Wednesday Roundup - Caps 4, Sabres 2
by J.P. on Dec 31, 2008 6:32 AM EST
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[AP Recap - Game Summary - Event Summary]
The other day we hoped aloud that "perhaps the Caps will carry a little swagger with them into a road game and dictate play from the opening draw for a change." Ask and ye shall receive.
Before the game was two minutes old, the Caps were on the board with some beautiful passing and a finish by Brooks Laich on the power play, and seven minutes and change later Chris Bourque banged home the rebound of a David Steckel shot for his first NHL goal and Buffalo never got closer than two goals the rest of the evening.
Demons exorcised? For one night, at least.
Some thoughts on the game:
- Jose Theodore was fantastic again. He has stopped 95 of 101 shots (94.1%) over his last 11+ periods and has allowed just three even strength goals in that stretch. As for his confidence, when you've got a netminder putting the net back on its magnets with the puck in play little more than a Jeff Schultz wingspan away, he's feelin' it.
- The Bourque-Steckel-Eric Fehr line (the Calder Cup line?) was the best trio out there on the night, and their +32 Corsi Rating shows by just how much (no other line had even a single positive player, much less all three in double digits)... and in under eleven minutes for each of the three, no less.
- Speaking of Bourque, he's now just 409 goals behind his old man.
- Milan Jurcina looked lost without Karl Alzner. Juice had a pair of giveaways, a minor and the team's worst Corsi Rating. Losing Alzner is like losing two effective defensemen at this point.
- Nicklas Backstrom, who potted his 11th goal of the season, didn't reach that mark until March 5 last season (oddly enough, also a game winner in Buffalo).
- The Caps were outshot 26-19 at even strength and 33-31 overall. That first number is more troubling, but given the dynamic of the game, not too worrisome.
- Neither Alex Ovechkin nor Ryan Miller was at his best (Miller's rebound control was uncharacteristically atrocious, and kudos to Toni Lydman for his work on AO). Shows what I know.
- As a fan, which is more frustrating - when your team gets whistled for too many men or a puck over the glass delay of game?
- Mike Green fired seven shots on goal, tying his season-high (set against Atlanta on Opening Night and tied the last time the Caps were in Buffalo) and led the team with 24:10 of ice time. Both are encouraging stats with respect to his health.
- It's not often that an empty netter is noteworthy (unless you're trying to start a contoversy that simply doesn't exist), but Boyd Gordon's effort along the boards and 3/4-ice shot while getting high-sticked merits mention.
- The Caps faded a bit in the third (outshot 16-10), which is a subtle trend that has popped up now and again in recent weeks (and which is hardly surprising given the nightly roster shuffle).
- Matt Bradley led the Caps in hits with four (he was the only player on the team credited with more than one). Given that stat and a game that was getting a little chippy in the third, the team could have used Donald Brashear's presence in the lineup.
- Stay tuned as to Shaone Morrisonn's health. Sigh.
- 500+ comments in last night's Open Thread = teh awesome. Thanks, all.
The Caps have now won nine of their last ten games and have improved to 8-1-1 against the Northeast Division (and are 6-1-2 against the Atlantic). If only they could beat those pesky Southeast Division rivals against whom they're 4-3-0... and one of whom they'll get a shot at on New Year's Day, as they'll look to keep this momentum rolling into 2009 after finishing out 2008 on one hell of a hot streak.
Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:
Sami Lepisto is happy in Hershey. We're happy he's there. Everyone's happy!
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I’m pretty sure they’re still going to require the Caps to show up and outscore the Bolts tomorrow before they hand them two points…
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Yeah, probably.
Wonder who’ll be in net for TB tomorrow? My guess is Smith.
Good roundup. I thought Jurcina looked better with Sloan than he does with Erskine, but not as good as he did with Fedorov or Alzner. Fortunately, Alzner isn’t serious. Let’s just hope ShaMo isn’t either.
I think we all need to bring flyswatters and cans of Raid to games and if anybody asks, we’re hunting the injury bug.
I think we all need to bring flyswatters and cans of Raid to games and if anybody asks, we’re hunting the injury bug.
That sounds like a plan! Something’s gotta work!
by HeartbreakRidge on Dec 31, 2008 8:44 AM EST up reply actions
You take Raid to VC tomorrow and let me know how that works.
I’d be more worried about the injuries if the Caps hadn’t just won nine out of ten games.
I’d be more worried about the injuries if they were to the MVP and/or his pivot.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Yeah. As Mirtle reminds us this morning, the Caps have effectively made the playoffs. Now it’s (mostly) about making sure 28. 91, etc. are healthy by spring.
The Fedorov injury is a blessing in disguise (assuming, of course, that he comes back from it at some point). I don’t think we wanted him to have played 70+ games heading into April.
Poti and Semin, obviously, are biggies.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Not so fast...
The last thing I want is for us to fall on our faces now. I like Peerless’ “100 points or bust” thing and we’re only halfway there. Yeah, it’s starting to look good, but I’m not picking out playoff seats yet, far from it.
Kidding ....
That was meant as a wry joke. :)
They won’t let you bring Raid into the VC, especially not in quanitity, but flyswatters are probably legal and might be funny.
Too Many Men
…is by far the most frustrating penalty, because it’s (almost) completely avoidable (unlike delay of game — sometimes you don’t mean for the puck to head overboard). My wife unscientifically remarked last night that the Caps seem to take more too-many-men penalties than anyone else she’s seen. Anyone know if that’s true? Who do we blame – Bruce? Or is it a factor of inexperience and veterans knowing how to time when to come on the ice?
The mix-and-match, injury-created groupings full of just-ups from Hershey don’t help.
But BUF could have been called last night too — at one point a Cap (I forget whom) was skating up the boards with the puck and was stunned to find a BUF in front of him. He kind of stopped and almost shook his head. Why? A sixth BUF had jumped off the bench in front of him. Behind him, the fifth BUF was still skating toward the bench, a couple of seconds from being off the ice.
Definitely not Bruce
The Coach tells the line he wants in “Your up” and then its their job to properly jump the boards to replace their position. Its either the player on-ice creating chaos by deciding to come off right while the puck is near the bench or the entering player jumping too early into a play before their mirror has his skates off the ice.
If the coach is telling players exactly when and where to jump into the play, then that coach better be running a pee-wee team.
Washington Caps=elite
Yesterday I openly doubted the Caps could win in Buffalo, but suggested that if they did we might really have something special happening in DC. Well, they did and we do. The difference in skill level was so glaring, it appeared at times as if the Caps were playing an AHL team. Last night was a classic example of how very good teams dominate mediocre teams (and how nice was it to hear Buffalo fans boo their team off the ice). Ten days ago I circled the Flyers game on the 6th as a “must see”, but now I’ve changed my mind. The game on the 17th against Boston could be the game of the year.
That game against the Flyers is huge – they’re the next demons that need to be exorcised.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
+1
Agree. That game is huge, because right now I’d say that demon is the biggest and stinkiest one we’ve got left.
Pittsburgh in the post-season is still quite demonic. As is the prospect of hitting a wide open net in the second game of the Finals to seal the deal and send the series back home tied at a game apiece.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Pittsburgh in the post-season is still quite demonic.
I agree with this. “Demonic” is the word. That big stupid bird is like a shroud on the soul of the franchise. The Evil Plague. The stake to the heart that one can’t quite yet safely and cleanly extract. Misfortune waiting to befall. (Bigger than Phllly and far bigger than HSBC.)
Jez Louise, I hate them.
But hey. Ain’t it a complete gas to be discussing playoff opponents in DECEMBER? [knock on wood]
I also agree with the Resting of Gramps concept being good. Particularly when his LTIR allows us to have Alzner up and running.
“Jose Theodore was fantastic again.”
This may be the key to the realm right here. Don’t stare too fixedly! It may vanish.
I don’t know – I think the Philly one is fresher in their minds, between Game 7 last year and then the drubbing in Philly. We’ve shown that this year’s teams can take on the Pens and win, in their house. Now all they have to do is do it again in the postseason.
Philly, on the other hand – this team has struggled a lot with. Wasn’t that our only loss in the pre-season? I think we’ve got to take Philly on first and knock them out in our house this year as a first step.
Agreed.
And Asham better have some extra padding in his helmet because we have him penciled on for a 7:25 appointment with Mr. Brashear and that appointment can not be missed you cheap-shot slashing little snipe.
Turtle up and go down before Brash hits you so hard you piss yourself right in-front of all your other orange skirt wearing knuckledraggers!!
If Asham doesn’t make it a point to be lined up against Brashear and give him the chance to “correct” the two-hander, then he’ll be viewed as a coward. He’s actually one Flyer I respect (although its his first year there, give it time).
Anyone think Bruce is resting the Donald with the Flyers game in mind? He actually played a couple of games after getting slashed.
AssHam is queued up, but Riley Cote has dibsies
Ol’ Hamburger Mug is still bearing the fruits of those labors—man, if anyone still has a question about the Don’s value in that department, have look at the reply of that first beatdown. I actually give Cote some credit for signing up for seconds that game, not that the outcome was any different. Those two are cut from the same cloth, and there is respect between them.
AssHam is a different story. When a first year guy chirps at, slashes and then runs from a first rate tough guy at the end of a lopsided game, that’s a problem—and he’s gonna pay in a way that Cote wouldn’t. I’d watch for a long, protracted fight (if he’s actually got the stones, which I doubt) in which Donald takes his time and teaches the kid a lesson. Book it.
by bigonetimer on Dec 31, 2008 11:05 AM EST up reply actions
An interesting view of things from the other side:
Also, in the last minute of the game Aaron Asham tried to go with Brashear and he complied, but as they were backing up and preparing for the fight, the refs stepped in and halted the proceedings.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I dunno about the 17th.
But I already have my game tickets and train tickets for the Feb 28th game in the TD Banknorth Garden.
The wife I will be loud and proud in #8 Caps White Jerseys for that heavyweight tilt of the Two Beasts of the East!! Last matchup between the two clubs… right in prime playoff-push season…. I can not wait!!!
Last night was just a great game to see. I had those same doubts as everyone seemed to have yesterday about winning in Buffalo. But they came out hard from the beginning and that quick goal was just what I needed to settle back, relax and enjoy.
Speaking of that first goal – I thought to myself as I watched the replay – anyway to get 4 assists on one goal, that passing was perfection.
And it was great to see a good full game from Theo. You really can tell when he’s got confidence and that leads me to not have to peer through half closed eyes whenever the opposing team enters our zone.
Oh. no doubt the Flyers game is huge, but I’m thinking big picture. It is ironic that after that Philly debacle, the two teams have gone on different paths; The Caps are 4-0 and Philly is 2-3.
Philly is the ONE and ONLY team
in the Eastern Conference that has not been forced to hold a post-game press conference to talk about how they couldn’t stop the Washington Capitals. We’ve handed out L’s to everyone else up and down the East Coast… its time the Broads from Broadstreet got one courtesy of Alex & Co.
Dammit... I hate it when I type first and fact-check second
Okay… so we also have not yet had the pleasure of beating the Florida Panthers having only faced them once in that miserable game when they handed us our lone regulation loss in the VZ Center.
So Flyers and Panthers both need a “Loss to Washington” written into their schedule. We’ll deal with Philly next week and Florida in February.
by Wisper on Dec 31, 2008 10:46 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I don't think it's ironic.
Wonder if that 7-1 made them cocky. That drubbing had far less to do with the skaters than with the goaltending, and to ask your goaltender to stop 47 shots every night is ludicrous. Niittymaki was a GOD out there that day, and our goalies just fell apart. By the opening of the third, we’d mailed it in already, I think, and if Philly didn’t notice and think that kind of a win makes them all that, then you’re going to get that kind of 2-3 result.
I saw yesterday that "because of a crowded schedule, the holiday break, and weather-related travel woes, the Flyers had not had a full practice since Dec. 19" prior to Monday. Lame excuse, but likely related to the mini-slide.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Boston is playing amazingly well, as they only lost 1 game in December…in Washington.
Granted, the Caps may not be as hot as the Bruins are right now, but they are starting to prove that they can beat anyone on any given night, even the teams playing at their absolute top level. The ability to do this requires psychological conditioning as well as physical conditioning, skill and talent.
Exorcising demons such as the losing streak at HSBC arena, coming from behind to win at MSG, beating the Bruins at the top of their game and continuing to win night in and night out at the Phone Booth are all key components to having success in April, May and June.
by PaintDrinkingPete on Dec 31, 2008 10:12 AM EST reply actions
What leaves me speechless in amazement is that the Caps are pulling this off with a third of their starting roster scratched or on LTIR for injuries. That is an incredible accomplishment, and one that doesn’t get much note in the hockey press other than knockings in the power rankings.
Makes me wonder what kind of toll this is taking on the guys to do that. How does this compare to the run to the playoffs last year in sheer will and determination?
What worries me is peaking too soon. Your reward for winning the conference with 120 points? One more home game than the 8th place team. In the playoffs, everything is reset back to zero. Don’t get me wrong, this team looks great out there, but I’m confused by the fact that all this winning is going on with Semin, Feds, Flash and Poti out, and Green at 75%. Are those players not the contributors they appear to be? When they come back, will whatever alchemy is driving this team be thrown out of whack?
Pardon the cynicism, but I am a lifelong Caps fan. I can see them flying into the playoffs, getting completely healthy and then getting stoned by Danny Sabourin in a 5-game series against the underachieving Pens. Dunno, maybe something like that’s happened before…
Agreed that the team hasn’t won anything yet and we should temper expectations, but isn’t our collective sense of impending doom all the more reason to enjoy the ride now?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Here, here!
I think the words of the esteemed philospher, Mel Brooks, are appropriate here:
“if you’re alive you’ve got to flap your arms and legs, you’ve got to jump around a lot, for life is the very opposite of death, and therefore you must at very least think noisy and colorfully, or you’re not alive.” In other words, Caps fans, don’t worry about the playoffs. Just enjoy the moment. We’ve gone through a lot of crap over the last seven or so years and we deserve the right to be a little giddy about this team, even if it’s still December.
Post suggestion....
Remember when you asked at the beginning of the season whether that rollercoaster shot was a metaphor of things to come and said you hoped not?
Come the 41st game, maybe it’s time to look back and ask whether it was.
I say it’s been pretty much as advertised :)
Or maybe we just have so much NHL-ready talent it’s ridiculous. Let’s face it – our blueline got a wakeup call courtesy of the chocolate and white. I seriously and firmly believe that our blueline is the better for the infusion of Hershey in it. Now what I want to see is whether the lesson holds when our starting roster gets healthy.
I agree that it’s an abundance of riches in talent. Those players we’re missing are some of the best on the team – the reason they keep on trucking is that the kids have played very well. At the NHL and AHL levels all of these guys expect to win and have a ton of confidence, and that’s why the team hasn’t missed a beat.
It’s easy to say the record has been better without those guys and therefore the Caps are better (or at least, not missing them much), but it’s really just that the healthy guys are playing outstanding hockey.
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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
|
55 | 20 | 25 | 10 | 50 |
(updated 2.10.2012 at 3:26 AM EST)
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