It seems as if Michael Nylander will wile away the rest of his time as a Capital somewhere other than on the ice. His sightings in D.C.have been almost as rare as a fiscal conservative. While it's been stated by some in the know that his style of play just doesn't fit in with the fast paced Capital offense, still one would think that his addition on the third or fourth line would make a nice change of pace for the team. Considering that the Caps are paying him over $5 million a year, you would figure they could use "Circles" in some capacity. Unless the Capitals get lucky and find a team willing to take on some of his salary, it appears as if Nylander will not see much NHL action this year.
Schultz on the other hand is in the doghouse because of his play. He's slow, and for a big man he doesn't use his size at all. I've seen him get beat really bad a couple of times where he was completely turned around, once in a game against the Rangers in the playoffs last year, where he looked like a spinning top trying to locate the Ranger player that sidestepped him and put the puck in the net. In my opinion, he's no more than a 4th line NHL defensemen, and the reality is he often looks over matched at that. While not all draft picks pan out, Schultz seemed to have much promise when he first came up, but his game has not improved at all. I wouldn't be surprised to see him shipped off somewhere for a draft pick some time in the near future.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Nylander Has to Make Room in the Doghouse for Schultz
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Caps Cough Up Lead, Lose In OT
It was Ken Hitchcock of the Columbus Blue Jackets who said last year that "once the Capitals learn how to play with the lead, they're going to be a hard team to beat". Well, apparently the Capitals haven't learned how to do that as of it, because they seem unable to put games away, having given up the lead in a couple games already this year. Championship caliber teams know how to play with the lead. Think of the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings of recent years. These teams know how to play with the lead. With the Devils, if they had a lead in the third period, it was usually lights out. Of course it helps that they have a goaltender named Mary Brodeur but still the Devils knew how to win close games and play with the lead. The Capitals haven't shown that ability as of yet, and while it is extremely early in the season, they're starting to develop a bad habit of not being able to hold on to the lead.
P.S. Hats off to Jose Theodore who played an excellent game and if not for his play, the game wouldn't have even made it to overtime. At some spots late in the third period, it was as if the Devils were on the power play, keeping the puck in the Capitals zone for far too long, and in one case led to a Devils goal. It should also be noted that the vaunted Capitals power play has been A.W.O.L so far this season. A couple of goals here and there, and the Capitals would likely have a couple more games in the win column.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Solid Game but Penalties Continue to Kill Caps
Playing the Red Wings, one knew that the Caps would have to play a solid game and keep the mistakes and especially penalties to a minimum. For the most part they accomplished it, with Theordore having a very good game in goal, the defense played much better, and the 3rd and 4th lines stepped up and produced both of the Capitals goals. Unfortunately, the Capitals had some lapses with Semin taking two penalties, and Green committing a very costly and unnecessary penalty in the third period. While Semin is one my favorite Cap players with fantastic offensive skills, he unfortunately has the habit of committing some bad penalties. It may just be something that the Caps and Boudreau will have to live with, knowing that on any given night he can win a game for you with his offensive talents, but unfortunately, he can and will hurt you from time to time on the other end. Green on the other hand seems to be completely out of it and his head just doesn't seem to be in the game, as he's making stupid defensive mistakes and contributing nothing offensively. Hopefully, this won't continue much longer, and he'll find his scoring touch, and get back on his game.
While it's early in the season, the Capitals have shown some defensive deficiency's and again this year seem to be penalty prone. They are going to have to change that as the season progresses if they hope to win against the top tier teams such as Detroit.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Offensive Talent on Display
Watching last night's hockey game between the Capitals and Flyers, you couldn't help but marvel at the talents of some of the key players in the game. They say that great players rise to the occasion and Mike Richards certainly did that scoring a hat trick and going one better than Ovechkin's two. Richards has averaged about 30 goals and 80 points his last two seasons and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he doesn't surpass both easily this year. As for Ovechkin, he's already way ahead of his start last season with 5 goals in 3 games. Watch for Ovechkin to break 70 this year. The other player that for now seems to slip under the radar because he's playing on the same team as Alex Ovechkin is Alexander Semin. This guy has the best hands on the team, and the way that he can curl and drag the puck is amazing. If he can stay healthy, and stay away from the injury bug, he will easily score 50 goals this year. These teams both seem loaded and I fully anticipate either or both going deep into the playoffs next year. For now, it's a lot of fun for a hockey fan to watch these teams and superstars play each other, although the respective goaltenders might disagree.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Maple Leafs Return To Their Old Ways
With the Maple Leafs coming to town Saturday, Cap fans(and especially players)should be in store for a rough and tumble physical style game since one of the primary objectives for the Maple Leafs in the off-season was to return to the physical style play they were known for in past years. With the Maple Leafs bringing in several "tough" guys to make them the kind of team that other teams hate to play against like the recent "old" Maple leafs when they had guys like Gary Roberts, Domi, Wade Belak, Darcy Tucker. etc., they seem to have accomplished just that. After Watching some of the Canadians-Maple Leaf game last night, it was apparent that teams should expect to be ready to rumble when they're playing the Maple Leafs. The Capitals on the other hand are a team that has a lot of skilled young players and seem to be moving away from the physical style game. It should be interesting to see how much the Maple Leafs try to impose their style of play upon the young Caps. One thing is for certain, John Erskine should make sure he gets plenty of sleep on Friday night as he may be called upon several times to answer the bell.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Caps Start Off Regular Season in Grand Style
The Capitals started off 2009 with a bang by completely dominating the Boston Bruins, and even worse, this butt-kicking happened in the Bruins's house. The Capitals got two goals each from Alex Ovechkin and Brooks Laich, and Theodore gave up just one goal late in the game, when the game was pretty much decided. Not only did the Capitals dominate on the scoreboard, but they also shutdown the Bruin's considerable offense, only allowing them 20 shots for the game, and only 3 shots on goal in the third period. While one game does not make a season, if tonight's game was any indication, it should a very entertaining and successful one.
P.S. With Donald Brashear having departed for the big Apple, it looks as if John Erskine will be called upon to drop the gloves much more this year. His fight in the 3rd period was very entertaining, and he gave a good showing of himself against Shawn Thornton, who trained in the offseason with a boxing trainer.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Not Much Room in the Inn for Baby Caps
The Washington Capitals have developed one of the best minor league hockey systems with that being evidenced by two of their affiliates winning their respective championships last year. The Capitals future is looking bright indeed with the current lineup of young stars and a developmental system that has produced a goodly amount of talent the last few years. As with all things in life there is usually a downside to all positives and although many teams would love to have the Caps problem, the fact is there is little room at present for players to move up from the AHL, EHL, or other places because there just isn't a lot of roster spaces available. While Simeon Varlamov is certain to have a spot, there are quite a few players looking to fill one or two open spots. Who are some likely candidates to make the team? While Alexander Giroux had a fantastic year last year at Hershey scoring 60 goals in 69 games and has great offensive skills, the Capitals are in pretty good shape in that area with players such as Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom and Green. Some think that Karl Alzner will be spending most of his time with the Capitals this year but the Capitals at present have 7 defensemen from last year that will probably be on the roster on opening night, so unless there's a long term injury or two to Caps defenders, the house will be crowded there as well. Caps management are also high on John Carlson, but at 19, he'll most likely spend the year at Hershey. Bottom line; there's not a lot of room in the Inn at present and many of the up and coming Caps may be spending the majority of the year in Hershey again.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Knuble Should Make Power Play Even More Dangerous
While the Capitals were virtually non existent in the Free Agent market in the offseason, their one major pick-up was an excellent one. Mike Knuble, was picked up from the Philadelphia Flyers and should make one of the top Power Play units in the league even more potent. For while the Capitals have a few players that are willing and able to put the puck on net, the one major thing that they have lacked is the big physical player that is willing to stand in front of the net, take a beating and be in position to put any rebounds on the net. While Chris Clark filled that role well a couple of years ago, injuries have kept him from playing much the last couple of years, and the Capitals just don't know what Clark has left in him. In any event, while Knuble is 37, he has been a workhorse for Philadelphia the last few years, and will be a great addition to the Caps on either the first or second line, and especially valuable on the P.P.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Capitals Lacking an Enforcer
It seems apparent to me that the Capitals brain trust has decided to take the Detroit Red Wing path of building a team around skilled players and seem to want to move away from the physical play after letting Donald Brashear flee to the friendly confines of Madison Square Garden. Without the 'Donald' it seems to me that the Capitals are quite likely to be pushed around a bit by some of the more physical teams in the East such as the Flyers, Maple Leafs, and pretty much everyone else. While Erskine will mix it up on occasion, that isn't the primary role he fills on the team. Others such as Matt Bradley pretty much serve as a punching bag for other teams, and although willing in spirit, when he mixes it up, quite often there's a bloodletting on the ice, and he's usually the main contributor. I would just hate to see the Caps skilled players bullied about, and hope that the Caps will address the issue quickly, if it becomes necessary.
Monday, September 7, 2009
The Smell of Hockey Is In the Air
The recent cool weather has made me aware that Fall is right around the corner in this neck of the woods. While many people look forward to Spring and baseball, for me Fall is the time of year I look forward to as a Sports fan because the sports that I enjoy most, football and especially hockey will soon be starting a new season. After being away from the game for a few months, the 7th game disaster by the Capitals against the Penguins doesn't seem quite as painful. While I wouldn't quite put the loss on the same scale as the Colts losing to the Jets in the Super Bowl, or the Orioles losing to the Mets in the 69 World Series, it was nevertheless quite a downer to see the Capitals lose once again to the Pittsburgh Penguins when from all appearances they had everything in their favor this time.
In any event, I've decided that I'm going to enjoy the game for the game itself this year, and not get so caught up in final outcomes. In other words, I plan on enjoying the process much more, and not worry about where the team finishes or who their possible playoff opponent will be. While expectations are part of what makes it fun, I also realize that having unrealistic expectations can lead to a lot of disappointment, and can take much of the enjoyment from it. After all, it's just a game right?
Friday, May 8, 2009
Capitals Killing Themselves
The Washington Capitals started off like gangbusters but reverted back to old form committing a penalty and consequently giving up a power play goal and it's been all Pittsburgh since then. Chris Clark has had a terrible series committing several penalties and while Boudreau has made many great calls during the year, putting Clark in for the playoffs hasn't been one of his best ones. The Capitals are just not playing like the Capitals the last couple of games. Perhaps this is going to be a series where the home team carries the games, we have to hope that's the case because the Capitals are not looking like winners in this game.
Hockey Talk
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Capitals Confident, But Recall What Happened to Rangers
Going into tonight's game three against Pittsburgh, the Washington Capitals have every reason to feel good about their position; they have their star player Alex Ovechkin on fire, getting fantastic goaltending from their rookie sensation, Simeon Varlamov, have a two game advantage in the series, and have won five games in a row. Having said that, the Capitals are fully aware of how quickly the worm can turn in a playoff series as they witnessed firsthand the Rangers with a 2-0 and 3-1 advantage in the last series, and wound up losing it to the Capitals. Having recently experienced that scenario firsthand, I wouldn't figure on the Capitals coasting in tonight's game and fully expect them to try and put a nail in the Penguins chances by going up 3-0 in the series. It will be a difficult task however because the Penguins will be playing at home and will feed off the energy of the home crowd, and I would also expect that Malkin will awaken from his zombie like state and show that he is indeed a part of the series by having a big game. While the Capitals would love to win both games in Pittsburgh and sweep the Pens out of the playoffs, I would think that they would be quite content to win one game in Pittsburgh, and head back to Washington with a 3-1 advantage, and two games at home.
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Saturday, May 2, 2009
Game 1.....We'll Take It
The Capitals played just well enough to win. They had moments where they dominated such as the first part of the second period, but on the other hand they were also very fortunate that the penalty killers did the job as they were in the box a bit too much. Can't do that every game and expect to get a win against the Penguins. Varlamov again showed great poise after giving up an easy goal to the Penguins. He didn't seem to let it bother him, as he then made the save of the game and possibly the playoffs against Crosby later in the period. The defense also did a great job on Malkin, as he was pretty much a none factor in the game. While I heard one of the announcers criticize the teams for "sloppy play" several times, I would reply that the two teams have some great offensive players and are going to force some of that "sloppy play" on the other team. Bottom line; a win is a win. Just one game, but better than being down 1.
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Lots of action, incredible saves.
What an exciting period. Constant up and down the ice action. The Capitals dominated the first 8 minutes or so and should have scored at least one goal, and probably more. Then the Penguins score on a bad goal given up by Varlamov but then he turns around and makes an incredible save on Crosby to keep it 2-2. While many goaltenders would have lost their edge or confidence after giving up an easy goal, Varlamov has incredible poise and also has excellent athletic ability. This should be a great goaltending match between Varlamov and Fleury.
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Good First Period
Although the Capitals looked a bit tentative for the first ten minutes or so, they turned in around in the latter part of the first period with Steckle's goal, and then Ovechkin drawing a penalty, and scoring on a five on three. That's why Ovechkin is much more than just a scoring machine. He also draws penalties and hits like a power defensemen. I also liked the way Varlamov didn't seem to be fazed by the goal scored by Crosby. He made some good saves, and seems to be as cool as a cucumber. On the downside, the Capitals had far too many turnovers, and if they don't correct that, it will cost them big time.
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Thursday, April 30, 2009
Caps Take Giant Step Forward With Series Win
As I sat there watching time running down in game 7, my thoughts flashed back to game 7 of last year's playoff series against the Flyers and I started to feel a bit of apprehension about the prospects of going into overtime against the Rangers. Fortunately, Federov was able to put one in the net, and the Caps held on to complete an unlikely comeback by winning the last three games of the series. The thing that had me concerned was what losing another game 7 in overtime would do to the Capitals psyche going forward into next year. While the coaches and players will tell you that what happened in the recent past has no bearing on the present, when watching teams such as the San Jose Sharks, who have have had excellent teams the last few years but can never seem to get it done in the playoffs, and you have to wonder if it does in fact become a head thing. If the Capitals had lost again in the first round, it would have definitely tarnished the great regular season that they had regardless of their coming back from being down 3-1 in the series. Regardless of what happens in the series against the Penguins, the Capitals I believe took a large step forward in their progression by winning the series against the Rangers.
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Tuesday, April 28, 2009
More Drama Than a Reality T.V. Show
The Capitals have once again shown their resilience and never quit attitude by coming back and winning the last two games when it looked as if this series would be done by now. That's the great thing about a seven game series; it is full of plots and subplots and has more twists and turns than the Mississippi River. One day it looks hopeless, the next day you're riding high. Who could have figured Simeon Varlamov would have stepped up and become the biggest factor for the Capitals in this series so far? How could one have known that Sean Avery would be neutered from playing his normal game by being sat down for game five when the Rangers were riding high. And lastly, who would figured that John Tortarella would go berserk and get himself suspended for game 6. A seven game NHL playoff series is about as good as it gets in professional sports as far as I'm concerned. The only thing to be decided for the Capitals is if this series is going to have a happy ending or another heartbreak?
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Saturday, April 25, 2009
Tortorella Suspended for Game 6
It was announced tonight that John Tortorella, coach of the New York Rangers was suspended for game 6 of the playoffs for squirting water on a fan, and then throwing a water bottle that hit another fan. The Rangers in command of the series seem to be self destructing and doing their damnest to give the series back to the Capitals. First Sean Avery acts the fool by taking stupid penalties in game 4 that if not for the play of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist would have cost them the game, then the coach loses his cool and causes more disruption on a team that was seemingly headed for a quick series win over the Capitals. While it's hard to say what type of effect it will have on the Rangers players, it can't help the Rangers cause, and if the Capitals can do the unlikely by winning the last three games of the series, the Rangers will look back and have no one to blame but themselves.
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Friday, April 24, 2009
Varlamov...The Story of This Series for Capitals
Regardless of how this series turns out, one thing has become quite apparent. Simeon Varlamov is proving that he is ready for prime time, and even though Theodore has another year on his contract, this series has shown that if necessary, Varlamov is ready to take the lead role in the nets. For a 20 year old to step into the playoffs for the first time and not only do well, but to have two shutouts to his credit in four games is amazing. This young Russian netminder has gone toe to toe with one of the NHL's premier goaltenders in Lundqvist and seems to possess a coolness about him that belies his age. Perhaps he's too young that he should be nervous but whatever the case, I hope he keeps on doing what he's doing for at least two more games!
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Rangers Defense Trumps Caps Offense
As quite often happens this time of year, a team with a good defense and a stellar goaltender negates a great offensive team and moves on in the playoffs while the team with loads of offensive talent takes an early summer vacation. While the series between the Rangers and the Capitals isn't quite over yet, it's hard to foresee the Capitals beating the Rangers and Lundqvist three times in a row with the way the Rangers netminder is playing. Other than Alexander Semin, the Rangers celebrated goaltender has completely shutdown the Capitals scoring machine giving up only one goal to Alexander Ovechkin and none to Mike Green. While the series has revealed that the Capitals might have that type of goaltender in the future with Simeon Varlamov, unfortunately, the Capitals for all intents and purposes lost this series in the first two games at home, and unless they can now do the unlikely, and win out against the Rangers, this season will be remembered not for the great season and winning the division crown, but another early exit in the playoffs.
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Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Semin, Varlamov Lead Caps to Victory
Last night's game started off pretty much the way the first two games did with the Caps putting pressure on Lundqvist in the early stages of the game and he coming up with the saves. I started thinking here we go again, but then Semin was able to get one in the net, and then another, and that was more than enough as the Caps were able to turn the tables shutting out the Rangers 4-0 and getting back in the series. While this was a team game, the two stars of the game were Alexander Semin and the 20 year old goaltender Simeon Varlamov. In his short career, Semin has shown the ability to take his game to another level in the playoffs. He impressed me last year with his inspired play against the Flyers, and he's been the best offensive player for the Caps again so far against the Rangers. Varlamov was simply sensational in last night's game, and has given up 1 goal in two games against the Rangers. If the Caps can turn this series around and get by the Rangers, much of the credit will have to go to this young Russian goaltender who played a brilliant game in the Lion's den known as Madison Square Garden completely shutting down the Rangers and allowing the Caps to get back within one game of the Rangers.
The bottom line is the Capitals have to feel a lot better about their chances today than they did before last night's game. They managed to score 4 goals against the stellar Rangers goalie, and Alexander Ovechkin hasn't even scored a point yet. One knows that #8 can't be held down forever, and if the combination of Ovechkin and Semin can get rolling, the Caps will make this a series to remember.
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Sunday, April 19, 2009
Can Caps Turn the Series Around?
After watching the Capitals lose the second game in a row at home, you have to wonder if the Capitals have it in them to turn this series around. There are precedents where teams have lost the first two games of the series and game back and won the series but it doesn't happen very often, and the odds are that the Rangers will win the series and could do it in four games. That's the beauty and the heartbreak of the playoffs; you can have a fantastic regular season, but you run into a hot team, or you're not at the top of your game when the series starts and lose a couple of close games, wham, the series and your season is over before it even gets started. The problem is as much psychological as anything. It's not like the Capitals have been badly outplayed. Both games were one goal games, and they put a barrage of shots on Lundquist. Still, having played sports myself, there comes times when it seems like no matter what you do, you're not going to win against a particular team. On the bright side, after giving up a goal early on in the game, Varlimov played very well only giving up one goal himself. Should the Capitals play him in game 3? I think they should. What else can the Capitals do differently. Well, for one thing they need to get in Lundquist's face more. While they don't necessarily want to take penalties, at this point, it's probably a risk worth taking to try and get him off his game. If Brashear is able to play, they should also throw him in there, and get some physical stuff going. They really need to get some people in front of the net, and other than Laich, there doesn't seem to be a lot of Capitals willing to pay the price. They really need to let it all hang out and play like a desperate team, because the reality is, they are. Lose the next one, and the series is done. While the odds are against the Capitals pulling out the series, they have been a resilient bunch throughout the season and as a fan, I'm hoping that they show it again in Game 3.
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Friday, April 17, 2009
Theordore, Schultz and Other Observations
With two days having passed since the Capitals opening game loss, a few things come to mind. First, as it's been said, "offense puts the fans in the seats, but defense wins championships". The Capitals have plenty of offense, but the defense is another matter. Of course the first line of defense is the goaltender and after watching Theodore give up 4 goals on 21 shots, my doubts about he being able to take the Capitals far into the playoffs remain. I just don't know if Theodore is capable of putting together a stretch where he shuts down the kind of teams that he's going to face in the playoffs. One thing is certain, if Theodore doesn't have a better performance than he did on Wednesday, the Capitals will be looking at a crater of a hole to climb out of. As far as the rest of the Capitals defense goes, while they don't have a defensemen of the Chris Pronger or Scott Neidermeyer caliber, Poti, Erskine, Pothier, and Morrison are serviceable defensemen, while Green is a superstar in the making. After this however things drop off pretty quickly. While Jurcina's game has improved a bit this year, Schultz showed in the play that allowed the Rangers to score the deciding goal, that he is a young player with good size, and little quickness or mobility. While I could live with the fact that Schultz isn't the most nimble player on the ice, he doesn't seem to possess much of a physical side to his game, and if he doesn't develop that aspect of his game as he matures, well, I don't know if he'll be a long term NHL player. The thing about the playoffs is that everything is amplified, and you don't have a lot of chances to make up for mistakes. Here's hoping that we don't see another blunder of the Schultz variety in tomorrow's game.
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Avery Factor
While much of the credit to the Rangers turnaround can be credited to John Tortorelli, one can't overlook what the acquisition of Avery has meant to the Rangers. I watched a Ranger games a while back, and the team seemed dead in the water. The Rangers exhibited little in the way of energy on the ice, and it appeared as if they would suffer the ignominy of missing the playoffs after having one of the best starts in team history. Watching the Rangers over the last couple of weeks, I saw a different team. It was a team that seemed to have an 'edge' once again, and much of it could be contributed to Sean Avery. Although he's known as much for his mouth as his performance on the ice, the guy brings more to the game than just the ability to get under people's skins. He not only possesses some decent offensive ability but also has one of the better +/- ratings on the team. There's little doubt that Avery will try and target some of the young Capitals stars such as Ovechkin and in particular Semin to try and get them off of their game. The Caps will have to avoid taking retaliatory penalties against the Rangers provocateur extraordinaire if they want to have success against the Rangers.
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Sunday, April 12, 2009
Caps Throw a Dud in Last Regular Season Game
It was sort of expected that the Capitals might be in for a bit of a letdown after winning three straight road games, and securing the second seed in the playoffs. Still, you hate to see the Caps finish the regular season in that manner with the Panthers putting up as many goals as they did. While the game meant nothing to the Caps, it does bring to mind the question of whether Theodore can carry the Capitals far into the plays. While his play has been all in all good this year, the rap on Theodore is his inconsistency, and these questions will continue until he either wins a cup or he is at least able to carry the team far into the playoffs. I for one would have rather seem Simeon Varlimov in goal for the last game being that the last game meant nothing for the Caps, and there was little to be gained by playing Theodore, and Varlimov would have been able to get another game under his belt.
In the scheme of things, yesterday's loss means nothing once the playoffs begin, but yesterday's showing revives that lingering doubt about Theodore's ability to shut down the caliber of players we'll be facing in the playoffs. I hope that my doubts are unfounded.
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Thursday, April 9, 2009
Caps Grab 2nd Seed With Win
The Washington Capitals nailed down the important 2nd seed with a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay tonight. Just how important is it to have the second seed? Just all the difference in the world, or least the beginning round of the playoffs. With all due respect to the Canadians and Rangers, I would much rather match up against them in the first round than either the Flyers, Penguins or Hurricanes. If the Caps had finished behind the Devils in third, it would have been their fate to play one of these three teams in the first round, not an easy draw regardless of who your opponent is. The Capitals found out last year why the 3rd seed can be one of the least advantageous in the playoffs, losing a tough 7 game series to the Flyers. As in now stands, the Capitals will play one of two teams that they have had good success against this year, and it wouldn't surprise me to see them win the first round in five or six games. Meanwhile, the Flyers, Penguins, Hurricanes and Devils all face a tough opening round matchup, regardless of how the teams finish. I can't help but believe that this should be an advantage for the Capitals going forward into the playoffs.
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Sunday, April 5, 2009
Capitals Capture 2nd Straight Southeast Crown
Although it has been largely a formality of when and not if the Washington Capitals would clinch the Southeast division, considering that the Capitals have only won four division title in their 35 year existence, I don't think it's something we should take lightly. While this years's race had little of the suspense of last year's winning of the title on the last day of the regular season, it's an accomplishment none the last. While many would say that the Capitals haven't really accomplished anything yet and the real challenge lies ahead, it's still worth noting that this team is the only Capitals team to win the division two years in a row. While winning the division means virtually nothing when the Stanley Cup playoffs begin, it still is worth noting that a franchise that was mired in mediocrity, is now among the league's best, and should be for the foreseeable future.
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Thursday, April 2, 2009
Capitals Power Play Tops Since All Star Game
The Capitals power play has been getting better all year, and has been the best in the NHL since the All Star break, clicking at just under 30%. When you can throw a line out there featuring the league's MVP Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nichlas Backstrom, and Mike Green, opposing teams are playing with fire by giving the Caps a power play. While everyone knows about Ovechkin's goal scoring prowess, his Russian teammate Alexander Semin has one of the league's highest scoring average per game, and was leading the league in scoring until he sustained a couple of injuries early in the season. Nicholas Backstrom is quickly becoming one of the league's premier young center's, and it sometimes seems as if he has eyes in the back of his head with his unconscious passes to his linemates. Finally, you add Mike Green, who this year set a record for goals in consecutive games for a defensemen, and became only the 8th defensemen ever to score 30 goals in a season, and you have arguably the best line in the NHL working on the power play. With this kind of firepower, the Caps should have great success if they can draw their share of penalties and let the best power play in the NHL do its thing.
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Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Caps Have Been One of the Most Consistent Teams
One of the most glaring things that jump out at you when you look back at the Caps season is how consistent they've been, never losing more than four games in a row. The NHL season is indeed one of the most grueling schedules of any in professional sports. Not only do you have an exhibition season, and a regular season of 82 games, but then you have up to two months of playoffs every other night for the last teams standing. The Caps have exhibited the kind of consistency a team needs and much of the credit has to go to Boudreau and his style of coaching. All teams are going to have their inevitable down periods through the course of the long season, and it's primarily up to the coaching staff to keep these bumps in the road from becoming major potholes. Boudreau has done a great job of keeping that from happening.
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Monday, March 30, 2009
Michael Nylander
It seems that Michael Nylander has been a big disappointment this time around for the Caps. Last year he was injured and it was pretty much a lost season. This year a lot more was expected from him and he just hasn't put up the kind of numbers that he did with the Rangers back in 2005 and 2006 when he scored 23 and 27 goals and had career numbers with 79 and 83 points. Most of that had to do with the fact that he played on a line with Jagr and they seemed to have a great chemistry together that both seem to miss. While Nylander has been in Boudreau's doghouse a couple of times this year, at one time being sat down for four games straight, Nylander is the kind of veteran that can really make a difference in the upcoming playoffs. He has the ability to maneuver with the puck like few forwards, and can score when he decides to shoot. One of the problems is that he hasn't shot a whole lot this year, and his scoring percentage is also down. Still, I wouldn't be surprised to see a different Nylander in the playoffs, and if he plays like the Nylander of the Ranger years, all of his regular season struggles will be forgiven.
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Saturday, March 28, 2009
Watching the Baby Caps
I went up to Hershey last week to catch a game with the Washington Capitals affiliate team, the Hershey Bears. First off, I must say that I was pleased to find that the Giant arena was a first rate facility situated in a real nice location. There's plenty of parking, and leaving after the game was relatively easy. The complex itself was top notch for a minor league affiliate. There was also plenty of concession stands with lots of unique merchandise and foods. The ticket price was also easy to take. We got seats about 10 rows from the ice for $22 each. The only drawbacks that come to mind is that the sound system could be a bit better, and the scoreboards are not situated in the best locations. But all in all, it was a nice experience, and provides an opportunity to see some of the future NHL hockey players and Washington Capitals at a bargain price.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Caps In Good Position To Grab 2nd Seed
While it's unlikely that the Capitals will be able to overtake Boston for the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, there's a good chance that they can grab the 2nd seed as the Caps on paper have a much easier remaining schedule than does New Jersey. While the Capitals have only one game remaining against a team currently in the playoff hunt(Florida), The Devils have five games remaining against teams currently in the playoff mix including two against Carolina, and one each against the Blackhawks, Penguins and Rangers. They also have an away game against the Red Hot Ottawa Senators. So if the Caps can put a run together playing at home against teams with the worse record in the Eastern Conference, they could easily wind up as the second seed and have possible home ice advantage for the first couple rounds of the playoffs.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Caps Need Some More Toughness
With Donald Brashear out, the Caps seem to lack "toughness", and teams are taking liberties with them. The high sticking of Green, and the slamming into the boards of Ovechkin by Brind'Amour are two examples. Outside of Brashear, the two main "tough guys" on the Capitals are Bradley and Erskine. While Bradley is willing, he's not the kind of figure that throws fear into the opposing teams as he winds up taking a beating more times than not in his fights. Erskine has shown the ability to handle himself in a fight but is not dropping the gloves as much as he used to. While the Caps are a team blessed with size, being the biggest team in their conference, in my opinion they need another person similar to Brashear that is willing to drop the gloves more as to keep the opposing teams from manhandling and even abusing some of the Caps talented young stars.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Brian Pothier Returns to Caps
Brain Pothier of the Washington Capitals returned to the ice this week after being out since January of 2008 after sustaining a concussion in a game, and suffering from "concussion syndrome" afterwards. Whether or not Pothier can return to his top form only time will tell as some players are never quite the same after suffering this type of injury. Eric Lindros is a prime example of a player who's career and performance was impacted from numerous concussions. When Lindros was healthy, he was one of the most dominant players in the game. However, after several episodes of concussion type injuries, he just wasn't the same player that he was beforehand. I happened to be watching a game in which Lindros was nailed at center ice by Scott Stevens of the Devils, and had him laying on the ice for several minutes. I remember thinking at the moment, I wonder if this is the hit that ends his career?
In any event, one has to be happy to see Pothier beat the odds and be able to play the game that he loves once again, and having another experienced defenseman in the lineup to eat up some time can only help the Caps heading into the playoffs.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Pens-Flyers Playoff Matchup?
There was a thread on the Washington Capitals discussion board about whether the Penguins will do everything in their power to avoid a matchup with the Philly Flyers in the first round like they did last year. My thinking on this is that the circumstances are a whole lot different this year, and will probably keep them from slacking unless it comes down to one game like it did last year. In 2008, the Pens were one of the top teams in the playoffs point wise and already had a spot in hand and had the luxury of coasting a bit at the end. This year while they are sitting in 5th place, they are only three points ahead of the 8th seed and could still miss the playoffs if they have a bad stretch. With the first three seeds already locked in, Pittsburgh is looking at 4th to 8th seed, and if they're going to have to play the Flyers you would think that they would want home ice advantage. So bottom line is, if it comes down to one game and the Penguins have the choice of playing the Bruins, Capitals, Devils or Flyers, yes they might decide to rest Crosby and Malkin and avoid a 1st round matchup with the Flyers.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Can Theodore Carry Caps Far Into the Playoffs?
When the Caps signed Jose Theodore in the off season, many people were left wondering if he was the guy capable of allowing the Caps to take the next step in the playoffs. Coming to the end of his first season with the Caps, many of us are still not all that certain that he can. Theodore has played well for the Caps this year, and when Brent Johnson was alternating with Theodore, the Caps had a pretty decent duo in the net. However, with Johnson being injured a couple months back and needing surgery, even if he is able to return in time for the playoffs, do you really want to pin your hopes on a backup goaltender that is coming back from major surgery? It looks as if the Caps will have to rely upon one of their rookie goaltenders from Hershey, most likely Simeon Varlamov. Theordore hasn't had the consistency of the elite goaltenders in the league and his career mark is one game under .500. Not the kind of numbers that will get you into the hall of fame. Let's just hope that he can put together a run like Huey did for the Caps last year or else the Caps may again be making a first round exit.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Caps Get Defensive
It was just what the doctor ordered after the disaster in Atlanta yesterday. A Capitals defense that stifled the Panthers, not even allowing a shot in the third period. It didn't hurt that the Panthers have all of a sudden forgotton how to score and were shutout for the second game in a row, but all in all it was an excellent showing for the Capitals as they killed off all four power plays for the Panthers. The Capitals are taking way too many penalities on most nights, and this could be a big problem in the playoffs agains teams that have a potent power play. Finally, for the second game in a row, neither Semin or Ovechkin scored. Watch for both to light it up in Tampa.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Playing the Spoiler Teams
On nights like tonight, it doesn't matter that you have the league's best goal scorer on your team, or that you have the third highest goal scoring team in the league. When a goaltender has a night like Kari Lehtonen had, the puck must look like a beachball coming at him. Lehtonen stopped 49 of 50 shots, and only let one get by him at the end of the game. The Thrasher have won a club record six games in a row, and are on a roll as the year wind's down. It's ironic that playing a team such as the Thrashers who have no chance of making the playoffs are a more difficult team to beat at this time of the year than many of the league's better teams.
It seems to work this way with all team sports. I've heard different reasons; no pressure on the team and they're playing loose, the players on those teams are playing hard, trying to make a good impression on the G.M. heading into the offseason, the team has finally come together and are playing at a higher level than at the beginning of the season, and so on. That's why they call these teams 'spoilers', because they've spoiled the playoff chances of many teams. The Caps will be playing more than a few games against these spoiler teams such as the Thrashers, the Lighting, and the Islanders. Fortunately, the Caps have placed themselves in a position where they can't be knocked out of a playoff position by one of these spoiler teams. I'll keep reminding myself of this after a game like tonight's.
Positioning For the Playoffs
What a difference a year makes. Last year the Capitals were fighting to make the playoffs, being forced to win virtually every game and needing everything to break right in order for them to make the playoffs. I was at the last game of the year against the Florida Panthers and it was exciting and nerve wrecking. This year barring a total collapse, the Capitals are in the playoffs, and it's just a matter of whether or not they wind up with a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd seed. Personally, I don't think that it means a whole lot in the playoffs whether you wind up with a 1st or 2nd seed other than bragging rights. However, statistics do show that the home team wins a larger percentage of the 7th games in a playoff series, so if a series gets that far, it is an advantage to be playing at home. Still, as last year's series between the Caps and Flyers shown, having the final game at your rink doesn't guarantee a win.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Alexander Semin
One of my favorite players for the Capitals is Alexander Semin. I really started to like this guy after watching his play against the Philadelphia Flyers in last years playoffs. While he's always had excellent offensive skills, I was impressed with his tenacity and physical play during that series. His game carried over into the beginning of this year and he was headed for a career year until injuries took him out of play for about a month. It looks as if he is putting it all together at the right time. Boudreau has even said that Semin has been the Caps best player for the last month. While he will probably always be in the shadow of the other Alex, I believe that some great things lie ahead for this budding superstar, and if he can stay healthy and free of injuries, I would expect him to be a perennial 50 goal scorer for the Caps.
Hello to all Washington Capital Fans
I decided to start this blog because I enjoy hockey so much that I thought it might be kind of neat to post my observations and comments about the Washington Capitals and hockey in general. I live about 40 miles outside of Washington in Baltimore and therefore don't get to see them as much as I like, but thanks to the NHL hockey package, I seldom miss a game. I should mention that I've always been a hockey fan and spent many Fall and Winter evenings down at the Baltimore Civic Center watching the Baltimore Clippers, which at the time were a minor league hockey team. The Clippers themselves are long gone but the memories of those evenings remain and that's where I developed my love of hockey.
Back to the Capitals, it's great to see the team develop in the last couple of years into a legitimate contender, and looking at the future, I can't help but believe that a Stanley Cup lies somewhere in their future. Perhaps this year, but probably in the near future. In any event, it's great to have a team that you can watch develop and grow, and you see that in the enthusiasm that Caps fans exhibit at the games.
Again, I'd like to say hi to everyone and hope that you will offer your own comments and insight about Capitals hockey and hockey in general on this blog.
