President Trophies, individual awards, and threesomes in hot tubs will be how the 2009-2010 NHL season will be remembered for the Caps. I, just like the entire hockey world, am in shock as to what happened at Verizon Center.
To quote the coach from Happy Gilmore "Better luck next year"
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Varly set to start
According to the good people at the Washington Post Varlamov came off the ice first this morning. Which, as always has served as the indicator as to who will be starting. Maybe Bruce is pulling a fast one, but I doubt it.
Game 7 Preview
It is not over yet, but it will be for one team tomorrow night (potentially Thursday morning if they go to multiple overtime sessions.) If you are a Caps fan then you are hoping that the better team wins. Habs fans, on the other hand are praying to the "hockey gods", and can you blame them the majority of those "gods" donned the bleu blanc et rouge at one point in time?
Five days ago the Caps had a 3-1 advantage in the series and were about to play the fifth, and hopefully final game of the series at home. Things did not materialize that way on Friday night, and Monday's game 6 match up did not yield the results the Caps wanted either. So now we wait anxiously for the last of the NHL quarterfinal series to end. It is important to note that at no point in the history of the NHL playoffs has an 8 seed rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat a 1 seed, hopefully that trend continues tonight.
There are many questions surrounding the Caps roster for tonight's match up with Montreal. Perhaps no bigger question than who will start in goal. Varlamov has been plagued by inconsistent play ever since being injured against Tampa Bay in early December. His performance in the playoffs has been decent, posting a 2.48 gaa and a save % of .912. There is little doubt that Bruce favors Varly and would much rather play him over Theo, but I think Theodore needs to be the Caps guy tonight. Theo has been as consistent and as a strong a goalie as there is in the NHL this year. He has not lost a game in regulation since the first week of January, granted an OT loss at this point of the year does the Caps no good. However, a close game does mean that the Caps explosive offense was given ample opportunity to win the game. Varly is capable of turning in an outstanding performance that requires very little offense to secure a victory, but he is also capable performing at a minor league level like he did like he did in game 7 of last years series with the Penguins. Theo's consistent play almost guarantees that it will be at the very least a close game, and if offense is your bread and butter why not put the outcome of the game in their hands?
Keys to the game for Washington.
It is simple, do not make Halak look like Patrick Roy. Much credit should be thrown in Halak's direction for his game 6 performance. However, a lot of his good fortune is a result of Washington's play in the offensive zone. Yes, he made some spectacular saves, but he was rarely screened, and the Caps struggled to crash the net. The most important players for Washington are Brooks Laich and Mike Knuble. Ovechkin, Semin, and Backstrom do not need to show up so long as these two guys do their job. We saw in last game that even the average Joe (Corvo) can fire ten shots on goal. The shots will come, but if Laich and Knuble can screen Halak and or, crash the net and put home a rebound or two, then the Caps will win. If not, then Jaro Halak may very well find himself facing off against the highest remaining seed in the East, The Pittsburgh Penguins.
Keys for Montreal
Good goaltending for one. Aside from that keep playing well in transition, the odd man rushes have proved costly for the Caps all series. The Caps can counter the odd man rushes one of two ways. The first option is that they can play fire wagon hockey and just outscore Montreal, similar to what the did in games 2 and 4. The second option is to stop carrying the puck deep into the offensive and getting caught in transition with 3 forwards below the face dots, and instead play dump and chase. Aside from their fourth line this team never plays dump and chase, so why would they ever start now?
Five days ago the Caps had a 3-1 advantage in the series and were about to play the fifth, and hopefully final game of the series at home. Things did not materialize that way on Friday night, and Monday's game 6 match up did not yield the results the Caps wanted either. So now we wait anxiously for the last of the NHL quarterfinal series to end. It is important to note that at no point in the history of the NHL playoffs has an 8 seed rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat a 1 seed, hopefully that trend continues tonight.
There are many questions surrounding the Caps roster for tonight's match up with Montreal. Perhaps no bigger question than who will start in goal. Varlamov has been plagued by inconsistent play ever since being injured against Tampa Bay in early December. His performance in the playoffs has been decent, posting a 2.48 gaa and a save % of .912. There is little doubt that Bruce favors Varly and would much rather play him over Theo, but I think Theodore needs to be the Caps guy tonight. Theo has been as consistent and as a strong a goalie as there is in the NHL this year. He has not lost a game in regulation since the first week of January, granted an OT loss at this point of the year does the Caps no good. However, a close game does mean that the Caps explosive offense was given ample opportunity to win the game. Varly is capable of turning in an outstanding performance that requires very little offense to secure a victory, but he is also capable performing at a minor league level like he did like he did in game 7 of last years series with the Penguins. Theo's consistent play almost guarantees that it will be at the very least a close game, and if offense is your bread and butter why not put the outcome of the game in their hands?
Keys to the game for Washington.
It is simple, do not make Halak look like Patrick Roy. Much credit should be thrown in Halak's direction for his game 6 performance. However, a lot of his good fortune is a result of Washington's play in the offensive zone. Yes, he made some spectacular saves, but he was rarely screened, and the Caps struggled to crash the net. The most important players for Washington are Brooks Laich and Mike Knuble. Ovechkin, Semin, and Backstrom do not need to show up so long as these two guys do their job. We saw in last game that even the average Joe (Corvo) can fire ten shots on goal. The shots will come, but if Laich and Knuble can screen Halak and or, crash the net and put home a rebound or two, then the Caps will win. If not, then Jaro Halak may very well find himself facing off against the highest remaining seed in the East, The Pittsburgh Penguins.
Keys for Montreal
Good goaltending for one. Aside from that keep playing well in transition, the odd man rushes have proved costly for the Caps all series. The Caps can counter the odd man rushes one of two ways. The first option is that they can play fire wagon hockey and just outscore Montreal, similar to what the did in games 2 and 4. The second option is to stop carrying the puck deep into the offensive and getting caught in transition with 3 forwards below the face dots, and instead play dump and chase. Aside from their fourth line this team never plays dump and chase, so why would they ever start now?
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Tougher than Tough
The above is a link of Eric Belanger losing 8 teeth during last nights game against Montreal. Reports out of KCI this morning are that Belanger lost 7 or 8 teeth, and had a dental procedure similar to that of a root canal in between periods. Remarkably, Eric came back and finished the game logging 10:16 of total ice time for the evening. Belanger's return to the game last night demonstrated how tough hockey players are, and yes even French Canadians.
Belanger's toothless return to the ice rivals the comeback performances of Patrick Thoreson and Ryan Malone. Thoreson gained serious notoriety around Verizon Center when he blocked a Mike Green slap shot with his nuts and then preceded to play two nights later. Ryan Malone, as one hockey commentator put it, "his face exploded" after being hit with a slap shot in the Cup Finals. As you would expect from an American kid, Ryan Malone returned to the ice that night.
Clips of both of those incidents are embedded below.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Why Tomorrow Night is a Must Win.
Simply put, The Caps have played 3 playoff series during the Bruce Boudreau era, and they have all gone 7 games. This is taxing both physically and mentally on a team and if the Caps want to have any chance of making a deep run into the post season, then this series with Montreal needs to end as soon as possible.
I use the term "must win" very loosely, obviously if they do not win they are still in the driver seat. However, A number 1 seed should dispose of the pest that is an 8 seed in 6 or less games, that is the advantage of being a number one seed. You are playing an inferior team and you have home ice advantage. As it stands right now, barring a large comeback from the Devils, or Habs all signs point to a Caps-Flyers second round match up.
This is not the worst 2nd round draw imaginable, but the shorter this current series is the better it will serve for the Caps in the next round. The flyers are capable of scoring in bunches, that is of course assuming Gagne and Carter are able to play. They are physical, and they have one of the most intimidating d man in the entire league. Chris Pronger is an absolute specimen, he is capable of playing 25+ minutes a night and is good enough to shut down any, and I mean any scorer in the entire league.
I use the term "must win" very loosely, obviously if they do not win they are still in the driver seat. However, A number 1 seed should dispose of the pest that is an 8 seed in 6 or less games, that is the advantage of being a number one seed. You are playing an inferior team and you have home ice advantage. As it stands right now, barring a large comeback from the Devils, or Habs all signs point to a Caps-Flyers second round match up.
This is not the worst 2nd round draw imaginable, but the shorter this current series is the better it will serve for the Caps in the next round. The flyers are capable of scoring in bunches, that is of course assuming Gagne and Carter are able to play. They are physical, and they have one of the most intimidating d man in the entire league. Chris Pronger is an absolute specimen, he is capable of playing 25+ minutes a night and is good enough to shut down any, and I mean any scorer in the entire league.
Boyd "Horse Skin Skates???" Gordon
Everyone loves Dave Steckel. He is a good 4th line center, he wins key faceoffs, is one of the teams better penalty killers, and will be forever immortalized by Caps fans for scoring a goal in game 6 that delayed the inevitability of a caps series loss. If Steckel is so good at these aspects of the game then, why has he watched the past three games from the press box? That would be because Boyd Gordon is doing all of those things and more.
In the past two games Gordon has had two, two on ones, both of which were shorthanded, and both of which led to two goals. In game 3 Boyd came streaking down the right side of the ice, riding the heel of his blades. He had a 30 goal scorer in Mike Knuble coming down the ice opposite to him, instead of passing it to him he fired a shot on net. After Halak stopped the initial shot Gordon continued to whack at the loose puck until it crossed the goal line. The goal broke a scoreless tie and jump started the Caps 4 goal 2nd period.
In Game 4, Montreal had a 2-1 lead late in the 2nd, a powerplay, and all the momentum in the world. With about ten seconds left in the period, Gordon and Knuble came flying down the ice on a 2-1. This time with Knuble on the right and Gordon on the left. The sliding defenseman took away Gordon's most obvious passing lane along the ice to Knuble. This did not deter the gritty 4th line center from getting the puck to Knuble, Gordon quickly whipped up some sauce that was so brilliant that it would have made the town of Musselman, WV blush. The pass found Knuble's blade and he snapped home a quick wrister that evened the score at 2. Similar to his game 3 heroics, Gordon's shorthanded play completely turned the tide of the game and the Caps would go onto win.
I am not insinuating that had Gordon not made these plays, then the Caps would have lost either game. What I am saying is that in both instances the team needed someone to step up and make a play that would change the complexion of the game. In back to back games Gordon was the guy who delivered when it was most needed.
Also if anyone can explain to me why Gordon's nickname is horse skin skates on his wikipedia page, I would really appreciate it.
In the past two games Gordon has had two, two on ones, both of which were shorthanded, and both of which led to two goals. In game 3 Boyd came streaking down the right side of the ice, riding the heel of his blades. He had a 30 goal scorer in Mike Knuble coming down the ice opposite to him, instead of passing it to him he fired a shot on net. After Halak stopped the initial shot Gordon continued to whack at the loose puck until it crossed the goal line. The goal broke a scoreless tie and jump started the Caps 4 goal 2nd period.
In Game 4, Montreal had a 2-1 lead late in the 2nd, a powerplay, and all the momentum in the world. With about ten seconds left in the period, Gordon and Knuble came flying down the ice on a 2-1. This time with Knuble on the right and Gordon on the left. The sliding defenseman took away Gordon's most obvious passing lane along the ice to Knuble. This did not deter the gritty 4th line center from getting the puck to Knuble, Gordon quickly whipped up some sauce that was so brilliant that it would have made the town of Musselman, WV blush. The pass found Knuble's blade and he snapped home a quick wrister that evened the score at 2. Similar to his game 3 heroics, Gordon's shorthanded play completely turned the tide of the game and the Caps would go onto win.
I am not insinuating that had Gordon not made these plays, then the Caps would have lost either game. What I am saying is that in both instances the team needed someone to step up and make a play that would change the complexion of the game. In back to back games Gordon was the guy who delivered when it was most needed.
Also if anyone can explain to me why Gordon's nickname is horse skin skates on his wikipedia page, I would really appreciate it.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
She Really Tikkanened that one.
Long time Caps fans will remember Esa Tikkanen's brief stint in DC by one play. In Game 2 of the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals, with the Caps holding onto to a late lead Tikannen had the opportunity to put the icing on the cake and give the caps a commanding lead. Instead, he missed a wide open net and the explosive Red Wings rallied to win the game and sweep the series.
Although I was only in elementary school at the time, this image is forever seared into my memory. For those of you who are privileged enough to not remember this play, or never saw it I have posted its link. Due to some weird restrictions placed by the video's uploader it will not allow me to embed it on our website. I have copied and pasted the link here, feel free to look at it for your viewing pleasure, or in this case woes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkZVHY4QDdo
What could have been, had Tikkanen scored on that shot? Although the Caps would end up being swept at the hands of the merciless Red Wings, there is no doubt in my mind that a win in game 2 would have changed the series entirely. As a result, similar to Richard Nixon's stay in Washington Tikkanen's is forever marred by one incident. As the late president's final legacy will always be that anytime there is a political scandal it is almost always dubbed with the suffix -gate. Tikkanen's final legacy with Caps fans is that anytime an athlete fails so miserably to score an easy goal, they will be, and should be instantaneously compared to Esa.
I will generally spare the references to girls basketball, but my inspiration for this post came from watching the Sports Center highlights from the Stanford-Xavier girls elite 8 game. While Xavier's girls basketball nation is significantly smaller than that of "Rock the Red" nation, I still can not help to hurt for their team and their fans. Here is the video of the last minute of the game. Sorry, for the poor quality and try to ignore the annoying voice in the background. Long story short, Dee Dee Jernigan really Tikkanened that one.
Although I was only in elementary school at the time, this image is forever seared into my memory. For those of you who are privileged enough to not remember this play, or never saw it I have posted its link. Due to some weird restrictions placed by the video's uploader it will not allow me to embed it on our website. I have copied and pasted the link here, feel free to look at it for your viewing pleasure, or in this case woes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkZVHY4QDdo
What could have been, had Tikkanen scored on that shot? Although the Caps would end up being swept at the hands of the merciless Red Wings, there is no doubt in my mind that a win in game 2 would have changed the series entirely. As a result, similar to Richard Nixon's stay in Washington Tikkanen's is forever marred by one incident. As the late president's final legacy will always be that anytime there is a political scandal it is almost always dubbed with the suffix -gate. Tikkanen's final legacy with Caps fans is that anytime an athlete fails so miserably to score an easy goal, they will be, and should be instantaneously compared to Esa.
I will generally spare the references to girls basketball, but my inspiration for this post came from watching the Sports Center highlights from the Stanford-Xavier girls elite 8 game. While Xavier's girls basketball nation is significantly smaller than that of "Rock the Red" nation, I still can not help to hurt for their team and their fans. Here is the video of the last minute of the game. Sorry, for the poor quality and try to ignore the annoying voice in the background. Long story short, Dee Dee Jernigan really Tikkanened that one.
Caps-Sens Preview
Tuesday Mach 30, 2010
7:00 PM
Verizon Center
The Caps host the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night at the Fehr-izon center. This marks the fourth meeting between the two clubs, with Ottawa leading the season series 2-1.
The Caps locked up the Eastern Conference on Sunday night, despite being throttled by the Flames 5-3, with the Devil's loss to the Flyers. They are currently 27-5-4 at home this season, but come into Tuesday's matchup losers of two straight.
The Sens are 16-20-1 on the road this season and looked abysmal coming out of the Olympic break, but have been on a recent tear. They are winners of four in-a-row, including some key wins over Philadelphia and Buffalo, who are both looking to solidify their playoff positions. They are now in fifth place in the East and stand six points behind New Jersey and seven behind Buffalo for the lead in the North-East Division. The Sens are still in the hunt for the fourth seed and winning their division isn't out of their reach yet.
Tuesday's matchup will definitely be a must-win for Ottawa, who are looking to improve their playoff seeding. The Capitals need to come out with matched intensity, despite having the top seed in hand, if they hope to hold off the surging Sens and extend their points lead in the Presidents Trophy race. They currently lead San Jose by five points in the League standings.
Washington will again be without forwards Brooks Laich (face), Brendan Morrison (lower body), Boyd Gordon (back), and Scott Walker (knee). Mathieu Perreault, who scored his first NHL goal against Calgary Sunday afternoon, will likely get another night in the line-up due to the injuries.
Ottawa defenseman Anton Volchenkov is doubtful Tuesday night with a nagging undisclosed. (Good news for Ovechkin, who has struggled to get shots off against the big defenseman).
In goal, Ottawa's Brian Elliot will likely get the nod. He has been lights-out during the team's four-game win streak. During the four-game stretch, he has posted two shut-outs, holds a .965 save %, and has a GAA of 1, allowing only 4 goals in that span. His hot streak includes a 41 save effort in a 4-2 victory over division leading Buffalo on Friday.
Washington's situation in goal is slightly more convoluted. Theodore had been been playing solidly in net until his 1st period debacle against Calgary on Sunday, where he allowed three goals on just ten shots and was subsequently pulled. He had won his previous 7 starts and hadn't lost in regulation since January 12th.
Varlamov has been a little shaky since returning from injury. He's won just one game out of six starts since returning to action. Despite the losing record in the new-year, he has at times (including Sunday in Calgary and last week against Carolina) shown flashes of his early season form.
With Theo likely to be the number one going into the playoffs, it will be interesting to see whether Coach Boudreau starts him the majority of the remaining games to get a rhythm going, or whether he gives Varly a few more chances to regain his composure.
In all likelihood, I think Theodore will get the start against the Sens. Coach Boudreau has been known to quickly give a goaltender another start after a poor performance in order to recompose and I think he will want to give Theo his vote of confidence Tuesday night. However, Coach Boudreau has always been very secretive about naming his starter and has at times been unpredictable with who he puts between the pipes, so don't take my word on the starter as gospel just yet.
The Caps need to have a more focused start to Tuesday's matchup than they had Sunday. They face another team fighting to pick up as many of the remaining points left on their schedule as possible and will find themselves down early if they don't match Ottawa's intensity. The Caps need to make winning the Eastern Conference regular season title a catalyst that pushes them into the playoffs with great focus and rhythm and not get complacent going into the post-season. Just ask the Sharks, Banners are cool... But Cups are better.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
No Laich, No Malkin, No Problem...
The Caps are statistically the best team in the entire league, The Penguins are not far off. These are arguably the two best teams in the league, actually no need for any reservations here, these ARE the two best teams in the league. The last time these two teams met The Pens jumped out to 4-1 lead, only to be countered with 4 unanswered goals from Washington in the 3rd and overtime periods.
If the rivalry between the two teams was not already the biggest in the league, games like the aforementioned Super Bowl Sunday overtime thriller have only helped to add to its intensity. As a fan of hockey, I love watching these two teams face off. Aside from the Olympics, it is the best hockey I watch all year. I would love for nothing more than for a scenario to arise where the Caps and Pens could play in the Stanley Cup Finals. Geography being what it is, that will never happen, I would settle for a conference final between the two teams. However, there is no guarantee they will meet up beyond the regular season. That is why I do not take days like today for granted.
Despite both team missing key components of their lineups, I still think tonight will be a great game. It would not matter if the entire Hershey Bears and Wilkes-barre Scranton Penguins were called up to play in tonight's game, so long as Ovechkin and Crosby were playing with them. Undoubtedly, there are other great players on both teams, but perhaps the one thing that truly fuels this rivalry is the OV-Sid dynamic. They are both tremendous players, who are both partially responsible for reviving a dying sport.
Ovechkin embodies Thomas Hobbes thoughts on human nature in the Leviathan, he is nasty, brutish, and in a constant state of war. He is both fearless and reckless, and while in normal societal circles this type of behavior is frowned upon, in the NHL its welcomed with open arms. Crosby, the less flamboyant and reserved of the two, is a smooth skating playmaker who lacks the aggression of Ovechkin, but certainly not the killer instinct. It's hard to not be intrigued anytime they share the same sheet of ice.
Game on.
If the rivalry between the two teams was not already the biggest in the league, games like the aforementioned Super Bowl Sunday overtime thriller have only helped to add to its intensity. As a fan of hockey, I love watching these two teams face off. Aside from the Olympics, it is the best hockey I watch all year. I would love for nothing more than for a scenario to arise where the Caps and Pens could play in the Stanley Cup Finals. Geography being what it is, that will never happen, I would settle for a conference final between the two teams. However, there is no guarantee they will meet up beyond the regular season. That is why I do not take days like today for granted.
Despite both team missing key components of their lineups, I still think tonight will be a great game. It would not matter if the entire Hershey Bears and Wilkes-barre Scranton Penguins were called up to play in tonight's game, so long as Ovechkin and Crosby were playing with them. Undoubtedly, there are other great players on both teams, but perhaps the one thing that truly fuels this rivalry is the OV-Sid dynamic. They are both tremendous players, who are both partially responsible for reviving a dying sport.
Ovechkin embodies Thomas Hobbes thoughts on human nature in the Leviathan, he is nasty, brutish, and in a constant state of war. He is both fearless and reckless, and while in normal societal circles this type of behavior is frowned upon, in the NHL its welcomed with open arms. Crosby, the less flamboyant and reserved of the two, is a smooth skating playmaker who lacks the aggression of Ovechkin, but certainly not the killer instinct. It's hard to not be intrigued anytime they share the same sheet of ice.
Game on.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Laich injured
Brooks Laich was hit in the face with a puck at practice this morning after a John Carlson shot ricocheted of the crossbar. No word on the extent of the injury, but Bruce Boudreau did not seemed overly concerned when talking to reporters.
It does no good to speculate whether or not he will be in the lineup tomorrow night but Brooks Laich, being Brooks Laich, I have to guess it might take more than a few stitches to sideline him.
It does no good to speculate whether or not he will be in the lineup tomorrow night but Brooks Laich, being Brooks Laich, I have to guess it might take more than a few stitches to sideline him.
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