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Recap: Caps 4, Panthers 1
by CapsChick on Nov 6, 2009 10:49 PM EST
109 comments
[AP Recap - GameCenter - Game Summary - Event Summary]
The Capitals came into Sunrise, Florida minus one Russian superstar and caught in a three-game losing streak. They would come away from the game down a few more men, but with a win that could be one of the most satisfying of the season.
Sure, there were a few lapses that we've grown accustomed to seeing. A few too many passes, a little less focus around their own net, same old, same old. But overall the Caps buckled down and not only took an early lead but held it, built on it and shut down the Panthers until the game was nearly over.
Ten more thoughts on the game:
- As if losing Ovechkin to an injury wasn't bad enough, the Caps' lineup became even more depleted - and depleted quickly - as both Mike Green and Jeff Schultz left the game with undisclosed injuries before we were even halfway through. Thank goodness for Boudreau's ESP, dressing a defenseman as a forward just in case...that's why he did it, right?
- The defenseman in question was, of course, Tyler Sloan, who picked up his second goal in as many games and then slid seamlessly back to the blueline when called upon to finish the night a +3.
- No one is necessarily saying it's easy to replace a pane of glass. Still, how on earth does it take ten minutes?
- In the past few days all eyes have been on Alexander Semin, waiting to see if he would take over the reins with Ovechkin on the sidelines. Tonight's effort was much better, but this time around it felt like he was trying to do too much on his own. Not a bad night for Semin, but not quite there yet, either.
- Coming into another team's building with a depleted lineup and a losing streak, the Caps needed to play simple, tight defense - and they did that. Lots of sticks and bodies in passing lanes, few odd-man rushes and 15 blocked shots; a workmanlike effort when one was needed.
- And when the defense wasn't there, when the shots got through, it was Jose Theodore coming up big. Sadly it was a fluky bounce on the power play that prevented this from being the perfect game he deserved, but a stellar effort by Theo nonetheless.
- If this is the kind of performance we get out of Brian Pothier after being benched, bench him more often. After a mediocre to downright lousy start to the year, Pothier had his best game in a long time with a goal, two assists, three shots, two hits and two blocked shots.
- Was this the night we finally saw the Laich-Morrison-Knuble line click? Hard to tell, but they certainly generated some great chances, as well as two of the four goals.
- The Caps proved that they could be (mostly) disciplined and perform (relatively) well on the power play, taking only two penalties and capitalizing on one of their two chances with the extra man. And how about that aggressive penalty kill on that five minute major, huh?
- Okay, about that. This is the second time in less than a year that Shaone Morrisonn has been given a five minute penalty and a game misconduct for a hit from behind in the last ten minutes of a Panthers game. Which could be a suspension, according to Bruce. Which...is not good.
This kind of game was exactly what the Caps needed, particularly after the horrific end to their last game. They proved they can work hard, hold a lead for a whole game, stay (mostly) disciplined and still come through with offense from likely and unlikely sources. The trick now is carrying this effort into yet another thrilling meeting with the Panthers, right back here in the District.
Hey, let's do this again tomorrow, shall we?
109 comments | 0 recs |
Game Day Open Thread - Caps @ Panthers
by J.P. on Nov 6, 2009 5:00 PM EST
in Game Day Open Threads
1031 comments
Tonight's probable netminders:
Have at it, people.
1031 comments | 0 recs
Rink Roundtable: What to Do With Alex Semin
by J.P. on Nov 6, 2009 2:00 PM EST
426 comments
"When he's on his game, he can be [the man]. There is no question. His skill level is on par with Alex [Ovechkin]'s. It is a matter of putting it together every single night, but he has the tools to do that and the ability. [Ovechkin's injury] is an opportunity for him, as it is for some other guys." - Brendan Morrison on Alexander Semin
One game into this "opportunity," Alex Semin is doing anything but making the most of it. But Semin's inconsistency - breathtaking skill mixed in with mind-numbing mistakes and ill-timed injuries - are hardly anything new, and as he approaches Restricted Free Agency this summer, it's fair to ask questions about his future with the organization. So we're asking - and answering - 'em.
J.P.: The issue of the day is what to do with Alex Semin. I suppose it comes down to three questions, which we'll tackle in turn: 1) Should the team actively pursue trading him? 2) If so, will they actively pursue trading him? And 3) If they don't trade him, how can they get a more consistent effort out of him that is somewhat commensurate with his undeniably great skill set?
426 comments | 8 recs |
November Prospects Update: Forwards
by David M. Getz on Nov 6, 2009 12:05 PM EST
56 comments
Yesterday we took a look at the Capitals' goaltending and defense prospects, and today we turn our eyes to the organization's young forwards, a group whose strength is based more in the quantity than quality. That's not to say the Caps don't have some pretty skilled youngsters in the forward ranks, because they do. But while the blue line has guys like Karl Alzner and John Carlson and the future in goal looks to be either Semyon Varlamov or Michal Neuvirth, the forward corps lacks guys with high ceilings at the NHL level and doesn't have any blue-chips. Despite the uncertainty, there's not necessarily reason to be worried because while it's doubtful all of the Capitals forwards prospects (even the good ones) will become successful NHL players, it's also unlikely that at least a couple won't.
The prospects and their early season numbers, after the jump.
56 comments | 2 recs |
Friday Caps Clips: Caps @ Panthers Game Day
by J.P. on Nov 6, 2009 6:46 AM EST
in Caps Clips
120 comments
Your savory breakfast links:
- Preview of tonight's game against with the Kitties from Vogs, NHL.com and Peerless, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner Litter Box Cats (a personal fave) for coverage from the other side of tonight's match up.
- Alex Ovechkin was back on the ice yesterday, and he and Bruce Boudreau talked a bit about the injury, then Bruce ranted a bit more about Wednesday night's loss. [In The Room]
- Penalties are killing the Caps. If I had a nickel... [Washington Post, Washington Times]
- Hey, y'know who's got a real opportunity to shine with Ovechkin out? Alex Semin. [Sporting News]
- Is AO the most marketable NHLer since The Great One? [Sports Agent Blog]
- It's good to know that Ovi has friends in high places. [NBC Washington]
- AO may have a $10k cell phone, but can he get a good signal in the Verizon Center? My bet is no. [Washington Post]
- Semyon Varlamov might be getting a lump of coal of sorts in his stocking on Christmas (and yes, I know that Russians celebrate Christmas on January 7). [From The Rink]
- The Caps' road whites as the fourth-best jerseys of the decade. Too bad the hometown fans never get to see 'em. [Puck Padre]
- A look back at Brendan Morrison's college career. [NHL.com]
- Good stuff on Caps prospect Marcus Johansson. [FanPost]
- Want to see "Brendan Witt" and "chess" in the same blog post? Click through. [Behind The Net]
- Happy 38th birthday to Sergei Berezin and happy 46th to Brian Curran.
- Finally, a nice tribute to a Caps fan who's off to the great rink in the sky. Put in a good word for the boys in red, won't you? [OFB]
120 comments | 0 recs |
The "Risk" of Alex Ovechkin
by CapsChick on Nov 5, 2009 3:30 PM EST
130 comments
For years we've dealt with people like Don Cherry decrying the physical, in-your-face style practiced by our very own Alex Ovechkin. It seems we get a new rant every week about how Ovechkin's going to get "cut down" because he plays with - and right on - the edge.
We're still waiting for it to happen, and it's not like other teams haven't had a chance. The fact that he's gone four years and change without all that many attempts on his life would seem to tell a different tale; the fact that most players in the league probably respect and/or fear Ovechkin enough to not try it would seem to show that his "edge" is just fine with them.
It gets old, to say the least.
But now with #8 sidelined with an injury, this story takes on a new twist and a new camp becomes vocal - we'll call it the "Rick DiPietro" defense, and it's mouthpiece is, if you can believe it, PJ Stock.
See, he believes that this injury is an omen, that the Caps are handcuffed by Ovechkin's long-term, multi-million dollar deal. After all, Ovechkin plays a physical style; he's injured right now. Ergo, his physical style will lead to multiple injuries which will lead the Caps to wish they'd never signed this horrific albatross of a contract.
"It's not this particular injury that is my concern. It is injury number seven in year four that slows him down a bit. An injury that slows him down enough for the organization to question his worth. An injury that slows him down enough for fans and media to question his worth."
Please don't let the facts get in the way of a good story, PJ. (By the way, did you really write this earlier this week, or have you had it sitting on the shelf, ready to go, like a pre-written obituary?)
Question his worth? Ovechkin's style is part of what we love about him, not what we fear. It's not likely that even a single fan is sitting around wringing their hands, worrying about his fragility because of one fluke injury. There are guys around the league with shorter deals whose tendency to bruise like a peach would make their contracts seem far more risky.
Alex Ovechkin is now in his fifth year as an NHL pro. He's appeared in three strenuous, physical playoff series. He rarely takes off a shift or passes up a chance to hit someone. And in that time, while playing like a man possessed, a bull in a china shop, a freak of nature - he has missed exactly three games due to injury.
Even with this injury there's nothing concrete; we don't know the extent of it, or the number of games it will cause him to miss. He has missed one this season, looks poised to miss two more this weekend, and then? No one knows. It all just seems a little soon to declare Ovechkin to be a long-term bust.
"I love the Great 8 but am concerned for the Capitals in the long run."
Long-term contracts are always risky and will always be risky. Sometimes they work out and sometimes they don't - you can point to Rick DiPietro's glass everything as concrete proof that sometimes they really don't work out. But to say that one injury is a sign that the Caps will regret this contract is to ignore the facts. Because everyone knows the style of game Ovechkin plays - it wasn't a mystery when the Caps inked him to thirteen years and it's not a mystery now.
Could this style eventually lead to more injuries and more missed time by the Russian winger? Of course. Is there also the possibility that, as he develops and matures, the physical aspect will become more fine-tuned and less "hit what moves"? Of course.
And if given the chance, even with this injury, do we think the Caps would make the same deal all over again?
Of course.
Because high risk, higher reward is the Capital way - and you won't find someone with much more potential reward than Alex Ovechkin.
130 comments | 3 recs |
November Prospects Update: Goalies and Defensemen
by David M. Getz on Nov 5, 2009 12:30 PM EST
73 comments
With the first month of the hockey season gone, we've reached a point where performance and statistics, while still suffering from the problem of small sample size, have enough validity that they can be fairly analyzed. With that in mind, we thought it might be a good time to check in on the Capitals organization's prospects and see how they've started the season off.
Below are the team's goaltender and defenseman prospects and how they've performed so far this year:
Goaltenders
Dan Dunn - Dunn, a tall netminder whom the Capitals picked in the sixth round of the 2007 draft, is in his third season with St. Cloud State. The good news is that he's playing more than he has in his first two and his numbers look pretty good. The bad news is that he's still not starting in goal for the Huskies, currently splitting time with freshman Mike Lee.
Braden Holtby - Holtby started the season in Hershey, moved to South Carolina when Michal Neuvirth got healthy, and even spent a couple of days in Washington (albeit for salary cap purposes). He started off hot in Hershey but hasn't done as well with the Stingrays.
Michal Neuvirth - Most Caps fans are, at this point, painfully aware of Semyon Varlamov's early season struggles, last night's solid performance notwithstanding. What they might not be aware of is that Neuvirth is having problems of his own down in Hershey. There's no reason to worry at this point, and the young Czech will almost certainly start putting up better numbers before too long, but it's hard not to be a little bit disappointed.
73 comments | 3 recs |
Thursday Caps Clips: No Ovechkin, No Win
by J.P. on Nov 5, 2009 6:45 AM EST
in Caps Clips
274 comments
Your savory breakfast links:
- Recaps and other assorted musings on last night's loss from Corey (blog, article), Tarik (blog, article), Vogs, Joe B., Ed Frankovic, Peerless, and Fight For Old D.C..
- Good news! Alex Ovechkin's injury isn't even among the ten most impactful early season hurts. [The Hockey News]
- "Playoff hockey" in November? Maybe not as crazy as it sounds. [HomerMcFanboy]
- Bruce Boudreau officially endorses Mike Green for Team Canada, which is certainly not "an about face from last spring" for Gabby (seriously, who writes this stuff?). [NHL.com]
- Is Green as high as fourth on the Team Canada depth chart? [Hockey Or Die!]
- Nicklas Backstrom on Grate Patrol. [Hockey Mom]
- The "Gifted" Paradox. [Peerless]
- Brendan Morrison's "Survivorman" adventure, now with video. [FanShot]
- Perhaps the weirdest set of hockey cards I've seen yet, given that it contains this Alex Ovechkin card and this... fish? [The Beckett Blog (bonus: for more on the fish, click here... you know you want to)]
- They're going to miss Michael Nylander in Grand Rapids. With any luck, we'll get the chance to miss him here, too. [Griffins]
- What do you get the Caps fan who has everything? Not this. [Amazon.com via @nateewell]
- In his dreams, perhaps, Keith Aucoin envisioned notching a hat trick against the Devils last night. Well, his dream came true... sorta. [Patriot-News]
- Speaking of Aucoin, happy 31st birthday, Keith, happy 51st to Paul MacKinnon, and happy 52nd to both Nelson Burton and Rollie Boutin.
274 comments | 0 recs |
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Washington
|
16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 22 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 15 |
|
Atlanta
|
12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
|
Florida
|
14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 11 |
|
Carolina
|
15 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 7 |
(updated 11.7.2009 at 4:04 AM EST)
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