Friday Roundup - Gamenight: Sens @ Caps
by J.P. on Dec 12, 2008 6:35 AM EST
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When the Caps faced Ottawa on November 4, Brent Johnson made 42 saves in a 2-1 overtime loss. That effort, coming on the heels of the 5-0 loss to Buffalo and subsequent bag skate, launched the Caps on an eight-game point streak (6-0-2) and began a 4-0-1/1.82/.949 stretch for Johnny.
A primary difference between that win streak and the team's 5-6-0 run that followed it, of course, was team health. But that difference is slowly but surely disappearing, and with Alex Semin and Tom Poti returning Wednesday night against Boston and the returns of Mike Green and Sergei Fedorov imminent, the Caps seem poised to pick up where they left off in mid-November.
Those four injured players rejoin a team whose number one(ish) goaltender is playing well (but not unrealistically so), whose power play has been a scorching 38.9% successful over the past five games and whose penalty kill has snuffed out 85.2% of the extra man advantages it has faced over the past seven games. Adding a pair of top six forwards and top pairing defensemen to that mix could make the Caps scary good, scary fast.
But points aren't handed out on style and skill alone - the Caps still have to play the games - and the next one up is another meeting with the Sens. After that November meeting (actually, after the following game with Philly), Ottawa hit the skids and has a 5-6-3 record, which apparently has eliminated them from playoff contention. The Sens still have their "big three," but unfortunately for them, that's pretty much all they've got, and, as a result, they're near the very bottom of the League in scoring (and wouldn't you know it - the offense craps out right when they've figured it out in goal).
The Caps have more or less owned the Senators over the past two-plus seasons (6-2-1), and tonight provides a good chance to add to that dominance. Getting a couple more key contributors back in the lineup sure would help in that effort, especially if the guys who have been carrying the water in their absence can keep the pedal to the floor.
Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:
Toronto (and Mike Toth) has spoken: Ovechkin > Crosby.... In a surprise to absolutely no one, the Caps are a top team in shorthanded faceoffs, but (slightly) below average in power play draws.... Cap of the Day: Enrico Ciccone.
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Yeah, we can win this one. That’s what scares the crap out of me. :( This team has a tendency to not show up for the easy games, and it shows. We need to show up for every game, and we just don’t seem to have that killer instinct.
Call me a doom-and-gloomer if you must, but if our boys don’t come out flying, we’re in trouble.
You? A doom-and-gloomer? No chance. :)
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I like to think I’m somewhere between Eeyore and farting rainbows. :D
Also, per Tarik, looks like Fedorov stepped off the ice after a few minutes at the skate this morning. Guessing we won’t see him tonight. Johnson, Poti, and Green are all participating fully.
Maybe I’m weird, but I’d like to save Green’s return for Montreal. It’d give the team that unexpected jump and a fresh player.
Anyone catch and enjoy that delicious collapse by the ’Canes last night? Too bad it had to be to the Flyers (and too bad they still grabbed a point), but it sure is nice to see them choke on a 5-1 third period lead.
Related: their D last night was every bit as inexperienced as ours has been in the past few weeks. Crazy.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Yup. Incredible stuff. Hartnell took the team on his shoulders and made stuff happen out there. And the shootout was so one-sided it wasn’t funny.
heck of a comeback
I would love to have a center with Richards’ grit—he’s a great player and always making the right play.
Scotty Upshal is still a little c*nt
by bigonetimer on Dec 12, 2008 11:37 AM EST up reply actions
Using the old axiom that what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger (a concept that is full of holes, btw. If you get run over by a truck and stay alive, how does that make you stronger?) Anyway, the point is that there is a silver lining to all these injuries. Not only have the Caps played reasonably well with the callups, but they’ve maintained their hold on first. Now, with the big guns returning, the feeling has to be that if we accomplish this with AHLers, the sky’s the limit with a full roster. Plus, when more injuries happen, there’s now a belief that the callups can do the job. The only downside is over confidence, which could be a factor tonight. On an aside, I’m hoping Johnny can go against the Sens, so a rested Theo can go in Montreal. Imagine the drama for that event.
I agree.
Also, I think that in the rash of injuries we’ve found a couple of diamonds in the rough on the blueline that I don’t think we’d’ve discovered otherwise. I may be the only person who thinks that our blueline got an upgrade out of Hershey, but there it is. I suspect due to salary cap and waiver issues, we’ll end up sending Alzner and Collins back down this year and keeping Sloan. I don’t mind – Sloan isn’t Alzner but he’s been pretty solid, and we have to remember that he’s coming off of injury too.
Next year, though, we could have a very interesting blueline indeed. I still like the Alzner/Jurcina pairing, and although people talk about Alzner/Green, I don’t want to break up a good thing.
Somewhat related is this quote from Tarik’s morning update:
“The cast on Chris Clark’s arm has been removed, and this morning he skated pretty hard. He told me he hopes to be back in a couple of weeks.”
That makes one of us (sorry, Cap’n).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Which begs the $64,000 question: if Clarkie is ready to come back will Caps management let him? Afterall, it’s his LTIR that’s allowing Alzner to play here. Barring a trade, if Chris comes back to the active roster, Alzner may have to go down.
That’s what I was gettin’ at. Look for Nylander talks to heat up real fast.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Or....
There’ve been a few remarks going around that GMGM might need to make a G move if Theodore doesn’t right his ship and quickly. BJ has been amazing, but he can’t carry this whole season alone, and Theodore simply is not getting the job done.
I think you are going to find that Alzner has to go down, at least for a while. Sloan I think will stay because he has to clear waivers to be sent down.
That said, a trade is probably in the offing somewhere. If we could handle Khabibulin’s cap hit, I’d say that’d be the focus of some interest, but we can’t, not even close. We’d have to move two players, and somehow I don’t think Chicago will take another overrated goalie from Washington….
Any chance of Jose Theodore being sent down to the minors?
In my opinion
It’s way too early to be talking about getting rid of Theo or sending him down or whatever. This team’s goaltending is good enough, barring injury, whether Theo is playing at a #1 level or not. If it ends up hurting the team when it counts, it’ll be addressed in the offseason.
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida
|
53 | 25 | 17 | 11 | 61 |
|
Washington
|
54 | 28 | 21 | 5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg
|
56 | 26 | 24 | 6 | 58 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
53 | 23 | 24 | 6 | 52 |
|
Carolina
|
56 | 20 | 25 | 11 | 51 |
(updated 2.11.2012 at 8:02 AM EST)
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