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.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Another One Bites the Dust
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6 comments:
They're gonna do it! They're gonna freakin' do it! How about our tough guy, Flash. Too much for Smaby to handle, I guess.
By the way, Shmee posted a "Stayin' Alive" video. Yuck! So far I've answered back with "Keep Yourself Alive".
Disco is dead. Long live Rock 'n Roll! And, long live the Cap's too!
Yeah, noticed the Ovechkin with Brooks in headlock too! Not as good as Ovie's hugs, but nice to see him showing Brooks the love.
Seriously, is it just me or has Brooks Laich morphed into a team leader or what? At the beginning of the season I never thought that two of my favorite players would be Brooks and Matt Bradley.
Dan: I'm torn between wanting to stay cautiously optimistic and wanting to listen to the voice in my head screaming those first two sentences over and over again...so let's go with...it's looking very very good right now. ;)
Kim: Not to be all "oh, I liked them before everyone else!" (don't you hate that??) but they've always been two of my favorites. I just love that kind of player, the gritty, utility guys who give 150% but maybe don't get the credit. Laich is really stepping up as a leader on this team, I agree, and Brads...well, he's making me beam with pride the way he's been playing this year.
I do believe CC still has a Dale Hunter poster hanging up in her room :)
Victor, how did you know?? It's right up there next to my Steve Konowalchuk and Jeff Halpern posters ;)
I am with you on loving the gritty guys (my red jersey is a Hunter). It is great to see many of those players on the Caps get recognized for their contributions.
I have always liked Matt Bradley. However, at the beginning of the season, I just did not expect that he and Brooks would be the ones stepping up into such leadership roles. I am thrilled.
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