blogging brings to the general hockey conversation. For years the only way to get analysis on a certain issue in the hockey world was one of three ways: open a newspaper, turn on a television, or listen to the radio. You got opinions from a select few, so-called pundits and analysts who gave you one, maybe two viewpoints, and that was it.
Now with a simple click of a mouse you get 10, 50, 100 different opinions from people who can then go read the other opinions and discuss them. What bloggers write and how people react to what we write can tell the league more than any focus group, because it's not prompted or filtered; it's real.
What is great about blogs is that they can appeal to the casual fan as well as the lifelong diehards, because the writing is accessible...that alone will do more than the glowing puck ever could. In the relatively short time I've been doing this I've gotten numerous emails with questions on everything from where the best seats are for a game to what a certain rule means to how I feel about a controversial topic. I've had people write just to tell me they attended their first game and loved it, and I've had others write in to tell me that I'm an idiot and wouldn't know hockey if it bit me in the, er, rear.
That's passion at all ends of the spectrum and all levels of fandom, demonstrated through just one blog - one of thousands. And nurturing that passion, whatever stage it may be in? That's how you grow a sport.
8 Crazy Nights
We've got a few more days to kill before the Caps are back in action, so live it up!
And remember:
Special thanks to Petra for her lovely work transforming this from a funny "Baby Jesus" joke to a somewhat nonsensical tribe-friendly quip at my request.
Monday, December 03, 2007
"Honest" Abe
According to ye olde DC Sports Bog, today has been proclaimed "Abe Pollin Day". The geriatric former owner of the Washington Capitals (remember that?) and the current owner of the Wizards turns 84 today.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
All I Can Say Is...
(Best viewed in Internet Explorer)
Wins feel so good right now, it almost doesn't matter how they come. Ugly, bizarre wins are worth the same amount as pretty wins.
That being said, I was very impressed with this one - the Caps came out and simply dominated from start to finish, dictating the pace of the game, generating scoring chances, and mucking up the neutral zone enough to simply take Florida out of the game.
Just a couple of quick notes:
- Backstrom easily could have had two or three goals tonight. Pettinger could have, as well.
- Johnson only faced 25 shots tonight, but he was very solid and made a couple of great saves, including one stellar one simply robbing Nathan Horton with his glove. It's about time the Caps got Johnny another one in the win column.
- This was the second straight game that the Caps had only 3 giveaways. Looks like they've finally figured out that turning over the puck 15-20 times a night won't help them win.
- Nylander was a +2 tonight - when is the last time you saw him in the plus column, win or lose?
- Matt Bradley had 3 hits and 3 shots in just under nine minutes of ice time. Donald Brashear had 2 hits and 3 shots. That's some good efficient work by those guys, who brought energy and hard work to every shift they had.
- Lots of blocked shots again tonight - Poti and Laing with four apiece, Ovie with three (although I'd really rather he didn't do that) and a team total of twenty.
- Vokoun really stood on his head to keep this game close, so it was nice to see both Caps' goals of the funny bounce variety. Maybe it's a sign that their luck is starting to turn...
- Penalty killing continues to be impressive, but I'm also loving how disciplined the Caps have been lately and really all year long. They've limited the number and type that they've taken, although Semin continues to take his requisite hooking penalty every game and Ovie was less than disciplined on both his minors tonight.
Now the Caps have a very long break in between games, out of action until Friday when they travel to lovely Newark, New Jersey. Time to learn all of Boudreau's systems and start the long uphill climb back to respectability. The last two games the Caps have been the better team, and if they keep it up they're going to have more games with results like tonight than last night.
Don't forget, this is a long season - we have a ways to go before you can count this team out of anything. I'm starting to see the tide turn.
