Thursday Caps Clips: Rangers @ Caps Gameday
by J.P. on Oct 8, 2009 6:40 AM EDT
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PrintYour savory breakfast links:
- Previews of tonight's game from Vogs, NHL.com, Peerless, CapsChick and Cap Centre, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner Blueshirt Banter and Scotty Hockey for pregame coverage from the other side of tonight's match up.
- For those of you sitting behind the visitors bench tonight, remember - you're in the splash zone. Dress accordingly.
- Bruce Boudreau is making an early example out of a couple of veteran blueliners: accountability, every night (quote that didn't make the story: "They had a great seat to watch. That’s in the end what they were doing is watching everything."). Too much, too early? [Washington Times]
- On Alex Ovechkin's white-hot start. [Washington Post]
- Few things make me happier than Allan Ryder's annual NHL Review. Reading it is like walking into Cheers. [HockeyAnalytics.com (PDF)]
- Boyd Kane was reassigned to Hershey yesterday. Good move for both the Caps and the Bears. [The Patriot-News]
- The Caps are still a relatively cheap ticket. [Slap Shot Blog]
- AO got more first place votes than any other player in The Sporting News' "50 greatest players in today’s NHL" list, but when Nicklas Backstrom doesn't even make the esteemed panel's list, you can pretty much send it straight to the circular file. [Penguins]
- More 50-in-50 talk and a couple of other notes from yesterday's practice. [Washington Times]
- Pictures from yesterday's practice. [Caps In Pictures]
- Can the Caps' top line be one of hockey's best... ever? Don't they need a bad ass nickname (The SOB Line?) first? [OFB]
- D.C. has dropped out of the top ten sports town in the nation, despite the Caps' best efforts. Thanks, Danny. [Washington Business Journal]
- This whole "dynasty" thing has strayed a bit from the initial point we were trying to make, but it's always good to know you have smart and witty people who've got your back. [VFtCS]
- A call to arms for putting the Patrick Division band back together. [Two in the Box]
- We've seen plenty of Caps season previews, but here's a look ahead at the Bears' 2009-10 season. [Hockey's Future]
- Since I was a wee lad, whenever I'd think of Smokin' Al Koken (yes, "Smokin'" gets bolded), I'd think to myself, "Now there's a dude from whom I'd buy windows." This is, quite simply, an endorsement deal struck from the dreams of children. [D.C. Sports Bog]
- On this date back in 1997, Adam Oates had a hat trick and added two helpers to hit the 1,000-point mark in style in a 6-3 win over the Isles.
- Finally, happy 50th birthday to former Cap John Blum.
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Corey’s article was good (sounded like they were both in varying degrees of denial). But yeah, too much, too early.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
I have to disagree. No sense in waiting to let these guys know that they sucked. I have a bit of an issue that it came out to us, but the fact is that the Caps gave up 10 goals in 2 games. Have to squash that as quickly as you can. If it takes embarassing a couple guys, I’m okay with that.
I said it in the last thread — Game 3 is prime message-sending time. Better to nip shit in the bud. If Boudreau is saying stuff like this in March, the team’s in real trouble.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Game 3 is prime message-sending time. Better to nip shit in the bud.
Agree! Nonchalant efforts last year caught up with the Caps in the end – I don’t know the players, so I can’t say what method would be most effective in nipping buds, but I do applaud the effort.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
I don’t think they were embarrassed. They’re professionals after all. One of them, presumably Erskine, admitted as much when Boudreau confronted him about his poor performance.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 8, 2009 8:39 AM EDT up reply actions
They have to be embarassed. Getting called out sucks, and is embarassing, whether its your boss or a coach or a friend. What makes them professionals is that they take that embarassment and use it to improve play, where as a 12 year old would just stop playing.
Yeah, but I’d think it would more embarrassing when your coach calls you out in the room more than if said coach drops a quote to one of the beat reporters. Don’t get me wrong, if this drives accountability, I’m all for it, but there’s something about the tactical part involving the press that’s a little uncomfortable to me.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
Yea, but since when has Boudreau been anything but candid with the press?
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 8, 2009 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Tossing out the natural clandestine nature of a coach, it’s nice that he’s candid.
But I think saying that someone was in “disbelief in the existence or reality of a thing” to soneone who’s going to report on it was more quotable than frank. He’s been using words like “embarrassing” since his first year, and most of the guys who’ve been hearing those words are still here. At what point do they tune out?
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
I think he picks his spots. I don’t think they tune out. The hammer drops when the hammer deserves to drop.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions
That said, we’ve heard/seen plenty of talk before.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Oct 8, 2009 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
After reading Corey’s article, I now feel it’s Erskine who was in denial. To paraphrase Bill Shakespeare, he’s protesting to much:
I don’t think I made too many mistakes. I was on for a lot of goals, but I don’t think you can say, ‘Just because you were on for a lot of goals it means you had a bad game.’ There are some situations where it’s not your fault."
Coming from Erskine that certainly sounds like denial. He was downright awful.
by David Getz on Oct 8, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Erskine said that? Oy vey.
I always thought Poti was too professional to deny a bad game to the coach, but I didn’t say so yesterday. It makes me glad that the player who’s actually important to the Caps’ plans realizes what happened, even if Erskine does not.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions
The Huguenots. Henry IV may be one of my favorite historical figures. But the war didn’t go so well for the Huguenots.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions
At least he’ll learn something. He’s usually so busy pandering to the lowest common denominator and avoiding any of the obligations of responsibility to audience that he’ll probably just make a lame Chara joke.
Chara is naked, lawlz. Don’t follow this link I’m posting ::follows link:: woh, there are hot wimminz here too…
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
I really could have done without big picture of a very naked Chara on my screen with I’m trying to sneak a peak at PD during the work day.
Not to derail this, but DC United lining up naked to block a free kick was pretty, uh, hmmmm…….
And it’s in the dead tree version, too.
It’s just nudity. It’s not like you were reading some hardcore porn or something.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
It was a nice picture of an athlete with a phenomenal bod. That it sends men into paroxysms of OMG-how-do-I-handle-this is both predictable and hilarious.
It’s not like you were reading some hardcore porn or something.
Damn, I’ve been doing it wrong then.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Oct 8, 2009 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions
That which has been seen...
….cannot be unseen…
Eagh!
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Oct 8, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions
He’s usually so busy pandering to the lowest common denominator and avoiding any of the obligations of responsibility to audience
Um, have you seen his audience? Pandering to the lowest common denominator is fulfilling the obligations of responsibility to his audience.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
He’s one of the Top 100 most influential people in the sport for chrissakes!
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
There are some situations where it’s not your fault
I took that to mean Poti’s own goal, but I could see that coming from Erskine too.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 8, 2009 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but I’m in the “that talk has been effective” camp. I think Boudreau’s hand for the reins has been just about right since he got here. Caps are a skill/creativity team, and those guys need mental space to perform.
If he lets them fall on their face in October, maybe they’ll learn something from it. Sometimes lessons from experience are the best. I’ve got no problem with the playing time situation so far.
(Well, I’ve got no problem showcasing trade bait. I do have a problem with getting a guy into the lineup just to be an enforcer, because I think enforcers are useless, but I’m going up against the collected wisdom of everyone in the NHL on that one)
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m all for what you said, but I think the hyperbole to the media can become dangerous. For as good as he is in complimentary situations with players, Boudreau’s used the public embarrassment meme more than once, and has been doing it for at least a year now.
I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but as a fan of another DC team whose coach has been tuned out by his players, it’s not fun to watch.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
I agree with that sentiment completely. Like I said above, I don’t really agree that it should be made available to our ears, but I do like the fact that Bruce called them on what was definitely a subpar performance.
That said, for all we know he “embarassed” them in front of the locker rom for their third period against Toronto and they didn’t respond.
I’ll be interested to see how Sloan does as a forward tonight.
Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But, if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. If you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.
Good lord, why? I mean, it’s the first matchup against NYR since a seven-game playoff series. Brashear returns. Can Poti/Erskine recover from a debacle? Will Ersky be scratched? There’s not a lot about tonight’s game less interesting than how a tweener NHL-AHL D plays as a forward on a team about to have Fehr and Flash back from the doctor’s office.
Who starts in goal? If it’s Varly, can he bounce back? If it’s JT60, can he bounce back after the playoff debacle?
I’d think so (but I think Tyler was just throwing out another interesting story line for tonight’s game).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Oct 8, 2009 8:39 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
And if there is one team he should be confident about facing, it’s the Rangers, granted they’re a different incarnation.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 8, 2009 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions
They looked pretty solid ag. the Devils the other night.
by mechanicsville on Oct 8, 2009 8:49 AM EDT up reply actions
“Interest” is pretty much as subjective as it gets. The Thirty Years War in Europe was fascinating and bears amazing parallels to our modern day life, but I suspect a lot of students have found the pattern of dots on ceiling panels to be more subjectively interesting.
It’s cool to throw out things that someone thinks are more interesting, but it’s kind of weird to tell someone the thing they’re interested in actually isn’t interesting at all. (By the way, I’m also interested to see how Sloan does. I’m a Sloan fan, and he’s being put in a pretty difficult spot)
On a related note, were all of you really all that interested in the conversation with docciavelli yesterday? All them responses to a pretty inane statement by him. I mean, trolling is trolling, right?
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I agree that the Thirty Years War was fascinating and that it had an enormous impact on Europe during the period that Catholics and Protestants were fighting about everything.
It has nothing to do with Tyler Sloan, who remains totally uninteresting when compared to other things going on around tonight’s game. But thanks for playing.
Alright, this tangent shall now cease. And while I see your point, Sparkly did say simply that she was interested in seeing how Sloan will do up front, not that it was the aspect of the game that “most” interested her. It might be 30th on her list. It might be first. Whatever.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I’d put it on the “interesting” list not because of the who, but because of the what. Putting a healthy scratched defenseman on the fourth line says one or more of the following: Kane sucked (obviously true based on what I could discern in the game threads); Caps want to keep the half a mil of cap space; Nylander will never see Verizon Center ice again.
I don’t think cap space was a factor since Kane was going down once Fehr was healthy anyway and keeping him around another week would have only had a marginal impact on the cap. Can’t say I’m shocked about Kane either.
it does further enforce than Nylander is not going to play for the Capitals this season. Period.
I don’t think in all the years I’ve watched hockey, a situation as bizarre as the one playing out with Nylander.
by b.orr4 on Oct 8, 2009 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Well....
….not in a Caps uniform. You never know, there are teams that will sign anyone/anything (Tampa comes to mind immediately, but there are others…)
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Oct 8, 2009 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions
This is correct, and thank you. There’s lots of things that interest me – that’s just one of them. (One wonders why Bruce didn’t do that to begin with if we were that close under the cap.)
Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But, if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. If you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.
Right on. Just remember the moral of the whole story – never ask a Dane to do a Swede’s job.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I believe that the Middle East’s problem is that they haven’t had a 30 Years War, or, more precisely, a Peace of Westphalia. Until the independent States learn to recognize the religious autonomy of the other independent States there is bound to be continued friction and violence. Wait, where am I?
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
Wait, where am I?
Blogging from the most powerful city in the world. Duh.
"Camaraderie, that's what the Washington Capitals are all about."
by CapitalCentre on Oct 8, 2009 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Good amount of Caps talk on the LaVar Arrington show yesterday, if anyone’s interested (links to the audio here).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
They talked about hockey? For a change?
Not for nothing, and LaVar’s a nice guy, but an absolute train wreck to listen to.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
honestly – i gave LaVar a solid shot and he’s not half bad. Chad Dukes gets on my nerves more then Lavar does.
Chad Dukes was awesome until they broke him off of Oscar Santana and made him talk sports. Dukes is just blatantly not a hockey fan, and would rather push MMA and Basketball and Football, because he likes them. He views baseball as “It’s there, and people like it” and has blinders on that only show him glimpses of the 1970s when it comes to hockey. “It isn’t an American game blah blah – Basketball – That’s an American game.” gtf over it.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Rink readers know that the 8-19-28 line is the Care Bears, for its tendency to get too cute and over-pass.
Of course. But that’s not exactly a “bad ass” line name like “The Capital Punishment” line or something similarly overly macho.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Or…
The “Mutually Assured Destruction” Line
The “Shock and Aw, Crap…Are They On the Ice Again” Line
The “Boudreau Squadron” Line
If you've read this far...seek help.
by ThePeerless on Oct 8, 2009 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Love the second one, Peerless :P talk about truth in line-naming. You KNOW that’s what goes through defenders’ minds (with the exception of maybe Chara, but…he posed nude for ESPN so he no longer counts).
Shock Or Awe?
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions
How about the “Holy Shit Nobody Can Stop Them But Themselves So Why Does Everyone Hate On The Insane Production” Line.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
“Oh no! It’s the HSNCSTBTSWDEHOTIP Line!”
by DrinkingPartner on Oct 8, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions
let’s just call it what the opposing guys on the ice call it. The “Oh damn, they’re gonna score” line!
If Semin’s curling near the offensive blue line, someone’s going to score, anyway.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
How about making it simple and just call them what they are: " The Best Line in Hockey"
by b.orr4 on Oct 8, 2009 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
How about the BOS (pronounced BOZ) line they can all wear flattops, awesome half shirts, and maybe get run over by Bo Jackson in a goal line stand…
by Sct112 on Oct 8, 2009 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
personally, I call them the Fluffy Bunny line. Very cute, put also the potential to become really ugly roadkill.
I still like the SOB line. They make opponents say it when they’ve got the puck and us say it when they over-pass or take a stupid penalty.
Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But, if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. If you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.
I will never eschew SOB for Care Bears. Never.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
SOB was Simon Oates Bondra. I’m not giving that moniker to Semin Ovechkin Backstrom.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
Yeah, you or someone else mentioned that before. It’s so not even close to comparable. Only Bondra actually played his prime as a Cap and will go down historically as a Cap. At least 2/3 of the SOB line are going to be Caps for their prime (and historically). I don’t think there is any way we look back after a decade or so and consider the earlier SOB as more significant to the franchise than the current SOB.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
Thanks for the kind words, Scotty.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Yeah, nice words and a nice game day post.
Was this a Freudian slip though?
This game will not be for the faint of heart. Both teams love to turn up the offense and the Caps have suck scary skill … ugh, I can feel my blood pressure rising already.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
Haha, perhaps it was Zeph, perhaps it was.
And anytime JP – as I’ve said many a time, you do a helluva job, I love coming over here.
BTW – in case you guys didn’t see, Zipay is reporting that Valley will start in net for the Rangers …
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Interesting. Too many bad memories for The King already?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Torts has AO on his fantasy team.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
by Rob Parker on Oct 8, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Someone already called that. I didn’t see that coming at all. Any speculation as to why? Lundy tired? Afraid ;)
In preparation for his approximately 150 starts this year both here and in the Olympics.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Oct 8, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Exactly – already played three games in four nights to start the season, and will likely play at least five games in Vancouver as Sweden repeats for gold =)
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
I just read Zipay’s blog post; I read it that Valiquette is starting sometime in the stretch that starts Sunday, not tonight. My misread?
I think you’re right.
Here is the quote for others:
With another three-games-in-four night stretch starting Sunday at 5 (and a back-to-back Monday against Toronto at the Garden), Henrik Lundqvist is expected to get a breather, with Steve Valiquette between the pipes for the first time this season in one of those two.
So he’ll be playing the Ducks or Leafs.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
Just saw that too – my bad. Perhaps Valley will play vs. the Leafs with the Rangers putting Hank in to showcase him to the kiddies on Sunday’s matinee.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions
[I]t’s always good to know you have smart and witty people who’ve got your back.
Always. Oh, and I’ve got your back, too!
Should we waive Scotty’s initiation into our group of elitists?
by mechanicsville on Oct 8, 2009 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions
You mean he needs to send a carrier pigeon to his personal servant to tell his kitchen staff to send their grocery slave to take a picture of arugula to deliver to his commissioned artist to reproduce a sculpture of said arugula to place on the sidewalk of a busy DC street populated by hobos while a video camera records an exchange between two persons who fight over the right to eat the arugula, but when one dies and the other breaks his teeth on the marble representation, he laughs and then sups on the dead hobo that has been collected for him by his kitchen staff’s grocery slave’s personal butcher, because he, as he pledged long ago, never eats anything but peasant.
by DrinkingPartner on Oct 8, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Goddamn, you guys trivialized my awesome contribution to the elitism thread :-).
by DrinkingPartner on Oct 8, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Don’t worry, I’ll give you some love. That was some damn good run-on sentencing.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Oct 8, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions
I especially enjoyed pp. 24, 28-29 of Ryder’s writeup. Apparently, Mike Green and Alex Semin are pretty good hockey players. Not bad seeing Nicky at #15 on list of best forwards, either. And all this time I thought it was a one-man show.
Can we all pool our money together and get Alan Ryder a full-time job in hockey? And I don’t mean like Bill James to the BoSox full time job. I’m talking about something where we all get to read his scholarship. Because scholarship is what it is. He’s advancing the state of knowledge, and it sucks that it happens at a one-report-per-year pace. I want to learn more faster!
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 8:47 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh, we covered the Thirty Years War when I was 17. I was firmly in the “ceiling tiles” camp.
I do remember that some dude got defenestrated, and his life was saved because he fell into a wagon full of manure. So, you know, you take your lessons where you can get them.
Gustavus Adolphus da bomb.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions
“Indefatigable” is always fun too.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Oct 8, 2009 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Same here. I had a history teacher at Gonzaga College High School SHOW us the meaning of defenestration by throwing another student’s math homework, which he was doing illicitly in the middle of a lecture, out our third floor window. The textbook and notes smashed unto the hood of an SUV on Eye Street and our teacher nonchalantly returned to his lecture.
That’s some good education right there.
I don't care how you score goals. Pretty or ugly. The ballet or the bulldozer. However you do it, just do it. And make sure you do it more than the other guys.
why is it that every guy I’ve ever talked to about the 30 years war comes away remembering nothing but the Defenestration of Prague?
Because the Defenestration of Prague was awesome!
How’s this — I also remember that it wasn’t thirty years long…
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions
you are correct, sir. But the 30 years war was fought (on and off) from 1618-1648.
My undergrad specialty was the creation of the modern nation-state as a result of the Peace of Westphalia. I knwo more about the 30 years war than I really wanted to.
It’s a wonder that the Spanish Inquisition lasted as long as it did: no one expected it.
by DrinkingPartner on Oct 8, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
That’s assuming I didn’t mean it exactly as written…
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions
I enjoy page 34 or so, where Jeff Schultz is the 13th best defensive defenseman in the NHL.
by David Getz on Oct 8, 2009 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I remember that name from somewhere.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
I wouldn’t mind seeing, before too long, a top-4 of Green-Schultz and Poti-Kid (probably Alzner).
Pothier-ShaMo is a pretty strong 3rd pairing.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions
I think it’d be hard to wrong with that top four down the road but I’m not comfortable with Schultz playing Green given the fact that he’s not a great skater.
Personally I’d stick Alzner with Green (because Alzner’s a smart, solid, all around player who should be able to log big minutes) and Schultz with Poti (because I like those guys as a solid defense-first pairing).
Except when it, um, was (as in the best goal differential of any pairing they used last year).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Oct 8, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I come out the exact opposite way, actually. I think Green-Alzner is ideal for the future, but Alzner ain’t ready for that responsibility yet. Green-Schultz may not be as natural a pairing, but Schultz is ready now for that responsibility.
I see only three reasonable choices for Green’s partner this year: Schultz, ShaMo, or GuyWeTradeFor. In some ways, GuyWeTradeFor is the ideal because Poti-Schultz is one hell of a shutdown tandem. But if I have to choose between the guys who are here, I’ll take Schultz.
Green-Schultz for 23-25 minutes a night. Poti-Kid and Pothier-Shamo pretty much split the rest.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions
But Green may be ready for that responsibility. And I’m not sure Alzner isn’t. Play with 52 and you spend a lot of time in the offensive zone…
Schultz is ready for anything. He’s demonstrated that time and time again, most recently against PHL. (And after sitting out two games for no particularly good reason.)
Agreed, and I’d add to that that I think it would be best for Alzner/Carlson’s development to be paired with a veteran like Poti (not that the Caps have any other veterans like Poti, so I should just say “Poti”), as opposed to having to constantly think “Oh shit, there goes my partner down below the opponent’s goal line again.”
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
do you think with consistent playing time and a healthy season that Pothier could become a veteran guy who can guide (for lack of a better word) some of the kids coming up?
To an extent, but we’re still talking about a guy with only 300 NHL games under his belt.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
I think Pothier’s more veteran than his GP shows. He’s been around and he’s been though a lot of adversity.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions
I’d agree with that. But he’s not all that well-seasoned, and has just 29 games of playoff experience.
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The pairing I’m looking forward to is Alzner-Carlson. The thought of those two patrolling the blueline together for the next decade has me salivating.
In the near-term, I am not looking forward to Alzner-Carlson. They will not — and should not — play together until each has 150+ games under his belt. Rookie-rookie or second-year-rookie pairings are a recipe for disaster and for poor player development. Maybe in, uh, 2012-13.
I come out the exact opposite way, actually. I think Green-Alzner is ideal for the future, but Alzner ain’t ready for that responsibility yet. Green-Schultz may not be as natural a pairing, but Schultz is ready now for that responsibility.
Ah, see, I was thinking next year or even the year after that. This year I agree that Alzner with Green would be a mistake.
Problem with that is that Poti is much less effective on the right side. I think that was part of the problem against Philly, and it’s why I don’t understand benching Pothier. We’ve got lots of D-men to play the left side, but only Green, Pothier, and Juice on the right, at least until Carlson arrives. Eventually it should be Schultz-Alzner on the left and Green-Carlson on the right, in any order.
Easy to read and insightful!
My biggest take-away was the affirmation that we had average defense and below average goaltending in 2008-09. I think our defense would have been rated much worse if we weren’t so offensively gifted up front and had our forwards control the puck as often as they did.
A call to arms for putting the Patrick Division band back together. [Two in the Box]
It’s all well and good for Caps fans to talk about what we want, but realignment is something that would have to be in the entire league’s interest. “We have a rivalry with the Pennsylvania teams” isn’t a good enough reason to change a 30-team league.
And I do think realignment is in the whole league’s interest. It’s criminal to me that Detroit and Toronto — virtual neighbors geographically — aren’t even in the same conference. That would be one of the great rivalries if it were allowed to blossom.
I also think the fact that Dallas, Nashville, and the rest of the American South are split into three divisions is really bad for the sport. These are natural rivals. You wouldn’t split the California teams, but LA and San Jose are farther apart than Nashville is to Atlanta.
And from a Caps’ perspective, the effect of getting a true American South division and of uniting Detroit with Toronto, Montreal and Boston is that it opens up space in the Mid-Atlantic between those regions for Washington to slide in with Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
The details can be played with, as we have in the other thread on this topic (four divisions or six? etc.) But the point is, if you’re a Caps fan and want all the teams to change divisions to accommodate us, it helps to find a reason why a change like that would be good for them.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
Word. But looking at the reasons why they changed to begin with is ample reason to revert back to an alignment real hockey fans love:
“Soon after Bettman took office, the NHL’s traditional conferences and divisions were renamed to reflect geography (like the NBA) rather than the league’s history (i.e., the Wales and Campbell Conferences, and the Adams, Patrick, Norris, and Smythe Divisions).
Further, hockey fans despised the changes because “Bettman’s mandate was to make hockey appeal further to many American audiences unfamiliar with the game, and who are traditionally more interested in professional baseball, football and basketball.”
“Bettman has also been accused of aggressively pushing the game into non-traditional markets at the expense of traditional ones in order to chase his dream of a major American television contract and to chase expansion money. This resulted in the league slowly losing its significance in the sports world. This accusation does not come without merit.”
(h/t Armchair GM)
I think that’s a stretch. The changes that we’ve seen under Bettman’s watch may not have been all that successful (I argue the jury’s still out) but to say that they’re the cause of the NHL’s profile being lower than it was in the early 90’s is trying to make causation out of correlation in my opinion.
Lockout had a lot to do with it.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Lockout was huge, as was the trap and the boring style of play.
But I think the biggest thing is that, realistically, the NHL was a trendy sport in the early 90’s. It happens. Every once in a while a smaller sport makes that push – we saw it with NASCAR a few times, and we see it with lacrosse every few years. That’s what happened with the NHL.
I prefer the slow, steady, painful growth in non-traditional markets for the long term.
Such as, uh, where? What “growth” is there in FLA, PHX, ATL…
I’ll give you growth in DAL, CAR and mayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyybe NSH. But that’s it.
A lot of it has to do with the on-ice product – Florida, Phoenix, and Atlanta have been generally poorly run and when teams are bad they lose support. Happened in Boston, happened in Chicago, happened in St. Louis.
Florida was a mistake because Miami is a bad sports town and just too much of a stretch and analysis of Phoenix is clouded by the crappy arena, but I’m not solid on it either. Atlanta will be fine if it ever gets its act together, and NHL expansion/relocation has worked in Carolina, San Jose, Dallas, Tampa, and Anaheim.
I’m not saying all the moves were home runs, but I do think the NHL is right to try and get in the big non-traditional markets and turn hockey in to a national sport.
But TV ratings in BOS and STL stayed strong. As attendance indicates - and it came back in CHI before they were good, for reasons we all understand - the fans were there and just needed a reason to believe.
I don’t know of any data that indicates the fans are there in FLA or PHX. Or ATL.
San Jose was a semi-traditional market in the sense that the Bay Area had a successful minor league hockey team for years. Anaheim was semi-traditional by virtue of proximity to LA. Tampa is Canada-south.
I don’t disagree completely, but it over-did the strategy.
San Jose was a semi-traditional market in the sense that the Bay Area had a successful minor league hockey team for years. Anaheim was semi-traditional by virtue of proximity to LA. Tampa is Canada-south.
Exactly – there were markets out there where the league could have (and in many cases, did) succeed, and those are the ones it made sense for them to go in to. For the most part I think the league did well. Of the new/relocated teams in non-traditional markets I’d say San Jose, Tampa, Dallas, and Carolina are successes, than the jury is still out on Nashville and Atlanta (though I expect them to be a success soon), and that Phoenix and Miami look like mistakes.
Atlanta will support a team. It has a ton of people, a ton of money, a ton or Northerners, a strong corporate base, and did well in the four month period the team was actually decent. Once they can get something going there, they’ll be fine.
But Atlanta has never supported professional sports at a level commensurate with that corporate base, per-capita income level, etc. Even the Vick Falcons had to scrap for sellouts. I hear ya, but ATL isn’t a tap-in.
The Vick Falcons were 47-48-1, though, and played to 98% capacity the only season I could find data for (2006).
I don’t necessarily expect Atlanta to be only of the NHL’s cornerstone markets but I think it’s more than capable of supporting an NHL team.
I also think one of the big things with new NHL teams in these kinds of markets is that you have to give it time. It’s a long-term process and what the franchise’s viability is in 20 years that matters, and I think Atlanta will be fine in the long run.
Honestly? No.
But I think from watching the way the fan base responded to the team’s drive for the playoffs and their one playoff series and just how big and wealthy the city is, it can sustain an NHL franchise long term. I don’t expect the Thrashers to be near the top in terms of attendance, ratings, or revenue, but I think they can do well enough to legitimize a team being there.
I was kidding around.
I think that sentiment is legit, but I have real trouble seeing Atlanta as a sports town. When their baseball team was one of the best teams in the MLB for 10 years running and they weren’t selling out playoff games, something is missing. I don’t know that much about it, and maybe that was specific to the Braves, but a town that has already lost one NHL franchise doesn’t rate as a likely success story to me.
Yeah there’s no doubt Atlanta’s just not a sports town. Too many out-of-towners, imo. I don’t think the fact that Atlanta had a team that moved out makes much of a difference. Atlanta in the 1970s is very different from present-day Atlanta.
As for the Braves, they were so good for so long I think it got to the point where the attitude was ‘wake us when it’s the NLCS’.
Growing up I was a Pirates fan… I hate the Braves. Now that I haven’t cared about a team in post season baseball for what? ~13 years (O’s in ’96? and that little bastard Maier in right field) the fact that the town tuned them out just boggles my mind.
I support DMG on this. I think the Thrashers are doing surprisingly well given the terrible quality of the on-ice product. Give that city a winner, and they’ll support it.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions
PHX has got to be hurt by the relocation issue. They will never grow with that looming over their heads.
I think the NHL has too many non-traditional markets. Some should have a team, but Canada needs more than 6 teams. They can support the biggest bases and deserve a team – say, in Winnepeg. A good idea would be to expand to 32 teams and have 4 divisons of 8.
Very true. Personally, I’m not too het up about realignment — I just want the names back.
One of the more attractive things about the NHL, to me, is its strong sense of history and continued connection with the people who got it started some 100 years ago. If there is a Patrick Division again, even if we’re not in it, I think that would be good news.
"Camaraderie, that's what the Washington Capitals are all about."
by CapitalCentre on Oct 8, 2009 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
It’s all well and good for Caps fans to talk about what we want, but realignment is something that would have to be in the entire league’s interest. "We have a rivalry with the Pennsylvania teams" isn’t a good enough reason to change a 30-team league. And I do think realignment is in the whole league’s interest. It’s criminal to me that Detroit and Toronto — virtual neighbors geographically — aren’t even in the same conference. That would be one of the great rivalries if it were allowed to blossom.
OK… try this…
If you've read this far...seek help.
Makes a lot of sense to me.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Question: how do you think Brashear will/should be received tonight?
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
He should be cheered when his name is announced. He should be laughed at when he rumbles ineffectively through the offensive zone killing a rush. He should be jeered when he takes two or three bad penalties.
(Not so) Bold Prediction: No fight from Brashear tonight. Sugden scratched that itch less than two weeks ago. If Brashear fights one of the Caps, it’ll come in another game this year.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions
Some kid asked Laich, Steckel and Bradley whether they would fight Brashear at the Convention and it took Brads about 0.2 seconds to say “NO”. It was both hilarious and true.
They know what he’s capable of, and since he left there’s no one on our team who has that Brashear-ness about him. Erskine’s probably the closest to being in his league, and that’s a stretch. My (not so) bold prediction? No fights between Brash and any of the Caps this year.
I think Sugden can go toe-to-toe with older Brash pretty well. I’m happy with having no “enforcer” on the team so far though.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
Clark could. Wouldn’t want him to.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
I think Clark would get his ass handed to him. Don’t get me wrong, I think he could take every single punch but I don’t see a guy that never fights being able to land a blow with a fighter of Brash’s caliber.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
by zephyr on Oct 8, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Clark could. Wouldn’t want him to.
That would be the fistic equivalent of bringing a knife to a gun fight.
by b.orr4 on Oct 8, 2009 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That would be the fistic equivalent of bringing a toy sword to a gun fight.
Fixed that for ya. I love Clark but he shouldn’t take on a heavyweight – he’s a good middle- to lightweight scrapper.
Is this a game?
That would be the fistic equivalent of bringing a pool fun noodle to a gun fight.
FTFY.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
I doubt his name will be announced. Even if he starts (unlikely), they just put them up on the scoreboard without any announcement, right?
"Let the rest be scared of us." - Sasha Semin
by Scott in Shaw on Oct 8, 2009 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions
Yup. I hope to only hear it when it precedes “Two minutes for…”
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I’m betting he gets a warmer reaction than he did in NY. Apparently, the Rangers didn’t introduce the players individually in their home opener because they didn’t want Brash to get booed. I’m wondering if their management is rethinking that signing.
I dont get NY fans
It’s not like Blair Betts was Mark Messier or Brian Leetch or someone beloved to all Rangers – why do they hate him so much?
Well there was also the time Brashear sucker punched Aaron Ward.
Plus people liked Betts because he was a hard working, girtty, penalty killing, team-first guy. I’d expect the same reaction from Caps fans if someone hit Quintin Laing or Matt Bradley like that.
Not only that, but he got away with it. A five-minute major there might very well have been the end for the Caps, but instead, they rallied and won the game and series (obviously). It was a major turning point in the series.
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Right on all points folks. While our skill players sucked the suck all too often, Bettsy worked shift in and shift out. He did everything he could do (which sadly didn’t include scoring) and he – along with Sjostrom and Hank – made the Ranger penalty kill the best in the NHL.
Brash is a lowbrowed mongoloid who gives hockey players a bad name. And, in addition to the Ward sucker punch and the Betts hit, got his ass kicked by a senior citizen. in Shanny after running around making cheap hits.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Quit sugar coating it, Scotty, and tell us how you really feel.
Interested to see Del Zotto and the other kid they’ve got back there, whose name escapes me. Should be a fun one.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
Interested to see Del Zotto and the other kid they’ve got back there, whose name escapes me.
Gilroy.
That’s what it is. Gilroy.
I’m particularly interested to see who they’re on the ice against – wondering who Torts tries to get out there against the Care Bears, and if he throws the rookies into the fire.
Rangers have played the Pens, Sens, and NJD. Both times I’ve seen them (Pens, but briefly, and the Devils) they’ve looked good. The Caps present a different challenge with their speed up front to the Devils.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
Pens were a good test and they played them well. The Sens and the Devils look pretty bad so far this year. Esp. the Devils, I could see the NYI battling with them for worst in the division.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
Staal has always done well against OV so I wouldn’t bet you’d see much of MDZ or Gilroy there. Over the last two games the coaches have been picking MDZ’s spots and limiting both of the rooks in the third periods so I don’t think they would face the Care Bears (haha) that much.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but now Ovie has his personal enforcer – of whom Staal is quite afraid – skating on his line…
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by J.P. on Oct 8, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Bring out your bongos!
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Every time I see that picture it looks just as weird as the first time.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
I was at that game, and coincidentally enough I’ll be at tonight’s game. I can only hope (pray) for a rematch.
"Camaraderie, that's what the Washington Capitals are all about."
by CapitalCentre on Oct 8, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s imagining Nicky’s and Mike’s faces at the time is what makes it doubly hilarious for me.
by DrinkingPartner on Oct 8, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
got his ass kicked by a senior citizen. in Shanny after running around making cheap hits
This is some revisionist history of that fight.
I also always love when fans who are in love with their own enforcers rail about those on other teams being dirty. Colton Orr wasn’t exactly a model citizen. Every enforcer is going to have several questionable hits for opposing fans to get up in arms about. Comes with the job.
Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst
by Killer_Carlson on Oct 8, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions
So if Brash fought Poti who would you root for?
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
That’s just cruel.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions
I still think that it was less about Betts and more about the humiliation of Coach Tortorella. IMO that was the real reason Brash got six full days in stir.
And the NY fans are upset more because Brash doesn’t add a lot offensively. AFAICT.
IS PAĐŻTY NOW
Completely untrue as we would have been more than happy to keep Colton Orr instead of getting Brash. We loved Orrsie, and he brought nothing to the table offensively.
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Wild and Baseless Prediction of the Game™: A wizard-like save will stun the Verizon Center crowd, as the Caps are robbed of a would-be chip-in goal by the glove of… Valiquette.
Winterion Game Studios
Visit us online at : http://winterion.com
So you think tonight will be one of the 5 games he starts this season or Lundy will get injured? I don’t see him getting pulled unless the Caps put up about 6 quick ones.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
Sends the wrong signal to bypass your workhorse against the team that put you out of the playoffs…
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Oct 8, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Holy crap, you might be on to something with these predictions. Did you read about this earlier in the day or something?
Scotty Hockey just wrote up top:
BTW – in case you guys didn’t see, Zipay is reporting that Valley will start in net for the Rangers …
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
that's been updated from the beat guys at the skate to Hank ...
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Honestly, I have a hard time believing that the Rags wouldn’t start Hank.
Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But, if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. If you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.
For those interested
The Game Notes have been posted
by PaintDrinkingPete on Oct 8, 2009 10:40 AM EDT reply actions
Wasn’t Auger a ref at the Philly game as well?
by PaintDrinkingPete on Oct 8, 2009 10:43 AM EDT reply actions
In related news, Auger is still looking for the real killer.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Beats pitching for the Indians.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Oct 8, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I dunno...
I bet Ogea is making more $$ than Auger
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Oct 8, 2009 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Lack of Respect for Backstrom
Continues to puzzle me…he seems to not be on anyone’s “tops” list. Why is everyone else just missing “it” with him? I bet other teams are paying attention.
Backstrom has to be watched for some length of time to develop an appreciation for him. He’s not going to make that “rush down the middle and dish” like Magic Johnson leading the break. He’s going to get the puck in the corner, ward off a defender (he’s remarkably strong on his skates), create some space, take his time, and thread a pass to someone in a position to do something with the puck. It’ll have all the excitement of listening to Muzak in the doctor’s waiting lounge. Even when he scores, it’s usually just a flick-o’-the-wrist kind of thing from 10-15 feet. Not much to rave about on SportsCenter there. And he’ll do that a couple times a night. Before you know it, he has 80 points.
If you've read this far...seek help.
I’m pretty sure he knows about him, though, and his agent does, as well.
by DrinkingPartner on Oct 8, 2009 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions
No, actually, I thought the initial response was fairly reasonable: he’ll probably continue to be underrated by the wrong/right people!
by DrinkingPartner on Oct 8, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions
It really does defy logic that guys like Kane and Toews, among others, get much more hype despite producing less than Backstrom.
I disagree. Kane produced more, at a younger age, with weaker teammates than Backstrom in their respective rookie years. Toews has been a more prolific goal scorer than Backstrom to this point, plays a great defensive game (not that Backstrom’s is bad), and is captaining the resurgent Blackhawks.
That’s not to say they’re necessarily better, but I certainly understand the relative level of attention each is getting.
Nicky is the best-kept secret (well, maybe Laich and Steckel are) in hockey. And while I’d love to see the kid get some love from the media, one day he’s going to have a historic season himself, and all of us in DC are going to look like geniuses for bragging about the guy for years.
Even more than feeling like geniuses, I hope Nicky helps us feel like fans of the Stanley Cup Champions sometime in the quite near future.
by mechanicsville on Oct 8, 2009 11:48 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I’m sensing more and more thatthe so-called “experts” are waking up to just how good Nik is. The color guy on the Versus broadcast continually pointed out that Nik is a lot more than just Ovechkin’s sidekick. When he beats our Crosby for the assist title, they’ll notice him for sure.
But even then there would be an avalanche of assertions that he only did it because he played with the best goal scorer in the history of earth, whereas Sid plays with dogs.
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And, you know, Sid has a Cup and all, which, ipso facto, means he’s better.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
As much as I love Backstrom and as much as I hate such lines of argument, Sid is better than Backstrom. Now I’m gonna go puke.
I think he was referring to the argument of sid being better than ovi based on him having a cup.
I dunno if anyone disagrees that Sid is better than Backstrom. Although, I think Backstrom is perfect for our first line just based on the fact that he doesn’t fall apart every season.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
Fair, fair. I think Backstrom is really the perfect player for his role on this team – other than faceoffs, I don’t think I would change a single thing about him even if I could. Hopefully he will stay durable this year. And he is, without question, a top-50 player in the NHL.
Better faceoffs would be a plus but I think he’ll hit his stride on those soon enough. It took Sid a long time too — this season he’s been good (expect last night losing 12 of 17, ouch)
I’ll take Backstrom being so-so at faceoffs for now because I love some Laich on PP1.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean people aren’t out to get me.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
he only did it because he played with the best goal scorer in the history of earth
more props for ovechkin = more hart trophies?
fewer props for backstrom = cheaper contract?
win, win. (one can hope.)
by Natty Bumppo on Oct 8, 2009 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions
But even then there would be an avalanche of assertions that he only did it because he played with the best goal scorer in the history of earth, whereas Sid plays with dogs.
…woof.
If you've read this far...seek help.
Wow! where did the shirt come from?
by PaintDrinkingPete on Oct 8, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions
It looks like something you would have seen at a NKOTB concerts in the early 90’s.
(Not that I would actually know that).
by PaintDrinkingPete on Oct 8, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
I am missing something here? I wouldn’t really call playing with Malkin, Gurien and the likes “dogs”.
I don’t know what that means but the top google result is the Center for Language Education and Development…not really sure what to make of that
Crosby only plays with Malkin on the PP so he doesn’t even really count. Peerless was just joking.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
According to Tarik, Juice is the odd man out tonight. Any idea why? Erskine clearly needs a break. Or perhaps BB wants to give him a chance to redeem himself?
My only guess is that Gabby thinks he may need some guys who can drop the gloves tonight.
by PaintDrinkingPete on Oct 8, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
That might be a reason, given the heated playoff series between to two last spring. But I gotta feel like Juice is gotta be better with the gloves off than Shucltz (lulz) or Sloan, each of whom have only 1 NHL fight (and Sloan’s doesn’t really count since he didn’t receive a fighting major). And also, their main enforcer right now is Brash, and I can’t really seem any of the Caps who were here the last two years going after Brash. The only plausible fight I can see is a Erskine-Orr or Bradley-Avery
But I gotta feel like Juice is gotta be better with the gloves off than Shucltz (lulz) or Sloan, each of whom have only 1 NHL fight (and Sloan’s doesn’t really count since he didn’t receive a fighting major).
That’s the same number of NHL fights Jurcina has and his one was one where he was instigated against.
I know that, but I’m going on size and playing style. Juice is huge and can throw some monster hits while Shucltz plays like a Squirt (Ok I’m exaggerating a little). Sloan has thrown only a couple of big hits (at the NHL level and if I remember correctly the big, clean hit in his first game is what led to his “fight”).
How about sitting Poti and letting him figure out what exactly was bad about his game Tuesday?
Russian Machine Never Breaks
How about sitting Erskine, who was an absolute disaster?
by David Getz on Oct 8, 2009 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Because Erskine is the best fighter on the team and the only true heavy weight, going against a team that features Colton Orr and Donald Brashear
Erskine is the better fighter. Poti is the better hockey player.
I disagree that Erskine’s a true heavyweight. The guy doesn’t even look to fight anymore because of his concussions.
And, in all likelihood, he’s not going to fight Brashear or anyone else on the Rangers, rendering the logic of having in the lineup to do so moot.
Yeah...
…There’s only one fight that anyone wants to see: Semin vs. Staal….
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Oct 8, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
How about reversing the rotation of the Earth and UN-signing him to a 2-year deal?
Russian Machine Never Breaks
Not totally directed at you macvechkin, but on topic, it seems as if all of the goodwill Erskine had built up since his play solidified towards the end of last season has disappeared after just one game.
I know his status as a 6/7 D means that any mistake(s) he makes become magnified, but the last two days have felt like a full-frontal assault on him. It’s not like he can decline shifts when Bruce overworks him and tells him to get on the ice.
Thanks JP...
For those of you sitting behind the visitors bench tonight, remember – you’re in the splash zone. Dress accordingly.
Because of this, my cubicle here at work is now also a Splash Zone…. ;)
Let's go Caps!
I thought that they fixed that with reinforced glass or something?
I have a blog too! www.scottyhockey.com
Let's Go Rangers!
by Scotty Hockey on Oct 8, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions
At the VC yes, in my cube, now… all I have are padded walls. Thankfully, they let me out on Game nights so I can sit in section 421….
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Oct 8, 2009 1:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Just like Gretzky was in ’88.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
Gretz was still at the Rink, damn it!
by DrinkingPartner on Oct 8, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions
No Sellout?
Ted and George made a big deal this summer about every game being sold out. Now, I just heard on the pre-Cap report that they’ve got a few hundred seats still available for tonight. If they don’t sellout, somebody gots some ’splaining to do.
I’m guessing it’s those last-minute holdbacks they’re doing? That and it’s a 1st tier priced might have something to do with it.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
That’s bullshit. The Caps need to sell out every single game this season. There is no excuse for their to be open seats left to these games.
Get those Caps employees who were cold calling every person in the tristate area to buy playoff tickets to get back on the horn selling single game tickets.
I’m sick of seeing the 200 section empty too. It’s ridiculous.
One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.
Under the Category of "Thank Heaven for Small Mercies"...
Looks like Erskine is back on the 3rd pairing.
"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"
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