The Caps open against Montreal in the playoffs tomorrow night for the first time in team history. I’m expecting a good, but hopefully fast series for our heroes. I think Montreal can steal a game at home but otherwise I don’t think the Habs can match the Caps offensively or physically. Should be fun to watch at any rate.
I’m finally moved! Cleaned out the last of my stuff and swept and mopped the floors at the old place on Friday night. Now I have the equally tedious task of unpacking and placing things where they belong. Maybe sometime before the end of the month I’ll be done…
The Washington Capitals put a hurtin’ on the Maple Leafs on Saturday night, at least through two periods before letting off the gas for the third and letting the Leafs back in the game. Much red was rocked. You could tell that the fans had missed regular season hockey, and the opposition could feel it too.
You felt like you were in a piranha fish tank.
~ Ron Wilson, Current Toronto Maple Leafs and former Washington Capitals Head Coach, on Saturday night’s Home Opener.
I think the Caps may actually have a team this year. They’ve gotten stronger in some places they needed to, but still a little weak in some places most of us have thought they were weak in for some time now. Hopefully the good pace continues.
The Penguins’ relentless forecheck finally took its toll. The dam was broken and on came the goals.
The Capitals never had a sniff last night. They came out hard in the third and at least made a period of it, but from Marc-Andre Fleury’s incredible stop on Ovechkin’s breakaway in the first, the Penguins were the better team, and they deserved the win.
To be brutally honest, I was surprised that it went to 7 games. Every game was a one-goal difference. The Capitals were outshot and outworked on the boards for 5 of 7 games, after winning the first two at home. A blowout was bound to happen. Just so happens it was Game 7 and the Caps don’t get another chance this year.
Breakdown day is tomorrow, and we’ll hear what has been ailing Mike Green, who has been nearly invisible in the playoffs.
Boston is my #2 team, so I’ll pull for them the rest of the way. Blackhawks are my #1 team in the west, so I’ll pull for them too. There’s still quite a bit of good hockey left to watch.
Well, I was hoping tonight would be an elimination game, but the Capitals got trounced on Wednesday night. Not trounced so much in the score though. Varlamov was out of his mind once again.
Some takeaways:
Caps gave their worst performance of the playoffs. Just horrid.
Penguins gave their best of the series for sure. I didn’t watch their last series.
Caps still forced OT.
Calls went one way all night. I’m not going to say that is bias, because when one team is in their own end all night being handled, they tend to take penalties. It comes with fatigue. However, I will say that when a player gets pushed into the net by an opposing player, and that player is called for delay of game… That’s iffy. And there were other calls just as iffy. But so it goes.
When we get some defense, we will be seriously tough to play. Varlamov has kept us in many, MANY games.
Caps are up in the series, two games to one. Tonight has the potential to be a huge momentum booster for the winning team. Unfortunately, game 5 is tomorrow so anything can happen then once fatigue sets in. I’m hoping for no OT tonight, and a win for the Caps of course.
Kunitz tried to take Varlamov’s head off with a crosscheck to the throat, but was only fined. As far as I’m concerned that means open season on winter chickens.
Crosby also had a hat trick, with the third goal coming after the aforementioned crosscheck to the throat that wasn’t called.
Game 2 Aftermath Summary:
Penguins throwing everything at the media. Alleging Ovechkin uses an illegal stick. Alleging the Caps are setting illegal picks on faceoffs. Pens fans hating Leonsis for restricting ticket purchases.
My take? Keep whining, Pens and Pens fans… That worked out so well for the Rangers.
Game 3 is tonight at Mellon Arena. They’ve declared today “Black & Gold Day”, but are calling for a white out. Not too bright up there. Of course, they are giving out white t-shirts to accomplish the latter. Something I’m proud to say Verizon Center never has to do to have the Red Rockin’ all night.
I’ll be at Bugsy’s, where I’ve watched every playoff road victory so far. Can’t break the cycle.
