Nothing quite says playoff hockey like a bitter rivalry.
Boston - Montreal is always fun. Especially when you consider the newly minted history of this past regular season. Should be a fun series.
Washington - Pittsburgh also a great time. HBO, Winter Classic, Ovechkin and Crosby, etc. We can only hope these two teams meet at some point in the playoffs.
While we are on the topic of rivalries its tough to ignore one of the best ones of my lifetime. Although the hatred has subdued, and one of the teams is noy in this years playoffs you can never go wrong posting a video of Brendan Shannahan clothes-lining Patrick Roy.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Thought I had the flu, then I realized it was just Caps Fever.
I keep reading articles for how the Caps can beat Lundquist, the answer is pretty simple. Go to the net. Hockey games, especially playoff ones, are won in the area between the hash marks extended to the goal line. The long range wrist shots from the tops of the circles that go bar south may look pretty cool and get the girls all hot and bothered, but they don't win games. Ok, let me rephrase that, they WIN games, but they don't win series', and they certainly don't win championships.
In reality, a goal is a goal, there is no extra reward for a highlight reel goal. As a Caps fan my jaw dropped when I saw this goal, but my heart exploded through my chest when I saw this. Ovechkin's was an amazing goal in a meaningless game, Joe Juneau's was a garbage goal that caused the 4th grade version of me to have an asthma attack.
Preview For NYR Series
Last year's Caps team did a terrible job of crashing the net. Everyone raved about how great Halak was because he saw about 50 shots a game and the Habs still managed to win the series. The operative word being "saw." There was no net solid net presence, nothing obstructing his view of the puck. No disrespect to Halak, but any NHL caliber goalie can stop that many shots when they have a clear sight line.
The other single biggest factor to the '10 playoff debacle was odd man rushes coming the other way. The Caps had a tendency to continuously get three forwards sucked down well below the hash marks in the offensive zone. Any type of quick turnover lead to an odd man rush the other way, and against a speedy team and skilled team like Montreal more times than not odd man rushes turn into goals. A quick systematic fix for this is to dump and chase. The Caps were not familiar with this most basic of hockey strategies last season.
My keys for a Caps first round Win against the Rangers are go hard to the net, screen the goalie, simplify their attack i.e. dump and chase (which they have done this year), and limit odd man rushes. If they are able to do these things then there becomes about a snow balls chance in Guantanamo Bay that the Rangers win this series.
For the Rangers to win, a lot has to go there way. However, as Caps previous post-seasons have shown us, anything is possible. Rangers are first and foremost going to have get world class goal tending out of their world class goaltender. Lundquist play is going to dictate whether or not the Rangers have any chance in this series. Good goal tending alone can't win this series for New York. In tandem with that, they're going to need to convert their scoring chances at an above average rate.
Caps in 6
In reality, a goal is a goal, there is no extra reward for a highlight reel goal. As a Caps fan my jaw dropped when I saw this goal, but my heart exploded through my chest when I saw this. Ovechkin's was an amazing goal in a meaningless game, Joe Juneau's was a garbage goal that caused the 4th grade version of me to have an asthma attack.
Preview For NYR Series
Last year's Caps team did a terrible job of crashing the net. Everyone raved about how great Halak was because he saw about 50 shots a game and the Habs still managed to win the series. The operative word being "saw." There was no net solid net presence, nothing obstructing his view of the puck. No disrespect to Halak, but any NHL caliber goalie can stop that many shots when they have a clear sight line.
The other single biggest factor to the '10 playoff debacle was odd man rushes coming the other way. The Caps had a tendency to continuously get three forwards sucked down well below the hash marks in the offensive zone. Any type of quick turnover lead to an odd man rush the other way, and against a speedy team and skilled team like Montreal more times than not odd man rushes turn into goals. A quick systematic fix for this is to dump and chase. The Caps were not familiar with this most basic of hockey strategies last season.
My keys for a Caps first round Win against the Rangers are go hard to the net, screen the goalie, simplify their attack i.e. dump and chase (which they have done this year), and limit odd man rushes. If they are able to do these things then there becomes about a snow balls chance in Guantanamo Bay that the Rangers win this series.
For the Rangers to win, a lot has to go there way. However, as Caps previous post-seasons have shown us, anything is possible. Rangers are first and foremost going to have get world class goal tending out of their world class goaltender. Lundquist play is going to dictate whether or not the Rangers have any chance in this series. Good goal tending alone can't win this series for New York. In tandem with that, they're going to need to convert their scoring chances at an above average rate.
Caps in 6
Friday, March 11, 2011
Why Brooks Oprik Should Have to Fight John Erskine
Hockey in my estimation is a game of great equivalency. No one team, or single player should be held to a higher standard, while the off ice police have trouble comprehending this, the on ice police do not. Although Zdeno Chara might not have been reprimanded by the league, he will eventually have to answer to someone. Retribution is just as much part of the game as the surface they play on.
When Claude Lemiuex hit Kris Draper face first into the boards during the 96 playoffs he was immediately suspended by the league. But the punishment handed down to Lemiuex by the league was not enough to satisfy the Red Wings. "An eye for an eye" was their motto, as it is the motto of many teams and players in the NHL. "The code" has long been when you injure an opposing player in a questionable fashion you are then required to take your medicine. The Red Wings sought their pound of flesh, Lemiuex turtled and the rest his history.
However, the code appears to be evolving and its necessary presence is extending to borders it does not need to reach. During the 2011 Bridgestone Winter Classic, David Steckel late of the Capitals collided with Sidney Crosby away from the play. Crosby has had concussion like symptoms ever since. While the incident was certainly unfortunate, it appeared to be completely unintentional. Steckel was attempting to get up the ice and back into the play when his shoulder caught the head of an unsuspecting Crosby. Crosby has yet to play since this incident. Correction, Crosby has not played since the following game when he was driven head first into the boards by Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman.
In the next meeting between the Caps and Pens, Derek Engelland and Michael Rupp, both well respected fighters challenged then-Capital David Steckel to drop the mits. Their willingness to engage with Steckel was their attempt at gaining some measure of retribution on Steckel. Wisely, Steckel declined the kind requests of Misters Engelland and Rupp, although he would eventually fight Tim Wallace. Wallace an AHL call up who virtually no one outside of his family or close group of friends had ever heard of. This begs the question, what warrants retribution in today's NHL?
If Steckel's accidental hit on Crosby justifies the response given by the Pens players, then the league has entered into a new era of retribution. Retribution used to mean something, it was used to police malicious hits and liberties taken upon certain players. For all intents and purposes a new precedent has been set, one where players are responsible for everything they do on the ice, whether it be intentional or accidental.
In line with the standards set forth by the Penguins, Brooks Orpik has to answer the bell, for ringing Mike Green's. Yes, he was shooting the puck towards the goal, but the fact is he hit Mike Green right in the head. Green has only played two games since then and was just recently placed on LTIR. It only makes sense that Orpik have to answer to one of the Caps tough guys. Am I being unreasonable? Obviously I am, but look all I want is the equilibrium to be restored not only in Green and Crosby's heads, but in the NHL as well.
When Claude Lemiuex hit Kris Draper face first into the boards during the 96 playoffs he was immediately suspended by the league. But the punishment handed down to Lemiuex by the league was not enough to satisfy the Red Wings. "An eye for an eye" was their motto, as it is the motto of many teams and players in the NHL. "The code" has long been when you injure an opposing player in a questionable fashion you are then required to take your medicine. The Red Wings sought their pound of flesh, Lemiuex turtled and the rest his history.
However, the code appears to be evolving and its necessary presence is extending to borders it does not need to reach. During the 2011 Bridgestone Winter Classic, David Steckel late of the Capitals collided with Sidney Crosby away from the play. Crosby has had concussion like symptoms ever since. While the incident was certainly unfortunate, it appeared to be completely unintentional. Steckel was attempting to get up the ice and back into the play when his shoulder caught the head of an unsuspecting Crosby. Crosby has yet to play since this incident. Correction, Crosby has not played since the following game when he was driven head first into the boards by Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman.
In the next meeting between the Caps and Pens, Derek Engelland and Michael Rupp, both well respected fighters challenged then-Capital David Steckel to drop the mits. Their willingness to engage with Steckel was their attempt at gaining some measure of retribution on Steckel. Wisely, Steckel declined the kind requests of Misters Engelland and Rupp, although he would eventually fight Tim Wallace. Wallace an AHL call up who virtually no one outside of his family or close group of friends had ever heard of. This begs the question, what warrants retribution in today's NHL?
If Steckel's accidental hit on Crosby justifies the response given by the Pens players, then the league has entered into a new era of retribution. Retribution used to mean something, it was used to police malicious hits and liberties taken upon certain players. For all intents and purposes a new precedent has been set, one where players are responsible for everything they do on the ice, whether it be intentional or accidental.
In line with the standards set forth by the Penguins, Brooks Orpik has to answer the bell, for ringing Mike Green's. Yes, he was shooting the puck towards the goal, but the fact is he hit Mike Green right in the head. Green has only played two games since then and was just recently placed on LTIR. It only makes sense that Orpik have to answer to one of the Caps tough guys. Am I being unreasonable? Obviously I am, but look all I want is the equilibrium to be restored not only in Green and Crosby's heads, but in the NHL as well.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Game Recap
Game Recap
After watching last night’s 3-1 loss to the B’s one thing remains abundantly clear, Alexander Semin is either really good or really bad. If you’re Coach Bruce Boudreau all you can do is hope that the good Alexander Semin shows up more often than not or at the very least that the good Alexander Semin shows up when it matters most. If previous seasons serve as any form of indication as to what to expect from enigmatic Russian then know this, when the Caps desperately need production Semin will be harder to find than a snow ball in Kabul.
The thought of trading Semin is a nice one, unfortunately his subpar production in the playoffs makes him the least valuable 40 goal scorer in the entire NHL. His value to the Caps (still yet to be fully determined) is seemingly greater than anything another team would be willing to give up to get him. Last night’s performance by Semin was packed with lazy penalties, inaccurate shots, forced passes, and poor defensive posture.
Aside from Semin’s dismal play there were a few bright spots to take away from last night’s loss at Verizon Center. The PK remained perfect, even killing off a 53 second 5-3 in which Jeff Shultz and Brooks Laich completely neutralized a struggling B’s PP. Semyon Varlamov came on in relief for an ailing Nuevirth who left in the 1st period with the flu. Many questions have surrounded the Caps goaltending situation, a lot of people would believe that Nuevirth had all but sealed his fate as the Caps number one goalie. However, last night’s performance Varlamov reminded Caps fans that he is also a very capable young goaltender. He yielded only one goal, coming off of a well screened Matt Hunwick long range wrist shot from in the 3rd.
On a final note the Capitals continue to rack up the fighting majors. They are now tied as a team for the second most fights with 7 through 6 games. Matt Hendricks squared off with Gregory Campbell early in the first and Milan Lucic had a bout with John Erskine. This was Lucic and Erskine’s second fight, the previous one was a decisive victory for Big John. This fight was closer than the first go around, Erskine landed a few early but Lucic was eventually able to counter Erskine’s rather aggressive fighting style with a large bear hug. The two exchanged a few punches before Lucic was able to wrestle Erskine to ground.
The two teams meet up again on Thursday night to complete the second half of this home and home. Don’t expect to see Erskine and Lucic to go again, however a DJ King Shawn Thornton rematch could be a possibility. The Capitals had a total of 20 fights all of last season. At this rate they will surpass that number by early November. I expect the fight totals to taper out at some point, but for fun I’ll set 30 games for the over/under on surpassing 20 fighting majors this season.
After watching last night’s 3-1 loss to the B’s one thing remains abundantly clear, Alexander Semin is either really good or really bad. If you’re Coach Bruce Boudreau all you can do is hope that the good Alexander Semin shows up more often than not or at the very least that the good Alexander Semin shows up when it matters most. If previous seasons serve as any form of indication as to what to expect from enigmatic Russian then know this, when the Caps desperately need production Semin will be harder to find than a snow ball in Kabul.
The thought of trading Semin is a nice one, unfortunately his subpar production in the playoffs makes him the least valuable 40 goal scorer in the entire NHL. His value to the Caps (still yet to be fully determined) is seemingly greater than anything another team would be willing to give up to get him. Last night’s performance by Semin was packed with lazy penalties, inaccurate shots, forced passes, and poor defensive posture.
Aside from Semin’s dismal play there were a few bright spots to take away from last night’s loss at Verizon Center. The PK remained perfect, even killing off a 53 second 5-3 in which Jeff Shultz and Brooks Laich completely neutralized a struggling B’s PP. Semyon Varlamov came on in relief for an ailing Nuevirth who left in the 1st period with the flu. Many questions have surrounded the Caps goaltending situation, a lot of people would believe that Nuevirth had all but sealed his fate as the Caps number one goalie. However, last night’s performance Varlamov reminded Caps fans that he is also a very capable young goaltender. He yielded only one goal, coming off of a well screened Matt Hunwick long range wrist shot from in the 3rd.
On a final note the Capitals continue to rack up the fighting majors. They are now tied as a team for the second most fights with 7 through 6 games. Matt Hendricks squared off with Gregory Campbell early in the first and Milan Lucic had a bout with John Erskine. This was Lucic and Erskine’s second fight, the previous one was a decisive victory for Big John. This fight was closer than the first go around, Erskine landed a few early but Lucic was eventually able to counter Erskine’s rather aggressive fighting style with a large bear hug. The two exchanged a few punches before Lucic was able to wrestle Erskine to ground.
The two teams meet up again on Thursday night to complete the second half of this home and home. Don’t expect to see Erskine and Lucic to go again, however a DJ King Shawn Thornton rematch could be a possibility. The Capitals had a total of 20 fights all of last season. At this rate they will surpass that number by early November. I expect the fight totals to taper out at some point, but for fun I’ll set 30 games for the over/under on surpassing 20 fighting majors this season.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
It ain't over til' it's OV
The Caps rally from 2 down to win 3-2, in OT, against the Predators in Nashville.
During the 2nd period I was thinking about what I would title my game recap and was leaning toward "Kill me now... Just do it already". The Caps looked like a broken Arnold Schwarzenegger from the first Predator movie after two periods of play. However, much like the movie, the all but beaten Caps regained their composure and defeated the Predators.
The Capitals looked abysmal after two tonight; they were losing nearly every battle imaginable. The Preds were winning the battle along the boards, and were continuing to force the Caps offense to them. The Caps looked sloppy in the neutral zone and in their own end. Turnovers at the blue-line and neutral zone and their inability to clear the defensive zone cleanly created numerous scoring opportunities for the Predators.The Caps were out shot 39-34, though it was a much larger margin until the 3rd. The Preds, won the face-off battle 32-26 and managed 11 takeaways.
After two periods the Caps were trailing 2-0, with the goals for the Predators coming from J.P. Doumont in the 1st and Jordin Tootoo's deflection off of Brian Fahey's skate in the 2nd.
Enter Micheal Neuvirth, tonight's game's saving grace. Neuvy made 37 saves, including a dazzling glove save on a breakaway by Joel Ward in the 2nd (caused by one of many turnovers at the caps blue-line). Nuevy's glove hand was impeccable tonight, and his performance thus far should make for tough competition for Varlamov when he makes his return.
Neuvirth was able to keep the scoring deficit manageable until the Caps found their game in the 3rd. The game opened up and the tempo picked up considerably. The Caps began winning board battles and fore-checking successfully, after looking uninspired for the first two periods. Alex Semin opened the scoring for the Capitals with a Power Play goal that trickled past Anders Linback, who also had a great night in goal for the Preds with 31 saves. Brooks Laich's tenacity on the fore-check led to Tomas Fleischman's, game tying, tally.
In Overtime, as one would expect, Alex Ovechkin took control. After tearing into the offensive zone, Ovechkin was taken down by Ryan Suter, giving the Caps (who were 2-5 on the man advantage) an OT power play. One minute later, Ovechkin fired a shot from the point and it was deflected in by Brooks Laich for the game-winner.
In a game that for all intents and purposes the Caps should have lost, a stellar performance in goal by Michael Neuvirth kept them alive long enough for Ovechkin & Co. to come alive in the 3rd and mount a comeback; taking 2 points away from a solid Nashville club.
* Perhaps the most surprising stat of the night is that the Caps remained a perfect 21-21 on the PK... While their Power Play is only at 4-22.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Peter Wann. The Real Story
Last week in the 52 annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament a boat out of Hatteras, NC (Citation) caught an 883lb Blue Marlin. The fish was the biggest one ever caught in the tournaments history. When no one else caught a bigger fish it appeared that Citation would earn around 1.2 million US dollars.
Start the party, right? Not exactly. It turns out that one of the crew members did not have the North Carolina license required for all participants in the tournament. After three days of deliberation the Committee who oversees the tournament decided to disqualify the boat for a rules violation.
Just about every news outlet covering the story has received information that the Captain had told the first mate (Peter Wann of Alexandria, VA) to get the license before the tournament started. The Captain alleges that Peter told him that he got it taken care of, and that the Captain decided to take his word for it.
Wann's name became public record because he was cited for not fishing with a proper license. After a very intense search to find Peter Wann, I finally got a hold of him and he agreed to do an interview claiming his side of the story.
Here is the transcript.
PB: Did the captain ever tell you to get a license?
PW: No, he did not.
PB:Did the owner ever tell you to get a license?
PW:nope.
PB:And you are sure?
PW: yes, %100 sure.
PB: When did you realize that you needed a license?
PW: On the way in after we caught the fish, I asked the Captain if he had a blanket license, and he told me he that they did not. He asked me if I had a license, I told him I thought I did but I would check just to make sure.
PB: What prompted you to realize you might need a license?
PW: After we caught the fish I thought it was a good idea to go through the rule book to make sure we weren't in violation of any rules. I saw that everyone needed a license, but I was under the impression that the boat had a blanket license.
PB:There is a rules meeting did your Captain attend?
PW:It's not required, but most parties send someone to the meeting, no one from our boat went.
PB:You are sure no one from your boat went to the meeting?
PW:No one from my boat went to the meeting.
PB:Have you been in contact from anyone affiliated with Citation?
PW: No comment.
PB:Do you agree with the penalty and fine assessed to you by the state?
PW: Well, Marine fisheries in Hatteras have said that I was not in violation of state or federal license. I only needed the license when I landed the fish in state waters, not when I boated it. I renewed my license before we came into NC state water. So, not entirely.
PB:There a lot of articles on the internet with your name in it, what kind of reactions are you getting from people you speak to?
PW: "Well, a lot of people are on my side, and then there are also a lot of people who are ignorant and don't know what they are talking about."
After speaking with Wann and gathering a little bit of background information this is what I know. I know that he goes to college at George Washington University and studies engineering he does not fish full time, and he considers this a fun summer job. He enjoys fishing, and has spent his last 4 summers in NC fishing as a mate off various boats. Fishing is something that he loves to do, and prefers to do it with some anonymity. Unfortunately this no longer seems possible, his name and reputation are being questioned by numerous media outlets. He is even being confronted by random people both in person and via Facebook.
I spoke with two sources both of whom are close friends of Peter Wann. One told me that Peter is certainly not cheap, this is not a matter of him not wanting to spend the $30 to purchase the license. The source told me that Peter and him went on a fishing trip to Florida last winter and that Peter covered the majority of the expenses on the trip. He weighed in by saying, "I really can't imagine a scenario where Pete would be too cheap to renew his license, I mean I vacation with this guy and he is always willing to spend money to ensure that the people he is with are having a good time. Yea, I am certain that if Peter knew he needed the license he would have spent the $30."
A second source close to Wann told me that he fishes with Peter on a regular basis, and he assured me that you will never see anyone on a boat pay closer attention to detail. "I go fishing with him all the time, and when it comes to fishing Peter Wann is a perfectionist. He will spend hours on end rigging lines and cleaning the damn boat. Sometimes, it is a little excessive but that's just Peter. There is not a chance in hell that if he knew he needed that license that he would not have got it."
If these two friends of Wann are so certain that he would have obtained the license had he known about it, then why didn't Peter Wann have a license? From where I am sitting, and based solely on the people I have talked to I would venture to guess that Peter really did not know about the license. Even if he did, The Captain is in charge of the boat and shame on him for not doing his due diligence and asking for proof of license from everyone fishing on his boat. The backlash has certainly been against Peter Wann, but in reality its not his fault.
The Captain and the boat's owners are really the ones responsible for the loss of 1.2 million dollars in prize money. They failed to send someone to the rules meeting, they were not sufficient in their understanding of the rules and ultimately it cost them.
Start the party, right? Not exactly. It turns out that one of the crew members did not have the North Carolina license required for all participants in the tournament. After three days of deliberation the Committee who oversees the tournament decided to disqualify the boat for a rules violation.
Just about every news outlet covering the story has received information that the Captain had told the first mate (Peter Wann of Alexandria, VA) to get the license before the tournament started. The Captain alleges that Peter told him that he got it taken care of, and that the Captain decided to take his word for it.
Wann's name became public record because he was cited for not fishing with a proper license. After a very intense search to find Peter Wann, I finally got a hold of him and he agreed to do an interview claiming his side of the story.
Here is the transcript.
PB: Did the captain ever tell you to get a license?
PW: No, he did not.
PB:Did the owner ever tell you to get a license?
PW:nope.
PB:And you are sure?
PW: yes, %100 sure.
PB: When did you realize that you needed a license?
PW: On the way in after we caught the fish, I asked the Captain if he had a blanket license, and he told me he that they did not. He asked me if I had a license, I told him I thought I did but I would check just to make sure.
PB: What prompted you to realize you might need a license?
PW: After we caught the fish I thought it was a good idea to go through the rule book to make sure we weren't in violation of any rules. I saw that everyone needed a license, but I was under the impression that the boat had a blanket license.
PB:There is a rules meeting did your Captain attend?
PW:It's not required, but most parties send someone to the meeting, no one from our boat went.
PB:You are sure no one from your boat went to the meeting?
PW:No one from my boat went to the meeting.
PB:Have you been in contact from anyone affiliated with Citation?
PW: No comment.
PB:Do you agree with the penalty and fine assessed to you by the state?
PW: Well, Marine fisheries in Hatteras have said that I was not in violation of state or federal license. I only needed the license when I landed the fish in state waters, not when I boated it. I renewed my license before we came into NC state water. So, not entirely.
PB:There a lot of articles on the internet with your name in it, what kind of reactions are you getting from people you speak to?
PW: "Well, a lot of people are on my side, and then there are also a lot of people who are ignorant and don't know what they are talking about."
After speaking with Wann and gathering a little bit of background information this is what I know. I know that he goes to college at George Washington University and studies engineering he does not fish full time, and he considers this a fun summer job. He enjoys fishing, and has spent his last 4 summers in NC fishing as a mate off various boats. Fishing is something that he loves to do, and prefers to do it with some anonymity. Unfortunately this no longer seems possible, his name and reputation are being questioned by numerous media outlets. He is even being confronted by random people both in person and via Facebook.
I spoke with two sources both of whom are close friends of Peter Wann. One told me that Peter is certainly not cheap, this is not a matter of him not wanting to spend the $30 to purchase the license. The source told me that Peter and him went on a fishing trip to Florida last winter and that Peter covered the majority of the expenses on the trip. He weighed in by saying, "I really can't imagine a scenario where Pete would be too cheap to renew his license, I mean I vacation with this guy and he is always willing to spend money to ensure that the people he is with are having a good time. Yea, I am certain that if Peter knew he needed the license he would have spent the $30."
A second source close to Wann told me that he fishes with Peter on a regular basis, and he assured me that you will never see anyone on a boat pay closer attention to detail. "I go fishing with him all the time, and when it comes to fishing Peter Wann is a perfectionist. He will spend hours on end rigging lines and cleaning the damn boat. Sometimes, it is a little excessive but that's just Peter. There is not a chance in hell that if he knew he needed that license that he would not have got it."
If these two friends of Wann are so certain that he would have obtained the license had he known about it, then why didn't Peter Wann have a license? From where I am sitting, and based solely on the people I have talked to I would venture to guess that Peter really did not know about the license. Even if he did, The Captain is in charge of the boat and shame on him for not doing his due diligence and asking for proof of license from everyone fishing on his boat. The backlash has certainly been against Peter Wann, but in reality its not his fault.
The Captain and the boat's owners are really the ones responsible for the loss of 1.2 million dollars in prize money. They failed to send someone to the rules meeting, they were not sufficient in their understanding of the rules and ultimately it cost them.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Why the Caps were destined for failure...
The hockey world rang in 2008 with Michigan beating the defending national champions in football. No, no, I am kidding the Penguins beat the Sabres in the inaugural Winter Classic. The Penguins went on to lose in the Stanley Cup Finals. No big deal, right? The following year the Winter Classic was hosted by Chicago and won by the Red Wings. The Red Wings went on to lose in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Fast forward, 2010 Winter Classic is between Boston and Philly and heralded by some as the worst pairing in the games illustrious three year history. Nonetheless, similar to the previous two Winter Classic's a team from that game went on to play in the Stanley Cup Finals. The only difference is that this time around the team that lost on New Years Day is representing their conference in the Cup Finals. The odds of a team from each of the three Winter Classics playings the Cup Finals has to be pretty slim. I am not a Vegas insider but I would love to know exactly what the odds of that happening are.
More importantly is the fact that every team to play in the Stanley Cup finals over the past three seasons has played in a Winter Classic. It is probably just a coincidence, but I do not doubt the power of the "hockey Gods." Maybe there is a real correlation between playing in the Winter Classic and reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, but who knows?
In a scenario where the Flyers win the Cup, then the so called "Winter Classic Curse" is lifted (though it only lasted two seasons). Regardless, I think there is very little doubt that the Caps will not be playing on NBC come New Years Days 2011. I have a funny feeling the trend will continue, and the Caps will find themselves playing in not only the first game of the New Year, but also the last game of the 2010-2011 (yes, I am predicting they play in the Stanley Cup Finals). Two proverbial phrases come to mind, both have somewhat contradicting messages "hope springs eternal" and "good things come to those who wait" but let's hope for the latter.
Fast forward, 2010 Winter Classic is between Boston and Philly and heralded by some as the worst pairing in the games illustrious three year history. Nonetheless, similar to the previous two Winter Classic's a team from that game went on to play in the Stanley Cup Finals. The only difference is that this time around the team that lost on New Years Day is representing their conference in the Cup Finals. The odds of a team from each of the three Winter Classics playings the Cup Finals has to be pretty slim. I am not a Vegas insider but I would love to know exactly what the odds of that happening are.
More importantly is the fact that every team to play in the Stanley Cup finals over the past three seasons has played in a Winter Classic. It is probably just a coincidence, but I do not doubt the power of the "hockey Gods." Maybe there is a real correlation between playing in the Winter Classic and reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, but who knows?
In a scenario where the Flyers win the Cup, then the so called "Winter Classic Curse" is lifted (though it only lasted two seasons). Regardless, I think there is very little doubt that the Caps will not be playing on NBC come New Years Days 2011. I have a funny feeling the trend will continue, and the Caps will find themselves playing in not only the first game of the New Year, but also the last game of the 2010-2011 (yes, I am predicting they play in the Stanley Cup Finals). Two proverbial phrases come to mind, both have somewhat contradicting messages "hope springs eternal" and "good things come to those who wait" but let's hope for the latter.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Au Revoir Penguins!
It is a sad day in the Steelcity, Caps fans at least had the wild card contending Washington Nationals to fall back on after their team was ousted by what appeared to be a mediocre Montreal Canadiens hockey club. I hate to pick on the poor Buckos, but sometimes a target is so big you just can not miss it. They are on pace for their 6,000 consecutive season finishing under .500, and have not had a 40 home run hitter since 1973. Hab a nice summer Pens fans. I know I will especially come June 2nd, when the greatest baseball player of all time will make his MLB debut.
After watching the Caps be eliminated by the Habs, I thought to myself there can be no worse a feeling for a fan of any team. A great, if not historic season completely destroyed at the hands of Slovakian who is so hot right now that he makes Brad Pitt look like Mr. Freeze from Batman. The very second game 7 of the Caps Habs series was over, I was finally willing to put to bed that seemingly endless argument of who was a better player, Crosby or Ovechkin? The answer clearly had to be Crosby. He had the cup and the gold medal, and Ovechkin had nothing but two first round playoff exits and one second round exit courtesy of Crosby's penguins. After tonight's loss to Montreal, I am starting to re-rethink my position on who is currently the better player.
I will start my argument by saying, YES I naturally have a bias towards Ovechkin. However, I will try to do this in the most objective manner possible.
Crosby's Resume;
1 Stanley Cup
1 Gold Medal
1 Hart Trophy
1 Art Ross
1 Richard Trophy
506 Career Points
Ovechkin's Resume;
1 Calder Trophy (rookie of the year)
2 Hart Trophy's
1 Art Ross
2 Richard's
529 Career Points
Crosby has a Cup and a Gold Medal, but he was a no show at certain parts of last year's cup run, and was bailed out by one of the best players in the world in Evgeni Malkin. In his gold medal performance Crosby was on the most skilled team in the entire tournament, there was no reason for the Canadians to win anything but Gold. He did happen to score the GWG in ot to beat the Americans, but let's not forget he was virtually nonexistent until scoring on Ryan Miller early in that first OT session. Head to head, as individuals Ovechkin is the better player. I could have made that argument a week ago, and I would be laughed at, but now I am not so certain. When the Caps played the Habs and lost in Seven Games you would be hard pressed to find someone who did not place the blame on Alex Ovechkin. His team lost, and he is the face of the franchise, but his effort level was high and he produced 10 points in Seven games (5g 5 a). Nonetheless, Ovechkin was ridiculed by mainstream media outlets for choking and losing to an inferior Montreal team (and rightfully so). While Crosby was glorified for picking his team up and putting them "on his shoulders" and single handedly beating The Ottawa Senators, while simultaneously saving the world from an oncoming meteor.
Now, let us fast forward to tonight, Pens-Habs, Habs win Pens lose. The same Sidney Crosby who is heralded as the best player in the league is no where to be found for an entire series. Had he produced just one time over the course of 7 games The Pens would have won. He had 5 points (1g 4a) over those 7 games. To put it lightly, he and his team choked.
All I ask for from the hockey media is the same thing we ask for from Colin Campbell. And that is just a little bit of consistency. If Ovechkin and the Caps choked in this years playoffs, then so did Crosby and the Pens. Where it stands right now, The Pens are the more accomplished team, but as for who boasts the brighter star? My answer is the Caps.
After watching the Caps be eliminated by the Habs, I thought to myself there can be no worse a feeling for a fan of any team. A great, if not historic season completely destroyed at the hands of Slovakian who is so hot right now that he makes Brad Pitt look like Mr. Freeze from Batman. The very second game 7 of the Caps Habs series was over, I was finally willing to put to bed that seemingly endless argument of who was a better player, Crosby or Ovechkin? The answer clearly had to be Crosby. He had the cup and the gold medal, and Ovechkin had nothing but two first round playoff exits and one second round exit courtesy of Crosby's penguins. After tonight's loss to Montreal, I am starting to re-rethink my position on who is currently the better player.
I will start my argument by saying, YES I naturally have a bias towards Ovechkin. However, I will try to do this in the most objective manner possible.
Crosby's Resume;
1 Stanley Cup
1 Gold Medal
1 Hart Trophy
1 Art Ross
1 Richard Trophy
506 Career Points
Ovechkin's Resume;
1 Calder Trophy (rookie of the year)
2 Hart Trophy's
1 Art Ross
2 Richard's
529 Career Points
Crosby has a Cup and a Gold Medal, but he was a no show at certain parts of last year's cup run, and was bailed out by one of the best players in the world in Evgeni Malkin. In his gold medal performance Crosby was on the most skilled team in the entire tournament, there was no reason for the Canadians to win anything but Gold. He did happen to score the GWG in ot to beat the Americans, but let's not forget he was virtually nonexistent until scoring on Ryan Miller early in that first OT session. Head to head, as individuals Ovechkin is the better player. I could have made that argument a week ago, and I would be laughed at, but now I am not so certain. When the Caps played the Habs and lost in Seven Games you would be hard pressed to find someone who did not place the blame on Alex Ovechkin. His team lost, and he is the face of the franchise, but his effort level was high and he produced 10 points in Seven games (5g 5 a). Nonetheless, Ovechkin was ridiculed by mainstream media outlets for choking and losing to an inferior Montreal team (and rightfully so). While Crosby was glorified for picking his team up and putting them "on his shoulders" and single handedly beating The Ottawa Senators, while simultaneously saving the world from an oncoming meteor.
Now, let us fast forward to tonight, Pens-Habs, Habs win Pens lose. The same Sidney Crosby who is heralded as the best player in the league is no where to be found for an entire series. Had he produced just one time over the course of 7 games The Pens would have won. He had 5 points (1g 4a) over those 7 games. To put it lightly, he and his team choked.
All I ask for from the hockey media is the same thing we ask for from Colin Campbell. And that is just a little bit of consistency. If Ovechkin and the Caps choked in this years playoffs, then so did Crosby and the Pens. Where it stands right now, The Pens are the more accomplished team, but as for who boasts the brighter star? My answer is the Caps.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Thats All Folks
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"
To quote the coach from Happy Gilmore "Better luck next year"
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.
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