Tuesday Roundup - Gamenight: Caps @ Sabres

by J.P. on Dec 30, 2008 6:36 AM EST Comment 31 comments

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

For the first time this season, it appears, the Sabres and Caps are prepared to do battle with each team's most important player in the lineup.

Back in early November, the Caps traveled to Western New York sans Alex Ovechkin and were sent back home after being shutout by Ryan Miller to the tune of 5-0. Last week, the Sabres came to D.C. and were beaten by an Ovechkin goal (that apparently has already been viewed more than 80,000 times on WashingtonCaps.com alone) with Miller watching from the bench.

Tuesday night, however, Miller (8-2-0/2.48/.911 career against the Caps) and the reigning Player of the Week (ten goals, five assists in 13 games against the Sabres) are expected to be on the ice for one of those great games-within-a-game.

Outside of these two stars, the match up is just as compelling - the Caps come in having won eight of nine and ten of their last twelve games, have a 7-1-1 record against the Northeast Division, a red hot top line and a number one goalie who... well, I don't want to jinx anything. But the boys from D.C. are also heading out on the road and into a building in which they have won just once in their last eight tries. For all the talk about the Caps' road woes in general, however, they're 7-4-2 away from home against the Eastern Conference, which counts as good in my book. Good enough? The jury's still out.

This game will likely come down to the usual factors - special teams, good goaltending, etc. - but don't be surprised if comes down to Ovechkin versus Miller... and you know who I've got my money on.

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

The Canadian Press has named its Team of the Year, and its one that was captained by Karl Alzner, so that's nice.... This is among the most disjointed articles I've ever read (and who calls the Caps "the Red?").... Some new power rankings out with the Caps down seven to 14 at TSN.ca (I guess a 2-0-0 week wasn't good enough), up one to fifth at The Hockey News, and up two to fifth at ESPN.com.... Today's Cap of the Day was acquired from the Sabres back in 1999.... Nice profile on prospect Justin Taylor here.... Four questions with Joe Finley. Let me ask a fifth: beat up any mascots lately? (H/t CI).... Hey, go vote for a Friend of the Rink. Do it for hockey.... Finally, on this day back in 1992, Al Iafrate's slapper was clocked at 101.4 mph, making him the first player to officially register triple digits on the radar gun when he accomplished the feat during the team's skills competition at the old Capital Centre. Not for nothing, but why don't they hold a team skills competition any more? Is it because Redskins' kicker Chip Lohmiller had the hardest shot one year?

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Hooray for me!

I’ll be in York, PA, tonight so I hope to see this one on CSN instead of having to listen to the lovable Rick Jeanerette (La-La-La-La-Lafontaine!) on MSG.

by hotdog88gt on Dec 30, 2008 7:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hey hotdog88gt enjoy! I’m already having cold sweats and chills at the thought that I am sitting in Charlotte (instead of home in York) and will most likely miss this matchup unless I can find a feed via the Internets.

by hoffy on Dec 30, 2008 12:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

haha wow. I was actually there for both Iafrate’s shot and Lohmiller’s. If I remember correctly, they took Iafrate’s stick to the hall of fame.

I also recall seeing the team was split into Red vs White for the competition, and Rod Langway was captain of the winning team. He was presented with a Capitals aluminum trash can as a prize, and he skated and passed it around like it was the Stanley Cup.

by Sombrero Guy on Dec 30, 2008 7:25 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

+1 on the avatar

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Dec 30, 2008 8:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed on the avatar. Can’t go wrong with Calvin and Hobbes.

A Haven for the hockey malnourished.
http://www.onfrozenblog.com/

by Gustafsson on Dec 30, 2008 10:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

An email to TSN

Mr. Cullen,

From your website –

Note: Power Rankings are produced using a formula that takes into account a compilation of individual player grades based on statistical production. More importantly, the team grades intend to take into account which players are in the lineup to replace those who are out due to injury or suspension and aim to reflect which team would win a seven-game series on neutral ice. Rankings Posted: December 28.

Do your power rankings take into effect actual win-loss records or points %? That would seem to be a small iindicator of how a team is performing. After all, "You’re only as good as your record". With that in mind how could you possibly have the Caps ranked 14th? The Caps record against the teams ranked ahead of them is 9-4-2 a .667 points % and a 109 point season avg. They actually went 2-0-0 in the week in question and moved into sole possession of 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. That makes them "statistically" at least the 4th best team in the entire league. Now if you want to go with intangibles and injuries and the "statistical production" of players fine, but would those factors move them down 10 places? Really? They have been injured basically the entire season and keep on winning. There are 6 double digit goal scorers on the team. They are 15-1-1 @ home and 17-5-3 vs. the Eastern Conference, with the majority of those games NOT coming against the Southeast Div. If TSN really wants to do power rankings maybe there should be a little effort put into it and have someone who is actually paying attention to the NHL season.

by wittcap79 on Dec 30, 2008 7:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

you might have more luck if you take a more monosyllabic approach to the e-mail.

by Sombrero Guy on Dec 30, 2008 7:55 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i sent him an e-mail also. a little less esoteric. basically told him he was nuts, asking him how, in his world, a team that’s gone 8-2 the last 10 games (and 2-0 the week in question) dropped 7 spots; when compared to risers Rangers (4-5-1), Wild (2-7-1 !!!), Canucks (5-4-1), Ducks (5-4-1), and Penguins (4-6). I know it’s only a dopey Canadian ranking site, but it somehow got under my craw……

by Pi on Dec 30, 2008 8:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ha. I’m just dissapointed in these crazy Canucks. I would expect that the “ESPN of Canada” would have a better grasp of the NHL and it’s teams than the actual ESPN. But apparently not, I guess being Canadian does not automatically make you qualified to analyze the sport of hockey…who knew?!

by wittcap79 on Dec 30, 2008 8:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It certainly makes you qualified to overrate all Canadian teams and teams led by Canadian players, not that such biases can explain the obvious idiocy of this particular ranking.

by grapejoos on Dec 30, 2008 11:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow…and this is in the same week that this same injury-laden Caps team came back from a 4-0 deficit on the road against the Rangers?

Doesn’t matter—I can only image where the Caps fell on this list a year ago.

by PaintDrinkingPete on Dec 30, 2008 8:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This whole thing is just poorly put together…did anyone look at the second page?

The Kings’ logo is used twice (once for Kings, once for Oilers), and the Lightening are listed as #’s 27 & 30…although you can assume that #30 is supposed to be the Islanders.

What? no quality control?

by PaintDrinkingPete on Dec 30, 2008 9:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No quality. No control.

And it’s pretty nice to not have to go to the second page to find your team, isn’t it?

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Dec 30, 2008 9:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It is nice. But the boys have been good to the point that we shouldn’t even have to SCROLL DOWN, let alone go to the 2nd page.

by wittcap79 on Dec 30, 2008 9:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the support

I was mentioned in the same breath as mascot abuse and Al Iafrate….this is a proud day for me.

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Dec 30, 2008 8:25 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I had forgotten about the Chip Lohmiller slap-shot.

I, too, miss the team skills competition.

A Haven for the hockey malnourished.
http://www.onfrozenblog.com/

by Gustafsson on Dec 30, 2008 10:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I’m watching the Sens/Oilers game and guess what they advertised for January 4th, 2009? The Oilers skills competition. I guess some teams still do them even though it has nothing to do with the all-star game. Good on them.

A Haven for the hockey malnourished.
http://www.onfrozenblog.com/

by Gustafsson on Dec 30, 2008 10:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A couple memories

I was at that Chip Lohmiller night. Marv Brooks was beseeching the Caps to challenge him, but no one would take on the task. How embarassing.

But on a more positive note, the game after the All Star competition in 92, with all the buzz over Iafrate’s shot, the Caps played the Devils in DC. About a minute into the game, Iafrate wound up and fired the puck straight through Craig Billington, en route to a 9-2 win, I believe. (How do I remember this stuff?)

On yet another note – how does anyone care enough about “power rankings” to write a big ole letter like that?? Geez, let it go.

by katzistan on Dec 30, 2008 10:18 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

No way, now how

jp, I’d love to share your optimisim about tonight’s game but the numbers won’t allow me: a .331 winning percentage against Buffalo (the worst against any team in the entire league) and more than twice as many losses vs wins. And that’s both home and away. I dread to know what the record is up in Buffalo. If they can go up there and win tonight, then we truly may have something special happening with this team.

by b.orr4 on Dec 30, 2008 10:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

didnt want to be the one to say it., but i completely agree. Somehow, i just dont have a good feeling about tonite. hope i’m wrong………..

by Pi on Dec 30, 2008 10:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I don’t either, honestly. Let’s at least hope for a good effort and that Theodore doesn’t completely fall apart.

by gotsparkly on Dec 30, 2008 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey, truth be told I envision tonight as a bump in the road waiting to happen – can’t win ‘em all. But Buffalo isn’t great at home (8-10-2) and the Caps are playing well. I didn’t think what I wrote came across as overly optimistic – just laying some numbers and thoughts out there.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Dec 30, 2008 10:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

C’mon now. I am optimistic. The Caps are a better team and they are on a roll. We win this one with good goaltending tonight.

by grapejoos on Dec 30, 2008 11:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Power-rankings

Should be taken with a grain of salt. The Caps are the 14th best team in the NHL according to TSN? Hmm last I checked they were somewhere around 4th or 5th points wise but hey, I guess that’s why they are paid experts and I’m just a blogger…

Capitals Kremlin, a Washington Capitals Hockey blog

by CapitalsKremlin on Dec 30, 2008 12:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Who cares?

Who cares about Power Rankings? Did anyone else watch Della Rovere get in the heads of the Germans after they put a cheap shot on Esposito last night? I wish he would mature and make this team already. The Caps need a guy like that!

by RED503 on Dec 30, 2008 12:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Delly looked pretty good

‘cept for those penalties…but you’re right, he was fun to watch. First shift out he knocked a German on his can; he definitely brings some energy and forechecks like a demon. Commentators had two remarks about Delly that stuck with me: that he was part of the team’s “No-Fun” line (to play against) and that the Caps got a “steal” in drafting him late. Only one game I’ve seen but it looked like he does all the little things well right now.

by bigonetimer on Dec 30, 2008 12:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I hope when DR gets up to the NHL he doesn’t lose this attitude, the Caps really don’t have an agitator and Matt Bradley doesn’t count IMO.

Capitals Kremlin, a Washington Capitals Hockey blog

by CapitalsKremlin on Dec 30, 2008 12:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed…can’t imagine the attitude will dissipate. Skills-wise, he seems like a 3rd/4th liner, imo, but has all the intangibles to be really productive. Looking forward to the new years eve game vs USA to see some more

by bigonetimer on Dec 30, 2008 1:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Is that televised anywhere locally in the Baltimore area? I’d like to see that.

by gotsparkly on Dec 30, 2008 2:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

it’s on the NHL Network tomorrow night, 7:30 EST, I believe.

by bigonetimer on Dec 30, 2008 2:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

You are correct. 7:30pm / NHL Network.

A Haven for the hockey malnourished.
http://www.onfrozenblog.com/

by Gustafsson on Dec 30, 2008 11:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

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