Friday Roundup/Caps 4, Bolts 1

[AP Recap - Game Summary - Super Stats - WashingtonCaps.com Postgame]

So where in Rule 78 - Protection of Goalkeeper does it provide for waiving off what should have been Brooks Laich's game-tying first period goal? And if Tomas Fleischmann had interfered with Bolts blueliner Matt Smaby shouldn't Flash have, you know, gotten an interference penalty? In a season full of inexplicable calls, this one takes the cake.

Thankfully, though, it didn't matter, as Alex Ovechkin did his thing, Cristobal Huet did his, and the Caps inched ever closer to a spot in the post season. Some quick thoughts on the game:

• Ovechkin's game-winning goal was obviously huge, but the pivotal play of the night, for my money, was Huet's stoning of Vincent Lecavalier when the latter found himself all alone ten feet on top of the crease. Frankly, after the early goal, you had a feeling that Cristo would lock it down the rest of the way. Hand him a blank check right now - I'm sold.
• Karri Ramo is good... but not good enough. If Ovie could play 82 games per year against goalies with girls names, he'd break the Great One's mark of 92 goals in a season.
• I've been on record as a Matt Bradley hater in the past, but I've been happily eating crow for months.
• Matt Cooke had another strong game, but every shift with him is a checking-from-behind waiting to happen.
  
• John Erskine was atrocious all night. Tyler likened him to molasses in January. I said he skates like he's walking through eight inches of monkey crap while wearing flippers. Tyler is classier than I am.
  
• John Tortorella is an ass, and Doug Janik is a buffoon. Both are Bay Staters (as is Chris Rooney). Coincidence? Oh, and feel free to guess the fine(s) and suspension(s). I'm going with 10k to Torts and a game to Lessard.
  

So it's 81 down, one to go with a huge Friday night of scoreboard watching in between. Win or lose, it doesn't get much better than this, does it?

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

One year ago today we recapped a Caps win and looked at a classic magazine cover and two years ago today we took Tony K. to task and witnessed what has to be a world record for typos.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Antoine Vermette (3G, A, +2, 8 SOG, 63% faceoffs won)
  
• Ross: Antoine Vermette (4 points)
  
• Norris: Greg de Vries (Game-winning goal, +3)
  
• Vezina: Henrik Lundqvist (25-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Antoine Vermette (3G)
  
• Calder: Carey Price (W, 27 saves on 28 shots against)
  
• Aiken: Vesa Toskala (L, 8 goals allowed on 33 shots against)