Tuesday Roundup - Gamenight: Caps @ Rangers
by J.P. on Dec 23, 2008 6:32 AM EST
11 comments
[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]
The cards, it would seem, are stacked against the Caps tonight. They're playing in a building in which they haven't won since before the lockout (0-5-1), they have nearly half their payroll out of the lineup with injuries and the penalty kill is in a bit of a free-fall, allowing five goals in 15 times shorthanded over the last three games.
On the plus side, the Rangers can't score on the power play (or in any situation, for that matter), and are overachieving thanks to their stud goalie and the rest of their penalty kill. To put a fine point on that last, um, point, Henrik Lundqvist has a far better save percentage 4-on-5 (.915) than Jose Theodore has 5-on-5 (.886). That's not good.
Also not good? That Rangers power play. Sure, 14.7% sounds bad enough, but when you consider that they've only scored 24 extra man goals this season while allowing ten shorties, it's downright abysmal (the Caps, for what it's worth, have a 29-goal differential when on the power play).
Knowing Bruce Boudreau's Caps, they'll rally after Saturday's blowout loss, and given the Rangers' inability to put teams away (a League-leading 14 of their 22 wins have been by a single goal), we should expect a close game, and one that may very well be decided by which team scores first, as the Caps are 16-3-1 (and 46-14-2 since the beginning of last season) and the Rangers 11-3-0 when getting on the board before their opponents.
And so the roller coaster rolls up for one last ride before Christmas, hopefully to bring more thrills and less of that queasy feeling we got this past weekend.
Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:
Dig the left sidebar widget on the main page on the upcoming retirement of Mike Gartner's number 11 (and if you've written something you'd like to appear there, let me know).... Does "loose-lipped Russians" mean that Alex Semin let slip a corporate secret when he wondered aloud why the League pushes Sid the Kid so hard, or is it just a lame, mildly xenopobic attempt at humor? Probably the latter, given that the former is no secret.... Speaking of Sid, apparently he's great, but not on track to be "all-time" great.... We've lamented the stupidity of the "fight after a clean hit," and now one of those situations has gone and claimed a Calder front-runner (Scott Burnside has more on the incident). Lame.... A bunch o' weekly Power Rankings are out with the Caps down two to sixth at The Hockey News, up(?) one to sixth at CBSSports.com, down two to sixth at Sportsnet.ca, down three to seventh at TSN.ca, and down three to seventh at ESPN.com.... Ben Clymer and Joel Kwiatkowski may not be KHL All-Stars after all.... On this date back in 2000, Olie Kolzig became the team's all-time leader in wins with his 129th victory, passing Don Beaupre. The 5-3 win over Florida came 17 years to the day after today's Cap of the Day notched the first (and less celebrated) of his two career hat tricks.... My buddy Dobber says to keep an eye on Dmitri Kugryshev at Worlds. The Caps prospect leads all rookies in the Q in scoring and is in the top 20 overall.... Speaking of Caps at Worlds, Stefan Della Rovere: controlled chaos. Love it.... Finally, in this day and age it's impossible to guess what you may or may not stumble upon online on any given day, but if this isn't one of the top five biggest wastes of pixels you read all day, I'll be surprised.
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The Caps injury situation is like the stock market; everyday I get up expecting bad news, that way I’m never disappointed. And on those rare days after a game when a player isn’t injured (or re-injured), I go away happy. This Xmas eve I’m leaving a note for Santa telling him to forget the wii, all I want is a healthy lineup… and a real #1 goalie.
by b.orr4 on Dec 23, 2008 9:08 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Well, for those of you who enjoy the gift of schadenfreude, Happy Hanukkah – Scottie Upshall is out for two weeks with a knee injury.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Dec 23, 2008 9:24 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Let’s see, two weeks. Oh what a coincidence, he’d come back right after the Flyers play the Caps here in DC. You don’t think a stand-up guy like Upshall would actually avoid playing here, would you?
by b.orr4 on Dec 23, 2008 9:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
So, one can infer from the Don Cherry manlove “article” (by Don Brennan) that the Sens’ are sucking because their players don’t know how to dress like professionals? “Remove your toque!”
Maybe we need to take a look at what the Caps are wearing off the ice. It’s possible Ovie’s clothing line is causing all this injury turmoil and JT60’s inconsistency in net.
by Mr. Boots on Dec 23, 2008 9:25 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Countdown
You can put one up too if you want. E-mail me for the link.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
by PPP on Dec 23, 2008 9:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Clean hit
On Cherry: it’s nice to see BB has his team making a good impression when they step off the bus.
On Brassard: what you call a “clean hit” after watching it on YouTube doesn’t appear to be a clean hit when you’re watching the game live. To Brassard it looked like Tyutin was hit from behind. The last minute turns to the boards are the cause of all this. Remove the boards, put in snow banks or those big soft things you see speed skaters crash into.
I also hope the Caps don’t read this blog given the wealth of negative stats that don’t mean much in the end. Even with the parade of injuries we dispatched both Boston and Montreal recently. We’re also a legit 3rd in the Eastern conference.
by hotdog88gt on Dec 23, 2008 9:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
SH SV%
I would say that that stat does have a little bit of meaning.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
by PPP on Dec 23, 2008 9:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Don’t worry, they don’t read the blog, just your comments, so thanks for making them so insightful – the team appreciates it.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Dec 23, 2008 10:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
On this day in 10 years
Varlamov beats Kolzig’s win count
by OvechkinLaichsSemin on Dec 23, 2008 10:25 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I moved up to NYC right after the lockout, and have gone to every Caps game at MSG since….I’d really like a win this time, guys!!
by sonia on Dec 23, 2008 10:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
And per Tarik, Johnny is sick, so its Theo tonight.
You know, I’ve tried to stay positive on Theo, just waiting for him to turn the corner, but can’t say him in net tonight makes me feel too confident.
by Ames on Dec 23, 2008 11:49 AM EST reply actions 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 9:10 AM EST)
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
